Chamber to Get Loan to Pay Past-Due Bills

An anonymous donor will lend the Conejo Valley Chamber of Commerce the $80,000 it needs to cover past-due bills from about 50 businesses, an official said Wednesday.

The donor is a chamber member and has agreed to a low-interest loan that can be paid back at the chamber’s convenience, according to chamber board member Gary Wartik.

Terms of the loan are not being made public at the donor’s request, he said.

Chamber staff will begin sending out checks Friday to the vendors, many of whom are chamber members. Wartik said some of the bills are for as little as $100.

With the $80,000 debt on the mend, the chamber must still find a way to pay off about $25,000 it owes on the mortgage for its building at 625 Hillcrest Drive.

City officials in Thousand Oaks may help retire that debt. A report to the City Council on possible financial assistance to the chamber will be presented March 24 by city Finance Director Bob Biery.