Chamber of Commerce meet in Hot Springs

HOT SPRINGS – Members of the Hot Springs Chamber of Commerce met on Thursday at the Second Home Restaurant to discuss the success of past events and the possibilities of future events in the community. About 12 chamber associates and members of the public attended the meeting.

After briefly going over the minutes from the previous meeting, Leslee Smith began the proceeding with a report on the status of the chamber Facebook page. According to Smith the page recently received 31 new “likes,” an indication of positive feedback on the social media website.

The meeting then moved on to discussion about the recent Sanders County Fair and how the various booths from Hot Springs performed. While Smith said she wanted to thank all the volunteers that helped out, the group agreed more people could have contributed.

“We need a way to hold people accountable to their commitment to help volunteer,” said Smith. “The responsibility needs to be more evenly distributed among businesses that are part of the chamber.”

The next conversation centered on a number of signs indicating tourist attractions outside of Hot Springs that are in the process of being replaced. A motion was passed to replace the signs with newer, sturdier versions that will presumably withstand the elements for years to come.

The next issue up for debate was whether or not to continue a line of t-shirts that sell at local businesses featuring Hot Springs. The slogan “health is wealth” emblazoned on the line of clothing refers to the healing nature of the local hot springs.

A recently published article about tourist attractions in the area was passed around for all to read. The article featured a number of locations in the region but made specific mention of Hot Springs and the healing nature of the geothermic phenomenon in the town.

Upcoming events such as a car show on September 14 and the latest city council meeting were next on the agenda. Smith discussed a new guideline passed by the governing body concerning responsible pet ownership. Residents with pets were urged to respect their neighbors by properly disposing of pet waste and not letting pets roam the streets freely.

The last items concerning the chamber meeting were the purchase of a new ambulance and the acquisition of 100 new water meters for residents.

The LaRue-Hot Springs Museum just outside of city limits was in need of further volunteer assistance in order to continue operations into September. Discussion also took place regarding the addition of new wording to the mission statement concerning education.

The meeting ended with debate about the purchase of new playground equipment for local children and the arrival of approximately 175 cyclists from a local club. The riders arrived over the weekend and stayed one night at local accommodations.

The Hot Springs Chamber of Commerce meeting adjourned shortly thereafter.