Area business owners may soon have elected officials knocking at their door aiming to learn more about their businesses and how they can help.

The last two annual surveys completed by the Lawrence Chamber of Commerce revealed that some businesses owners were feeling neglected, said Lynn Parman, the chamber’s vice president of economic development.

“There’s a feeling that the community is not business-friendly,” she said Monday during a joint meeting of the Douglas County Commission, Lawrence City Commission and Lawrence school board.

At the request of public officials, Parman came up with suggestions on how local elected officials could combat the bad feelings.

She suggested that elected officials form teams and conduct regular visits to the top 25 employers, visit corporate headquarters or meet with company officials, assist in creating business plans to help companies meet specific challenges and help with the recommendations of the chamber’s business-retention task force.

Douglas County Commissioner Charles Jones said it was important that the city organizations follow through with Parman’s suggestions. About 90 percent of the job growth in Douglas County in the next 10 years will be the result of expansion of companies already in the county, he said.

“For us to be successful, we need to work hard at supporting the existing companies,” Jones said.