Chamber of Commerce support passes on 4-1 vote

Tuesday, July 18, 2006

City Councilman Phil Lyons defended his position that the McCook Chamber of Commerce was a private entity and as such should not be given a significant donation from the city, although the rest of the council and the mayor believed otherwise.

Mayor Dennis Berry, along with Councilmen Bill Longnecker, Jim Kenny and Aaron Kircher voted to donate $12,500 to the Chamber, with Councilman Lyons casting the single nay vote.

The Chamber had requested $25,000 from next year's budget to pursue the recruitment of downtown businesses.

Citing that it was a voluntary, private enterprise, much like the Red Cross or the Boy Scouts, Councilman Lyons said that the Chamber is primarily about promoting membership, with the McCook Economic Development doing much of the work in recruiting businesses.

He pointed to Sitel, which the MEDC had helped in recruiting to the downtown business area, although director Rex Nelson told council members that retail business was not his primary focus.

Lyons made two motions, both which died for the lack of a second, the first to donate $1,000 to the Chamber and another for a $2,500 contribution.

After Councilman Lyons spoke, Councilman Bill Longnecker stated "I will not listen to this drivel," and proceed to list his reasons for donating to the Chamber.

His key goal when elected to the council was to move the community forward, he said, by encouraging economic development.

The Chamber was about filling empty storefronts and creating jobs, with a $12,500 donation from the city "a small step in moving forward."

"It starts with a positive attitude," he said.

Pam Harsh, Chamber of Commerce disagreed with Lyon's assessment about the Chamber. The total purpose of the Chamber was not strictly membership, she said, but promoting tourism and organizing events that benefit the entire community, such as Heritage Days.

Council Aaron Kircher agreed.

"The Chamber and the city have the same goals," he said, which is to stimulate business growth. He said $12,500 was the least amount they could give the Chamber so they could pursue their marketing.

Councilman Jim Kenny also supported that amount.

"We'll get money back tenfold in economic development," he said, with Mayor Dennis Berry agreeing.

Mayor Berry voted for the $12,500 contribution along with Councilmen Bill Kenny, Longnecker and Kircher.

The council also voted to provide the McCook Humane Society with $39,500, an increase of $9,000 from last year but less than the $42,500 they had requested. Councilman Lyons justified that amount by referring to the donations from the county and other entities that are already contributing to the Society.

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