SENECA — Seneca’s Chamber of Commerce may have changed its title, but that name might be a misnomer, according to other local chamber officials.

The Greater Seneca Chamber of Commerce officially changed its name to the Greater Oconee County Chamber of Commerce on Thursday, much to the chagrin of Walhalla and Westminster chamber presidents Glenn Buddin Jr. and Denise McCormick.

Patrick Lee, president of the new Oconee chamber, defended the move.

“The change of the name from Seneca to Oconee’s chamber has been the discussion throughout this county for a number of years,” Lee said. “It was sparked by the economic development summit that was sponsored by all three chambers, as well as the 20-year vision plan. Oconee County citizens called for this decision, and Seneca’s chamber heard that call.”

Lee said Westminster and Walhalla’s chambers were more than welcome to join, but that decision is left solely to their respective boards of directors. While Buddin expressed extreme disappointment in Seneca’s decision not to consult directly with Westminster and Walhalla’s chambers before making the name change, Lee said the idea of a countywide chamber was not only needed but had been discussed at length by those two entities.

McCormick and Buddin, however, don’t see it that way.

Buddin indicated he has spoken with Walhalla Chamber Director Barbara Justus as well as McCormick and said both parties were disappointed in the Seneca chamber’s action.

“Both think it is a provocative move,” Buddin said. “It is nothing more than a divisive move and a power grab by the Seneca chamber.”

Buddin said the Westminster, Seneca and Walhalla chambers had been working together for countywide economic development as three independent entities working in cooperation with one another. At no point did the chambers enter into a discussion that entailed one of the three taking the lead to become the county’s namesake economic leader, he said.

“The Walhalla Chamber, I’ll tell you now, is not going anywhere,” Buddin said Thursday.

McCormick echoed that sentiment Friday.

“The way this has been handled, I can’t see us joining it as this point,” McCormick said. “We just did not see this coming at all. I don’t even know what their purpose is. I don’t really think it’s changed how they’re going to serve their members.”

Lee said the move was needed not only to emphasize the idea that economic development does not stop at a city’s limits but also to unify the county’s efforts in precarious economic times.

However, Buddin said the move has done just the opposite, calling it “outrageous.” McCormick thinks the county may be better served by the three cities maintaining their individual identities while working in cooperation with one another.

“As far as functioning for the county, I thought we, as individual chambers working together, functioned for the good of each other and for the good of the county,” she said. “I’m not sure why they did what they did.”