Editor’s note: This story by Andrew McKeever first appeared in the Manchester Journal.
MANCHESTER — The saga of the Manchester and the Mountains Regional Chamber of Commerce took an unexpected twist Monday. After announcing plans to close on Friday, the organization now says it will remain open.
In an email message sent Monday afternoon, the chamber backtracked on a plan to shutter operations and said the announcement made on Friday was “a short term emergency measure.”
“We have since conferred and collaborated with members of the community and advisors to keep the Chamber open and operating for our residents and guests. Our immediate focus is to work towards providing a chamber that better serves the needs of the community moving forward. We will welcome your input, participation and support.”
Multiple attempts to contact chamber officials for comment were unsuccessful.
In an email announcement to members on Friday, the chamber said “After painful deliberations, the Board of Directors of the Manchester and the Mountains Regional Chamber of Commerce has made the decision to cease operations immediately.”
The message went on to say that a decline in memberships, exacerbated by a loss of health insurance revenue with the arrival of Vermont Health Connect, the state health insurance exchange, had put financial pressure on the organization.
The organization had hoped to reinvent itself as an new entity to be known as “The Partnership,” which it hoped would go into effect on July 1. The chamber hoped to raise $75,000 in public funding on Town Meeting Day from area towns. A ballot request for $25,000 from Manchester failed by a slender 5-vote margin, 626-631.
A re-vote effort was subsequently launched and petitions circulated. Last week, however, chamber officials opted to change course.
“We explored and began the process of a ‘reconsideration’ vote by the Town of Manchester,” the chamber’s announcement last Friday stated. “But, we have determined that it is too late. Money from the towns could have been used only for the purposes promised, not to finance administration the Chamber. That was to come from the renewed vitality to follow successful town meeting votes. We cannot overcome this loss of momentum and confidence of buy-in by all.
“The responsible business decision is to cease operation and not to go through with reconsideration for funds we could not in good conscience use for the immediate operational needs of the Chamber. By making the decision now, it allows the Chamber to take care of current financial obligations and releases our loyal partners from further monetary obligation to us.”
The Manchester Select Board is scheduled to meet Tuesday night at 7 p.m. and on its agenda is a discussion of the chamber’s situation.
