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Wake Forest commissioners agree in principle to continue Chamber partnership; request accounting for prior town funds
Summary
The Wake Forest Area Chamber of Commerce asked the board to reinstate a $20,000 town partnership; commissioners signaled general support but asked staff to obtain an accounting and the chamber’s year‑end audit before further funding.
Jim Thompson, the newly appointed president of the Wake Forest Area Chamber of Commerce, asked commissioners to reinstate the town’s partnership and funding for fiscal 2024–25. Thompson said the chamber had strengthened financial controls and completed a financial review and asked the town to renew $20,000 in support, describing the requested breakdown as $15,000 for chamber operations and $5,000 for the Chamber Foundation.
Thompson described the chamber’s work with the town on events and leadership programs and said the board and staff had taken steps to improve transparency, including drafting a financial‑controls document and completing a financial review. "I come to you this evening to ask for you to reinstate your partnership with the chamber," Thompson said.
Commissioners expressed support for the chamber partnership but also raised questions about accountability for taxpayer funds. One commissioner asked for a detailed accounting of how the town’s prior $20,000 had been spent. Town staff said the chamber produces a regular audit; the town manager said one aspect of an ongoing investigation could not be released but staff would request the chamber’s year‑end audit and an accounting of the funds spent.
The board did not take a formal funding vote at the meeting. Town staff said they would contact the chamber for documentation and advised commissioners that the town could require an annual accounting or audit as a condition before approving future town payments. The town manager said staff would ask the chamber for a full accounting of the previously awarded $20,000 and would request the year‑end audit going forward.
Separately, commissioners discussed how to structure any future agreement, with suggestions that the town require third‑party assurances and clearer expenditure reporting if public funds are used to purchase membership or programming.
No final action on a new funding allocation occurred at the meeting; staff were directed to obtain past financial records from the chamber and to prepare a possible agreement for future town support.
