Nominations sought for chamber honors

At February Chamber of Commerce meeting on February 11, executive director Meri Ann Rush said that their city/county maps participation will be extended to February 15. This extension was due to Rush being out in January. The map usually is available at the end of April because the peak tourist season starts around May 1. These maps are a fundraiser for the chamber. 

In new business, the chamber will be preparing their nomination forms for the 2020 Business / Citizen and Non-Profit Organization of the Year. The deadline for nominations is March 19. The chamber board will review them in April and then voting will happen. The executive board members will count the ballots. The winners will be announced at the chamber banquet on October 2.

Jennifer Arends brought up a concern or request that other businesses stay open on Sunday nights so that customers at the Black Bear Cafe who are on a waitlist to be seated have someplace to go shopping before they have dinner. Arends said, “If shops could be open on Sunday’s it could greatly help our tourism on weekends and in the summer because people are typically here Friday through Monday. We are doing 300 plus people every Sunday and we are on a waiting list. If there was somewhere for them to go shop while they’re waiting, I’ve been waiting to bring that up for years. It’s something to think about.” Howie Samelson mentioned that he is open then and that Kirby Creek Mercantile is also open then. Arends added that there are not many places to shop even after 5 p.m. She said that Thermopolis is advertising itself as a place to “Shop, Swim and Play”. 

Rush responded with the idea of creating a MARS Group, a marketing and retail strategy committee. Rush said it would be similar to what they do with their retail committee. This committee would be about collaborating and brainstorming issues and solutions. 

Chamber president Pastor Sam Needham then brought up an issue about the chamber’s involvement with managing the fireworks stand on the south end of town and a complaint from resident Derrick Burrows. Burrow owns a fireworks stand inside the town and he had contacted multiple members of the chamber board to voice his opinion. Burrow attended the chamber meeting via speakerphone and said, “My understanding is that the one and only responsibility of the Chamber of Commerce is to support local businesses and when they use Chamber resources to promote and sell and help an out of stater, versus somebody that’s local.” Burrows did not speak up last year about the chamber’s involvement with the fireworks stand but wished he would have received a courtesy call from the chamber to inform them of their circumstances. He said he felt “stabbed in the back” and that he “cannot compete with the chamber working with an out of stater.” 

Rush thanked Burrows for voicing his opinion and concerns. Rush then replied that last year the company Fireworks Supermarket which is out of Minnesota bought the building in the fall of 2019. Last year was the first year the company ran it. 

Jana Oliver also spoke to Burrows and said the company, “contacted us because they wanted somebody that they could donate the money to, like groups, and so we tried to get the Booster club, volleyball, wrestling, football, middle school FFA everybody else to do it and we would just fill in where they couldn’t. … That’s what they’re all about, they want to have groups like that where they can give money to. And we’re hoping because they are talking about cutting school sports 50% that they would do it this year to make up their money.” Burrows said he has no problem trying to support the county. 

Rush asked Burrows, “Do you have a problem if we offer that again but the chamber oversees it, to where we have other organizations run it but then once again if we cannot find an organization to fill a Saturday our volunteers would need to, is that a problem?” 

Burrows replied he thinks “the Chamber should get out of it completely. Have those organizations run it but if the chamber is involved it makes you look bad in my opinion. You’re not supporting a local business, you’re supporting an out of stater.” Rush clarified, “But it’s ok if the Bobcat Booster Club ran it, you just feel that the Chamber shouldn’t be the one organizing it.” Burrows said, “That’s my opinion yes.”

Rush added that last year the fireworks company asked the chamber to find an individual or organization to run the stand and they couldn’t so the chamber took on the responsibility. The chamber partnered with various student organizations in the high school and middle school to help man the fireworks stand and raise support for their group. 

The Chamber board has tabled a decision on the fireworks stand and will discuss it at their March 11 meeting.