By CLAYTON PARK

The Lake City Chamber of Commerce recently hired Linda Skurdal as interim executive director, following the recent retirement of the group's longtime director Betty Bartholomew.

Skurdal, who began her new job on May 25, is being paid to work for the Chamber on a part-time basis, between 20-25 hours a week.

If Skurdal's last name sounds familiar, to locals, it should: her husband is A.J. Skurdal, a financial planner by profession, and a well-known community activist who recently served as chair of the North District Neighborhoods' Planning Group and is a past-president of the Meadowbrook Community Council. The Skurdals, who have two sons, Aric, 10, and Kemper, 4, make their home in Meadowbrook, which is one of the neighborhoods within the Greater Lake City area.

Linda may not be as well known within the community, but she bears some pretty impressive credentials herself. Prior to taking the Chamber post, she was manager of the Lamonts store at Northgate Mall, a job she held for four years.

Skurdal says after having spent several years being responsible for a large staff, she finds the job of managing the Chamber office, where everything is pretty much a do-it-yourself-affair, to be refreshing - for now at least.

Fortunately for Skurdal, Bartholomew has agreed to assist in organizing this year's Pioneer Days Festival, which will be held Aug. 6 and 7. Skurdal adds that the Chamber is in need of volunteers as well.

Is Skurdal interested in becoming the Chamber's permanent director? "I'm not sure yet," she says. "For right now, it's a 90-day temporary thing.So far, I'm really enjoying myself."

That's a start.

The Lake City Chamber is located at 12345 30th Ave. NE, Suites F-G. The office is open Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., and on Tuesdays and Fridays by appointment.

The Chamber holds general membership luncheon meetings every third Thursday, noon at the Lake City Elks Club. Cost for the luncheon is $10. For more information, call 363-3287.