'Resurgent' Scott City chamber looks to bring in new members

As Southeast Missouri cautiously begins trying to put COVID-19 in the rearview mirror, the leadership of the Scott City Area Chamber of Commerce believes it is positioned for growth post-pandemic.

“We are resurgent, we’re providing value and we’re relevant to the needs of Scott City businesses and individuals,” said Blake Lingle, chamber president since late 2019.

Lingle said as an incentive to get folks to “try out” the chamber, a one-year membership automatically comes with a six-month bonus — in other words, pay for 12 months and receive 18 months.

The chamber is meeting in-person at 7:15 a.m. on the third Thursday of each month at The Front Porch conference room, 1408 Main St. in Scott City.

“We’ve done a great job as a group providing value and making a product people want to be part of,” said Lingle, a commercial loan officer for The Bank of Missouri.

“It’s been hard to get people in the seats if you’re not giving them much to be there for (and) I think we’ve been adaptable,” he said. “We’ve changed from a luncheon meeting to an early-morning meeting, allowing people to come on their workday and return to their employment in a prompt manner. We’ve also been relevant as far as meeting topics and speakers and discussions.”

Ex-mayor’s support

Tim Porch, Scott City mayor from 2000 to 2016 and part of the chamber’s executive board, is bullish about the advantages of membership.

“I really believe if some of the business owners or individuals would come to a meeting, they would be surprised at some of the benefits the chamber can provide,” said Porch, president and owner of Scott City’s Interior Plus, a construction company specializing in metal studs, drywall, insulation, acoustical ceilings and exterior finish systems.

“The membership fee is not terribly high for a standard membership (and the) renewal will carry into January 2023, which is a bargain,” Porch said. “I think the benefits far outweigh the cost of being a member.”

An online member application may be downloaded by visiting scottcitymochamber.org.

Membership annual fees

• Basic: for businesses with 25 or more employees, $150.
• Basic: for businesses with fewer than 25 employees, $100.
• Non-business: $50.
• Gold Sponsor: $600.
• Silver Sponsor: $300
• Bronze Sponsor: $200.