EVERETT — An Everett Chamber of Commerce could return after a more than decade-long absence.
The City Council is set to consider providing $500,000 to help bring back a Chamber of Commerce. Its vote will come as soon as its July 10 meeting. The funding would come through COVID recovery dollars.
“We’re one of the few cities, if not the only city in Snohomish County, that doesn’t have a Chamber of Commerce and Everett risks falling behind in attracting and retaining businesses, and, frankly, I think it’s unfair to our own local businesses that we don’t have a chamber,” a program manager on the mayor’s team, Tyler Chism, said during a June City Council meeting.
Cities from Snohomish to Monroe to Edmonds to Granite Falls all have city chambers.
He said owners of small and medium-sized businesses are asking for a chamber and the lack of one puts Everett at a strategic disadvantage.
“A chamber will add value and not confusion,” Chism said in an interview after the meeting.
Felipe Hernandez, owner of Los Gavilanes in Everett, said a local chamber will help lead to better opportunities.
Larger organizations such as the Economic Alliance of Snohomish County do great economic development work, Chism said, but said “they’re sometimes so huge that small, mom-and-pop businesses have trouble getting connected with them.”
“Having a focus on smaller businesses I think is a necessity for a city of Everett’s size,” said Danielle Lothrop, director of partnerships with Angel of the Winds Arena. She also sits on the boards of the Downtown Everett Association and the Economic Alliance of Snohomish County.
Sherry Jennings, director of marketing and public relations at APEX Art and Culture Center, echoed Chism’s sentiments.
“There really isn’t a specific focus as Everett as one,” Jennings said. She is a board member of the Downtown Everett Association. From 2008-2012, she also was the director of the Langley Chamber of Commerce on Whidbey Island.
Jennings said the footprint of the Downtown Everett Association is small and its activities could dovetail with chamber activities.
Everett had a Chamber of Commerce for more than 100 years. In 2011, the Everett Chamber of Commerce, the South Snohomish Chamber of Commerce, and the Economic Development Council of Snohomish County merged to form the Economic Alliance Snohomish County.
The Economic Alliance considers itself the countywide chamber.
Wendy Poischbeg, the Economic Alliance’s interim President and CEO, said in a written statement that “while we respect the city’s exploration of additional avenues for economic development, we remain committed to our mission of fosteriang a robust, diverse economy that benefits all communities in our region. Our strength lies in our ability to unite resources, advocate on a broader scale, and provide comprehensive support to businesses of all sizes.”
Chism said the Everett City Council will consider a resolution about COVID recovery dollars during a July meeting. Chism emphasized the source of the funding for the Chamber.
“The funds that are being used to establish the chamber are not general fund dollars,” Chism said.
City Council members at the June meeting had several questions for Chism. Ben Zarlingo questioned the governance of a chamber and whether businesses are willing to support the chamber. Scott Bader questioned what level of funding cities provide to the chamber. Liz Vogeli asked how a chamber typically gets startup funding.
If the City Council approves the funding, which Chism said the resolution would be on the July 10 agenda, the Chamber of Commerce would start in 2025 and become self-sufficient by 2028.
