JAMESTOWN, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – During the monthly Jamestown Tourism Board meeting Monday evening, the decision was made to enter into a partnership with the Jamestown Area Chamber of Commerce.

The move comes after Executive Director Searle Swedlund submitted his resignation earlier this month.

Swedlund says this led his board to make the decision to partner with the Chamber, having Emily Bivens take over an executive director role.

He added both tourism and chamber will retain their own separate identities and be given direction from their own boards moving ahead.

Chamber Executive Director Emily Bivens says her board held a similar discussion regarding the partnership, adding there was a high level of excitement over what this could mean for Tourism and Chamber of Commerce.

Bivens encouraged patience as both committees formed a task force to make decision on office structure, workspacer, wages, added employment, and more.

Under the proposed partnership, the Jamestown Chamber of Commerce would absorb the one position with Jamestown Tourism while creating a seperate position specifically designed to complete marketing for both Chamber and Tourism.

The Tourism Board also moved to close their open hiring process for a New Executive Director with the proposed partnership taking main priority.