Board Meeting 5/13/2025

May Meeting Minutes - 5/13/2025

Manhattan Chamber of Commerce May Board Meeting

Meeting was held in Person at the Manhattan Village Hall.

May 13, 2025

Present: Donna Bateman, Donna Naleway,  Dana Skwirut, Tammy McMahon, Christine Whitmer, Becky Bouck, Kristy Byers, and Mandie Wade - Administrative Assistant

Also in attendance: Kristen Reinke, Village of Manhattan

Absent: Kathi Boswell

The meeting was called to order at 3:42 pm.

Treasurer’s Report: April Report Approved

Secretary’s Report: April Minutes Approved

Office Clean up Day

• Shelving requested for office

• Discussed possible removal of furniture by Village

• Clean out day - July 10th @ 5pm

• Ordering pizza

Chamber Administrative Assistant

• Request for potential pay raise

• Discussion

• Discussion of contract

• Discussion of committees and responsibilities of admin asst.

• Committee vs. admin asst. Responsibilities

• Work in progress with establishment of committees this year.

• 5-10 hours per week estimated time spent
• Focus should be on communication aspect
• To include events?
• Mandie brings 5 years of experience to the Chamber

• Has held position since 2020

• Tabling until next meeting - June

• BOD review and add/sub responsibilities

Ribbon Cuttings

• Establish Ribbon Bag

• Brown bags
• Chamber tri-fold
• Application for Chamber
• Plant
• Business card folder

• Ribbon cutting tab on website

• Helpful tips to schedule - process for this?
• New businesses in other communities - mailer moving forward

Requirement for Scholarship essays reviewed

• Replenishment for scholarship fund discussion

• Discussed plan moving forward
• Motion to establish pattern/plan for replenishment

• 1 - Donna N
• 2 - Christine
• Total scholarship amount being put back into the scholarship fund immediately to account for this current year.

• Access to students at all 3 schools:

• Providence
• Peotone
• LWW

• Discussed essay question
• Adding button to website for information and to apply online
• Adding link for community service opportunities

All-Member Meeting

• Request for more “sociable” event

• Trialing ideas at mixers on a small scale to gauge interest and involvement

• Discussed speaker effectiveness
• Dana chairing all-member meetings - next on Oct. 14th

• Organization and tasks for BOD

• Will continue at a private location

• Looking at businesses that have meeting room space
• Discussion for next year - Should we also have a mixer for the months of the all-member meetings?

• Clear need for better organized meeting/networking

Upcoming Events Updates

• 5/27        Networking Mixer - Peaceful Grounds 6:00-7:30pm

• Confirmed
• Ice breaker planned - Tammy
• Advertising current

• 6/10        Prism ribbon cutting 5:30pm

• Scheduled

• 6/11        Cruise Night 4:30pm

• Someone to run Chamber table

• 6/14        Heritage Fest 12-5pm

• 30 spaces sold
• Last day to sign up is 6/1
• Info letter going out 6/9
• Discussed changes made to vendor letter
• Thank you bags for vendors

• 6/24        Networking Mixer - State Farm Kevin Molloy 6-7:30pm

• Flyer goes out and event created 1 mo in advance
• Need to plan ice breaker activity

• 7/19        Young Entrepreneur event 9am
• 8/27        Ladies Night Out

• Margarita Truck, Pretzel Truck, and Nothing Bundt Cake trucks booked

The meeting was adjourned at 5:19pm.

• First motion - Christine Whitmer
• Second Motion - Dana Skwirut

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