MONTE VISTA-The Monte Vista Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors met for their monthly meeting Thursday, Nov. 19, as their normally scheduled meeting on the last Thursday of the month is Thanksgiving.

Jason Medina with the Small Business Development Center presented to the board but withdrew his earlier proposal to host a remote office in the Monte Vista Chamber for local businesses to utilize computers and internet. Medina stated it wasn’t fair to ask the Chamber to take on the necessary precautions that come with current and potential future COVID-19 color level restrictions. Other business owners and board members discussed the ways these restrictions were impacting their industries. Rio Grande County Commissioner Gene Glover stated the county was having some difficulty with maintaining the number of tests done and the number of spare tests on-hand the State of Colorado requires. Chamber Board Member Gary Wilkinson stated the Chamber is overall looking at a 2020 loss of about $35,000 in revenue from canceled events. He and President Linda Burnett stated they were grateful for the funds they received from Energize Colorado and for the board’s foresight in establishing some savings to help “hopefully weather the storm.”

In reviewing the Event Reports, Burnett reported about 35 vendors are signed up for the 2021 Ag Conference in February and Chamber Manager Leo Wilde has secured several sponsors, including five Diamond Sponsors at $1,000 each. Virtual classes and presentations will be aired Feb. 2, 3 and 4, 2021 from 8 a.m. to noon The trade show will be held Feb. 2 and 3, 2021 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Burnett stated both the sponsor and the booth costs would be less this year because the Chamber cannot provide some amenities like the pastries they provided in previous years.

Board Member Jim Clare answered questions about the National Early Day Gas engine and Tractor Association (EDGETA) conference. The San Luis Valley Antique Iron Club was asked to host a Southwest Regional Conference for the organization in 2021 but they weren’t able to make commitments to the many requirements with the Ski-Hi Building under construction and uncertainty about gathering restrictions. The SLV Antique Iron Club will be kept in mind for a 2022 conference.

Board Member Adam Lock reported on the progress of the Virtual Holiday Fair being filmed and posted online in lieu of the annual Craft Fair held at the Valley Church of the Nazarene the first weekend in December. The Chamber is an in-kind sponsor for this year’s fair and Lock and SLVoices have been filming vendor demonstrations and will have a video ready for launch by Black Friday, Nov. 27. The video will stay up unless vendors request otherwise.

Lock also reported the Optimystics are making progress on their downtown lighting project and the Marketing Committee will make a formal presentation to City Council requesting the lodging tax  funds for a Monte Vista marketing site by hopefully by the December 2020 meeting and if not in early January.

The Swoop of the Cranes project has ordered 60 blank metal cranes (the pairs of cranes adorning light posts in downtown) from Ecodynamics and most of the 20 artists involved last year are interested in again decorating another crane pair for 2021. Definite dates will be determined soon but the board hopes to have the cranes completed and ready for the City to display by Feb. 20, 2021.The cost is again $150 to sponsor a crane and buyback for sponsors or artists is $100. Sponsor packets will be released soon. Medina suggested making a list of businesses or individuals willing to buy sponsorships on behalf of other businesses which Wilkinson stated was a good idea except they had no problem this year confirming sponsorships and “could have sold 125,” if the space was available to hang that many, so he assumes filling the 60 sponsorships won’t be an issue for 2021.

Clare also reported on the San Luis Valley Regional Landfill’s recent efforts at shredding green waste and tires and answered questions about how those products were being utilized. Please see a related press release in this week’s edition for more information about that