BETHEL —  Executive Director Jessie Perkins and Membership Director John Walker have both resigned from their positions at Bethel Area Chamber of Commerce.

Executive Committee President and Holidae House owner John Poole said the timing was coincidental. “They were in the mood to pursue different things,” he said. Perkins had worked for the Chamber for 12 years, the last six as director. Poole said Walker wanted to focus on his own business [property management]; “Perkins felt it was time to pursue other stuff,” he said.

Walker left several days ago while Perkins’ last day is Wed., March 20.

An emailed letter to Chamber members on Monday informed general membership of the resignations and also a discrepancy in the finances.

The letter to members read, “Finally, unfortunately, there has been some misinformation being circulated concerning the Chamber’s finances. A report was misread and the information was believed to indicate that the Chamber was in serious financial distress. It was an honest mistake, but it has unfortunately caused some concern among our members. We are very sorry for any doubts or concern this may have caused anyone. Please know that the chamber has ample funds available to continue operations and we will be here supporting our members as always.”

Of the misinterpretation by Walker of some of the financial information, Former Chamber Director Robin Zinchuk said she has asked him, “to undo some of the conversations he’s been having [with Chamber members] … we are a family… we need to be united,” she said.

The e-mailed letter sent Monday was signed by the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors; Poole; Stephanie Cayer, of Bethel; Rich Allen of Mexico; and Jay Kiel of Norway.

Six others form the larger Chamber Board of Directors’ group: Robin Bennett, Tyler Bennett, Joann Bisson, Ellen Wainwright, Michael Peterson and Arthur Roundy.

Blip

Zinchuk said, “[Walker] has a promising future. Jessie has got tons of talent and is going to land soundly on her feet. There is going to be a transition and I’m going to help [as a Board consultant] … ”

“We’ve had a blip on the screen, here,” said Zinchuk. “We are all committed to leap-frogging ahead,” added Perkins.

Because none of the executive committee members have ever done a search before, they will seek help, said Poole, who added that, “the Chamber for the last 40 years has been Robin [Zinchuk] and Jessie, so there has never had to be a search.”

In 2017 Perkins became the director. Zinchuk stayed on until 2020, having started as the first paid employee in 1986.

Current longtime Chamber employees Cathy Howe and Julia Reuter will hold down the fort while the committee decides what’s next for the group that became a legal corporation in 1986. “We were a telephone answering machine and a post office box … we just grew,” said Zinchuk.

Noting that the Chamber no longer gets subsidies from the building’s owner, the Department of Transportation, Zinchuk said this is just one of many things that need to be addressed.

There is no one to blame said Zinchuk, “It has all just evolved … This gives us a time to ask ourselves, what does the Chamber have the capacity to be? And what do the Chamber’s members want it and need it to be?” said Zinchuk.

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