Businesses open lines of communication
Thebacha Chamber of Commerce meets with Fort Smith town council
Paul Bickford
Northern News Services
Published Monday, December 16, 2013
THEBACHA/FORT SMITH
The business sector in Fort Smith has taken the initiative to improve communication with the town council.
The Thebacha Chamber of Commerce requested a special meeting with council, and it took place on Dec. 11.
"I believe that any time you can open lines of communication, even if you have a difference of opinion, at least you can talk about it and understand each other's point of view," said Janie Hobart, president of the chamber.
At the Dec. 11 meeting, chamber representatives brought up a number of concerns, most notably the town's Business Licensing Bylaw, and purchasing and
hiring policies.
The business licensing bylaw needs to be reviewed, Hobart said. "It is quite dated and we wanted to meet with council to talk about that so that we can maybe together look at it and find something that meets the needs of the business community."
The Thebacha Chamber of Commerce was created early this year. The previous Fort Smith Chamber of Commerce had been inactive for a number of years.
Hobart was accompanied at the Dec. 11 meeting by three other members of the new chamber.
"I thought it was a good meeting," she said. "The chamber believes that the town and the chamber have similar goals - the betterment of the community."
Hobart said the chamber believes there are many ways it and the town can work collaboratively to strengthen the business community, including by researching how other communities deal with business concerns.
She noted other issues discussed included projects to increase business travel and sport tourism.
Mayor Brad Brake said it was a good meeting.
The mayor said everything that was discussed at the meeting had its merits, citing the business licensing bylaw as well as discussions on a buy-local campaign and tourism.
"That's all things we can look at doing," he said.
Brake also noted the Thebacha Chamber of Commerce expressed interest in taking control of the Muffaloose, a mascot based on a mythical moose/buffalo that was created and developed many years ago by the defunct Fort Smith Chamber of Commerce.
After that organization ceased to exist, the town took control of the Muffaloose to protect the logo, rights, outfit and story.
"The town had stepped in historically to ensure that it stayed within the community of Fort Smith," Brake said, noting there hasn't been a formal application from the Thebacha Chamber of Commerce to assume control of the Muffaloose, but he can't see it being a problem.
