Friday, February 15, 2002
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Friday, February 15, 2002 |
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Chamber moving forward with independence By JOHN
THOMPSON The transition back to an independent Chamber of Commerce is going along nicely, according to South Fulton Chamber director John Boothby. Boothby said the pace has been hectic as the group breaks away from the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce and looks to forge a strong Chamber on the south side of town. Shortly after the beginning of the year, chamber officials went on a retreat to discuss the organization's goals and hopes. "This gave us a great opportunity to get everything going in the right direction," he said. Since the retreat, the officials have been rewriting the organization's bylaws, and proposed new ones will be presented to the chamber's board next Thursday. Boothby has also been busy getting the message out that the dues structure for the organization has changed. Previously, the group classified small businesses as having one to three employees and charging $400 for a membership. Now, the chamber classifies small businesses as having 10 or fewer employees and charging $250. "We recognize that these small businesses are one of the strengths of South Fulton," he said. Boothby said the chamber has already received a "flurry" of new members and hasn't even started its membership drive yet. Some folks are still confused about the new independent chamber and have joined the Metro Atlanta Chamber. "We're going to honor that membership for the next year," said Boothby. The chamber also is in the process of creating a new chamber guide and membership directory. Boothby hopes to get nearly 20,000 of the publications distributed around the county. He wants to see the directories in all of the municipalities, along with places such as the director's office at Hartsfield International Airport. By this time next year, Boothby believes the chamber will be well on its way to being one of the more viable groups in the area.
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