Answering nearly 125,000 requests for services and information, increasing membership, and expanding insurance coverage for members top the list of Bainbridge Island Chamber of Commerce accomplishments last year.

The 2000 annual report, released Jan. 20 by executive director Jack MacArthur, itemizes expanded services for both members and the general community with only a slight increase in the chamber’s paid staff and despite a 15 percent decrease in volunteer hours.

Membership increased by 20 percent to 631 members.

“We are very pleased with the growth of the chamber in 2000,” MacArthur said. “Additional members provide us the wherewithal to expand our range of membership services without increasing our dues structure.

The addition of long-term care insurance augmented the basic health, vision and dental insurance already available to members.

“Without a doubt, insurance is one of the most valuable services offered members,” MacArthur said.

A revised chamber web site (www.bainbridgechamber.com) now provides free links to members’ web sites, improving community access to island businesses.

The Small Business Development Center now sends representatives to the chamber office at the corner of Winslow Way and State Highway 305 to give free business consulting. That program complements a similar arrangement the chamber has with SCORE (Service Core of Retired Executives), MacArthur said.

The chamber’s most visible role, that of providing information and services to the general public, continued to be strong, particularly in services to island residents.

“We’re not just a visitor information center,” MacArthur said. “Nearly half our services are for islanders.”

Forty percent of the 124,344 chamber contacts and services were for island residents. Nearly 20,000 of the 50,000 services for residents were for vehicle licensing and the chamber-sponsored community school, which offers continuing education classes for adults. The remaining 30,000 involved providing information, making referrals to business and island organizations, and hosting visits to the chamber web site.

Although volunteer hours were down by nearly 300 from 1999, volunteers staffing the information desk at the main office and the Information Center kiosk at the ferry terminal gave out information about almost all aspects of island life, including accommodations, restaurants, retail and service businesses, community events, and recreational areas, and made more than 66,000 referrals to Bainbridge Island businesses and organizations.

Chamber representatives also participated in island and area governmental activities, including the Bainbridge Economic Council, the Partnership for Learning: Ask for Transcripts project, the city’s Hotel/Motel Tax Committee, candidate/issues forums, public information sessions for Winslow Town Square, and the review of the Business License Ordinance and the Comprehensive Plan,. In addition, they followed development of the West Sound Transportation Plan, West Sound Connections Links and Winslow Landing.

The chamber was also an active supporter of and contributor to the Marge Williams Center, the city’s Scenario Planning Workshop and the Bainbridge Public Library.

“We are very proud that we have not raised our dues in two years but continue to expand the services we offer to the community and to our members. Our board, our staff and our volunteers comprise an outstanding team,” MacArthur said.