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Return of the chamber of commerce
(by Erin Patricia Griffiths - July 01, 2008)
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Staff Photo By Erin Patricia Griffiths
The members of the board, along with Councilwoman Marie D. Hanlon who spearheaded the reorganization of the chamber, posed for a picture at the first meeting of the Chamber of Commerce. Pictured Marie D. Hanlon, left, Dan Cannon, treasurer, back, Kathleen Velazquez, vice-president, right and Joanne Staudt, president, center.
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With about 15 business owners in attendance at its first meeting, the newly reformed Hillsdale Chamber of Commerce appears to be off to a promising start. Members showed great enthusiasm for getting the new chamber off the ground and were filled with new ideas and ambitious proposals.
“We will start off small and hopefully grow,” said Councilwoman Marie D. Hanlon to begin the first meeting on Friday, June 27. “And I am very happy and proud that you are interested in starting a new chamber.”
The last operational chamber was active from 2004 to 2006, under the direction of Susan Thielemann. It began to wane in 2007 as it became more and more difficult to find members interested in serving as officers. Thielemann organized and executed the Hillsdale art in the park event independently in 2007 under the chamber name, but found it too difficult to continue operating the group without the support of a board.
The members of the newly formed board include Joanne Staudt, president, Kathleen Velazquez, vice-president, and Dan Cannon, treasurer. The position for secretary is still open to anyone who is interested. Although Thielemann does not hold any titles as an officer, she has offered her services as a consultant to the new board.
Monthly meetings will be held the fourth Wednesday of every month at 8 a.m., with the location rotating on a schedule between the Hillsdale Municipal Building and the Commerce Bank located in the borough.
For its first major event, the chamber will host Hillsdale Day on Saturday, Sept. 20. Any businesses interested in having a table at the event will be charged a $25 rental fee, which includes the table and two chairs. Those who choose to participate in hosting a table are asked to have all materials and supplies set up by noon on the day of the event, to avoid congestion once the event begins. The tables are not limited to merchants or business owners who are currently members of the chamber.
All businesses in the borough are members of the chamber and are welcome to actively participate. Merchants who want to get involved are encouraged to submit applications to become formal members. All fees for the rest of the year have been waived and a reduced fee will be instituted beginning in 2009.
One of the main points raised at the meeting was the need for businesses in the borough to recycle. The borough is accumulating a significant amount of revenue from recycling produced by the town. But concerns were raised by Councilman Jonathon DeJoseph in response to the suggestion that recycling bins be placed outside food establishments in the borough. “The biggest problem is there are people who contaminate the recyclables and throw a hot dog wrapper, whatever wrapper, in there with soda cans, then when you mix it is not worth anything so it is still garbage.”
In response to DeJoseph’s concerns, Velazquez suggested the chamber organize an educational day regarding recycling in the environment in an effort to “go green.” Hanlon recommended that a member of the chamber attend the next council meeting to propose that the town organize such an event to educate the public on the necessity for recycling. The chamber also discussed the possibility of holding an educational table at the Hillsdale Day in September to inform residents of the need for recycling in addition to the potential for contamination of the recyclables with the mixing in of any trash items.
The chamber was filled with ideas and suggestions such as bringing back the festival in the park featuring works of art, the holiday tree lighting, and other borough activities for residents and merchants to enjoy. But Hanlon warned against the chamber attempting to take on too much too quickly. “I don’t want us to jump in, or you all to jump in that you are up to your waist. We want to go up to our knees in the mud here. Get a slow start and just broaden our horizons,” said Hanlon on the ambitiousness of the attending members.
The next chamber meeting will be held in the Commerce Bank on Hillsdale Avenue on Wednesday, July 23 at 8 a.m.
“Just to let you know the mayor and council are very, very thrilled that we are going to be reactivated. It doesn’t mean that everything is going to come your way, but we certainly will listen to you. That is what we are there for,” said Hanlon in her closing comments. “As long as I have a breath in my body, I don’t want this chamber to die again because it was a good working chamber before I left.”
Erin Patricia Griffiths' e-mail address is GriffithsE@northjersey.com.
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