The Deer Park City Council voted to end their contract with the Deer Park Chamber of Commerce at the November 4th council meeting. 

The Chamber of Commerce, which has had a contract with the city since 2011, is a private business networking organization that promotes local business development. The contract includes a $700 per month payment by the city for goods and services provided by the chamber. After the council members spoke on the matter, a final vote of 3-2 in favor of canceling the contract was decided. While all members agreed the Chamber of Commerce is an asset to our business community, the discussions were about how to best use public funds to benefit the entire public, not just one sector of it. Councilmembers Scholz, Cragun, and Babb agreed the funding would be better placed towards public works projects, such as infrastructure and parks. Councilmembers Schut and Stapp stated the work done by the Chamber of Commerce has already benefited the whole public by way of increased city tax revenue. Community events, such as the Farmers Market, and promoting the city through literature mailings and a well maintained website have helped grow the business sector in Deer Park, and thereby, helped the city and its citizens. The termination takes effect 90 days after a letter of intent to cancel is delivered.

To learn more about what the chamber does, visit: DeerParkChamber.com

Voting Record on Canceling Contract with Chamber of Commerce