[Electronic-lan] City Agreement with the Chamber

[Lawrence Assoc of Neighborhoods]

The following is an overview of the position LAN has taken with regard to
public monies funding the Chamber. Included are a copy of the “*Agreement
for the use of City general funds*” that the City has with the Chamber and
a copy of the letter LAN sent to the City in June.

LAN previously expressed a desire to evaluate whether the City should
continue to support the Chamber of Commerce and offered suggestions. The
City Commission recently approved giving the Chamber $220,000 for this
coming year. How does the existing City/Chamber “*Agreement*” hold the
Chamber accountable for the use of these funds?

Please read and offer your opinions or suggestions to LAN, the City
Manager, the Planning Department or the City Commission. The City will be
reviewing the *Agreement* in the coming months and consider meaningful
updates.

Questions/Concerns:

1) The Chamber is a private advocacy organization. Would they continue to
carry out their goals for their members without public funding?

2) Is there a conflict of interests between private and public funding?

3) The Chamber does not have the professional training to conduct routine
economic analysis or to carry out the work called for by the existing
*Agreement*.

4) The *Agreement* contains no objective benchmarks or measurable
performance metrics against which to evaluate if the Chamber is meeting the
expectations of the *Agreement*. How much economic development would happen
without the Chamber’s effort?

5) On what basis will we know that public money is being used in the
public’s best interest? Does the City have adequate oversight of the
Chamber?
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