By HEATHER CATHLEEN COX
Staff Writer
Reporter@sbnewspaper.com
The City of San Benito’s newly chartered Chamber of Commerce has a home, as of Monday, Feb. 23.
The Chamber had been defunct for several years. According to individuals formerly associated with the entity, the dissolution was multifaceted and reportedly stemmed from a combination of declining membership, dwindling participation and monies owed to the Internal Revenue Service.
For the location, Chamber Vice President Shirley Vega offered to provide an office in her building located on the corner of Robertson and South Sam Houston, free of charge. Chamber President Lionel Betancourt said, “We chose the old irrigation district building that Shirley offered us. She is letting us have a position in the building, (an office) located on the ground floor.”
The actual address of the new Chamber is 216 S. Sam Houston. “We were given an office space in the building,” said Betancourt. “The board agreed to accept the location for a year. We are taking that with good faith that we will be able to operate solidly out of that position.”
“We will now start looking for a person to man the office,” said Betancourt. “We will continue to proceed. We are on a roll, and things are starting to happen.”
Although the Chamber has received the office rent-free for the year, Betancourt said the group will pay at least a portion of the utility bill. They will also pay the salary of staff they hire to work full- or part-time from the office.
“I think that the progress is good, and everything they’re doing right now is progressive,” said San Benito Mayor Celeste Z. Sanchez.
Since the beginning of their efforts, Sanchez has been a proponent of supporting the Chamber and its board members. Sanchez said, “I’m very happy that they have an (office) now. They’re moving along and making progress, and they are starting to recruit members.”
The timeliness of establishing an effective Chamber is critical to the City’s plans for beautification of downtown as well as plans being made by the Economic Development Corporation to bring new businesses, restaurants and clothing retailers to the Resaca City. Sanchez said, “They’re not being idle. And they’re not procrastinating. They’re taking big, giant steps, and it’s much needed. The Chamber defines the City, so a strong Chamber means a strong City!”
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1 comments
Maybe they’ll pay what they owe to the IRS this time around,as the rest of us have to do.