Why the North Fork Valley Chamber?

Written and posted on 3/6/2023

The Hotchkiss Community Chamber of Commerce (HCCC) will also do business as the North Fork Valley Chamber of Commerce.

There are several reasons why this is both the natural and best course action for the HCCC Board to take.  It is also likely the only course that maintains any type of Chamber presense in the North Fork Valley.

Here are some points to consider:

1. Delta County Chambers are struggling or have ceased operations.
   1. The Cedaredge Chamber shut down.
   2. The Paonia Chamber shut down with some members joining the Delta Area Chamber.
   3. The Crawford Chamber is suspending operations until at least August 2023.
   4. The Delta Area Chambrer laid off all their paid staff, including their Executive Director in 2022.
   5. The Hotchkiss Chamber was also struggling operationally after a 2022 Board fight and difficulty in recruiting new Directors.
       
2. The Chambers in Crawford, Hotchkiss, and Paonia have been talking about merging operations for the last 20 or so years for the following reasons:
   1. Operational efficiencies
   2. Ability to coordinate marketing efforts.
   3. Coordinated website and tourism marketing
   4. Economies of scale of Membership dues to allow paid staff, including an Executive Director.
       
3. North Fork Valley Tourism marketing is disjoint due to a lack of a coordinated effort between the towns of Crawford, Hotchkiss, and Paonia.
   1. The Hotchkiss Chamber was trying to secure updates to annual marketing materials.  During the process, it was determined that there is very little North Fork Valley coordinated marketing besides the North Fork Valley Visitor's Guide published by Over the Hill Media.  
   2. The Delta County Tourism Board and Delta County Independent jointly publish a County-wide visitor's guide.
   3. High Country Shopper/Spotlight pubishes the Local Living 2023 Visitors Gudie.
   4. A website by Paonia based non-profits was launched but has not been updated since 2022.
   5. The Hotchkiss Chamber, for good or bad released the North Fork Valley.net tourism website with a major refresh in September 2022.
       
4. A recent attempt to discuss either a sharing of Board Directors between Crawford and Hotchkiss was unsucessful.  The Crawford Board President expressed no interest in any discussions about joining operations but also announced they were suspending the Crawford Chamber operations until August due to a lack of available volunteers as Board Directors.
    
5. The HCCC Board expects a significant drop off in membership due either to the 2022 Board disagreement and a general problem for Chambers to remain relevant and valuable for their Members.  

Taking all these items into account, the Hotchkiss Community Chamber of Commerce decide that the best course of action was to also do business as the North Fork Valley Chamber of Commerce and grow membeship from all three towns.

The Hotchkiss Community Chamber of Commerce still exists.  All current Members are still Members of the Hotchkiss Community Chamber of Commerce.  Over the next year, a determination of moving the Hotchkiss Community Chamber of Commerce into the North Fork Valley Chamber of Commerce will be determined by the Chamber's Members.

Please email nfvchamber@gmail.com or hotchkisschamber@gmail.com with questions.