Chamber moving forward as Hammons resigns, office closes

Future in flux, Republic chamber board of directors still ‘dedicated to serving membership’
 
The Republic Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors is working to keep the organization moving forward following the resignation of Executive Director Tonya Hammons.
It was not immediately clear why Hammons resigned or the exact date of her resignation (attempts to reach Hammons for comment were unsuccessful as of press time). Former board member David Burton, who resigned from the board on Nov. 11, said Hammons was not paid for several months prior to her departure.
“Tonya didn’t write herself a check after March or February, yet the board didn’t approve a layoff or pursue other options, so she is due that pay,” he said.
Burton also said that membership dues notices were not sent out to chamber members for several months prior to Hammons’ resignation.
“Several months, at least six, probably more, went by without dues notices being sent out,” he said.
Burton also said the chamber has an outstanding balance of about $13,000 for the rent of the building that served as their physical office before it was closed and the chamber moved to a virtual office. A statement of the chamber’s accounts at the Bank of Missouri dated Nov. 30, provided following a Sunshine request, showed the chamber’s ending checking account balance for November was $4,692.01. It also showed a business loan with a balance of $12,303.99 as of Nov. 30.
To secure more funds, Burton said, the Chamber applied for a CARES grant earlier in the year.
 “When I learned of the shortfall, I did bring the county CARES Act program to Tonya’s attention, and we were able to secure $32,000,” he said. “Those funds were for the chamber to cover expenses like rent and her back salary. At the time, I felt like that was a big win.”
In response to a media inquiry, board chairman Mystic Richart confirmed that the board had been approved for a CARES Grant in the amount of approximately $30,000.
Richart also stated the chamber is working to continue serving the community despite challenges posed by the pandemic.
“The Republic Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors is dedicated to serving our membership to the best of our ability so that together we can continue building a flourishing community and therefore a flourishing chamber,” she said. “Just like many organizations, the Republic Area Chamber of Commerce has been impacted by the COVID-19 Pandemic throughout 2020 due to lower membership and an inability to host regular events. That said, the quick movement of this group to rally together and make some important and swift decisions has allowed the chamber to end 2020 in a sage position.”
Richart also said the chamber would be hosting a meeting for chamber members on Tuesday, Jan. 5, at the Republic Parks and Recreation Building, beginning at 11:30 a.m.
“The chamber board of directors will be presenting a recap and update to our membership at that time to share financial and leadership details,” she said. “That presentation will give our members a good idea of where we’ve been in 2020 and what to expect in 2021.”