Chamber Scoping Out Offices in Village Hall

The Greater Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce may soon have a new home.

For the past four years, the chamber has rented space from the , which itself rents offices in Dr. Neil Schlupp’s building at 200 Webster St. The chamber’s lease is up in December, and according to President Jennifer Jones-Sinnott, they’re looking for options that may save them some money.

The Webster Street location has been “awesome,” Jones-Sinnott said, but if the chamber can find a more financially beneficial option, they’ll take it. Jones-Sinnott said there is no bad blood between the chamber and the MEDC, and in fact the chamber could easily stay right where it is, if the finances work out. 

A committee of three chamber members, including Jones-Sinnott, has been scoping out locations—she said they’ve looked at five or six of them within the village limits.

One of those options may be to rent space in , at 200 N. River St. Earlier this month, the chamber asked village staff what it might cost to lease one of the empty offices in that building, and with the Village Board’s assent, they’re working out details. 

Village Manager Anne Marie Gaura said she would like to see a plan worked out that passes all costs on to the chamber. This would include custodial services for the office they’re renting. Also, she said, she’d like to see the village’s annual chamber membership fee of $150 waived for the term of the lease.

The chamber’s one office employee, Executive Administrator Pam Nagel, currently works three mornings a week, and those hours wouldn’t change, Jones-Sinnott said. Trustees seemed open to the idea, with one caveat: “My only concern would be security, with one person alone in the building,” said Trustee Bill Keck.

Jones-Sinnott said the chamber would abide by whatever security measures the village requires. Details of the deal are still under consideration, and Trustee Pete Heinz said he would like to see the finished agreement before giving his support. But other trustees, like Matt Brolley and Andy Kaczmarek, said this would be a win-win for the village and the chamber.

“I think it’s a great idea, actually,” Kaczmarek said.

Jones-Sinnott sees many advantages to moving the chamber offices into Village Hall.

“The village and the chamber partner on a lot of different things, and being located in the same building would be convenient,” she said. “A lot of times they work hand in hand with what we do, along with the MEDC.”