Glenview Agrees To Pay Chamber Of Commerce Over $51,000 A Year

GLENVIEW, IL — Village trustees last week unanimously approved an agreement with the Glenview Chamber of Commerce to provide economic development and business support services. The three-year agreement calls for the village to pay the organization more than $51,000 in 2020, and in return, the business group will manage community events, maintain a database of local businesses and provide information to local businesses.

"The proposed partnership is a form of outsourcing where the Village is supplementing its economic development efforts through the Chamber," according to a memo to the village board from Community Development Director Jeff Brady. The agreement also formalizes the village's practice of providing public services for the local chamber's three existing events — the Glenview Street Festival, Blocktoberfest and Holiday in the Park and Parade.

Under the terms of the deal, the chamber is required to conduct at least two new community events a year within a business district in the village. At least one of them must be outside downtown Glenview.

Potential future events contemplated in the agreement include a "Candy and Coupons" Halloween trick-or-treat event, a "Wine about Winter" event on a non-peak weekend, a "Glenview - Ideas Week" with TED Talk-style presentations or a Glenview-specified week of dining specials focused on a specific, area, cuisine or theme.

Former Chamber of Commerce President Karen Patterson said the village had for many years supported Chamber-sponsored traditions.

"We've worked together on Summer Fest, which has been running for more than 45 years, and Holiday in the Park & Parade, which is 25 years old, along with our newest event Blocktoberfest," Patterson said in a release. "While the Village and Chamber have a long history of working together, this agreement brings new opportunities to bring the community and local businesses together — the possibilities are so exciting."

Plans for the two new events have not been finalized, according to the release.

In addition to new community events managed by the chamber, the economic development and business support services agreement approved Feb. 18 requires the chamber to create and maintain a database of local businesses that would be owned by the village and used by its staff.

"This new data stream will give us information to understand trends and focus on the Village’s business retention and recruitment efforts," Village President Jim Patterson said, in the chamber's release.

The agreement also calls for the chamber to "create, record and disseminate training and educational information for all businesses," which would be included in a library of webinars and recorded live events and would "inspire and inform" new and current business owners.

"Our aim is to leverage the strengths of each organization to enrich the residential and commercial experience in Glenview," Chris Falcon, president of the chamber, said in the release. "This is fresh thinking from two organizations with more than 200 years combined experience making Glenview a vibrant, growing community."