Alton, Mo. – On Thursday, June 12, 2025, the Alton Chamber of Commerce held its monthly meeting. This was an important meeting, complete with elections, discussions, old and new news.
Election
The first item taken care of was the election of officers. Debbie Sallings was elected president. Laurel Johnson was elected as vice-president. Amanda Thomas was elected secretary, and Kelly Haddock was elected treasurer.
Minutes
The reading of the minutes by the new officers and their approval was then conducted. This follows the Robert’s Rules of Order. By following these rules, the chamber will manage legally, allowing everyone to speak. They do plan on following the rules.
Fourth of July
They discussed a booth at the July 3rd celebration. Then they decided it was not necessary due to the ages of the attendees celebrating.
Walnut Festival
Several items of interest were discussed. First, they are still finalizing the lineup of bands that will perform. They have several leads, but not enough confirmations to proceed.
It was also brought up to have bike and trike races on the square the night before the Walnut Festival—everyone liked the idea. A possibility of a ‘glow run’ was brought up. They even discussed a ‘decorate your bike’ contest. More on that as the time approaches.
Membership
Membership notices and possibly a chamber newsletter will go out to businesses at the end of June. Many of these will be hand-delivered.
PO Box
They will purchase another post office box key as the last one is lost.
OSBY
A representative from OSBY will speak at the August meeting, promoting small businesses.
Pocket Park
They are still working through grants for the pocket park. The one applied for was rejected, so they are following up on another. They hope for a $20,000 grant.
Next Meeting
Oftentimes, the July meeting is cancelled due to vacations. Nonetheless, the Walnut Festival Committee will meet to discuss more details and follow up on leads.
The next meetings will be held at Collins’ Coffee on the square. Attendees decided to support a local business that offers a quiet space for everyone, along with refreshments. The meetings will continue to meet at noon.
