Chamber board reviews, adopts budget

Thursday evening, the Thermopolis-Hot Springs Chamber of Commerce approved the budget for the 2017-18 fiscal year, which balances out at $149,240 for income and expenditures.

The income budget includes $5,100 from advertising opportunities such as newspapers, the chamber website and the table tents — the trifold pieces seen at local businesses that advertise events in the next couple months.

Income also includes $56,600 from events, including: $36,000 from the demolition derby, $700 from the Gift of the Waters 5K run, $10,000 from fireworks, $900 from the 21 Days of Christmas, $8,000 from the chamber banquet and $1,000 from the Antique ArtStroll.

Also included in the income budget is: $9,000 in fundraising from the new city/county maps. The maps are available at local businesses, and come on tear away pads so patrons can keep them. They have Thermopolis on one side and Hot Springs County on the other, with each map lined with sponsor ads.

There is also $4,475 budgeted from other fundraising.

The remainder of the income budget is for items such as town funds, co-op ads, interest income and wage reimbursement.

On the expenses end, there is $35,785 for events, such as: $10,000 for fireworks, $700 for the Gift of the Waters 5K, $500 for parades, $685 for the 21 Days of Christmas, $5,000 for the chamber banquet, $250 for the Antique ArtStroll, $18,650 for the demolition derby.

There is also $300 budgeted for local advertising, $3,504 for the city/county maps and other fundraising, $2,210 for insurance, $71,100 for wages and $16,600 for office expenses. The remainder of the expenses budget is from things like property taxes, website and credit card fees, travel, the Chamber Bucks program and publications.

Also at the meeting, Board Chair Greg Willson said he had recently visited with Amanda Moeller and it was agreed that Hot Springs County Travel and Tourism would take over the Hessenthaler billboard south of town. The billboard had been a topic of discussion among the chamber and Travel and Tourism, as there was a previous agreement between the two entities regarding the board — the chamber leased the ground for the board from Kent Hessenthaler, then leased out the board to Travel and Tourism.

The five-year agreement with Hessenthaler was up this year, and the chamber took action at their May meeting to turn the billboard over to Travel and Tourism.

The 2017-18 contract with Travel and Tourism was also presented and approved. Rush noted the contract remains the same as last year’s and covers staffing of the visitor’s center with weekend workers.

Willson reported on a recent meeting of the Website Committee, noting there would be some changes to the site as a result. Among those are making it more visually appealing, changing the color scheme and moving toward more icons than text.

Rush reported the Pageant Days Parade theme this year is “Pages from the Ages — Celebrating over 100 years.” The parade will be Aug. 5, and the theme reflects many downtown businesses were established in 1917. Last year the parade had 22 entries, Rush said, and the goal is to have more this year.

Willson said it’s important to remember it is summer here in Thermopolis, and we need to put our best face forward, even though it might be hot and we get busy. Willson said to keep in mind there will be a lot more kids and vehicles as well, so people also need to remain safe. He also advised people make time for themselves, so they don’t wind up overextended and exhausted.