At the Board of Commissioners meeting on Thursday, July 8, 2021, the BOC once again agreed to continue financial support for the Lakeland Chamber of Commerce. The annual agreement dates back to Mayor Wyatt Bunker’s administration and has been approved by the BOC every year since its inception.
The agreement stipulates the City will provide $2,000 of financial support to the Chamber every month. The agreement will end on June 30, 2022, and at that point it will be considered again for renewal.
Commissioner Wesley Wright said the relationship between the City and Chamber is critical in helping to attract high-quality development to Lakeland as well as giving businesses an opportunity to gather with other local businesses. “I believe the role that our Lakeland Chamber plays in our town is crucial. They cultivate business relationships and support our schools. Recently I attended their July board meeting and I spoke on how the monthly business Chamber luncheons are probably the best opportunity to fellowship with like-minded individuals. They give us a way to interact with developers, businesses, and citizens over lunch once a month that has proved to be invaluable. Among their contributions are Lion statues you will see shortly in various prominent locations. They are an important asset to Lakeland, Tennessee,” Commissioner Wright said.
The Lion statues Mr. Wright mentioned are 5 different lions statues that will be decorated and placed around the City of Lakeland over the next year. Similar statues of decorated horses can be seen around Germantown, TN.
Wil Ashworth, who is the President of the Chamber of Commerce told Lakeland Currents the funds have helped the Chamber grow over the years as well as playing a critical role in helping the Chamber promote Lakeland. “This transformation is the result of efforts by local business leaders, volunteers, and the support of City leadership. Our relationship with the City’s staff, commissioners, and mayor has allowed us to secure outside grants that are used to market the city and support local businesses. The direct support from the City helps fund the Chamber operations which seek to create an environment for networking and to also deliver relevant content that our local businesses are interested in,” Mr. Ashworth said. He also noted a great working relationship with the City saying, “the open communication channels we have with the City’s leadership allows us to align our efforts with the vision of where the City of Lakeland desires to go. The results of these relationships will continue to provide a positive impact on our community.”
The Lakeland Board of Commissioners said they hope to have a combined strategy meeting with the Economic Development Commission and the Lakeland area Chamber of Commerce soon. The purpose of that meeting would be to gather input and discuss business initiatives and priorities for the City. No date has been set as of yet.
