Manhattan Chamber of Commerce - 1/10/23 Board Meeting
New board positions discussed
Budget Recap -
Memberships haven’t hit the account yet - will next month
Phone bill - Consumer Cellular - Yes, we are still switching. Current phone line is active, physical phone is broken. Mandy is using her personal cell phone for Chamber business.
Priority - Get new phone - Mandy and Brad will connect to get that done.
Review Bylaws - Proposed changes
Notify Mayor of damage to the Chamber office building.
Do we need to pay for all repairs or only those under $500?
Bylaws - update with new Member names and change to 2023. Unanimous vote to change bylaws. Mandy made the changes.
Calendar -
January - After hours mixer, no location set at this time. Rescheduled to 2/22/23 from 6-730 at Arrowhead Ales
Kristy/Shari recapped Irish Fest meeting they attended. They are looking for raffle baskets and donations. Items can be dropped off with Kristy. Mandy gets the emails from Irish Fest planning committee.
Board unanimously decided to eliminate January lunch and learns/mixers.
HS scholarship given by Chamber, suggested increase to $1500 for this year, was $1000 last year. Will use past applications available at all 3 schools, advertise with link to application, and make available on Chamber website.
February-
March- Light up Manhattan green for Irish Fest - using the extra green lights around town per Mayor.
Irish Fest volunteering - Friday and Saturday
Questions: Is the village putting banners up before the Irish Fest parade?
Are any of the banners broken or ripped? The consensus is no but we are going to ask.
We have shirts/sweatshirts left….Merchandise sales at Irish Fest? They are not having tables this year. Suggestions on what to do with our merch: Throw at the parade, donate, raffle.
April - 4th village election, Gallagher’s add them to weekly chamber update, runner up, have a meet & greet?
May-
June - 21st is Bingo in the Park - Heritage Fest - Should we sponsor Village of Manhattan Car Show?
July - Moving wall will be in Manhattan over the 4th of July weekend. Will we donate meals to wall guards? Idea came up to create sponsorship opportunities for Chamber businesses to sponsor a meal. Advertising 2 months in advance. How many meals needed? How long are they there?
3d of July parade, take pictures for judging, and let people vote online. Kristy volunteered to take the pictures. What date/time is the parade?
July mixer will restart the rotation of locations we used for February-June
Manhattan youth small business event - group everyone in one place - give certificate to every kid participating.
August - 30th is Ladies Night Out - Raffles from 6-7 and drawings at 730. Considerations of alternate locations, parking lot on Wabash set up similar to the car show. What resources would we need? Shut down rd and parking lot? Possible location at Central Park pavilion?
September - Labor Dar parade/fireworks - Village is doing the parade, we will help in whatever way they need. The parade is on that Monday.
Winefest - May not be happening this year.
October - Arrowhead Ales for annual Chamber dinner? Mandie will email them.
Trunk-or-Treat, Haunted Train
November-
December - Christmas on State - Activities for kids, Sponsor kids craft table by Santa - Mandie can get craft items @ Michael’s on clearance. No more scavenger hunts! Next year the craft tables should go indoors. Possibly purchase 200 clear ornaments. Maybe do the same thing for Easter as well? Kristy will ask the Park District about it.
Letters to Santa will continue
Christmas @ Round Barn
Other Business -
Changing meeting dates? Yes - Feb 15th and Mar 15th meetings changed to the 22nd of each month and will be evening mixers instead of lunch meetings. No more lunch meetings.
Can we upgrade the mixers somehow? Run our own Bingo?
Acknowledgments for 2023 - Business of the Year - What are the criteria? Most community involvement. Could we put the business person of the year in the parade? Ask the village.
Manhattan Rocks - Community rock painting/FB page - Chamber businesses paint and register the rocks on FB and put out around town.
Welcome Bags - Stonegate/Hanover/Ivanhoe - Who is passing out bags? Ask village - Do we need to pass them out?
Who has keys to the Chamber office? Do we need to get them from Kevin S. and Mary Kay?
