JUNE 2006 MINUTES
June Minutes

Mount Airy Chamber Meeting Minutes 6.1.06In attendance:Tim Slane Sr – Tim’s Lawn & LandscapeDennis Emerson – Sherman Emerson Insurance Howard LeRoux – Mt Airy Dent RepairSteve Rose – Torn 2 ShredzAmy Green-Phillips – Acupuncture Center of Mt AiryFilomena Thompson – Events Made SimpleArchie Rogers – Rogers Engraving Denny Ahalt – NWSBTom Neff – MSCCKen Matthews – Freedom Carpet CleaningKerry Turner – Frederick News-PostMike Santos – Frederick News-PostCarol Blackburn – GazetteKeir Knight – Plain English Writing & DesignDennis Regulinski – CPABill Butts – Mid MD Health InsuranceAndrew Williamson – Chiropractic First Carol Cahall – The Main EventPaul Clay – RemaxTim Barkley – Barkley LawFrank Johnson – MayorEllie Bonde – Blossom & BasketHarry Johnson – AflacKaye Kolb – Rorhbaugh’s Karrie Rhodes – GazetteMarlene Titus – Carroll Community CollegeJennifer Shaffer – Firehouse PotteryBob Brill – Morgan StanleyScott Garder – The Benefit CompanyIlleana Sutter - The Healing TempleJohanna Glor - M&T BankMark Bratman – M&T BankDiana Hemphill - Arbonne Intnl.Sandy Shumate – Bezalel Brendan Madden – All Around PlumbingTom Watkins – Watkins LimousinesMinutes accepted as posted.Finance Total balance in account as of 5.31.06 of $34705.08Tim Barkley moved that we accept the treasurer’s report, Howard LeRoux seconded. Motion passed.Social CommitteeJune 8 Mini – golf tournamentJune 19^th Business Card Exchange – The Greene TurtleFeedback was that the power networking exchange was successful, and attendees asked for the chamber to have one again. MembershipThere are 12 new members in May. This will bring the total membership to 293.Carroll Co ChamberThe newsletter with calendar of events was passed around. New president is Richard Hadad. AmbassadorsNew member packets have been collated, and are available to new members. Please see Ellie if you are a new member, and have not received a new member packet. Folders are available as well. Professional DevelopmentThe guerilla marketing seminar went well. 30 people attended the presentation. Legal Issues of Succession Planning will be in October and in November, Business Planning and Financial Issues for Small Businesses. Scholarship CommitteeThe scholarship committee has come up with an application for review. They have submitted a request to the finance committee for a single scholarship for $2500. For questions or suggestions, see Tim Slane. The committee will present this program at the Sept planning meeting for approval, at which point the chamber can go public with it. Steve Rose brought up a concern about asking for Social Security numbers on the form. This will be tabled for the committee to visit. Advertising & MarketingKeir passed the marketing book for the ads that he has been working on over the past 4 weeks, as well as editorial coverage. Website hits in the past 3 months, we’ve had an average of 950 hits per month.Keir is going to create a 2^nd e-mail list for the chamber. This is going to be an optional list that will allow businesses to post general business news – it will not be monitored as closely as the main list.Kerry Turner presented the guidelines that the marketing committee came up with for Newspaper group advertising:In conjunction with the following newspapers:The Carroll County Times -- Chantal The Gazette – Karrie RhodesThe Frederick News Post – Mike SantosThe Messenger – Keir Knight, Plain English Writing & Design

1. You have to be a chamber member to be on the group page

   The newspaper will set aside one free space on the page to be given away to a chamber member. Winner will be established at a business card exchange by having their card drawn. GMACC will sponsor the cost for the ad.

   To be a GMACC group ad page, the following must be included on the page:

   1. Chamber name and logo

      Chamber website

      Phone #

      "It’s what we do"

   2. Info for the next 1-2 events

   The chamber may purchase an ad on the page, limited to one ad per month.

   The newspaper representative may post up to 2 e-mails to the group list prior to the page running.

2. The cost, run date, responsibility for selling ads etc is up to the individual papers.

Old BusinessBusiness FairThere are $500 to be a starting fund for next year’s fair, which will go for the deposit for the location. Next year’s date: April 21, 2007Next year’s committee chair: Filomena ThompsonThank you to Archie for the hard work he has put in for the past 2 years.GalaPaula Wilhelm will be chair again for 2007. If you are interested in joining this committee, please contact her. The committee will be meeting within the next month.Policy ReviewAt the end of last month’s meeting, Paul Clay asked questions about the budget over run for the folders. To review- we did follow procedure. The executive committee discussed putting in our RFP wording to the effect that the bid will be for the chamber to pay "not in excess of x amount".New BusinessPlanning MeetingSet for 9.14.06 at the Lorien of Mt Airy. Committee chairs and board members are expected to attend. Membership is welcome to attend.Committee chairs need to submit their budget requests to the finance committee 2 weeks prior to this meeting.GMACC ShirtAaron Kahn is putting out a RFP for GMACC logo shirts. If you are interested in submitting a bid, see Aaron.Dennis Regulinski had the idea of having a special order option to have your own logo along with the Chamber logo on the shirts.