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Cedar Springs Chamber to dissolve; Chamber asks DDA to accept roughly $18,000 for holiday lighting
Summary
Representatives of the Cedar Springs Chamber of Commerce told the DDA they expect to dissolve and asked the board to accept and restrict approximately $18,000 in remaining Chamber funds for downtown holiday lighting; staff will draft an agreement and return the item for formal action.
Barry Hopkins, speaking as a Chamber representative, told the Downtown Development Authority that the Chamber of Commerce plans to dissolve after more than a decade of volunteer service and limited membership.
Hopkins said the Chamber's bylaws require remaining funds be transferred to a nonprofit or municipal entity that will benefit local businesses; he estimated the balance at about $18,000 after final closures. The Chamber proposed the DDA accept the funds and earmark them for downtown holiday lighting.
Board members thanked Chamber volunteers for years of service and expressed support for using the remaining funds to keep downtown lights maintained. "The way the Chamber got the lights on Main Street relit... we would like the funds to be able to continue on that as long as the funds are available," Hopkins said.
Staff said they will work with the Chamber to draft a simple donation agreement that specifies the amount and permissible uses and will bring that agreement back to the board at a future meeting; no formal acceptance vote was recorded during this meeting.
The DDA trustee remarks included expressions of appreciation and a willingness to consider accepting and restricting the funds for holiday lighting, but staff will return a formal agreement and recommendation for the board to vote on at a subsequent meeting.
