Annual New Year's Letter From the Chamber Board, 2020
Dear Chamber Members and Friends,
The Chamber board faced challenges at the start of 2019 but met them energetically. We had a transition of the presidency. We needed an updated website. We aimed to provide more value and substance to our members in order to grow the membership. And meanwhile we all needed to keep our businesses afloat.
Kate Liberman stepped down from the presidency at the beginning of the year. Fortunately, she stayed on the board. Eliza Starbuck, elected to take over the job, received exemplary support from her and the other board members. In particular, Jack Goldstein, board secretary, skillfully kept the board on track during the transition.
Eliza took on the Chamber’s two most pressing communications issues. In cooperation with the Putnam County News & Recorder, we produced a second, expanded edition of the Cold Spring Area Tourism Map. With the help of Christine Zouzias, of Meraki, we launched a new website with enhanced resources: a community calendar for member businesses and organizations, showing events and gatherings; a regularly updated news section with posts on current events, community conversations, and FAQs relevant to local business; a membership list; and a simplified form for membership signup and renewal.
Improving the quality of the Chamber’s events was also on the radar. Eliza, Jack, and Yuriy Herhel, our events coordinator, worked to make the breakfasts and mixers opportunities for interesting conversation, learning, and exploration, as well as socializing and networking.
Nat Prentice agreed to take on the newly established position of vice president. He spent much of the year drawing the attention of county business and governmental leaders to Philipstown businesses. Jack advocated for responsible management of tourism among local elected officials, and he organized volunteers for the Visitors’ Center (when he was not volunteering there himself!).
The newly formed Trolley Committee, headed by Ann McBride-Alayon and Rebeca Ramirez, developed a plan to make the trolley more effective. The plan was submitted to officials in Cold Spring, Nelsonville, and Philipstown and to Vinny Tamagna, the Putnam County director of transportation. We look forward to improved trolley service in 2020. A more energized Main Street committee swung into high gear. As a result, First Fridays have been a growing success, and Cold Spring Aglow made spirits bright for the second year in a row.
At the annual meeting and election in December, Francine Farnorotto was elected to the board and will serve as secretary in 2020 (welcome, Fran!). Members also adopted an updated Chamber statement of purpose and guiding principles, written by Eliza.
But the real headline for 2019 was the growth and financial success of local businesses. Main Street was flooded with visitors from Memorial Day weekend to the end of November. Retailers reported increased sales compared with 2018. Although December started slow, many retailers said that business surged at the end.
Philipstown continues to be attractive to tourists and new residents alike. The town has seen ongoing growth in sales-tax revenues, demand for hospitality and other services, home improvements, real estate appeal, philanthropic activity, and jobs. This growth has also brought environmental impacts, increased demands on local infrastructure, and the challenge of managing ever-larger numbers of visitors. The Chamber is proud to support the growing economy, and we are also committed to working with local, county, and state officials to preserve the unique character of the Cold Spring area.
We are grateful for our members, whose dues, sponsorships, map advertisements, and contributions of time and expertise support the Chamber as it seeks to build on the successful initiatives of 2019. If you are not already a member, please join the Chamber in 2020.
All of us on the Cold Spring Area Chamber Board wish you a happy, healthy, and successful New Year!
Best wishes,
Eliza, Nat, Jack, Katie, Yuriy, Ann, and Fran