Comments on: Inquisitive Minds with Eddie Maddock

By: Another Question

Another Question — Thu, 12 Feb 2015 17:57:03 +0000

Now that the Chamber of Commerce found Northern Arizona Healthcare (another cash cow?) to sponsor the marathon, do you suppose they’ll STILL be hitting up City of Sedona for more grant money?

By: Ted

Ted — Sun, 08 Feb 2015 21:51:50 +0000

Keep in mind that Flagstaff has their own official Visitor’s Center. The Chamber up there is independent and operates as a stand-alone non-profit without funding from Flagstaff. Likewise the Cottonwood Chamber and the one in Prescott serve the purpose of representing their respective municipalities and not the State of Arizona just to increase membership and collect more dues.

If the city stopped with the give-away promotion of competitive businesses outside city limits the Chamber would still exist as it did prior to incorporation.

To allow this to continue makes a complete farce of your alleged efforts to investigate economic development to benefit Sedona as an incorporated city.

Refer to the State Revised Statutes and listen to Larry Harmer who is the expert.

By: Marv

Marv — Sun, 08 Feb 2015 19:49:10 +0000

If council members took time to look at the Chamber’s membership list they’d realize most of their members are outside city limits. Counting 86336 zip codes doesn’t matter since Enchantment and other businesses in Oak Creek Canyon are not within city boundaries. And of course there are those who cleverly get Sedona PO Box numbers. But checking out physical locations tells the true story. Not only that, so much of the destination marketing money from the city has been spent on ads to promote the Chamber which also gets them new members. (again outsiders who don’t collect city taxes)

The only economic development going on here with this scam is to benefit the REGIONAL Chamber of Commerce and thumb noses (or worse) at in-city businesses who will not acquiesce to blackmail requiring them to join the C of C. Sounds almost like the threat of an offer too good to refuse. Listen to the professional. Please.

By: E. S. Maddock

E. S. Maddock — Sun, 08 Feb 2015 18:54:16 +0000

Thanks to Norma for the very astute observation. Specifically her reference can be located at approximately 16.33 minutes into Part 2 of the subject meeting which was a discussion about Sedona’s endeavors to sustain and pursue new economic development. The guest at this meeting was Larry Harmer, a professional in the field of economic development.

Following a notation headed “Business Retention” defined as “Businesses feel appreciated by the community and, in turn, are more likely to stay in town, further contributing to the economy,” Councilman Jon Thompson poses the question: “We do have a very strong Chamber of Commerce/Visitor’s Bureau. To what extent is the Chamber in a typical town involved in handling a lot of these things?”

Response from Mr. Harmer: “They are a partner with most communities I’ve worked with, but keep in mind, and I presume the same is here . . . the Chamber of Commerce works with their membership . . . and their membership . . . and I don’t know about yours here because I haven’t met with them yet, that’s one of the things we’ll be doing, but what I’m used to is the Chamber of Commerce will have members from their local businesses . . . but yours might have members from Flagstaff, Cottonwood, Prescott or other places . . . and their role (C of C) is to help market and benefit their members. So yes, they may have certain members that are helping the community here and you want to market with them but you’re looking at how’s it benefiting Sedona and that’s really the differentiator.”

He continued to explain that other communities (Flagstaff, Prescott, Cottonwood have their own C of C’s they might consider as consulting with regarding how they sponsor their own local members in order to support their specific municipalities.)

Therefore, the question remains: How does the Sedona benefit from heavily funding a Chamber of Commerce with such a broad membership base, the majority of which are non-contributors to the tax base of City of Sedona? How does that in any logical way, shape, or form justify increasing or even sustaining local economic development when the Chamber of Commerce will not recommend in-city businesses unless they are members of the C of C? How does that indicate appreciation for in-city businesses?

Hey, City Council, that question has now been answered by a professional. Watch the video of the meeting if you still don’t get it.

Eddie Maddock

By: Tex in the City

Tex in the City — Sun, 08 Feb 2015 17:28:32 +0000

It’s interesting to me that the positives of Sedona and its government are often overlooked. Sure it’s got major problems and some of the elected don’t and can’t represent more than their own flawed selves and skewed views but people voting don’t care, they care what dollars they can pick from pockets of taxpayers. Then you’ve good people like Karen Daines, much about her is to be admired and I read that here not other places. Say what you want about the negatives said here there are more positives. Thank you, keep on it, appreciate the fresh airing of issues. Most of us do.

By: Norma

Norma — Sun, 08 Feb 2015 04:30:14 +0000

January 28, 2015 Special City Council
Item 3A (Part 2 of 2) 16:29
http://sedonaaz.swagit.com/play/01282015-856
Advisor tells City Council the chamber is membership based, the city should be concern with the city. Wake up City Council stop paying the chamber.
@Laura agreed cut the cord.
N*R*

By: Laura

Laura — Thu, 05 Feb 2015 15:15:57 +0000

IMO the Chamber of Commerce serves a valid purpose as long as it stands on its own without financial enabling ability offered from City of Sedona tax revenue which implies corruption, corruption, corruption. And, yes, it was originally known as the Sedona-Oak Creek (Canyon?) Chamber of Commerce.

It’s unfair to city based businesses as well as those in outlying areas since bad blood continues to increase.

As working people we should all get along. The City of Sedona is hampering that philosophy by the wedge they insist on placing between City Limits and regional area businesses. Especially the lodging industry because of the bed taxes only within City Limit establishments.

Of course the CEO of the Chamber as well as the President of the Sedona Lodging Council have also created divisiveness by their constant nagging the city for more money and claims that it’s “too difficult” to be accountable for how it’s spent and questionable return on the dollars.

Easy solution. Cut the financial cord. Period.

As for the return benefit to lodging for the increased discretional bed tax, it should be spent on an outside agency for legitimate City of Sedona “branding” and NOT to benefit the Chamber of Commerce, whatever they choose to call themselves.

By: SEDONA Update

SEDONA Update — Thu, 05 Feb 2015 12:39:53 +0000

The chamber is expanding in a power grab. Don’t you want the chamber to control everything? Do your reading. Get back to us.

POWELL MANIFESTO http://reclaimdemocracy.org/powell_memo_lewis/

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce spends much more on lobbying than on campaign contributions — it is one of the most powerful lobbying groups in Washington. Since 1998, the Chamber has spent more than $1 billion dollars on lobbying, the first organization to pass that milestone according to OpenSecrets.org.
Total for Business Associations in 2014 : $120,217,561
US Chamber of Commerce $91,935,000

http://www.opensecrets.org/lobby/indusclient.php?id=N00&year=2014

City of Sedona/ Time to conform/ you have been sold a bill of goods called your Community Plan -join the rest of the sustainable sheeple

http://www.iclei.org/iclei-global/who-is-iclei.html

By: Sedona Oak Creek Chamber of Commerce

Sedona Oak Creek Chamber of Commerce — Thu, 05 Feb 2015 02:28:00 +0000

It was called Sedona Oak Creek Chamber of Commerce until a few short years ago, was it not? Think back. You had a branch in Tequa Plaza in the VOC or “Sedona Village” as the local Sedona/VOC wanna be businessmen like to try and call it. Please know that the villagers are not interested in calling the village this.

You think you have snakes in Sedona?(you do)
The village is the underbelly of the snake.

By: VOC Hotel

VOC Hotel — Wed, 04 Feb 2015 22:42:06 +0000

Yep @FYI it been happening for awhile. Hotels in the village have been doing it for a few years. They have it on their websites. Travel websites direct visitors to stay outside the city. Yep it is the great Sedona lie. Sedona spirituality—–beg borrow or steal——it’s okay. Everyone is out for themselves, including the chamber. They are fat and happy using taxes from the city. They didn’t even pay to play! Whiners and losers.
I am okay with it as the Hotels in the city limits don’t care.