It was a very good year. I am reviewing 2014 in my head while the music of Frank Sinatra choruses in another brain lobe.
And it was a very good 2014 for the Caribou Area Chamber of Commerce. We began 2014 as a brand new organization separated from the city by the City Council. There were several ways we could have gone after that decision. What did happen is that our Board of Directors rolled up their sleeves and we hit the ground running.
As a new organization, we created a new set of bylaws that would govern us. We had to come up with a new employee manual. We had to create an entirely new accounting system to follow the budget since the city did that before. Invoices had to be designed, checks had to be ordered. Bank accounts had to be created. The state and federal government had to receive our application as a new employer to set up the payment of taxes. We had to apply for a new status as a nonprofit chamber of commerce with the IRS and pay $850 and fill out a massive form to become an official 501(c)(6). And most importantly, we had to communicate with our members on what we were doing.
All of it got done in an orderly and proper fashion. We finished the year on budget. We gained fourteen new members. All of our events went off without a hitch and were successful. We have created our one-year and five-year plans. We increased our revenue.
The bottom line is that the Chamber is in good shape and we are excited about 2015. We appreciate our working relationship with the city of Caribou and I personally thank our board for all of its hard work, enthusiasm and support. We do not lack for challenges, but we believe that what we do is important and our commitment to build a thriving Chamber is what we are all about.
Executive Director William Tasker may be reached in the CACC office at 498-6156 or email him at cacc@cariboumaine.net.
