FARMINGTON — The Franklin County Chamber of Commerce is making some changes after the executive director resigned.

Stacie Bourassa completed her position Thursday as executive director to return to the United Way of the Tri-Valley Area as finance administrator.

The chamber’s Board of Directors is taking this opportunity to restructure the organization. Hours for the Wilton Road Welcome Center will be reduced but the chamber’s 24-hour visitor kiosk remains available.

The Franklin County chamber, like many of its member and non-member businesses, has been experiencing challenges over the past few years due in large part to the state of the local economy. With no grant or federal funding, the chamber depends primarily on membership dues and revenue from special events to fulfill its mission, and membership is down.

The board and part-time staff will work diligently to ensure the chamber can continue to deliver and grow its services on behalf of its membership, but community support is critical to its success, according to a statement from the organization.

Chamber events planned this year include the 18th annual Home and Leisure Show on May 19 at the Farmington Fairgrounds; a Car and Bike Show on Aug. 19, also at the farigrounds; the chamber and Seth Wescott Scholarship Golf Classic on Sept. 21 at Sugarloaf; Chester Greenwood Day on Dec. 1 in downtown Farmington and the Holiday Food Basket program on Dec. 14.

As small business owners and nonprofits continue to tighten their spending, the question arises for some, “What does the Chamber do for me?” the chamber said.

It is unfortunate that membership dues are seen as expendable by many towns and local businesses. The chamber has considered whether it has effectively communicated the value of the benefits offered over the years, Bourassa said.

“Membership with a chamber is a partnership. You get out of it what you put in, like so many other investments,” Bourassa said. “There are a number of free and low-cost opportunities with the chamber to network, advertise and educate, and we are always promoting our great region and working collaboratively with other networks to advance our quality of place.”

“The current state of the economy does not support a ‘What did you do for me?’ attitude; rather we need to look to what we may achieve collectively to truly improve our condition,” she said. “I will continue to support the chamber with my small business dues, as I believe in the power of the organization to improve our communities, and I encourage my friends and partners to do the same.”

“The decision to leave the chamber was a very difficult one for me personally, but I am blessed with the opportunity to continue my work with the United Way and to focus my skills in an area that I feel I can affect the most change,” Bourassa said.