Carthage Chamber of Commerce — Local services in Carthage

Nice people but not good at customer service. For the Maple Leaf Festival, I paid for a vendor booth SEVERAL months in advance to request a spot on a road that the parade would be on. Their application says we can request a spot if we pay early. I bet I was one of the first! I paid for 2 spaces too because I thought the festival was going to be great this year. Well, with no notice, the morning I showed up to set up, they moved me to a different spot than what it said on the map and I was stuck on a packed full road away from the parade between food vendors. Their long lines blocked my double spot most of the day and I didn’t do very well at all. When I emailed the chamber to let them know I wasn’t happy with what happened, a week went by so I sent another email and all I got was a pretty generic apology. No solutions offered for future events. I asked if I could request a spot for next year and not pay super early this time since this happened to me. Still waiting for a response. They may never respond! Sorry but I think they could do their jobs better for people who pay them for their services. As leaders in the community, when problems arise, you address the problems, offer solutions, and try for improvement…not just be like sorry, tough luck, and...

The Chambers activity in the community is good BUT they have NEVER put forth any effort to improve the appearance of their offices. Front doors facing Garrison often has phone books stacked up inside. Outside, for the 14 past years I've lived here, has been unkept, rock flower gardens with nice decorative flower pots EMPTY. This gives the message to the visitors and community that the Commerce does not care about it's image, does not want to take the effort to look welcoming like most businesses. The SMB bank across the street has taken on the job of making out town look inviting and beautiful. Memorial Hall has a beautiful Maple Leaf sculpture and an event sign, PLUS well kept grass area. The Chamber put in an event sign that most of the time, says the same thing. The Chambers image is SAD, DUSTY, ROCK GARDEN with EMPTY FLOWER POTS. So sad. They put no effort in their image which telegraph's a LAZY...

Why aren't there brats on the square this year? Why are you changing so...