JACKSON CHAMBER HOPES TO NEGOTIATE BUREAU LEASE

JACKSON - After receiving notification that they would no longer be the agent for the Missouri Department of Revenue license fee office in Jackson, the Chamber of Commerce board has held several meetings to discuss how to make up the loss of revenue.

"We're going to survive, but we won't be able to offer some of the fulltime services we have had in the past unless we are able to increase our revenue from some other source," said Jim Maevers, president of the board of the Jackson Chamber.

"We'll look at other fundraisers or ways to get support from the community."

For the last 12 years the Jackson and Cape Girardeau Chambers have operated the patronage fee offices. But recently, Gov. Mel Carnahan announced the offices would be supervised by Norma Wildman of Cape Girardeau, and the proceeds would be used for the Southeast Missouri State University Foundation.

Initially, the Jackson office was going to be taken over by the foundation on Sept. 18; however, that has been moved back to Oct. 5. The Jackson chamber will operate the office through Oct. 1, and then it will re-open four days later under the new management.

Members of the Jackson chamber were concerned that the loss of between $15,000 and $20,000 in annual revenue the fee office provided could force it to close its office and eliminate a fulltime staff position funded by the revenue office.

Maevers said he has been authorized by the board of directors to negotiate a lease for the foundation to keep the office in the Chamber building, and he is optimistic that will be accomplished.

"The board has directed me to negotiate with Norma and I feel like we will be able to finalize a lease. She has been very easy to work with," said Maevers.

"If there could be a positive out of this, the best case scenario is to lease the facility to the foundation and leave it where it is."

Maevers explained the chamber's big concern is having enough money to keep the building. "Our number one concern was being able to keep the building, maintain it, make our loan payments, and maintain that location for the Chamber of Commerce. It looks like we will be able to do that," he said.

Still uncertain, however, is whether the fulltime executive secretary's position will be continued.

Maevers said members of the Jackson chamber had anticipated having the fee office in the future as a source of revenue. "Not until rumors started floating this spring did we realize that we might lose it," he said.

Many community development projects the chamber supported in the past will likely go without funding from their organization, according to Maevers.

For example, the chamber has purchased new Christmas decorations for the town, has helped the Jaycees in purchasing fireworks, has sponsored tours and other special activities, and paid for a video to promote tourism and industrial development in Jackson.