One of the reasons I like living in Cathedral City is the vibrancy of the people. I am just celebrating my 20th year in town. The only downside has been the infighting between city leaders, mostly over petty things. I am hearing some rumblings that this is continuing to this present day. And now a small group is questioning whether the town should fund the Chamber Of Commerce. The city is having it's annual budget review for the 2015-2016 fiscal year.
The Chamber gets 50 grand a year from the city and free office space. It has over 300 members. I have known the director, Lynn Mallotto for almost 20 years. She is a very competent, and well organized person. As we found out during the Great Recession, Chambers can still be a very effective way of networking and helping local businesses in their communities.
At first I must admit I was a little befuddled as to why anyone would oppose funding the Chamber. Then I went on their website and saw that the Chamber is currently conducting it's search for it's Orion Award Winners. And one of the nominees for 2015 Woman Of Year Award is Kathy DeRosa, the town's former Mayor. With that discovery, I may have solved that mystery.
DeRosa is one of 7 nominees There is a small cadre in Cathedral City that possesses a nearly pathological hatred of DeRosa, even after she has left office. I am hoping that this is not the real reason people may want to defund the Chamber. It would be the height of pettiness. The voting ends Wednesday and she might not even get the award.
The immaturity and back biting of the past should and must come to an end if the town is to go forward. Fund the Chamber. Period.
Steve Kelly can be heard on 1450 KPTR at 4PM PST Or on 1450 KPTR on I Heart Radio
I respect Steve Verickter, but sorry, this is just not on point! As a proud member of Rotary, where does the line form for our free rent and 50k for all we do to help our city grow, to provide Movies in the Park, to help neighbors clean their yards, to promote our HeadStart literacy project, to help the Boys and Girls Club garden clean up? And how about the Lion's Club? When do they get the same treatment? Point is, how shallow would we be to ONLY be focused on DeRosa as a reason to object to Chamber of Commerce and their free rent and 50k stipend. Accountability is the new attitude with our new major and city council members. The Chamber is being asked to be accountable. Simple. I suggest that if the city is in need of services by the Chamber, the Chamber can bill the city for services rendered per job, not a blanket 50k of on call services. The status quo is being questioned. And to add more accountabilty to the mix, when the city was in need of extending the already existing 1% sales tax to continue services for our city, the Chamber played possum. They are an activist group on a state and national level, but since they are partially funded by our city, it would have been beneficial to the city to have campaigned for the 1% tax continuation since their 50k is coming from that tax revenue. IF the Chamber members had an issue with the tax increase, then DON'T accept the 50k. And the free rent. It's all way too convenient. And for Kelly's Corner to question this is just not fitting of the character of the blogger, who has a record of making sure our city is on a clear course of accountability! Personal relationships aside, this is about our city and what's best for everyone, not just those who one might know for 20 years!
ReplyDeleteAs a 20plus year resident of this city I have to honestly say i have Never seen anything done by the chamber of commerce where i was even aware they were involved.
ReplyDeleteFor many years i did not even know we HAD an active? chamber..
Yet this last year i discovered they not only supposedly exist but get paid $50k a year but get free office space on the city's dime..
......and i still am asking, for What?? -
Teh Only thing i have heard about them this last year was they did some award banquets - and each time seems to be the same people attending and the same people getting awards..
i saw no general city wide advertising. I saw nothing that indicated that the actual citizens of the city were even involved.
As NO other group in this city receive this obviously preferential treatment, its quite clear why others are complaining. & Frankly i think with good reason..
WHERE is this money going and WHY is it only available to this reclusive group. and i do mean reclusive. Who is in charge of the funds (there is a big question)- Where are the funds spent.
And why on earth should i as a citizen of this city WANT them to continue to get more of the same. It certainly does not appear to be benefiting anyone other the the members of the chamber itself.
So no it all the questions regarding this funding are NOT an imaginary vendetta against some poor picked on former mayor.
The QUESTIONS are reasonable and Appropriate. I for one want to know WHY the city is expected to pay over $50,000 for something i have YET to see properly explained or justified.
I ask it, as a voting, and tax paying member of this community and so far the chamber et all have NOT answered these questions clearly & succinctly..