Aztec Chamber seeks $25,000 city agreement after rapid growth

Aztec taxpayers could be on the hook for $25,000, but city leaders want a written deal first, with clear terms for what the chamber will deliver and how the city will measure results.

The Aztec Chamber of Commerce asked the City of Aztec for a $25,000 purchase-of-services agreement as it pitched its expanded role in local business promotion, events and referrals. Mayor Mike Padilla sent the request into a formal process, directing Chamber Executive Director Hannah Browning to work with the city manager on an agreement that would fit New Mexico’s anti-donation rules.

Browning told the Aztec City Commission on May 26 at City Hall, 201 W. Chaco, that the chamber had been reorganized and restructured since 2023 and had gone through a full rebranding between October 2025 and March 2026. She said the group grew from fewer than 40 paid members to 122 active members after she became executive director in July 2025.

The chamber’s pitch relied on numbers meant to show return on investment. Browning said the organization now runs more than 75 annual events, has launched an ambassador program with nearly 20 active members, organized more than 10 ribbon cuttings and brought its board onto a customer relationship management system while restructuring membership tiers. She also said the chamber has more than 30 nonprofit members and estimated its activity could generate about $278,000 in local spending.

The chamber’s public face has expanded as well. It now operates from 123 S. Main Ave. in Aztec, and its website says it supports the development, success and sustainability of the local business community. The site also says the chamber hosts annual events such as Fall Festival, Small Business Saturday and Sparkles, and that its office regularly receives calls from residents and visitors looking for business referrals.

That public-service pitch sits alongside a basic accountability question: what, exactly, would Aztec buy for $25,000, and what proof would show the agreement is producing measurable value? The chamber says it has over 80 members and is growing steadily, while Browning’s presentation to commissioners placed the active-member count at 122. A formal services agreement would have to spell out those differences, define the chamber’s obligations and give city leaders something concrete to evaluate if public money is committed.