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The three highest officer holders of the Carroll County Chamber of Commerce have resigned from the organization’s board of directors due to disagreements with other board members. President Dawn Holshouser, Vice-President Crystal Vaughan and Board Chairperson Lesley Y. Catron issued a joint statement, saying …

“With heavy hearts we felt it was the correct action for to resign from the Carroll County Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors. As there is a strong difference of opinion as to the direction that the chamber should be taking in order to benefit its business members, we felt that we would no longer be able to benefit the chamber in the way we had hoped.

We wish the chamber and its members the very best in their future endeavors.”

The disagreements between the three departed members and the remaining members of the board came to a head during a discussion over the use of $3,000 in grant money received from the now defunct Hillsville Voluntary Rescue Squad.

“That wasn’t my main reason for leaving, but that is the straw that broke the camel’s back,” said Holshouser. “I do not know what they did with the money, I left before the decision was made.”

“This wasn’t an easy decision, I’ve had my concerns for a while,” she added. “I really had high hopes for the chamber of commerce, but I realized I couldn’t benefit the chamber in the way I had hoped. I think the three of us were a little naïve.”

Before resigning, Holshouser said she explained why she was resigning to the remaining board members.

“I did, personally, sit down and speak with each of them, and told them why I was leaving,” she said.

Even though Holshouser resigned on April 15, she said she, Vaughan and Catron were asked “not to say anything until people were notified.”

According to board member Larry South, the money was supposed to be used for a “Buy Local” campaign. South said he was unaware of what transpired at the most recent chamber board meeting because he attending a meeting in North Wilkesboro, where he is city manager.

Another board member Mabel Tate, who was at the meeting, also said the money would be used for the “Buy Local” campaign, which would include banners promoting local businesses that each member of the chamber will display for 30 days at a time.