Committee formed to

address issues



By KEITH R. CERNY

ALAMOSA — Representatives of various economic development targeting organizations joined forces Thursday to attempt to breathe new life into the struggling Alamosa County Chamber of Commerce.

Wracked by lagging membership renewals and unpredicted staffing issues, the chamber is struggling operationally and financially, Shon Davis, current chamber president, told a group of 20 community leaders. Coming off the usual winter slowdown, the salmonella outbreak wreaked havoc with local businesses, followed by the nationwide economic slump, Davis said.

“Membership renewals started to slow and then word got out that the chamber was slowing down, so the renewals slowed even more,” Davis said.

Following more than an hour of discussion, a committee was formed of representatives of various organizations to develop plans for revitalizing the chamber. Among those serving on that committee are Russ Johnson, representing the Alamosa Community Development Corporation (ACDC), Davis of the chamber, Jeff Woodward of the Alamosa County Marketing District, Ruthie Brown for Alamosa Downtown Merchants, Inc. (ADMI), Rob Oringdulph for Alamosa Uptown River Association (AURA), City Manager Nathan Cherpeski and County Commissioner Darius Allen.

Mike and Roni Wisdom of the SLV Development Resources Group were out of town on business, but will also be asked to join the group, as will Donna Wehe of the Small Business Development Center.

“A city without a chamber of commerce is not much of a city,” Woodward said, echoing the feelings of everyone present that something has to be done to get the chamber back on its feet. Participants also felt that more collaboration and cooperation is needed between the various local groups who focus on economic development.

“We’re one town, one community and we’re too small to be divided,” Woodward added.

Davis said the biggest strength of the Alamosa Chamber of Commerce is name recognition.

Woodward echoed, “When a new business gets ready to go to a town, the first thing they look for is the chamber of commerce.”

“We need a chamber, but we need to show the members what we’ll do for them,” said City Councilor Kathy Rogers. “It’s all our responsibility to make it work.”

ACDC President Johnson said he sees the community organizations being fragmented with a lack of scale and focus, adding that “volume, money and leadership equals scale. We need to focus more on our common elements.”

Smith, chairman of the marketing district, said his board too is concerned about the future of the chamber and the need for more coordination with groups.

“We can work to bring all the tourists to town we can,” Smith said, “but if we don’t have anyone here to take care of them and take their money it’s a lost cause.”

He said the marketing board was approached for money for the chamber but wants to be certain that any funds be put to use for a permanent solution. Smith suggested that the marketing district board, which oversees two separate bed taxes collected by county lodging facilities, could possibly be expanded to more members and that group oversee the chamber.

Others suggested that ACDC, whose focus is primarily on economic development and which is totally privately funded, would be a better match with the chamber.

“We need to look at what groups have in common in terms of purpose and mission,” Johnson said. “And then how do we work together. There won’t be a money problem if we have the right structure.”

Woodward suggested that various groups put up matching funds to get the chamber through its current struggles and help develop a new direction for the group.

Tammy Fuller, the most recent director of the chamber who resigned recently, was praised by many in attendance and several showed interest in trying to rehire her, providing that she be provided some focus.

City Councilman Charlie Griego encouraged the gathering to put a smaller group together to develop a plan for the chamber’s future.

“We need a home for business recruitment and retention,” said Tawney Becker of AURA, “and that’s the role of the chamber.”

Commissioner Allen suggested that if the chamber worked with ACDC they could perhaps target a fulltime economic development recruiter.

“We are missing solar energy opportunities,” Allen said, “because no one is out there pursuing it.” He added that the entire San Luis Valley needs to work together more on economic development.