Darien's Business Scene: A New Alliance on the Horizon

In the small city of Darien, things are about to change for local businesses. The city council is planning to create a new group called the Darien Business Alliance. This group is meant to be like a traditional chamber of commerce but with a fresh approach. The city's administrator, Bryon Vana, isn't sure what will happen to the existing Darien Chamber of Commerce. He thinks it might go on a break, or as he put it, "sit dormant. " The city council will vote on forming the new alliance on Monday. The current chamber has faced some money troubles over the years, with its biggest fundraiser being Darien Fest. Bad weather can make or break the event's success. Many chambers of commerce struggle with finances, Vana noted. "It's tough to keep a chamber going if money is tight, " he said. The city wants to stay one step ahead and help the chamber before things get tougher. The chamber's financial records show they've had surpluses in the last three years. For instance, in 2023, they had income of $125, 148, which was almost $20, 000 more than their expenses. At the end of 2023, they had about $105, 000 in their accounts. The city has a plan to hire a director for the new business alliance and community events. April Padalik, the current chamber's executive director, is set to take on this role. The city has been giving the chamber a grant of about $30, 000 a year for the past couple of years. In return, every Darien business with a city license gets a free chamber membership instead of paying $225 a year. Before the subsidies, the city was thinking about taking over the chamber, and the chamber's board at the time seemed okay with this idea.