The announcement that a new Gateway Chamber of Commerce has recently formed and is seeking members was met with congratulations and skepticism at Tuesday's Board of Selectmen meeting.

Executive Director Patricia Muraco, President Amit Johar, and board member Bernie Sohn told the town leaders the group was formed in response to, in Muraco's words, "a growing need among area businesses and organizations for a body that would serve local interests and provide networking, educational, and business development opportunities."

The town's business community is currently served by the Cape Cod Canal Region Chamber of Commerce. Anticipating the Gateway presentation, Tracy McCarthy, first vice-chair of the Canal Region Chamber, and other members of the established chamber attended Tuesday's meeting, with McCarthy speaking about the Chamber's long-standing relationship with Wareham.

In light of the regional Chamber's existence, Selectman Cara Winslow asked why the new group was needed.

Sohn replied that it was formed to "meet the needs of local members who asked for it. . . Some people wanted to have a very small, parochial group."

Muraco said no members of the Cape Cod Canal Region Chamber of Commerce had approached Gateway Chamber of Commerce to seek membership nor is there any active effort to get businesses to change their allegiance.

It is not clear if any of the three Gateway Chamber leaders are Wareham businesspeople themselves. Muraco moved to the area a year and a half ago with Wareham's Director of Inspectional Services Myles Burke and spent her first summer supervising the town's lifeguards.

Selectman Steve Holmes offered the group the opportunity to tell Selectmen and the cable-viewing public about the people behind the Gateway effort and their business backgrounds. Muraco declined, saying that citizens could look up the information in public records.

Holmes wished the group luck and said he supports free enterprise, but cautioned against fragmenting the business community.

Selectmen Michael Schneider and Ellen Begley welcomed the group to town.

For more information about the Gateway Chamber of Commerce visit http://gatewaychamberofcommerce.com/ or call 508-273-7050.