Darien Business Scene Gets a Fresh Start

It's a new day for Darien's business community. Mayor Joseph Marchese dropped a surprise announcement on Thursday. The city has taken over the chamber of commerce's events and hired its former executive director. This is all part of the new Darien Business Alliance, which the City Council has just approved. Some business owners might be scratching their heads, though. The chamber board isn't too happy about this change. They feel they were left in the dark. For the past couple of years, the city has been funding the chamber, giving every local business free membership. The mayor has a plan. He wants the new alliance to bring more meaningful events for businesses. He's hoping it will give local businesses a stronger voice and boost tourism and community events. April Padalik, who was the chamber's executive director, is now taking the helm of the alliance. That means she'll be organizing popular events like Darien Fest, Darien Dash, and the summer concerts. The chamber isn't happy. They say the city has taken away their biggest events – Darien Fest and Darien Dash. But the city sees this as a fresh start for Darien's business scene. Business owners are now free to join the new alliance. With over 350 businesses in Darien, there's potential for a lot of growth and new opportunities. It's a big change, but it could be just what Darien needs to jumpstart its business community.