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Chambers of commerce mark new unity
By JORGE SANCHEZ, Times Staff Writer LECANTO -- Citrus County Chamber of Commerce officials celebrated the final step in their unification efforts Wednesday with a champagne toast and a signing ceremony. The inclusion of the Homosassa Springs Chamber of Commerce into the Citrus County Chamber of Commerce became effective earlier this month, and the event took place at the board of directors meeting at Nature Coast Lodge, a nursing home. "First there were three, then two, now there is one chamber," said Don Sutton, president of the chamber. Before the unification drive began in 1998, Inverness, Crystal River and Homosassa Springs maintained separate chambers of commerce. The Crystal River-based Nature Coast Chamber of Commerce and the Inverness-based Citrus County Chamber of Commerce merged in 1998. At Wednesday's board meeting, Sutton said the unification will mean strength for chamber members and the organization's goals, particularly in affecting changes in local governments. "Business undergoes changes periodically and the chamber has to change. This makes things like dealing with government easier," Sutton said. Speaking on behalf of the former Homosassa Springs Chamber of Commerce, current president Chris Ordway said the move "ushers in a new era for Homosassa." "This is not the end to the Homosassa Springs Chamber of Commerce, but I really view this as passing through a threshold," he said. The current board of the Homosassa Springs chamber will be temporarily added to the Citrus County chamber board, giving the new board about 35 members. The number will be reduced to about 27 members as some terms expire and are not filled. The new chamber's president-elect is Jenny Yant, who is from the Homosassa chamber. The former office of the Homosassa Springs Chamber of Commerce will remain open, under the new name of the Citrus County Chamber of Commerce.
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