The Cooma Chamber of Commerce is calling for a fresh team of local business people and community members to help lead the organisation into its next chapter, with key positions becoming available at its annual general meeting (AGM) in November.

After five years in executive roles and more than 10 years on the chamber committee, president Alicia Bolton and vice president Sandy Schofield will stand down at the AGM.

Mrs Bolton and Mrs Schofield will leave their executive positions proud of what has been achieved and confident the chamber has a strong foundation for its next team.

Over the past decade, the chamber has worked to strengthen local businesses, promote Cooma and provide a collective voice for the business community.

One of its most successful initiatives has been the Cooma 'Why Leave Town' gift card, introduced in 2016 to encourage local spending.

More than $1 million has been loaded onto the cards, supporting more than 60 participating businesses and keeping money within the local economy.

The chamber has also partnered with Snowy Monaro Regional Council on the 'So Much to Love' campaign, promoted networking and business education, installed 80m of fairy lights in 10 trees in the CBD, and advocated for ongoing improvements to the CBD, town entrances and waterways.

The chamber, led by Mrs Bolton and Mrs Schofield, have delivered a long-term town masterplan, increased tourism and recognition of Cooma as an RV-friendly destination. It has also represented local businesses through COVID-19, difficult trading periods, major regional developments and changing visitor patterns.

"A chamber's work begins with business, its impact reaches the entire community. Strong local businesses create jobs, support families and contribute to local organisations. When local businesses succeed, Cooma succeeds," Mrs Bolton said.

With the AGM approaching, the chamber has also been reflecting on how it is structured for the future. It has now collated the responses received so far from its recent community survey, which will help guide its future priorities and have reinforced the value of bringing together a wider group of people to share the roles and responsibilities going forward.

Rather than looking for one or two people to do everything, the chamber is seeking a collaborative team whose members can contribute according to their skills, interests and available time.

By sharing the workload, the chamber believes it can achieve more for Cooma as a collective.

Areas where people can become involved include, but are certainly not limited to:

- Social media: Sharing business news, promoting Chamber initiatives and celebrating local businesses and community achievements.

- Events: Helping plan networking opportunities, business workshops, community activities and events that bring people together.

- Grants: Identifying funding opportunities and assisting with applications that could support local projects, events and business development.

- Member engagement: Welcoming new members, staying connected with existing members and ensuring local businesses have opportunities to share their ideas and concerns.

- Advocacy: Representing Cooma's business community and raising important local issues with Snowy Monaro Regional Council, the NSW Government and other decision-makers.

"Cooma chamber's next chapter needs people willing to help write it together," Mrs Bolton said.

Anyone interested in joining the team, contributing to a particular area or attending the November AGM is encouraged to contact the Cooma Chamber of Commerce, via email: coomachamber@gmail.com

The chamber's AGM is on Monday 9 November, 6pm at the Cooma Ex-Services Club.