BELLOWS FALLS, Vt. – Members of the Great Falls Regional Chamber of Commerce (GFRCC) and the Brattleboro Regional Chamber of Commerce (BRCC) gathered at the Waypoint Center on Friday, Sept. 18, to discuss what a possible merger between the two organizations could mean for businesses and communities across the region. The discussion comes as GFRCC faces the possibility of closing next spring. Gary Fox, acting executive director, said the organization could close as early as March or April if an alternative is not found. Fox said he had reached out to nearby chambers, member towns, and municipal managers to explore options for the organization, including a possible merger with BRCC.
The GFRCC was incorporated in 1965. Fox described a time when the chamber had several employees, maintained regular office hours, and provided health insurance to area businesses. In recent years, however, the organization has increasingly relied on volunteers. Revenue from the Flannel Festival allowed GFRCC to hire a director last year, Fox said, but the organization did not have sufficient funds to continue the position under the existing terms when the contract came up for renewal. The resulting disagreement led to the director’s resignation, followed by the resignation of several board members.
With the organization facing the possibility of closing, Fox said remaining members wanted to explore alternatives rather than simply shut down the chamber. Rachel Shields Ebersol, who became BRCC executive director in May, said the Brattleboro chamber is financially stable, with positive cash flow, an active board, and growing membership. BRCC currently serves businesses in Brattleboro, Guilford, Marlboro, Vernon, Dummerston, Putney, Newfane, Townshend, Hinsdale, and Chesterfield.
Ebersol said a larger regional organization could build on relationships already established among chambers, economic development organizations, and municipalities throughout Windham County. “A Windham County chamber would really make a lot of sense,” Ebersol said, noting that much of the region’s planning is already carried out on a regional basis. She pointed to the existing work of the Windham Region Economic Development Corporation, the Windham Regional Commission, and the Windham County Cultural Plan as examples of regional collaboration.
Ebersol said she also sees an opportunity to maintain a presence in Bellows Falls. Under the proposal, BRCC would work with the Bellows Falls Downtown Development Alliance and the Town of Rockingham on events and visitor traffic, including the Flannel Festival and Old Home Days. She said the organization would maintain an in-person staff presence in Bellows Falls on a weekly basis.
For GFRCC members, however, the question is not simply whether a larger organization can provide services. It is also whether businesses will see enough value in belonging to a chamber.
Pat Fowler, who joined the GFRCC with her husband, Alan, when they owned Village Square Booksellers, said insurance was an important reason they became members. Fowler also raised a broader concern about chamber membership, saying businesses that benefit from chamber publicity do not always become members. “They’re just happy to get somebody publicizing, so they have to see the value added to join – what are they going to gain by joining?” Fowler pointed to the work already being done by the Bellows Falls Downtown Development Alliance, including its Shop Local program, and said the chamber would need to provide something additional for businesses.
Ebersol said BRCC focuses on networking, referrals, marketing, and visibility for its members, and that advocacy is an added benefit of belonging to a regional chamber. “That’s where we make sure we have connections to the statewide leaders, that they’re hearing from our region, that they’re coming to our region and not just forgetting about us in Montpelier,” Ebersol said. BRCC also provides members access to group dental, life, pet, and vision insurance. Health insurance, once an important chamber benefit, is no longer offered through the chamber.
Ebersol said BRCC is also changing its membership dues structure. The chamber currently bases dues on a business’s number of employees, but plans to move to a tiered system in which members choose a level based on their budget and desired marketing and visibility benefits. She said the new structure is expected to be announced in October or November and implemented in January.
Ebersol said the proposed merger would allow BRCC to expand its membership while continuing to operate with a single staff structure. “I serve 250 members, but I can easily serve an additional hundred, bringing in the current Great Falls Regional Chamber members,” she said. “So that’s a huge benefit.”
The proposal also raises questions about how a regional chamber would balance broader economic development with the identity of individual communities. “I think there’s always a balance between local and regional,” Ebersol said. “Obviously, we’ll support the really hyper-local downtown association.”
BRCC Board President Jonas Murray said a larger regional chamber could work alongside local downtown organizations rather than replace them. “If there was a Windham Chamber it could do more regional work, and it can work with the downtown association, so it’s going to bring something different,” Murray said. “You’re a member of a regional organization, not just your specific town.” Murray said regional cooperation could become increasingly important to tourism as communities seek to market the area as a whole.
Ebersol said a stronger regional organization could also support community events, destination marketing, and scholarships through the chamber’s foundation. “If we have a more robust event like the Flannel Festival, then we can offer more scholarships,” she said. Last year, scholarships went to students in Hinsdale and Dummerston. A larger organization, she said, could expand both the pool of applicants and the pool of funding.
Joann Erenhouse, a GFRCC member, said she supported working together and asked how Bellows Falls would be represented on the board of a merged organization. “I think it’s a good idea to work together, because…when you have a regional focus you get more exposure, give people more options, [and] you can do more for benefits for your members,” Erenhouse said. She questioned how many additional board members would represent Bellows Falls if the merger moves forward.
Steve Wolf, BRCC treasurer, said the organization has been working to rebuild its board and is developing a board matrix that considers both industries and geographic areas. “We already were developing a matrix to have some representation from different towns, so that would expand,” Wolf said. He said BRCC plans to revise its bylaws in 2027, providing an opportunity to incorporate additional representation. Ebersol added that the current plan is for Fox to join the BRCC board for one year.
Erenhouse also asked how the two organizations’ finances would be handled, including reserves, assets, and the allocation of funds. Wolf said he and Alan Fowler had already connected and would schedule meetings to review the financial details.
Murray said BRCC has reserves and working capital, while Fox said GFRCC has no assets and expects its remaining funds to be used for outstanding obligations, including refunds for Flannel Festival booth purchases, IRS payments, and legal expenses associated with the merger.
The name of a potential merged organization also remains undecided. Ebersol said the proposal would be to continue operating under the two existing chamber names until members could mutually decide on a name for the combined organization.