By Philip Haldiman
Twitter: @PhilipHaldiman

The city of Peoria is helping the chamber of commerce so the chamber can help the city’s business community.

City Council approved a budget amendment of $19,200 for the chamber of commerce to stay open due to financial stress brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The funds will come from the Half Cent Sales Tax fund contingency to the City Participation Outside Programs account for a one-time amendment to the contract with the Peoria Chamber of Commerce.

Additionally, the chamber will be relocating due to the expiration of its lease in the P83 Entertainment District.

Katie Gregory said the Peoria Chamber of Commerce serves as an instrumental partner with Peoria, working in the city’s interest to support business retention, offer small business assistance, encourage tourism efforts, and encourage strategic growth within the Peoria community.

Currently the city is partnering with the chamber on a number of initiatives, including an important collaboration on the Business Assistance Task Force, she said. This cross-functional team is focused on offering services to help Peoria businesses manage through the current public health and economic emergency related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ms. Gregory said this collaboration has been critical as the chamber has direct links to a number of Peoria businesses and understands how best to support and assist them in this difficult time.

“However they too are feeling the effects of the financial stress related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Many of their revenue generating events and services have been canceled or unable to be held due to the federal and state social distancing requirements,” she said. “These funds will help bridge and allow them to help continue their operations.”

This week, the chamber announced it will be relocating from its location in P83 on Mariners Way. The announcement stated the chamber’s lease is ending and neighboring tenant Huntington University Arizona is expanding.

The chamber will remain open and operate virtually, while a new location is found. Contact information, email, and office phone remains the same.

“Technology is in place to ensure we are responsive to our members needs. While the visitor center remains closed under the current stay-at-home rules, we are discussing the future with our great partner, the city of Peoria, Arizona,” according to a statement on Facebook.

“We continue to employ our wonderful and talented team, as they focus on each of our businesses, and we are serving our businesses without interruption through this pandemic. With this, we bid a fond farewell to our location at P83, as we explore our new future location to serve our members!”

Mayor Cathy Carlat said that right now anything that can be done to help Peoria’s small businesses is really urgently needed.

“I know that our chamber of commerce has boots on the ground to be a touchstone for those people to get them thorugh this critical time, so I can’t think of a better organization to support at this time,” she said.

Philip Haldiman can be reached at 623-876-3697, phaldiman@newszap.com, or on Twitter @philiphaldiman.

Philip Haldiman
News Editor | Peoria
@PhilipHaldiman

phaldiman@iniusa.org

Philip Haldiman is a third generation Arizona native with brief residencies on the east and west coasts. He has bachelor’s degrees in Theater and Journalism at Arizona State University, and is an award winning journalist with more than 15 years worth of experience in reporting and editing. Most recently, he took first place for investigative reporting and third place for best sustained coverage or series at the 2023 Arizona Newspapers Association awards. In his free time, he produces an autobiographical comic book about his time spent in Hollywood and his life as a cult film star.