By Sheila McLaughlin
The Cincinnati Enquirer

SYMMES TWP. - It's all in a name - or else. That's the tack the township is taking to accept an invitation to join the Mason Landen Kings Chamber of Commerce.

Trustees have told the chamber they'll join if they get included in the chamber's logo.

"One point - and it is still the sticking point - is we want recognition," Trustee Kathy Wagner said. "Take out Kings and Landen."

Those two communities are part of neighboring Deerfield Township, which already is a chamber member.

Wagner says Deerfield and Symmes townships deserve recognition instead.

A chamber ad hoc committee is discussing the conflict. Chamber president John Harris said he can't predict what will happen.

About 80 businesses in Symmes are chamber members. None of them has asked that their community be included in the chamber's name or logo.

"We are going to do what's right with the membership," Harris said. "The township is looking for identity. ... Our business is to represent business."

Harris said he approached the township about joining the chamber because "there are some other things we can do in partnership with the two townships at the chamber level." He wouldn't elaborate.

Wagner said that Mason, Deerfield and Symmes - which share a business district at Mason-Montgomery, Fields Ertel and Montgomery roads - have enough in common that there should be a regional approach to promoting businesses.

A chamber membership would cost the township $250 plus $5 per employee. Trustees also might be asked to sponsor community-oriented chamber events, Harris said.

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E-mail smclaughlin@enquirer.com