[Vision2020] Chamber squandered a public opportunity

[Tom]

>From today's (October 27, 2004) Moscow-Pullman Daily News (with a specioal 
thanks to Murf Raquet.

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COMMENTARY:Murf Raquet... OUR VIEW - Chamber squandered a public opportunity 


Murf Raquet

The Moscow Chamber of Commerce is under no obligation to share its books with 
the public. 
Like any private business or organization, it is responsible to its members and 
no one else. For the public to demand otherwise could be an exercise in 
futility. 

That said, the chamber missed an excellent opportunity to be as up front as 
possible with the public and its members regarding questions about the 
chamber's finances. 

At issue were concerns by some chamber members that the organization was in 
financial trouble. Those concerned asked questions but got no satisfactory 
answers. 

They then asked the same questions in the public arena. 

At that point, the chamber should have taken the high road and answered all 
questions to the members' satisfaction. In so doing, the public also could have 
been informed. 

Instead, the chamber chose to keep tight-lipped until the hue and cry got too 
loud. 

An audit and public review were then promised. 

The full audit didn't materialize but a review did. The review, by an 
independent accounting firm, found nothing major enough to warrant a full 
audit. 

"Can we be more fiscally responsible," said Paul Kimmell, the chamber's 
executive director. "You bet." 

Part of that responsibility is accountability to its members and, by extension, 
the public. 

The chamber is not a public organization in a legal sense, but many of its 
functions serve the public good. 

Typically, a chamber of commerce is the first contact a business or family has 
with an area when they consider relocating. 

Chambers in many cities and towns also serve as visitors' bureaus, encouraging 
tourism and that means money spent in area businesses. 

Moscow's chamber is no different. It represents more than 450 business, 
organization and individual members. They all have a right to know if their 
dues are used wisely in the promotion of the businesses and the area. 

The chamber must remember openness breeds trust and goodwill. 

Right now, those are commodities the chamber sure could use.


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