Could the Auburn Blvd. Business Association become active again?

By Sara Beth Williams–
The Auburn Boulevard Business Association is hosting a meeting on Tuesday, May 21, following a lengthy pause in activity.

The local business association had been inactive for over a year following the retirement of President Richard Hale at the end of 2022. Hale had been with the association since its inception in 2016.

Previously, former Citrus Heights Chamber of Commerce Executive Director and ABBA co-chair Diane Ebbitt-Riehle had been advocating for the continuation and revitalization of the business association. Ebbitt-Riehle told The Sentinel in January that she didn’t expect businesses to be interested in revitalizing the association until Phase 2 of the Auburn Boulevard Complete Streets Project began.

Nearly ten years after the first phase of the Auburn Boulevard Complete Streets Project was completed, the Citrus Heights City Council gave the green light for construction to begin on the second phase of revitalization for Auburn Boulevard in a May 9 City Council meeting.

Three community leaders are expected to speak at the upcoming ABBA meeting, including new Citrus Heights Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Sheri Merrick, Citrus Heights Economic Development and Community Engagement Director Meghan Huber, and Sergeant Seth Cimino with the Citrus Heights Police Department.

Organizer Dan Howes stated that the purpose of the meeting is to “work together with the other businesses on the Auburn corridor to increase our resources, visibility, and security.” Howes is the owner of Good Hands Massage on Auburn Boulevard.

The event will be held Tuesday, May 21, at 6 p.m. at Steve Cook’s Fireside Lanes, located at 7901 Auburn Blvd. in Citrus Heights.