Chamber, WEDCOR offices move
By ROY CHURCH
Friday, May 12, 2006 10:55 PM EDT
The Wabash County Chamber of Commerce and Wabash County Economic Development Corporation have moved.
The two agencies will open for business Monday, May 15, in their new homes on the second floor of City Hall, 202 S. Wabash St.
The Chamber will occupy Suite A and its address will be 210 S. Wabash St.; WEDCOR will be in Suite B and its address will be 214 S. Wabash St. They will share a reception area and dual work station at the top of the stairs.
An elevator will be installed just inside the main door downstairs later this summer.
The city recently remodeled the second floor to provide three executive suites, the reception area, a spacious meeting/training room, a small conference area, kitchen, restrooms and storage room.
"The new suites reflect the professionalism of the respective offices," said Kimberly Pinkerton, Chamber president. She thanked Mayor Bob Vanlandingham, the Wabash City Council, Building Commissioner Ron Bussard and many local contractors for their efforts to create a "first-rate professional office suite" in a prime downtown location.
The Chamber office in the former City Hall building, 111 S. Wabash St., was closed May 11-12 to facilitate the one-block move down the hill and across the street.
Why the move?
"In our strategic planning, we held community focus group meetings to get your ideas and views on Chamber services, image and future goals," Pinkerton said in the Chamber's April/May newsletter.
"One of the concerns was the Chamber's image. As the Chamber is the example to the rest of the business community, you thought we needed to look a little more professional," she continued. "Another aspect of those strategic plans was the need to eliminate duplicity among organizations and better conserve resources.
"By relocating to the same building as WEDCOR and the City of Wabash, we'll be able to share equipment, reception area and other resources," Pinkerton said, "as well as be readily available to put together site-visit teams and improve communications between organizations.
"It's definitely a win-win for all."
Phone numbers for the Chamber (563-1168) and WEDCOR (563-5258) will remain the same.
The Chamber will host an open house "once we are fully functional in our new home," Ms. Pinkerton said.
A sign is being made for the front of City Hall to indicate what offices are located in the building. Chamber officials said they hope to have the sign up this coming week.
The WEDCOR office most recently has been located at 1101 Manchester Ave., home of the Wabash County Solid Waste Management agency. It moved there more than two years ago from the old City Hall location on South Wabash Street.
"We are real excited," said Rob Pearson WEDCOR board chair. "It is very important to be back with the Chamber, and it will give us better visibility."
Pearson also told the Wabash Plain Dealer the board is in the final stages of its search for a new executive director.
"We have narrowed our search and are negotiating with a possible candidate for the job," he said.
The city is still seeking a third agency to locate in Suite C. Interested parties should call the mayor's office at City Hall, 563-4171.
Under the lease agreement with the city, the Chamber and WEDCOR will initially share all the utility costs (heating, lighting, water/sewage) for City Hall until the city recoups the expense of remodeling the second floor. If and when a third party is located, it would also share in those costs.
When the city has recouped its costs, each agency (and the city) will go back to sharing the utilities equally either three or four ways. Each agency pays its own telephone bill and provides its own janitorial service.
Warren Unsicker, the administrative assistant, is running the WEDCOR office.
In conjunction with the news of its move, the Chamber announced the departure of Executive Assistant Lindsey Beverly and the arrival of long-time Chamber volunteer Beth Miller as her replacement.
Miller will leave her volunteer executive board position as chair of the resource Development Committee to join the Chamber staff. Over the years, she has served as Home and Business Expo chair, chair of many assorted fund development events, a vital component of the annual dinner committee and helped with the newsletter, special publications and office duties. In fact, she was on staff once before.
Ms. Beverly is leaving to pursue her goals in the marketing arena.
The Chamber also previewed its new logo in the April/May newsletter.
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