The Columbus Lowndes Chamber of Commerce will be up and running on its own by October.
The announcement came Tuesday during a Golden Triangle Development LINK press conference.
For the past decade, the chamber has operated within the confines of the Golden Triangle Development LINK.
Though the chamber and LINK will become separate entities, they will continue to operate in the same building, and current LINK and chamber CEO Joe Max Higgins will retain his title over both. The two entities will share an accountant and receptionist.
Two new positions — a president and administrative assistant — will be created to work exclusively with the chamber, LINK chamber Vice President Macaulay Whitaker said.
“It is a more focused approach to what we do both on the chamber side and the development side,” she said. “There are staffers in our office that currently wear dual hats. The chamber staffers will not wear dual hats. They’ll dedicate 100 percent of their time to the chamber as it needs to be. Our economic development team will dedicate 100 percent of its time to economic development. We’re trying to minimize the juggling so we’re all more efficient and that the jobs are getting done quicker, better and the way the communities want them to be done.”
The chamber currently accounts for 23.5 percent — approximately $500,000 — of the LINK’s overall budget. Chamber funding is generated by portions of appropriations from Lowndes County and the city of Columbus as well as the estimated 500 member businesses it serves. Higgins said the separation will prevent staffers who currently have dual roles from compromising their duties to local businesses when help is needed in economic development matters.
“The Chamber of Commerce’s main role is advocating for their members,” Higgins said. “It’s representing those mom-and-pop businesses that are up and down Main Street and (Hwy. 45), wherever they may be. That won’t change … This will let us have a presence at that Main Street meeting all the time. This will let us have a presence at the (Columbus-Lowndes Convention and Visitors Bureau) tourism partners meeting all the time. It will let us be more of an advocate for our businesses.”
Nathan Gregory covers city and county government for The Dispatch.
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