Chamber okays 2019 budget, elects officers

he Odessa Chamber of Commerce adopted its budget for 2019 at its monthly meeting at Any Occasion Banquet Hall on December 11. Much of the budget remained the same or very similar to what was adopted for 2018, with cutbacks to only a few items in order to balance the new budget.

Chamber president Zach Schafer plans to write an article for The Record before the end of the year in order to explain to the public and the business community some of the challenges faced by the Chamber. One of these challenges is the community float. Its effectiveness at drawing people to Deutschesfest is being studied and change may be needed.

The Chamber also elected officers for 2019: Zach Schafer, president; Jeff Huiras, vice president; Michelle Melgren, secretary; Larissa Zeiler, treasurer; at-large board members Joy Praetorius and Terrie Schmidt-Crosby and Biergarten chair Trevor Smith.