Annual banquet focuses on local businesses
The Mitchell County Chamber of Commerce hosted its annual member dinner last week.
The Chamber used the event as an opportunity to announce its new app, Hello Mitchell. The app will offer users business listings, a calendar of community events, and many other features.
The dinner was held at the Grassy Creek Country Club.
“Tonight’s about saying ‘thank you’ for the long hours, hard work and heart you all put into our community,” Nikki Presnell, president of the chamber’s board, said to the guests.
Chamber Executive Director Bill Slagle also thanked the membership and introduced special speaker State Sen. Ralph Hise. Hise, Slagle said, has been able to help Mitchell County obtain significant amounts of state funding.
Hise spoke about his priorities in the North Carolina State Legislature and how they might affect local businesses.
“We’re looking to lower the tax rates in North Carolina,” he said. “We’re looking to eliminate the corporate tax in North Carolina, to help our businesses to grow.”
Slagle also spoke about the state of business in Mitchell County and the chamber’s history.
“This is the 80th year of the Mitchell County Chamber — did you all realize that?” Slagle said.
The executive director also noted that the organization has been able to put together 65 NC Mineral and Gem Festivals, although the one scheduled this year was canceled owing to a lack of a suitable venue.
“That’s a significant loss for Mitchell County,” Slagle said.
However, Slagle went on to say that the Chamber’s membership is growing, and there has been grant funding to make up for some of the loss of revenue from the festival.
Slagle said that the Chamber’s new app is part of a general increase in digital features for the organization.
“We made the decision in July and August that we have to move away from paper,” he said.
Slagle said that the app represents the culmination of a considerable effort from the Chamber’s staff, and the features on the app were chosen based on surveys asking members what kind of help their business needs.