MAPLETON – Council here has approved a Memorandum of Understanding with the Mapleton Chamber of Commerce.
The MOU was first brought to council’s attention on Oct. 27 when Mapleton economic development and marketing coordinator Aly Cripps asked for a more formal partnership between the township and the chamber.
Part of the request was to give the chamber $2,000 from the economic development budget and have a council member sit on the board. It was decided that councillor Paul Douglas would be that councillor.
However, before the recommendation could be voted on, councillor Michael Martin asked for a deferral. He said he is supportive of the motion, just not at this time.
The deferral passed and the issue was brought back to the Nov. 10 meeting.
“I think the MOU between the chamber and the municipality is very important,” Cripps said. “We both have the same goal to make the municipality the best for our businesses.
“We also have a county wide [business retention and expansion program] that’s coming up that is supposed to be starting any day now and we will want to work with the chamber on this and have them do some of our interviews so having this MOU go forward now would be very helpful at that time.”
Martin said he would now be happy to support the motion.
“I’ve had a follow up conversation with [economic development] here locally and I think I’ve got a little better understanding of how important the MOU is for Aly and her department,” he said.
Paul Douglas appointed
Council approved the motion for the mayor and clerk to execute the Memorandum of Understanding and for councillor Paul Douglas to be appointed to the board.
