By Mary Alice Murphy

Bruce Ashburn, Silver City-Grant County Chamber of Commerce board member, served as moderator.

He introduced Dave Thomas, who is relocating at the end of March. "Thank you for your help as a board member for the chamber."

Ashburn also commended the Gila Economic Development Alliance for helping the chamber buy a big screen and display for the chamber to use at trade shows and other opportunities to promote the area. Its first use was during Grant County Day at the 2017 Legislative Session. "It is professional for us to go places to promote our area."

He also asked chamber members to promote and support NM District 38 Rep. Rebecca Dow's "common sense" House Bill 505. It would allow small businesses to be housed in an older building that has been empty long enough that it would require it to be brought up to code, the cost of which is "prohibitive." It would not approve use of any building that is unsafe, but it might give a variance to let a business use a structure that had recently housed another entity. "It would be especially beneficial to rural communities and is aimed at those with 50,000 or fewer in population." Ashburn noted that contractors' and unions are putting up the biggest fight against it.

Ashburn then introduced the first of three speakers.

Annette Toney said she has been with the Girl Scouts for 26 years, the first 10 as a volunteer and the last 16 as staff. She is the membership coordinator for Grant County's chapter of the Girl Scouts of the Desert Southwest, which stretches from Midland, Texas, to Cliff and Mimbres, New Mexico.

"I'm here to promote Girl Scout cookies," Toney said. "The sale goes on for another week and a half. You can buy cookies and send them to the troops. Last year, the council sent 16,000 boxes of cookies to the troops. We already have 30,000 boxes of cookies in Grant County this year. All the money raised with the $4 a box stays locally to pay for everything from uniforms to supplies for activities and some donations, such as to the Humane Society.

"Archery is one of my favorite new programs," Toney continued. She described a girl who came to the activity very afraid that she was going to shoot herself. After she got some training, she pulled back the bow and her arrow hit the target. "The glow on her face was wonderful to see."

She said 2017 is the 100th year for Girl Scout cookies. "To celebrate this year, they created a new cookie called 'Smores,' which has a cookie, chocolate and marshmallow. Girl Scouts, as an organization, is 105 years old this year. We serve girls from kindergarten through 12th grade. Eleven percent of all the girls in Grant County are Girl Scouts. We have one of the highest percentages in the council, with 220 girls. We have 15 active troops, including one in Cliff, one in Mimbres and three in Bayard."

Ashburn asked Toney to talk about creating new badges. Toney said she created one around energy and electricity. "I think we called it 'It's Electrifying.' We went to PNM where they showed us arcing, and we also had someone talk to the girls about solar energy."

Toney explained that dads could be troop leaders, too, if they had daughters in the program.

Scott Terry, Chamber president and chief executive officer, spoke next and opened with a quote: "No great things happen without a vision."

"Santa Clara's Mayor Bauch and the trustees have a vision," Terry said. "When Diane (his wife) and I first arrived, we went out to Fort Bayard. It's a cool place, but the state is not taking care of it. Santa Clara put a plan together and it all hinges on Phase 1. The big thing is that the U.S. Forest Service has shown great interest in moving their operations to Fort Bayard. They want to use six different buildings, and already have other facilities at the back of Fort Bayard. The lease on the facility they are in is about to expire and they need more room. The rent they would pay would go to stabilizing the existing buildings. The Rolling Stones Gem and Mineral Society would like to put in a lapidary and an exhibit of area minerals. The Chiricahua Apache community would like to bring back the Red Paint Powwow."

He noted the many possibilities in the community create "tourism, which is economic development."

"This plan is so good, the state was impressed, and they may want to steal it away," Terry said. "We need to bring the property back into our community. Fort Bayard can be a tourism destination, which will put dollars into our hotels, restaurants and gas stations. If we don't ask, we don't ever get a yes. I will be going to interim committees this summer promoting it."

He said the major question on many fronts is: "Does Santa Clara have the financial backing to support Fort Bayard. The answer is Yes, if we can get Phase 1 done. Aldo Leopold Charter School is looking for a grant to revive the old apple orchard and to mothball some of the buildings. Pam Weber of Weber Engineering did an inventory of the buildings. Santa Clara is the only one that has a plan. If you haven't been out there lately, it looks so much better with all the dead trees cut down. Santa Clara got a donation to cut them down."

"The theater is another treasure," Terry said. "The state doesn't want to spend money to fix little things. A building is much like a body. If it's not being opened and closed and having movement, it starts rotting.

"We are asking people to write letters of support for Santa Clara," Terry said.

Ashburn noted that Santa Clara finds funding, including the $70,000 that was needed for the plan.

Jennifer Olson,at right, editor of the Independent, also serves on the Southwest Tourism Marketing Board, under the New Mexico Tourism Department.

"New Mexico True, the state's campaign to promote New Mexico, has a way to get businesses listed on the site," Olson said. She showed on the screen how to go through the New Mexico True Partners' Portal and list a business on it. "I can help you with the steps. Be sure to put photos on your listing."

She noted that Silver City and Grant County aren't on the tourism trail maps, because of a lack of business listings.

Olson also said products that are made locally can receive the New Mexico True brand, which gets them promoted.

Silver City Arts and Cultural District Coordinator Callie Kennington said her office just send out an email about how businesses can promote themselves on New Mexico True.

Lee Gruber, co-owner with her husband, David DelJunco, of Syzygy Tile, has received the New Mexico True brand designation. "You can get your product branded. It takes a fair bit of work, but we have seen eight to 15 people each week coming in and asking for a tour. They have come from all over New Mexico, and Arizona and Colorado. While they're there, they buy tile. It's been a successful enterprise."

Olson said the NM Tourism Department is "into tangible tourism."

Terry suggested the county's Conference Center be listed. Ashburn said tourism is one of the major industries of Grant County.

Grant County Manager Charlene Webb agreed. "We're trying for the third time to find someone to manage the conference center. We want a contractor. We don't want, as a county, to manage the facility."