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Council pauses $7,000 Chamber contribution; members ask for private meeting with chamber director
Summary
Councilmembers received a presentation from the Chowchilla District Chamber of Commerce and agreed to table a proposed $7,000 city contribution pending follow-up meetings between council members and the chamber executive director.
City staff presented a resolution authorizing a $7,000 contribution from the general fund to the Chowchilla District Chamber of Commerce for calendar year 2025. The proposed allocation would encourage the chamber to participate in at least three city-hosted events and requires a midyear budget amendment because the contribution was not prebudgeted.
Dylan Hayworth, executive director of the Chowchilla District Chamber of Commerce, summarized the chamber’s 2024 activities—new members, ribbon cuttings, a record-attended annual awards dinner, a car show that the chamber’s data shows is the city’s second-largest tourism event after the fairgrounds, a biweekly newsletter, and small-business support services such as sign‑permit assistance and videos for businesses. He noted the chamber’s scholarship program and community sponsorships.
Several councilmembers praised the presentation but also raised concerns that some chamber programs that existed in the past (ambassador/welcome-basket program, regular representation at the Madera County Economic Development Commission, meet-and-greets) have lapsed. One councilmember requested a private meeting with Hayworth and Mayor Smith to discuss those items. Council consensus was to table the resolution so council members could meet with the chamber representative and bring the matter back at a later meeting.
Ending: The council agreed by consensus to table the $7,000 contribution and asked city and chamber representatives to meet and return the item for consideration at a future meeting.
