April 15, 2024
By: Dwayne Page
The Smithville-DeKalb County Chamber of Commerce is expected to receive the same $35,000 non-profit contribution from the DeKalb County Government in fiscal year 2024-25 as the current year.
During last Tuesday’s budget committee meeting, Chamber Director Suzanne Williams said she is not requesting an increase in funding from the county but is thankful for the $10,000 increase granted for the 2023-24 fiscal year and would like to be able to count on the same amount ($35,000) this coming budget year. The budget committee has not yet acted on Williams’ request.
Williams also gave the following report from the Chamber on priority goals that had been presented at last year’s budget meeting.
•The new tourism website has been created that includes the new tourism video. – www.visitdekalbtn.com
•A new tourism committee, separate from the Chamber Board, has been created and meets monthly.
• The Chamber purchased another full-page ad in the Upper Cumberland Stay and Play Magazine located on page 28.
• $15,000 for Downtown Alexandria Revitalization – The contract has been signed, and work is beginning now.
• Tourism Marketing Grant for 8 Jamboree Billboards
• Instead of $150,000, Suzanne was approved for a $300,000 grant for downtown Smithville Revitalization. The Chamber will be receiving the signed contract soon.
• The Chamber received a $50,000 Three Star Grant for the DeKalb County High School to purchase equipment for a Digital Media and Marketing Program. Brad Leach is in the process of getting that equipment now.
• Only 4 communities in the State of TN were chosen to be included in the new “Destination Branding” initiative. The Chamber wrote and submitted an application and is one of the four that was chosen. The marketing firm, ChandlerThinks, will be meeting with the Tourism Committee and a few other community leaders on April 18th to discuss branding ideas.
“For this grant period, the Chamber has been awarded $390,550 in grants with $77,500 in matches with none of the matches coming from the county or cities,” said Williams.
“In addition, the Chamber compiled the information for the Three Star Status Reports and the Middle TN Industrial Development Association (MTIDA) Data Profiles for the county and cities”.
Williams informed the group that the DeKalb County Clean Up Day is scheduled for May 4th.
Since the Leadership DeKalb Class has started back (since COVID shut it down for awhile), Williams requested that the Leadership DeKalb contribution be added back to the county budget in the amount of $500 to be used for the State Government Session held at the State Capitol.