The membership of the North Hood Canal Chamber of Commerce, which represents the communities of Brinnon and Quilcene, is considering joining a proposed countywide chamber of commerce.
“The entire membership will discuss the merger at the next meeting,” said Mike McFadden, president of the North Hood Canal Chamber of Commerce.
“Right now, the chamber board is against it, but it’s going to be up to the members.
“If this is something that they want to see done, then we will go with it because that’s what we’re here for, to serve the members.”
McFadden attended a joint meeting with representatives of the Port Townsend, Tri-Area and Port Ludlow chambers of commerce last Wednesday.
Directors of those three chambers have discussed uniting in 2010 for a trial period of operating as a single, countywide chamber.
“We’re still exploring all of our options, and going through the process,” said Jennifer MacGillonie, director of the Port Townsend Chamber of Commerce.
United in 2010
“We are still very much at the beginning in terms of planning, but we do know that the [Port Townsend, Tri-Area and Port Ludlow] chambers will have a united board in 2010.”
And as far as the communities of Brinnon and Quilcene go, MacGillonie said “If they want to join that would be great.”
The North Hood Canal Chamber of Commerce will meet Sept. 9 to make a decision about joining the countywide chamber.
McFadden said he has concerns over the process being taken, and that some decisions have already been made.
“From our standpoint, we don’t have a problem with it, but it needs to be done in steps,” he said.
“And it seems like they kind of went ahead and decided to go without us on this.”
The three merging chambers have formed a Chamber Connection Committee made up of three members of each chamber.
McFadden said his group was never invited.
MacGillonie said the truth was that the lines simply got crossed during the change in management at the Port Townsend Chamber when Rod Davis left as director earlier this year.
Also, MacGillonie said no decisions have been set in stone yet.
“There is still a lot that we need to figure out,” she said.
“We know we want to combine and we want each area to be represented equally.
“We plan to have subcommittees for each region and for the first part of this to have each chamber keep it’s legal status.
“Beyond that, we still have four weeks to work out the rest.”
At two public meetings last week, members of the Chamber Connection Committee outlined some of the goals for the combined chamber.
At the meetings, the group said that voting would be equal among all participants.
Port Townsend chamber luncheon meetings would remain scheduled every Monday, he said, starting next week at the Elks Lodge, 555 Otto St., off state Highway 20, about three miles south of Port Townsend.
Tri-Area and Port Ludlow chambers would alternate meeting places.
What happens with Port Townsend Lodging Tax Advisory Committee funds generated by a 3 percent tax on lodging is uncertain.
Port Townsend Deputy Mayor George Randels and county Administrator Philip Morley are discussing that matter.
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Reporter Erik Hidle can be reached at 360-385-2335 or at erik.hidle@peninsuladailynews.com.
