The Westlock and District Chamber of Commerce will continue on in 2011 with a new executive.
The chamber considered shutting down for the 2011 year because of a lack of volunteers able to sit on the executive and act as directors, but several people stepped up to the plate at the chamber’s Dec. 14 organizational meeting after a plea from past president Dana Touchette.
“Without an executive we don’t have a chamber,” she said.
Local auctioneer and pastor Ben Kellert will be the president, John Bosman will be vice-president, Kristina Gold will be treasurer and Jayme Muc will be secretary.
The chamber held nominations and elections for its 2011 executive at a meeting Tuesday afternoon attended by only a dozen people, which speaks to the dire straits in which the chamber finds itself.
Kellert said addressing the membership issues was high on his priority list as the new president.
“I see a lot of worth with the chamber in our community and I think the chamber’s able to add a lot to the community and the businesses in the community,” he said. “I thought I’d take this position, and see what we can do to help the community even further.”
Although he has only been a member of the chamber for one year, he said he feels it is a vital part of the community and hopes to see it continue along that path.
He will lay out specific plans at the chamber’s January meeting, he said, with a focus on increasing membership and the involvement of the membership, as well as working on improving communication with the members.
“I just think we can build on what’s already there and make it even more viable and a greater force in our community,” he said.
