Last week, the Norwood Chamber of Commerce held a board meeting to discuss several items of business. Now, the chamber needs new executive board members. The chamber operates as a nine-member board, and four seats are available.
Currently serving on the board are John Dotson (president), Carrie Andrew (vice-president), Justin Williams (secretary), Cindy Romani (treasurer) and John Bockrath (member-at-large).
To make it easier and more convenient for new members, Dotson said the chamber has cut down on the number of yearly meetings and also has moved them over to the Norwood Town Hall. (Previously they were at Norwood Christian Church.)
The board also wants the meeting venue to feel more open and welcoming. All business owners who join the chamber can come to executive meetings.
There, town officials, who are often already widely involved and who have knowledge of the annual calendar and upcoming events can listen in on the discussions and give their feedback too.
Dotson said he welcomes Norwood business owners to come and serve on the board. He wants them to give their input for the chamber’s direction.
Andrew said their presence is needed.
“We understand comments have been made that the executive board members are from nonprofits and government, but we have flexible schedules and we are able serve when businesses need to be open and earning their revenue,” she said. “But we would like other businesses to be represented on the executive board. We just need them to be at the meetings.”
The new board will help plan chamber-sponsored events and other town celebrations. That includes Pioneer Day and the Car Show (September), Noel Night (December), the annual Chamber Dinner (springtime) and more.
Sometimes other special events are also held, and Dotson said it’s important for the chamber board members to come together and support those as well. The board is planning for a special ribbon-cutting ceremony next month for the town’s new bike shop that recently opened on Grand Avenue. (The bike shop owners have requested to wait for publicity until their space is more organized and their inventory fully stocked.)
The chamber board will also support the new Lone Cone Library facility breaking ground this month.
Related to that new construction, director Andrew said the building process already is bringing more and more people to town. Contractors and other people involved in the construction process are creating traffic, visiting local businesses and perhaps staying overnight. She said they are likely shopping at the grocery story, eating in Norwood’s restaurants and maybe lodging at one of the hotels.
She said the library, along with the raw water system now being installed in the town, can increase commerce and support local businesses. She said the development of the infrastructure is already benefitting Norwood. According to her, the taxpayers — especially business owners who are funding the new library through the mil levy — are hopefully going to see a return in the form of commerce, she said.
She said the influx of people could also help support the town’s sales tax too, generating additional revenue.