PBA will participate in Small Business Saturday, November 28th by hosting the gift wrap and a passport for the day. Pick yours up at the Welcome Center.
Membership dues will be due in January of 2021. Please go to the website Shoppittsboro.com to join again. You’ll also be receiving a reminder email with an invoice attached.
From the Board
October was The Annual Meeting: Elections
- Nominations and Election to the Board:
There were three people nominated, Pam Fulk, Scott Dunham, and Jacques Dufour. A SurveyMonkey was sent to all the members of PBA and votes tallied from those that returned their votes. All three, Pam, Scott, and Jacques were reelected for another term. That means your Board for 2021 will be: Pam Fulk, Maria Parker-Lewis, Jamie Hitmer, Cindy Schmidt, Scott Dunham, Jacques Dufour, Mary DeMare, and Stephanie Olnes.
Treasurers Report
Treasurers switched about mid-year from Mary DeMare from New Horizons to Jamie Hitmer from Fish Window Cleaning. The switch was complicated by COVID and not being able to complete the switch in person.
PBA started the year with $2,430.36 and has $1,773.41 at the end of September. Not having First Sunday has impacted the organization.
Events Committee
All events for the year were cancelled EXCEPT the upcoming TREE LIGHTING, which will be virtual.
Phillips Tree Farm has wonderfully donated the live tree this year for in front of the Courthouse. The tree lighting will be on Zoom and Facebook Live on November 22nd. Santa will be in a life-sized snow globe for pictures from car-rider line from 2-5 pm the same day. PBA is looking for sponsors for the event.
Contact the PBA at our website: shoppittsboro.com if you’d like your business featured during the event.
More plans are being made for the Tree Lighting so follow PBA on Facebook to keep up!
If you’d like to join the Events Committee, please let one of the Board Members know.
Membership Report
- There were 40 paid memberships in 2020.
- There are five gratis membership: Chatham EDC, Chatham Chamber of Commerce (PBA receives a gratis membership in the Chamber), Red Tuxedo, Pittsboro Town Commissioner, the Small Business Center.
The 2020 Speakers were:
- Chris Kennedy – Pittsboro Town Manager. As the new town manager, Chris talked about his priorities and his vision for Pittsboro.
- Terry Schmidt – CERT hurricane preparedness. Even though we’re in a COVID emergency, another emergency can happen and how to prepare.
- Mike Roberson and Shorty Johnson – Chatham County Sheriff and Pittsboro Acting Police Chief speaking with us about protesters and our and their response.
- George Greger-Holt, Coordinator Chatham Drug Free – how business can interact with youth considering laws and regulations, and keeping everyone safe.
- Alyssa Byrd, President Chatham EDC. Spoke twice this year. First at the beginning of the year about the economic development of the county. The second time was just after COVID hit. Alyssa talked about the COVID business programs available for small businesses and how to make sure your business was included.
- Hilary Pollan, Community Partners Analyst for Chatham County, as a new county official getting to know Pittsboro businesses.
- Jeff Jones, Pittsboro Town Planner talked about what’s on Pittsboro’s planning plate.
- One membership meeting was cancelled while we pivoted to on-line meetings.
- Eight newsletters have gone out this year.
- A membership survey was done and the results reported at a membership meeting and via a newsletter.
- The Board also introduced a new member benefit of a free PBA-staffed First Sunday table just as COVID hit. The table will be by the new Welcome Center once we have First Sundays again.
If you’d like to join the Membership Committee, please let one of the Board Members know. If you have a speaker you’d like to hear, please let a Board Member know.
Marketing Report
- There haven’t been any First Sundays in 2020 due to COVID.
- Two members have volunteered to assist with Marketing: Heather Johnson and Bill Horner.
- PBA started using Twitter this year as well as Instagram.
- Marketing plans on featuring a business per month via social media.
From the membership…
- Chris Kennedy, Pittsboro Town Manager said while the doors remain locked due to COVID, there have been no complaints. Town is managing via appointments and zoom.
- Jamie Hitmer from Fish Window Cleaning asked for our help in recognizing a breast cancer surviver as October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and in the past he’s given a window cleaning to a surviver. Contact him here: https://www.fishwindowcleaning.com/Cary-Durham-NC-3024/.
- Betsy Elbogin from Perch Co-Working said the co-working spaces are open at 102 Hillsboro Street in Pittsboro! The offices are rented, but there are desks available. Work there 1/2 a day free to try it out. The co-workers enjoyed their first mini-happy hour!
- Maria Parker-Lewis said the new steakhouse restaurant will be at Chatham Mill and they should open in four weeks. The new name will be announced on the old Roadhouse website. Forrest Hall is starting to book up for 2021. There will be an outside venue as well that can be booked for events.
- Pam Fulk from Carolina Tiger Rescue‘s Pet Tabbies, Not Tigers dress up your pet event promote the idea that large carnivores are not pets. So dress up your pet and send in the pix by Oct 31st! Twilight Tours are available through the end of Oct.
- Melissa Crane from Chatham Magazine said the Dec/Jan issue will be Chatham Works and spotlight small businesses and the people who work there and made them successful. Holidays will be in that issue also. The annual Relocation Guide will be out in November-if you have advertisements, get them to her. The Oct/Nov issue is on the stands now.
- Ann Fitts at Chatham County EDC hosted our Zoom meeting again this time. Thanks Ann! She said to check with them about government programs during this time of COVID. The EDC contracted to help look for a new President and had received 12 resumes.
- Karen Tiede is the PBA website designer and manager. If you tell her about events and changes on your social media, she’ll link to them. Thank you Karen! Her husband got COVID, but is home for the time being.
- The Chatham Historical Museum reopened October 3rd. If you need a private tour or one of our books, please email Cindy Schmidt at Museum@chathamhistory.org.
- Scott Dunham from Tar Heel Getaways says business is slow but trips in the US are happening so give him a call.
- Heather Johnson from Chatham Business Services said until the roof is fixed there will be limited walk-in at the office. Call her for copies, virtual notary, or other questions. 919.444.9500.
- Second Bloom has secured a new location, in the Food Lion shopping center. Stay tuned for the opening.
