Chamber proposes merger

Alexis Barker
NLJ Reporter
 
With the hopes of streamlining economic development goals, representatives of the Newcastle Area Chamber of Commerce proposed a merger between the chamber, the city of Newcastle, Weston County and the Weston County Travel Commission, or any combination of those entities. 
Chamber Director Holly Borton told the City Council on Feb. 19 that she and the organization’s board began exploring the idea of teaming up with the city, county and travel commission. According to Borton, the trend of these entities coming together under one umbrella is on the rise across the nation. Communities such as Denver, Rexburg, Douglas and Laramie and Goshen County have all implemented similar arrangements with the goal of economic development, although the specifics of each organizational structure vary, Borton said. 
“Chambers as a whole concept across the nation are struggling, mainly to get involvement,” Borton said. “We live in a disconnected society. Businesspeople, especially, they do their business and then they go home.” 
As a result, she said, chambers, including the Newcastle organization, are finding it difficult to get enough support to accomplish their goals, especially in the area of economic development. 
“I believe this structure could benefit not only the chamber but definitely the city and county as well,” Borton said. “The entire community would benefit from the alliance being formed between the city, county and possibly the travel commission.” 
With an alliance, she said, the chamber-like entity would still be the “boots on the ground” and the city and/
or county would oversee
operations. 
The exact structure, according to Borton, is something that would have to be determined by the entities involved. Todd Martin, chamber board president, said that he envisions the chamber and potentially the travel commission being under the umbrella of the city and/or county. This, Borton said, would allow for information to be streamlined, resulting in optimal productivity while providing benefits and a potentially higher salary to the new organization’s director’s position. 
“We would be the organization under the umbrella of the city and county. We would be doing all the work; there would be no additional work on the council, commission or any other agency,” Martin said, noting that the chamber would “most likely” cease to exist because it would be called something different entirely. 
Borton added that putting the “chamber director” position under the city’s auspices would allow for a reasonable salary and benefits to be offered to attract a “truly” qualified person for the position.
This person, Borton said, could work with all the involved entities to find money and opportunities to push economic development in the Newcastle area. 
Funding for the merged entities, according to Martin, is something that would have to be discussed and determined by the parties involved. He said that he was unable to get specifics on funding models used in other places. 
Whatever the combined entity looks like, Borton said, the chamber would still be a dues-paying membership organization to help support projects. 
“We are not asking the city or county to solely fund any of this,” Borton said. 
Funding for economic development projects can also come in the form of grants, according to Borton. She specifically mentioned the ability the group would have to work with the Wyoming Business Council on potential projects. 
“I was shocked to see that the city of Newcastle has never received a grant from the Wyoming Business Council,” Borton said. “Weston County has applied for one and was granted the grant for the Weston County Events Center. Upton, in the last 10 years, has received over $7 million from the Wyoming Business Council for different projects.” 
The Newcastle area, according to Borton, could utilize and benefit from funds granted by the Wyoming Business Council. Someone just has to go out there and try and get it. She explained that a municipality is required to apply for these grants and that entities like the chamber cannot, another reason why the merger would be beneficial to the community. 
Bringing all invested parties to the same place is really what the merger would promote, Borton said. 
“I feel like we don’t have the connectivity between our different factions to accomplish those goals that we should be out there accomplishing,” Borton said. 
“There is not a lot of cohesion between businesses, leaving economic development left at the wayside.” 
“We are all independent and disconnected, just like everyone at home in their own rooms with their phones,” Borton said. “A partnership like this forces the connectivity, and I think that is why they are seeing success in bringing these factions together, forcing them to work together.” 
Mayor Deb Piana said she thought the idea sounded exciting and that a committee meeting should be held to further investigate the idea.