Policies | North Fork Valley Chamber

Chamber Policies

Communication Policy

The North Fork Valley Chamber of Commerce communicates with its members and other interested parties in the course of its day-to-day operations. This Policy provides general guidelines for such communications.

Adopted: 03/04/2024

Methods of communication
include, but may not be limited to:

• Telephone

• Email

• Periodic Chamber E-newsletter

• Social Media

• Mailed Solicitations Invitations or Notices

• Town Entry Sign Message Boards

• Print or Radio advertising

• Press Releases

• Visitor Center Materials

• New Neighbor Welcome Bags

Types of information communicated:

• Chamber Meeting & Event Invitations. A calendar of monthly member meetings will be scheduled each December for the coming year. Announcements of these meetings and other events will be shared via electronic communication with members and all others who have subscribed to receive such notification, no less than three days prior to meeting or event being promoted. Meeting & event notifications will include date, time and location of meeting or event, and will list any relevant requirements or restrictions. Meeting notifications will include an attached or linked agenda.

• Chamber Meeting Minutes. The Chamber will post Member Meeting minutes in an archive on the Chamber’s website, following approval of the Board, and will post a link to the most recent meeting minutes in the Chamber’s periodic e-newsletter. Posted meeting minutes will reside on the Chamber website for a minimum of 12 months.

• Chamber Member Contact List. Chamber Member contact lists will be available to any member, upon request, and will include all contact information provided to the Chamber. Individual member information will not be shared. Non-members will not be provided Member contact lists without prior Board approval, however, member information is publicly available on the Chamber website Business Directory.

• Commercial Messages from Members and Non-Members. The Chamber may, at its discretion, forward commercial messages from our members to other members, or subscribers to our contact list. Member commercial messages will be limited to inclusion in the periodic chamber e-newsletter, New Neighbor Welcome Bags and visitor center materials. Non-member commercial messages will not be relayed via Chamber communications mediums.

• Non-Commercial Messages from Members and Non-Members. The Chamber may, at its discretion, forward non-commercial messages from our members, or non-members, to other members, or subscribers to our contact list. Member non-commercial messages will be limited to inclusion in the periodic Chamber e-newsletter, New Neighbor Welcome Bags, town entry signs, and visitor center materials.

Limits of Communication:

• The Chamber will promptly honor any opt-out request by any recipient of Chamber communications.

• The Chamber, when communicating electronically to more than one recipient, will use the BCC (Blind Carbon Copy) feature to preserve the privacy of all recipients.

• The Chamber will not communicate any information or announcement which might conflict with any provision of the Chamber by-laws, including, but not limited to, announcements which directly or indirectly show religious or political preference or endorsement. Events or activities, even if not overtly political or religious, may be declined promotion by the Chamber if, in the opinion of the Board, or its designated representative, might be interpreted by other members as having a political or religious undertone.

• When communicating to a member or the general public in an official Chamber capacity, Board member or Officer must use the official Chamber email address, to assure proper flow of communication and recordkeeping.

• Chamber representative responsible for monitoring the official Chamber email address will forward relevant inquiries from Members or the general public to the appropriate Board Member. Board recipient will be responsible for replying to any such inquiry using the official Chamber email address.

• Chamber Board members may use their personal email addresses to communicate with other Board members in the course of day-to-day communication.

• Communication strings between the Chamber and Members of the general public will be limited to the original parties to the message. Chamber representative shall not add others to replies without first receiving permission from the sender of the original message. Should sending party add recipients to an ongoing email string, Chamber representative will ask sender to desist from such action. If appropriate, Chamber representative may decline to respond to a non-compliant party.

Donation Policy

Adopted: 03/04/2024

Qualifications

1. In compliance with our by-laws and for practical reasons, the Chamber will not consider donation requests from the following: Individuals, for-profit businesses (with the exception of sponsored events that have broad community benefit), taxing entities, religious organizations, political candidates, parties or organizations, or for causes that the membership deems to be contrary to the Chamber bylaws, or not representative of the mission of the Chamber.

2. Donations may be budgeted in advance by agreement of the Board during the budgeting process, or can be considered on an “as needed” basis.

Application

1. All donation requests must be received by the Chamber, in writing, no less than 14 calendar days before the member meeting where the request will be considered. Applicant will be asked to include as many details as possible and will be asked to address the Review Criteria and Questions below. Donation requests may be submitted by formal application, as provided by the Chamber, or if all relevant details are provided in the request, a formal application may not be required.

Review Criteria & Questions

1. Donation requests which appear to further the mission of the Chamber, and/or the local business community, will receive preferred consideration, as will requests made by Chamber member organizations.

2. Weight will be given to requests that have longer-term benefits to the community.

Deliberation and Decision-Making Process

1. Donation requests will be forwarded to the full Board upon receipt, prior to the meeting where the request will be considered.

2. Chamber Board will screen applications to determine whether the donation request meets the Chamber’s review criteria.

3. The Chamber Board and members present will vote on donation requests.

4. Approval of donation request requires a simple majority of the votes tallied. A tie vote will be deemed a negative vote.

5. Approved donations will be funded within 10 business days, or following review stipulated in the “Conditions” section of this policy.

6. Donation checks will be issued to the name of the organization making the request and will not be issued to an individual.

Conditions

1. Approved funds will be conditional on the recipient’s willingness to provide documentation, receipts, or a letter detailing the use of the donated funds.

Marquee Policy

The North Fork Valley Community Chamber of Commerce owns and maintains marquees/sign boards located at the three highway entrances of Hotchkiss, and makes these signs available to aid in the promotion of community events. Since there can be scheduling conflicts relating to numerous events taking place simultaneously; determination of what messages are appropriate for the Chamber’s marquees; as well as issues relating to scheduling of personnel to change these signs in a timely manner, the Chamber has adopted the following standards in regard to sign board reservations and servicing.

1. The Chamber generally follows a “first come, first served” policy for marquee usage requests; however, in instances where signboard space is requested for the promotion of more than one event during the same sign posting period, the Chamber maintains a priority system when deciding which events to promote. The list below indicates, in order, which categories will be given preference:

a. North Fork Valley Chamber events or NFVCC sponsored events
b. North Fork-based non-profits holding events in Hotchkiss.
c. Other non-profits holding events in Hotchkiss.
d. Non-profits holding events elsewhere in the Valley (Paonia, Crawford)

2. The Chamber will not post notices to advertise events for a specific business (sponsorships excepted), or for religious or political purposes. With Board approval, exceptions may be made for charitable activities undertaken by business, religious or political groups, so long as the primary purpose of the event is not to benefit or promote, directly or indirectly, any specific business, religious or political group.

3. Approved messages must not violate any provision of the Chamber by-laws, and must comply with Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) signage standards.

4. Marquees will be available Sunday through Saturday, and may be reserved for one week at a time. If marquees are unreserved for a contiguous week to the one requested, the Chamber may, at its discretion, and pending requestor approval, extend the posting timeframe without additional charge.

5. The Chamber contracts with a Board-selected individual (independent contractor) to post all signs.

6. The signage fee is $50/week (for members) or $100/week (for non-members) for all three signs. Payment must be received prior to signs being posted.

7. Contracted sign poster will keep track of sign postings and will periodically submit invoice to the Chamber for compensation.

8. Chamber will compensate sign poster $30 per posting (for a total of three signs). Compensation will be paid to the sign poster not only for the signs of “paying” customers but for Chamber requested postings, for which renumeration is not received.

Anti-Discrimination & Anti-Harassment Policy

The North Fork Valley Chamber of Commerce (The Chamber) believes that an environment free of any form of discrimination or harassment is a necessary and healthy basis for operating an organization serving a broad membership.

In relation to qualification for membership, elected office, and in all official Chamber actions and functions, The Chamber will not discriminate based on age, race, sex, color, religious or political affiliation, disability, military status, sexual orientation, genetic information, or any other status protected by applicable state or local law, and will conduct itself in a manner free of harassment as it pertains to the aforementioned categories.

The Chamber will not condone or tolerate discrimination by the Chamber or its officers based on any of the above listed, or any other arbitrary characteristic. Examples of discrimination may include (but will not be limited to): 1) Discouraging or declining membership of any qualified applicant based on any of the above listed, or other arbitrary characteristic. 2) Discouraging or declining the candidacy for elected office of any member based on any of the above listed, or other arbitrary characteristic. 3) Discouraging or declining employment or volunteer position to any member or individual based on any of the above listed, or other arbitrary characteristic.

The Chamber will not condone or tolerate the use of harassment by the Chamber or its officers. Harassment will be defined as (but not limited to): 1) Threats – explicit, implicit, or veiled. 2) Intimidation. 3) Coercion. 4) Insult. 5) Offensive or derogatory gestures, stories, jokes, nicknames, etc. 5) Unfounded public comments made with intent to embarrass, harm or discredit.

The Chamber will not condone or tolerate the use of harassment by members or the public directed towards Chamber representatives. Harassment will be defined as (but not limited to): 1) Threats – explicit, implicit, or veiled. 2) Intimidation. 3) Coercion. 4) Insult. 5) Offensive or derogatory gestures, stories, jokes, nicknames, etc. 5) Unfounded public comments made with intent to embarrass, harm or discredit.

This policy shall not be deemed to prohibit the Chamber from taking discretionary action based on characteristics of substance – for instance in considering experience, skill, suitability, character, historic experience, or aptitude of an applicant for any position and in considering suitability for membership. This policy shall not be deemed to supersede The Chamber’s by-laws or any federal, state or local laws.

A complaint of discrimination or harassment may be reported to any officer or board member of the Chamber. All complaints must be brought to the full Board for investigation. The Board will make all reasonable efforts to protect the confidentiality of the individual making a complaint, and will make all reasonable efforts to protect, from retaliation, any individual making a complaint, or participating in an investigation.

The Chamber will conduct any mandated investigation in a prompt, thorough and impartial manner, and will take immediate and appropriate corrective action, up to and including termination of offending elected officer or Board member or hired employee, or expulsion of a member, should the claim of discrimination or harassment be found to have merit.

The Chamber will not knowingly associate itself with any organization or individual practicing unacceptable standards in regard to discrimination or harassment.