Chamber decides to turn over Hessenthaler billboard

Thursday evening, the Thermopolis-Hot Springs Chamber of Commerce approved a motion to gift the Hessenthaler billboard south of town to Hot Springs County Travel and Tourism. The billboard had been an issue of discussion among the two entities over the past couple months.

The chamber leased the ground for the billboard from Kent Hessenthaler, and then leased out the billboard to Travel and Tourism. However, the five-year lease with Hessenthaler is up this year so discussion began as to what was to be done with the board. Among the ideas raised were to increase the leasing price to Travel and Tourism, as the lease for the land went up as well.

During Thursday night’s meeting of the chamber there was a general feeling among board members that the relationship between the Chamber of Commerce and Travel and Tourism has developed strongly over the past few years through a lot of hard work, and further debate regarding ownership of the billboard, leasing price for it and what should be placed on it would only serve to damage that relationship.

Board Chair Greg Willson said Travel and Tourism has been using the billboard for the past 25 years, using the chamber as a front because they believed they couldn’t enter into a lease agreement. The chamber was previously doing administrative work for Travel and Tourism, but those entities split about four years ago. Willson noted it was the decision of the executive board to step away from the billboard and turn it over to Travel and Tourism, for that organization to sign a lease agreement directly with Hesenthaler.

Due to a lack of quorum at their Tuesday meeting, Travel and Tourism was unable to take action on the billboard offer.

In other action the board approved the business investment schedule beginning in July. The schedule is: In-home business without employees — $195; charitable organizations/clubs, non-profit without staff — $85; One to three employees, for profit — $225, non-profit — $195; Four to nine employees, for profit — $285, non-profit — $220; 10-19 employees, for profit — $350, non-profit — $270; 20-49 employees, for profit — $395, non-profit — $320; Churches — $85; Individuals — $85; Farms and ranches — $225; Government agencies — $195 Schools — refer to base business investment schedule; Financial institutions — $50 base fee plus $15 per million in local deposits or $285, whichever is greater; Hotels/motels — $50 base fee plus $10 per room or $225 whichever is greater; RV park & campgrounds — $50 base fee plus $5 per space or $225, whichever is greater.

New businesses receive six months investment free, compliments of the chamber.

The board also looked at preliminary information regarding the 2017-18 budget for the board to look through. Final approval of the budget is expected at the chamber’s June meeting. Following an executive session, a raise of six percent was approved for Rush, which will begin July 1, the start of the new fiscal year.

Also during the meeting, the chamber looked at its action plan. The plan itself is divided into four wide categories – Business Concepts, Customer Relations, Operations and Organization. Within each of these are identified areas of focus. For instance, Business Concept includes membership, non-membership and tourists. Delving into the plan further, there are goals in each of the focus areas, to achieve in the next 90 days.

Chamber Executive Director Meri Ann Rush noted several goals in the plan have been met, such as conversion to the Chamber Master system, making five new contacts per month and bringing in three new board members, have been achieved and could be removed from the plan. Rush noted she wanted to keep the goal of making five new contacts per month, and she felt it was important enough to continue.

Other goals on the plan include: two webinars a month for employee training, creating and updating web content, setting up member profiles online and education with regard to the website.

Willson noted the plan helps provide the chamber with a set direction and goals to achieve in its service to the community.

Willson also spoke in regard to the new maps. The maps feature the town on one side and Hot Springs County on the other, with local sights and sponsor locations highlighted. There were 34 sponsors for the maps, and with each getting 100 that accounts for 3,400 already distributed out of the 10,000 printed. Willson said they’ll have to see if the remainder is enough to last through the tourist season, though Rush pointed out she has already heard from people who want to sponsor a map next year.

Deb Tudor with Main Street spoke on the recent seven-day trip she and her husband, Rick, along with Howie and Suzanne Samelson took to Pittsburgh. The first couple days saw them at various boroughs, many of them the size of Thermopolis or a bit bigger, and they heard of work being done to get their Main Street to where they want it. Many have been working at it for 25 years, she noted, adding her opinion is that our Main Street is getting better but it’s not going to suddenly turn around within a year.

Tudor said after the first two days they did some classwork. Among the information she took away from the trip, Tudor said they should work on banners, fundraisers, memberships and being more vocal in the community.

Rush noted the chamber is participating in the 2017 sticker program, Memorial Day through Labor Day, through the Wyoming Tourism Office. Rush also reported on the Wyoming State Chamber Conference, noting it was a great one. She she was voted onto the state board, and she’s excited for the opportunity to be more educated on the state level and provide that information to chamber members.