Even during a difficult 2020, local businesses and the Callaway Chamber of Commerce stuck together, Chamber Executive Director Tamara Tateosian said.
"The small businesses, the mom and pop shops, they need us (this year)," she said.
Tateosian gave Fulton City Council members an update on the Chamber and Fulton Area Development Foundation's work over the last year during Tuesday's city council meeting. Fulton helps fund the Chamber, and Tateosian was asked last year to provide quarterly updates.
Presenting alongside Tateosian was Beth Snyder, owner of 1Canoe2 Paperie and the Chamber board's incoming president. New board members this year include Janea Danuser, of Danuser Machine Company, and David Backer, of Wise Brothers.
Tateosians said during 2020, the Chamber gained 36 new members and maintained a 92 percent retention rate.
"We did lose some members at the end of 2020 - and we knew that was going to happen," she said.
Tateosian noted unemployment in Callaway County peaked at 6.9 percent in April 2020. As of December, unemployment was down to 4.7 percent.
Additionally, eight new businesses opened in the county, and the Chamber is actively aiding three more businesses currently seeking a local storefront.
"We're continually working with small businesses to help them open and expand," Tateosian said.
Though the Chamber couldn't hold many in-person events in 2020, they hosted multiple virtual events and awareness campaigns. Tateosian highlighted several.
In November, the Chamber hosted its annual PITCH Competition - one of its few in-person events of 2020. Seven businesses entered. JT Farms Livestock and Meats took home first place; Show-Me Mow & Snow took second and Bombshells Salon and Spa took third.
"All three of our winners are up and running now," she said.
This year's PITCH Competition has been set for Nov. 1, Tateosian added.
The Chamber's Facebook page partnered with local small businesses to host holiday-themed giveaways during December and early February.
"The 23 businesses that participated (in the Advent calendar giveaway) got a lot of love and attention," Tateosian said.
In addition to the Chamber and FADF's usual work of promoting small businesses and encouraging new businesses to set up shop in Callaway County, the Chamber also aided in the distribution of county CARES Act funds.
The county and FADF set up three rounds of grant applications, with eligible local businesses being able to apply for small business relief, help paying utilities, boosting their marketing capabilities, and more. The FADF collected and processed the grant applications, while county employees reviewed the applications before granting final approval.
Tateosian said the FADF/Chamber spoke to 500-plus businesses, processed around 480 applications and ultimately awarded 436 grants totaling about $830,000.
This year, the FADF hopes to work on attracting industries to town. Tateosian suggested the Fulton work on developing a list of incentives it could offer to companies who have their eye on Fulton.
Fulton Director of Administration Bill Johnson said those incentives would have to be offered on a case-by-case basis.
"I don't want to have a blanket list of incentives out there," he said.