After waning membership numbers brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Belleview/South Marion Chamber of Commerce has been dissolved.
City officials discussed the dissolution of the chamber’s lease with the city of Belleview during the October 5 meeting of the Belleview City Commission.
According to Mayor Christine Dobkowski, who spoke on behalf of chamber leadership who could not attend the meeting, the chamber exhausted all avenues to encourage local engagement and had even asked for members of the business community to come forward and take it over.
Dobkowski says that after months of no interest, the only two remaining board members, who do not do business in Belleview, decided to dissolve the assets and donate proceeds to the Belleview Christmas Parade. The group may also provide refunds for those members who signed up shortly before the COVID-19 pandemic began.
After the commission voted to move forward with termination of the city’s lease with the chamber, commissioners discussed the possibility of salvaging the building, which is located at 5331 SE Abshier Boulevard.
According to staff, the building will have to be treated for asbestos before any plans for renovation or the possible sale of the building may take place.