COLUMBIANA — The city’s business community is still reeling in the aftermath of Thursday’s announcement regarding the city’s Chamber of Commerce.

Columbiana Area Chamber of Commerce President Zach King issued a followup written statement Friday afternoon, elaborating on the pause of Bridget Wolsonovich as the chamber’s executive director effective July 31.

He confirmed that CACC is beginning talks with the Youngstown-Warren Regional Chamber about the possibility of working more closely together in the future.

“This is an early and open-ended exploration. We are looking at how a potential partnership might allow us to better support our members, enhance our services and strengthen the broader business community in our region,” King added in the release. “What guides us in these discussions is a shared belief by exploring collaborative opportunities. Both chambers may be able to grow stronger and deliver even more value to its members.”

This would not be a merger, King clarified when asked via phone.

Dani Edgerton, immediate past president of the CACC board, expressed Thursday her appreciation for Wolsonovich’s tenure on the Columbiana Chamber’s Facebook page, writing, “Her commitment and support have left a lasting impact on the Chamber and the community we serve. We are truly thankful for all she has done,” before adding that chamber officials hoped to continue the position in a few months after clearing up some debt commitments.

Although talks are still in the early stages, there is a definite cost difference in the amount of memberships when comparing the two agencies’ websites.

For example, the tier for a business with one to four employees (including membership) in Columbiana is $179, while companies with more than 30 employees pay $461 per year.

In the case of the Youngstown agency, business membership dues start at $450 annually for up to 10 employees and top out at $6,570 for businesses employing more than 400 per the YWRC website.

Attempts to obtain exact memberships for either chamber were unsuccessful Friday afternoon.

sujhelyi@mojonews.com