A Civil Divorce in Corvallis Leadership?
October 20, 2009 6 Comments
Earlier this month Corvallis Mayor Charlie Tomlinson (@mayortomlinson) received a membership renewal reminder from the Corvallis-Benton Chamber Coalition. He declined to renew his membership.
Below are copies of the publicly archived email communications.
Date: Thu, 8 Oct 2009 14:45:40 -0700
Greetings Mr. Mayor,
Just a reminder that your Chamber Membership is set to expire in approx 18 days. I believe the total for the coming year is $106.
Many Thanks,
Chris Wolfe
Membership Director
Corvallis-Benton Chamber Coalition
420 NW 2nd Street, Corvallis, OR 97330
541-757-1505 x5 (wk)
541-766-2996 (fax)
541-760-0528 (cell)
cwolfe@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
www.cbchambercoalition.com
Date: Thu, 8 Oct 2009 16:37:32 -0700
Hi Chris,
I’m not going to renew. The total of my ‘Mayor’ expenses last year approached $6,000 and my boss said to limit the expenses.
I think you’re doing a terrific job with and for the Chamber Coalition and wish you well in all you do.
It was good to talk on the trip to Diamond Woods for the ribbon cutting.
Charlie
I am personally concerned about a few things:
- Is this evidence of a breakdown between our city government and our Chamber?
- Is our city really to the point that it cannot justify a $106 expense? (1.8% of the Mayor’s annual expenses)
- Should I start feeling guilty for not paying my parking tickets to the city?
In all seriousness, I am begging Charlie or Misty (@mrusk) to tell us what is going on here. Corvallis deserves more than to just watch this happen and hope not to become collateral damage. Let us help.
What do you make of this? Does the relationship between the Mayor and the Chamber worry you?
City Leadership, Loyan Roylance
In the first sentence, boss=Maria, my wife. Chris understands this: in my house and his. The almost $6,000 is what would be found on a Form 2106, Employee Business Expenses, filed with my Form 1040. That IRS form documents employee expenses not reimbursed by an employer. My Chamber Coalition dues were in the $6,000. This year, my out-of-pocket expenses, due to being Mayor, will be less.
The City continues to have a Chamber Coalition membership funded in the City Manager’s Office budget.
There is no budget in the Mayor’s office for community support except the $100 per month stipend I receive. I would argue against any increase in the stipend or budget. In fact, I am my own worse enemy.
As for my views regarding the Chamber Coalition, please see the 2009 State of the City at http://bit.ly/4GpydX especially the Economic Vitality section. My remarks still stand.
Charlie, thank you for engaging with us here. I believe the willingness to enter into an honest discussion about a topic is far more important than any position we hold on that topic.
Thank you for providing the link to your 2009 State of the City address. I am a big fan of web video and would like to share your address here to provide a public forum for others to discuss it.
Charlie, please excuse me for being so bold here. I note in your address regarding the Chamber, “The
traditional chamber business advocacy work is necessary and vital.” I perceive a disconnection between “necessary and vital” and the decision that $106 was not a worthwhile investment.
I concede that there are many things I do not fully understand, including the fact that the $6000 was a personal-out-of-pocket expense. It is my goal to help myself and my neighbors understand the workings of Corvallis through discussions like this.
Charlie please know that your engagement here means a lot to myself and others.
Charlie,
Thanks for engaging with us here. You’ve demonstrated in the past an eagerness to connect in new ways, so it comes as no surprise that you’re here at WLC.
I’m encouraged and hopeful that your leadership in this area will rub off on other city leaders. There is much to talk about.
Re: your chamber membership. Is it helpful to employ a bit more candor when it comes to your non-renewal? On the one hand, you make it a point to mention the good job of the chamber,
“I think you’re doing a terrific job with and for the Chamber Coalition and wish you well in all you do.”
but on the other hand you’re not renewing your membership. Interesting that a terrific job was not worthy of another $106.
I’d love to see you unpack your decision a bit more here at WLC.
Thanks again for your service and commitment to Corvallis.
I feel your pain Charlie and I also dumped a little too much money for my essentially volunteer service last year. We all do off and on and that is what makes Corvallis the city we love. I took your congratulations to be meant for Chris Wolfe and NOT to the Chamber Coalition as an organization. The chamber coalition has a very tough mission and assignment. I doubt if they will ever be able to accomplish most of what their charter and mission statement calls for. How could it without the resources and funding levels increased appropriately? To me it is the value add. If you aren’t getting it, don’t pay for it. What would the mayor get in return for chamber membership folks? More networking? Hmmm I don’t really think he needs it. Wish I could think of what a mayor does need. Maybe it is just all of us volunteering our time and talents doing what we can to support his leadership.
FYI, I also did not renew my membership with the DCA, the local branch of the NAACP or Corvallis Tourism.
FYI, this is the same thing that our previous mayor said, and it was only $86 to renew. Same reasoning, not in the budget. One needs to remember that the mayor is a member of the Chamber as an individual not as a public figure. The city is a member and the mayor can certainly be part of the Chamber’s events via this membership. It is tough to say that an individual supports or doesn’t support the organization when they can have membership priviledges through their emploer or agency. I wouldn’t read too much into his decision.
I on the otherhand, chose not to renew because I don’t feel the Chamber is in my best interest at the current time. I think it is good for some businesses. It’s just not for me anymore. I have been a member, a Board member, and a staff person. I have seen it from all angles and quite honestly it is not the Chamber I joined over 7 years ago and supported until this past year.