March 2023 Minutes

Baker Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture General Meeting

Thursday March 2nd, 2023 at the Baker Bowling Center at NOON.

Members present: Alissa Miller (President), Shyla Hadley (Vice-President), Karol Zachmann (Treasurer), Tammy O’Donnell (Secretary), Jennefer Wheeler, Dean Wang, Beth Epley, James Parks, Brenda Uecker, Linda Howard.  

Staff Present:  Melissa Higbee, Executive Director and Mariah Miller, Chamber Assistant

Alissa called meeting to order at 12:01pm.

Jennefer made a motion to approve the minutes from last month and Karol seconded the motion. All in favor. Motion carried.

Executive Director Report: Main Project working on this month membership drive. Getting the Committees going for the events coming up this year. Helping with Career Fair that will be March 22nd 8am-12pm new businesses will be there like MDU is coming and Direct Electric. Update on Heritage Fest we were able to find a blacksmith named Kerwin Lund much cheaper his cost is $600 and Grasslands and SMART helped with paying for him. SMART also is helping with the Cowboy Poet we found out of ND named Carson Houser. We got the office moved from the SMART basement as you can see. We also were able to contact Todd Ploeger and acquire the stuff from the house in Plevna. We will be having 3 spots at the SNIP Vendor Show. Working on Website please look at it and give me feedback. We have an online membership form payable now on the website and our Facebook links are connected to the website as well. The March Calendar is complete. Helping with the Rec Department were needed.

Rec Department Committee Update: Mariah reported Martial Arts has started. Louie Hieb is great at instructing Martial Arts. We have 3 other volunteers for this program as well. Dance starts tomorrow and Preschool Music and Dance also starts tomorrow as well. We are still need refs for Baker Jam. We are having another football meeting for official signups on March 21st at 6pm at the ITV Room in the High School. Mariah reported the board decided to go with a $200 registration fee and a $100 equipment refundable fee. Scholarships for kids will be available.  

Old Business:

Volunteer Appreciation Dinner Update and Sign-ups:  Melissa reported the Chamber will hold a Volunteer Appreciation Dinner on Sunday April 23rd at 5pm at the Fallon County Fairgrounds. Volunteers will be privately invited. Please sign up to make something for this event if you can. Melissa passed the sign-up sheet around.

Baker Jam Sign-ups: Mariah passed the sign-up sheet to help with the Baker Jam.

Other Old Business:  None

New Business:

Fundraising for the Chamber/Rec: In March St. Patricks’s Day March 17th Chamber will be at Heiser’s with a Lucky Coin Game from 7pm-11pm and April 1st and 2nd is the Baker Jam and April 8th SNIP Vendor Show the Chamber will be selling donated items.

Other New Business:   

Reports from Members: James had nothing to report for the First Baptist Church, Beth reported for EPEDC. EPEDC worked with SMART on 2 Tourism grants which they received $75,000 on the first grant and $50,000 on the seconded grant to turn the old Wospeka building into a brand new Visitor Center. She also helped with another grant for a pocket park downtown and received $50,000 to go towards that project. There is a cyber security grant available right now for businesses that qualify for $8,000 which closes in May. Shyla had nothing to report. Tammy had nothing to report. Alissa reported she is helping with the After Prom Party and still needs door prizes and monetary donations as well. They will have a magician and inflatables and bingo for entertainment. Karol said FMC has door prizes for her. Brenda reported that Thee Garage is trying to hold an event that will help with the Fireworks this year. It will be a Horse Race and dinner. Tickets are $50 each. This will take place April 1st at 6pm. Depending on how much is raised Brenda hopes to donate to the Baker Lions Club as well. Karol reported for FMC. March 17th will be FMC’s St Patrick’s Leapin Leperchaun Pub Crawl from 7pm to 11pm. Open container for ones that are playing and have the cup that comes with registration. Registration is $10. This event goes to help the FMC Scholarship fund. Health Fair will be April 26th this year still looking for vendors. Breakfast will be Free will from 6am-11am. Blood Draw for 6am-11am. Fair is from 6am-1pm. Karol has the report from the Mayor. City reviewed and updated the SID 36. The City would like ideas how to improve the snow that is piling up on the crosswalks on the edge of the sidewalks. The MDT guys clean up snow at 4am in the morning and then the businesses push snow onto the side of sidewalks. The City is wondering how to get the businesses to shovel the snow earlier or something that would keep the snow from hindering the crosswalks. Just looking for ideas because a Compliance Officer will be visiting Baker soon to see if we are in compliance with the crosswalks. Jennefer reported for the Fairgrounds. Extreme Broncs date is in review to be changed from the June 17th date that we had. Will update you when we get a date for that. SNIP Vendor show is coming up at the Fairgrounds. April 8th. Linda Howard reported for the Radio Station. She said that they have been shorthanded. An employee quit that is the reason behind not being able to send Vaughn to the tournaments to announce. Jamie and Kelsey are getting trained how to run the control board at the radio station so Vaughn will for sure be able to go to State to announce the tournament. Dean reported Hannah Lecoe has the Baseball Association up and running in the new building. The bank is coming up on its 100th Anniversary next year. Tammy Hunt had nothing to report for the Baker Bowling Center.

Other Announcements: None.

Adjournment: James made the motion to adjourn at 12:34pm. Tammy seconded the motion.

**Next Meeting Thursday April 6th, 2023 at NOON at The Tavern**