Please respond to this email

November 2, 2006

To Executive Committee Members,

Our next scheduled Executive Committee meeting is for November 16th at 7pm at Fritzs. Come hungry he is bringing pizza, or so the rumor goes...

Here is a preliminary list of topics that need to be discussed at an executive committee meeting:

1. How to handle the 2007 map so it gets printed in the spring not fall...and advertisers and members are satisfied with the results

2. Elections, when are they, we need to send an announcement to membership to let anyone run if they want to

3. Regular schedule of meetings, posted well in advance, for members, the way its going now is not ideal

4. Contract for website maintenance has expired in August, we need to discuss what we want to do in this respect - is this money ($1300) best spent?

5. How new memberships are handled, who welcomes them, how they learn about benefits, etc..

6. Internal communications bet. executive committee members, email does not seem to be working, infrequent meeting is counterproductive

7. What to do with the $10,000 seed money granted to the Chamber

8. What to do with the Agricultural Grant, did that go to the chamber, or to another organization, are we involved in how its spent?

9. The format for members meetings, last time line up of chairs discouraged interaction, but circle seems to promote discord, what now?

10. Membership drive, do we want any new members? If so, we need to invite businesses to join. Who, what, where, when, how.

11. Marketing materials for chamber, have heard that a brochure was printed, but did not see it yet, need to distribute them to anyone who wants them.

12. Budget for Chamber, need for rediscussion of how it was established.

13. how to partner with other chambers, as per the example of greene and columbia, how about proposal for Rhinebeck...could tie in nicely with the Agricultural grant money we have as they have lots of farms and they are very very close to us...

14. Saugerties presence online is lacking, how are we going to bolster this?? Have sent many email ideas, no responses.

15. evening meetings for chamber mixers, a few of us had good ideas for guest presenters, but this was not followed up.

This is the list off the top of my head....I encourage each of you to add to this list and prioritize what we need to discuss at our next meeting, if we are not going to do roundtable emails..

I have been putting in alot of time to make sure the chamber does not fizzle out....I know others of you have been devoting much time as well to make it a go...I think what we are really missing, is 1. infastructure (clarity concerning who does what), 2. communication (via email, meetings)... we need to improve the teamwork component.

How about it??? Everyone please respond asap.

Justine Smythe
cheerleader, Saugerties Chamber of Commerce
justine@smythehouse.com