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Livingston Council heard from the newly formed Sumter County, Alabama Chamber of Commerce,
Inc. (SCACC) to enter into an agreement for a contract of services.
Tommy McGraw, Chairman of the SCACC Steering Committee made a presentation for the
agreement Monday night, July 14 at the regular council meeting.
McGraw said the Steering Committee had been working hard over the past several months putting
the Chamber together. He then introduced some of the committee members attending including
Jimmy Collins with the Bank of York, Stella Anderson with the Greene-Sumter Enterprise Com-
munity, Joe Moore, Livingston State Farm agent; Mike Davis and Neldra Spencer with Chem Waste
Management in Emelle. Committee members not present included Anne Torma, York resident,
Vanessa Patten, Sumter DHR Director; Rhonda Walters, Mannington Wood Floors in Epes; Allison
Derby Bank of York; Allison Tucker, West Alabama Bank; Jane Hurt, McElroy Trucking Company;
Doris Stephens of Coatopa and newest member Kay Harrell with Sumter Health Rehabilitation
Center in York.
McGraw also introduced Sanquenetta “San” Thompson with the University of West Alabama
McGraw said that UWA had been instrumental in the formation of the chamber through the UWA?
Small Business Development Center. McGraw also thanked Dr. Richard Holland for allowing UWA’s
Small Business Development Center’s office headed by Ken Walker to assist in the chamber’s
formation stages.
McGraw said the committee had been meeting twice and sometimes three times a month putting
details in place to form the chamber.
McGraw said the chamber idea derived from chamber interest meetings which were held in York
and Livingston. The interest meetings where developed out of the ACE communities designation.
“I’ve studied the concept of the chamber and they only way this thing will work is for all of Sumter
County to work together.
“We are doing this thing [forming the chamber] right. It has been several attempts in Livingston and
York to form chambers and none have been taken on to the degree that we have done. The
steering committee has adopted bylaws, set dues, incorporated and we are seeking our non-profit
status as we speak. We are hoping it [non profit status] will be approved in the next few weeks or
month,” McGraw stated.
McGraw said the SCACC has a membership meeting planned for July 31, at 6:00 p.m. at the
Livingston Community Center [See Chamber story in this issue and advertisement on page 1-B].
The chairperson then invited all business, industry and individual leaders in the area to attend the
membership drive meeting.
“I’ve looked at this thing long and hard and the way the chamber needs to operate is with a strong
executive director to take charge, working full time. The only way a chamber will work is for all
entities including government, business and industry leaders to pull together. We are planning on
going to the other municipalities, Sumter County Commission and the Industrial Development
Boards in the county to seek contracts,” McGraw said.
McGraw said the chamber wanted to provide services to Livingston in the form of being the
number one job recruiter for the City [of Livingston.] “We want to encourage and help the the
businesses here to grow. We want to invite other businesses to come here and grow with us.”
McGraw continued, “We need a clothing store here in Livingston. We will be an advocate to bring
one in. There are other businesses that are needed also in Sumter County.
“There is no one entity that is actively seeking businesses for Sumter County. We are going to be
that avenue. We are going to go out and beat the bushes to bring in jobs for the community.”
McGraw said that the chamber will help organize the existing businesses to work and promote
themselves and Sumter County, “but it’s only going to work if we all pull together.”
McGraw then asked the Livingston City Council for a “range of $10,000 to $15,000” from the City
and added, “If you can’t contribute that [amount] do what you can.”
McGraw said the chamber will need at least $55,000 to $60,000 from the different government
agencies to pay a top notched individual to be the person working full time for the chamber.
The steering committee chairman said that in addition to attending the ribbon cuttings, seeking
new industry and businesses, the executive director could function as a lobbyist and represent the
Livingston and Sumter County in Montgomery when legislation or lobbying is needed.
Mayor Tom Tartt said he wanted to meet with the committee to get “more particulars” about the
organization.
Tartt added, “A chamber of commerce is definitely needed and has been needed for a very long
time. We had a lot of shots and lot of misses, and a lot of good intentions but none panned out.
“I think the organizational effort that has been put into this, is by far the best we’ve ever had. It‘s
got everything in place to succeed. Of course it takes money and man power to do it. The city is
certainly willing to bare its part of that responsibility.”
The mayor said the request is coming at a “perfect time.” The city is getting ready to prepare their
annual budget. Livingston will start their budget meetings in August. City budgets run from Oct. 1
through Sept 30. He said it may be December or January, 2009 before a check is written.
Tartt said the City was in a position to maybe offer some “in-kind services” as well as a monetary
amount. He said the city could arrange to pay the utilities and provide office space in leu of some
of the money, but would also provide money.
He said an adjacent building to City Hall could be offered if the Chamber was interested in that type
of arrangement.
Tartt then invited the committee to meet with the council at a later date and let them know if that
was a possibility.
Tartt continued by saying, “Ninety percent of industry prospects and ninety five per cent of
business prospects that come into a community want to talk to a chamber of commerce. They ask
for the chamber of commerce, because they want to talk to like business minded people. The
chamber is going to represent everyone, the good the bad and the ugly. The way this
[organizational process] has been done has been done the right way. It is something that will help
us prosper and something we can be all proud of.”
McGraw then concluded by saying, “On a personal note, the newspaper [Sumter County Record-
Journal] had been contacted on numerous occasions over the years, more than I would like to
admit, from industry or business prospects looking for someone to talk to such as the chamber of
commerce.
“We have lost potential industry and businesses coming here which would have provided 200 to
300 or more jobs in the past, because we were not ready. We can’t afford to lose any more.
“God has blessed us with US Steel coming to Sumter County [the announcement that they are
building a $450 million facility here.] That means 250 construction workers that will hopefully be
start working in the county in the next few months. The University of West Alabama is building new
dormitories soon and they will have construction workers moving in. We need to be set up and we
need to be operating, because people will be looking to the Chamber of Commerce. The chamber
can provide them with the services they are seeking.”