Chamber support still in city budget
Editor:
I feel I need to comment on the article in the July 19 issue regarding the Chamber of Commerce.
First, it is inaccurate to report that the $15,000 amount was not approved by the Budget Committee. The amount was listed as a line item in the General Fund portion of the presented budget request.
It was discussed by the committee following a presentation by Bill Matthews, the chamber president. As part of the committee, general council members raised questions, including those mentioned in your article.
There was a lot of discussion, but I am sure the record will show there was never a motion to exclude the line item and short of that, when the General Fund was approved along with the rest of the budget, that line item, by inclusion, was approved as well.
The council is well within its authority to change any department in the budget by up to 10 percent without going back to the Budget Committee.
However, in my opinion at least, the time to make these changes is following the public hearing on the budget and before the council, by motion, adopts the budget and declares the intent to levy taxes.
Over the years I, too, have had some problems with the chamber. Their almost feud with the Downtown Merchants Association is one that I thought cast a bad light on Sweet Home. I have also had problems with the hiring of a director when they were in financial difficulties.
I, for one, am willing to look forward and not backwards. The individuals, all volunteers, that make up the group that are trying very hard to make things work, deserve our support. They have started with basically nothing and have come a long way.
I don’t want a city of 9,000 people without an active Chamber of Commerce.
If they were located on a side or back street I might have a different idea but they have worked out an arrangement with the new building owners to keep the visitor information center right where it is.
Contrary to what some people believe, person-to-person contact is important.
I do know that throughout the year there is a lot of traffic through that building and while a website reaches many, it is not the complete answer. Nor do I think we should say that support will stop unless the center is run in “a competent, efficient and satisfactory manner.”
These are volunteers we are speaking of and by whose standard are we judging?
It’s my thought that the city should carry through with the amount in the budget, assign a council member to attend board meetings and monitor progress as they move forward.
To the chamber board I would say, “Prepare yourself for no financial help from the city, as apparently there is some lingering bad feelings about events in the past.”
To the council I would tell you that during the recent Sportsman’s Holiday Parade my wife and I walked the Long Street portion of the route and most of Main Street; while it could have been bigger, it was certainly being enjoyed by the hundreds of people in attendance.
This is just one of the things that the chamber is involved in and despite all the turmoil during the past year and the uncertainty of their future, these volunteers made it happen.
Respectfully,
Dave Holley
Chairman, City Budget Committee
Sweet Home