05/01/2025 - Meeting Minutes

ATTENDEES

Nicole Zollinger, Darryl Simmons, Emily Jensen, Josh Nuckles, Stacey Dorrity, Steve Cook, Deon Hunsaker, Matt Veil, Nick Nielson, Aimee McNeil, Trudy Wilson, Shellie Healy, Ted Stokes, Steve Liechty, Josh Watts, Bill Petersen, Toni Wood, Liz w/CV Refugee & Immigrant Connection, Tori Wanner, Bodie Hunsaker, Zach Manwaring, Anita Gerber, Ronnie Love, Shane Jones, Lily Knudsen, Jimmy Birman, Richard Varela, USU Credit Union representative, Andrew Davis,

AGENDA NOTES

The meeting opened at 12:08 as Darryl Simmons welcomed Chamber Members. Thanks to Alpine Cleaning and Restoration for hosting the meeting and to McDonalds for providing their new McCrispy Strips and sauce for lunch.

Business Reviews

Stonefire Pizzeria- (Josh Nuckles)-starting into busier season with people eating out more, in the process of refining their menus to simplify decision making on entrees, also adding new dessert and drink options. Thank you to the Chamber for incredible support.

Stapley Accounting Services- (Stacey Dorrity)- just finished main tax season, now moving into working on tax extensions

Smithfield City- (Ted Stokes)- looking forward to a lot of events with Health Days coming up, preparing for Golf Tournament and Golf Season. As a side note, with his Bankruptcy Company, call if you have questions or need help.

Second Act Literacy Foundation- (Steve Cook)- continuing efforts with high school students that have dropped out and need help getting GEDs, also helping Refugees etc get GEDs to make individuals more appealing to employers and open options for them.

Smithfield Lions Club- (Deon Hunsaker)- Baseball with the Blue Sox is coming up- will have food stands (limited this weekend but more to come), Last Friday held spaghetti dinner fundraiser- spaghetti dinner and food stands are major fundraisers that help fund work they do for needs all over the world. Smithfield Citizen of the Year will be announced next week. Currently collecting plastic that can be turned into park benches. Attending conference this week, trying to start “Leo’s Program” for youth in the Valley. More info to come.

Husky Marketing- (Matt Veil)- can help with decreasing multichannel marketing and provide basic marketing which can lead to a 20-30% increase in sales, would love to work with local service trades, offer initial services for free to see what can be done to help businesses focus on what matters most in social media and other areas, sometimes just need to tweak system already in place.

Globe Life and Family Heritage- (Nick Nielson)- Offering protection from big traumatic life events that can wipe you out fast. Don’t wait for disaster to get help.

Summit Elementary-(Aimee McNeil) and Birch Creek Elementary- (Trudy Wilson)- wrapping up the school year and preparing for next year. Emotions and behaviors are high as students and teachers are all feeling done with school and testing, etc. Excited for the Golf Tournament coming up! Appreciate support it brings.

Sunrise Elementary- (Shellie Healy)- same as Summit & Birch Creek, also starting a new tradition- inviting High School Seniors back to elementary schools for a Senior Rock the Halls in the Elementary Schools, visit with teachers and let elementary students see Seniors achieving graduation.

Preston Watts Collision and Glass- (Josh Watts)- drivers are being safe on roads. New trend of global companies coming into the Valley. Insurance tends to tell policy holder that they must go to global company for car. Know where you’re going and the services provided, you have a choice. Preston Watts will work with insurance coverage rates and will continue to waive $100 on windshield deductible.

McDonalds- (Bill Peterson, Toni Wood)- New McCrispy Strips, McDonalds not always known for chicken, but this is a good one with good new dip- kind of a spicy pepper kick to it. Bringing back snack wraps, preparing for busy season. Finished Minecraft meal- sold out in 5 days.

Zions Bank- (Tori Wanner)- please contact them if you need volunteers and support, love to be involved in community. Have a Bank at Work program with benefits to employees, direct deposit, etc. Many other services to help people including, HELOC- no appraisal fee, back up emergency funds, and SBA Loans, etc.

Alpine Cleaning and Restoration- (Bodie Hunsaker)- Family and business disaster cleanup, like to take care of people from start to finish on circumstances, common situation right now is broken sprinkler systems- water slowly making it to the house causing mold and other problems. If possible, wait to turn on sprinklers til later in year.

Whole Body Health Care- (Zach Manwaring)- will be at Health Days Race on Saturday, great for the community. Don’t wait to come get help until it is bad enough to ruin your quality of life, catch it on the front end. Deon’s birthday-sang epic birthday song to him.

Learning Turtle Preschool- (Anita Gerber)- will be holding graduation soon at the Lion’s Lodge, exciting time for kids. Started registering for next year.

Evolution Design- (Ronnie Love)- granite countertops etc. Currently short on installers. Recently learned one worker is going to dental school, need workers- referrals from the Chamber are welcome.

Sky View High School- (Shane Jones)-Thank you for support from the Chamber, busy time of year with graduation and preparations for next year. Students will be helping with Pancake Breakfast. ELL and ESL students have been working on improving passing classes, a good year=5 graduating, this year 16 graduating!

Farmers Insurance- (Lily Knudsen)-Loves the Chamber, recently hired a new employee that was a chamber referral, great fit, Thank you for support.

United Way of Northern Utah- (Jimmy Birman)-current projects include Bear River Community Engagement Plans, Book Drives, Baby Showers, etc. If you see a need, let them know so they can be involved.

Smithfield Recreation- (Richard Varela)- Emphasis on Smithfield Health Days events. Some Trivia- Health Days started by Sara McCraken, principal of Summit, began with attending dentist offices. 100% Teeth students got to march in Parade. Race will be on Saturday, rest of Health Days events will begin on Monday. Lots of events. Booths are full, very busy time. Parade Registration is now online. Call Richard for help or more information.

USU Credit Union- (? )-5.55% great rates, go see them.

Host Huski- (Andrew Davis)-domain registration, email, websites, based in North Logan- would love to help save you money, have saved some $300. Would love to help non profits etc. save up to 50% on websites.

Rocky Mountain Power- (Steve Liechty)- current threats to business from wildfires, litigation, etc. but working with a great group, appreciate Berkshire Hathaway and other great investors. Previously requested a general rate increase of 20%. After negotiations settled on 4-6% increase which is good for customers, tricky as a company, but good for customers. Oregon Litigation bringing about new policy and development of a new weather system, etc. Utah looking into nuclear power, not yet clear whether the State is taking that on alone or if it will partner with Rocky Mountain or others. Details still in question. Rocky Mountain Power puts lots of money back into communities, Rocky Mountain Foundation with help of Warren Buffet, helps provide money for nonprofit groups. Steve tries to work that money down the line to get that money to local non profit groups in amount of $2,000-$10,000.

Cache Valley Refugee and Immigrant Connection- (Liz)- Still have regular walk-in hours from 3-6pm. Help obtain drivers licenses and citizenship, help with marketing and helping understand different cultures and languages. Believe in one community for all, are open to possible funding opportunities to help them- much of their funding has been cut back.

Other Items

Business Review Quiz Answers: 1- The four schools present today are Sky View, Summit, Sunrise, and Birch Creek. ESL stands for English Second Language and 16 students of ESL are graduating from SV this year. The Acronym HELOC stands for Homeowners Equity Line Of Credit. Today is Deon’s birthday and Zach sang an epic Happy Birthday rendition for him. The International holiday that coincides with today’s meeting is May Day which is International Labor Day.

Easter Egg Hunt-Thank you for all the support for the Easter Egg Hunt, it was very successful; great new location, loved the support. A few areas needed bigger areas, but the new location will support that need. We may try to get a hot air balloon next year. There were 2525 eggs stuffed in addition to books, cheese sticks etc. Thank you to Kathy Christiansen for many of the books provided.

Chamber Scholarship- Deadline was April 30th. Winners will be notified by the 16th. All proceeds from the Pancake Breakfast will be used for the scholarships. As of now, all the food is being donated by Shamrock Foods. We are hoping to be able to offer 4-6 scholarships depending on the income from the Pancake Breakfast.

Golf Tournament- Wednesday May 7th, We are short by 3-6 teams, please contact anyone that may be interested in participating- the weather forecast looks beautiful, and all proceeds go to Smithfield elementaries. Thank you to Lee’s and Ace Hardware for sponsoring. Set up will be at 7:15am, hole sponsors need to be set up by 8:40 by the latest. Nicole has a list of the assignments for hole sponsors. Check in and Breakfast for the Golfers will begin at 7:45ish-8am. Schools will be there to help. New this year, food will be served during the tournament rather than after the tournament.

Pancake Breakfast- May 10th- A big Thank you to Shamrock Foods for donating the food, even eggs! The owners of Shamrock foods will be at the Breakfast (please thank him) and students will be there helping. Please sign up (8 helpers per shift) to help with- setup/serve from 7:00-8:30, and serve/clean-up from 8:30-10:00. Clean up takes about 30 minutes, we’ll be done by 9:30 and walk over to the parade afterward. Please let us know if you can be there to help and help us get the word out. Come help advertise as a business with a poster. We will email a link of the poster to forward on. We will correspond through email to keep everyone updated.

Newsletter- Next deadline for the newsletter is October 15th for the November newsletter. $100 to run an ad.

Dates to remember for this year: Night of Giving- December 6th Have a great Summer!

Next Meeting September 4th- Lions Lodge. Meeting Adjourned at 1:09