Progress continues to move along for the Jefferson Area Chamber of Commerce and Jefferson Matters: Main Street merger.

Last month, the Jefferson City Council approved funding $70,000 toward a unified executive director position. The current plans are to use hotel/motel tax proceeds and possibly other city funding mechanisms such as the general fund. However, after some discussion of the director being a city employee, the Council decided not to go that route. Jefferson Chamber Board President Ian Wilkinson expresses his opinion following the Council’s decision.

“It’s been a long time coming and we’re making real strides there. We will readdress it down the road possibly, because we’d love to have the benefit package to go with it. But we’re going to move forward with the merger and I think this is the first step in that.”

Wilkinson says they are actively looking for an executive director. Applications for the position will be accepted until tomorrow. Wilkinson points out a key aspect that the director will need to have.

“Obviously (Jefferson Matters) Main Street has different guidelines that they have to go by in order to become a Main Street community, which is focused on the downtown. The Chamber is basically focused on the whole community. So we’re going to have to have a good balance there supporting our downtown and community as a whole.”

It was mentioned at the most recent City Council meeting that some applications have been received and ideally the new director would start mid-June. Peg Raney officially retired as the JMMS Program Director May 1st and there currently is no chamber director.