Well, the State will take that half a million that was talked about on this site over a year ago just as Dan has pointed out.
Well, here is another ”I told you so” about the Chamber of Commerce.
It seems that the Chamber thinks that the new city Visitor’s Center is their building.
Take a look at the following article that was part of the Chamber’s weekly newsletter.
“The Twentynine Palms Chamber of Commerce would like to invite all of its members, as well as the residents of all over the Morongo Basin, to attend the Grand Opening of our new Chamber of Commerce and Visitor’s Center offices, located at 73484 Twentynine Palms Highway.”
I notice that the operative word “our” does not refer back to something like the City of Twentynine Palms – No, it refers back to “The Twentynine Palms Chamber of Commerce”. Isn’t that grand – about $250 grand worth!
Not once in the entire article does it mention the City of Twentynine Palms as having anything to do with this building that contains the Chamber offices and a Visitor center. Except that Councilmembers will be at the ribbon cutting ceremony.
Well, what happened to the building being a city building and the Chamber was renting space? It is just not that way with our current Chamber. This Chamber has pulled a good one on my fellow Council peers.
As I said it is a day of “I told you so”!
Since when did the City Visitors center become a commercial establishment in direct competition with commercial galleries?
This violates about a dozen RDA rules and Government Codes.
Dan, the answer is since the Councilmen on a 4-1 vote were easily snooker by the Chamber of Commerce, and had reservations about cronyism politics.
I also was unaware that the Chamber was going to open an “Art Gallery” in a city building.
Now, I can understand selling Twentynine Palms collector items like cofee cups and the such – but mid to high priced art?
Where is that money going? Will the full purchase price go the artist? Will income tax reporting measures be implemented? Will a percentage of the purchase price go to the Chamber?
I have a whole bunch of questions and comments for the next Council meeting.
If anyone out there also has questions about this latest project of the Chamber post them here and I’ll get them to the city attorney and also have them addressed at a Council meeting.
You know Steve, you just don’t get it my man. With times as tough as they are the starving artists need to eat too. HA HA.
This whole Chamber thing has stunk since day one. If one would look at this from an outside view, and not the other city council members, there is a whole lot of ethical questions and or violations going on. The city attorney should be able to figure this out in about 1 hour maximum. Unless?
Stanly, the city attorney in my opinion isn’t much use because his law firm is located in a beach city and hasn’t apparently been much help in being assertive or responsible to the city and it’s people. Was he in a slumber during the Chamber-Council fiasco? We need an elected city attorney responsible to the people.
I totally agree with you Branson. This whole city government besides Mr. Spear needs a swift kick in the posterior on their way out the door. I would only wish that Steve would run again for City Council. He is our only hope.
Steve, is the Chamber out of compliance with their nonprofit bylaws and nonprofit corporation requirements. If so, the City may want to reevaluate their partnership with the Chamber.
Your right Stanley, I sure do not get it or maybe I just get it all too well.
I would venture to say that this latest error by the Chamber will be chalked up to yet another “mistake”.
Like the same mistake the Chamber made with the car show flyers that endorsed Jay Corbin for Council. That little “mistake” as they claimed it to be drew the negative attention of Jim Harris.
Now we have this little “mistake”.
What concerns me is not the “mistakes” so much, as egregious as they are, but the fact that this Chamber makes so many “mistakes” that why in the world should we trust them with managing our tax dollars by paying them to run the Visitor’s Center?
Again, I say “this” Chamber. The Chamber that I used to know I respected and could work with.
This latest Chamber is all about itself and what it can take from the city.