DSBA to combine with Greater Sandpoint Chamber

SANDPOINT — With the aim to increase the strength and effectiveness of both organizations, the Downtown Sandpoint Business Association will combine with the Greater Sandpoint Chamber of Commerce, officials for both groups announced.

The move means DSBA will become a “council” within the chamber, with a board of downtown business members making the decisions that affect the Sandpoint downtown area that constitutes the city’s Business Improvement District, or BID. The structure will mirror the chamber’s current Tourism Council that administers the regional Visit Sandpoint marketing efforts.

The decision to combine will be the subject of an open membership meeting for all DSBA and chamber members and the public. The meeting will be Tuesday, July 2, 5:30 p.m. at the DSBA offices at Oak and Third.

The decision to combine has been approved by both the DSBA and chamber boards. Additionally, the DSBA officers presented the proposal to a group consisting of individuals who have served on the DSBA board or its Sandpoint Forward revitalization group since DSBA’s inception in 2000. Support for the idea was strong among the 21 who attended that meeting, said DSBA President, Jim Lovell.

DSBA and chamber officials have also tested the idea with key city personnel, and have similarly found support for the proposal. DSBA contracts with the city to administer downtown

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improvement efforts required by the BID. With the contract coming up for renewal in September, this year the chamber’s new downtown council will prepare the budget and proposal that will be submitted to the city.

The BID monies will be kept separate from the chamber’s budget in order to ensure the funds are expended on the downtown enhancements intended by the BID.

Lovell said combining the downtown association into the chamber will yield a number of cost efficiencies in offices and bookkeeping, improve the professional staff and skills available for downtown businesses and free up the downtown manager to focus more fully on the events, marketing, design and revitalization activities of the association.

“This grew out of talks we started back in December with the chamber about ways DSBA and the chamber might collaborate better to achieve our common goals,” said Lovell. “As we discussed the projects we might collaborate on, the conversation turned to the idea of simply combining with the chamber.

“What we saw was, bottom line, we’re a small town and we can utilize our resources better by working as a single organization,” he said.

The new organizational structure will be similar to that in Coeur d’Alene, where the downtown association administers that city’s BID money but is managed under the Coeur d’Alene Chamber of Commerce.

Greater Sandpoint Chamber of Commerce CEO Kate McAlister said the idea of folding the DSBA into the chamber is one that fits perfectly with the Chamber’s mission.

“ ‘Succeeding Together’ is when parties extend their hands to benefit one another by working together in business,” she said.

McAlister ticked off a number of benefits for both groups, including sharing office space and equipment, sharing membership management software, common telephone reception and bookkeeping support, and closer collaboration on shared projects.

“It will strengthen the management structure of the BID, allow greater transparency, increase communications with stakeholders, provide access to professional staff and resources, allow more funds for programming and grow business through the leveraging of marketing and promotion,” said McAlister.

The downtown manager position will continue but with oversight by McAlister as the chamber CEO. McAlister said a core strategic planning group made up of chamber and DSBA board members will be accepting and reviewing nominations from BID members to be on the council.

Nine council members will be appointed to represent a cross-section of businesses within the BID, with seats allocated to restaurants; retailers; real estate; health care; professional services; arts and entertainment groups; and college and education groups.

Additionally, to encourage closer collaboration, there will be ex officio seats for city staff, a chamber board member and a Sandpoint Urban Renewal Agency board member.

McAlister said that although the chamber and DSBA boards are creating the organizational framework for the council, all the decision making as to strategic planning, goals and objectives will fall to the new council’s members.

“The purpose for these members is to increase the collaboration, comprehension and transparency between all community stakeholders,” she said.

She said the chamber will still continue to produce its successful programming and provide members a return for their investment through advocacy, tourism, business development, credibility, promotion, marketing and sponsorship.

“It’s all about ‘succeeding together’,” said McAlister.