GIMME MY MONEY!!
We don’t need no stinkin’ contract we just need money!
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Ray Dinadio, president of the Port Orange South Daytona Chamber of Commerce ran into a bunch of hard questions at the last City Council meeting. Councilmen Stiltner, Bastian and Ford asked Mr Dinadio if the services listed in the current contract with the chamber had ever been provided and he pretty much waffled. His most common answers were along the lines of “I don’t know what’s been done in the past” and “it’s what we’ve always done in the past.” Shawn Goepfert took a more direct approach and pretty much told the Council to “give me the money so we can go home!” Go Shawn!
With some of the old guard Chamber members currently needing therapy after being splashed all over the front page of the News-Journal maybe Shawn can step up. He certainly has a high entertainment factor and tells it like he sees it–this video is well worth watching.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_ce-TyhikE?rel=0&feature=youtu.be
(Speaking of therapy, didn’t the Chamber offer counseling to some City employees after the melt-down in the Finance Department in 2012? Does anyone else remember this, or is my memory hiccuping again? Maybe the Chamber could offer free counseling as a membership benefit.)
Mike Gardner
618 Ruth St
Port Orange, FL 32127
386-527-1959
manddgardner@cfl.rr.com
We’ve always done it this way, we never had a problem, you always wrote us a check each year.
Why NOW are we being subjected to such questioning and accountability ? Just write us a $20,000 check and all will be will. Just ask Mayor Green and Councilman Burnette, they will tell you it’s ok.
We do so much for your city. I can’t really quantify what we have done, but we throw a few parties and luncheons and we can assist in supporting you as a political candidate. If we don’t back you as a candidate, you may well lose the political election. (Or at least that use to be the case)
Just wrote us the damn check !
To concerned citizen: I really liked your satire. Let me add that the chamber wants to be in the political action as a team member, but does not want to accept the realities of such an alliance.
That sounds just about right. How nice, they throw parties and attend them. and eat free lunch on the city. What else do they actually do? Shawn Goephers plea for money bordered on hysteria but he could not answer the question. What have they actually done for the betterment of Port Orange.
Here is betting this embarrassingly honest mouthpiece for continued Chamber graft will be kept under wraps by his handlers at the Chamber for quite some time to come. If this site takes requests I believe this dip sh$t made a couple of equally obnoxious appearances earlier on that would be fun to watch again. What is it with these Chamber VIPs
Bye Bye Shawn–Can’t promise anything, but will post if I run across them. Any idea of previous dates?
What exactly is Shawn’s local claim to fame ?
Whatever business he owns or runs, I want no part of it.
He really made quite an ass of himself and the Chamber !
You are just being harsh here CC..Shawn Goepfert is a local realtor, a renter in Water’s Edge, appears to perceive himself to be an expert on contract law…at least as contracts have been handled between our city and “his” Chamber of Commerce…and yes.. perhaps he was deficient in a filter or two when he spoke to council..at least some of us might see it that way….but as Bye Bye Shawn says …he told it the way they see it over there at the Chamber of Commerce…at least the boy was honest….I found his candor rather refreshing..why parse language? Give it to us straight…
Mayor Greens administration has been giving a $19,000 gift of taxpayer funds to the Chamber of Commerce every year since 1902 (pun).
This year the Chamber asked for what they claim was a needed $1000 raise.
My question is: : . If the Chamber of Commerce nor the City was keeping any records on the expenses or any work product performed for this gift (think I heard that confessed to by the Attorney) how the hell do they know they need a $1000 raise ????
And could these public funds have been misappropriated by someone ??
1. The Chamber (they) does not throw free parties.
2. The Chamber has walk ends from other Cities outside of our community asking for information about our community. They also get calls outside of the community about our community.
3. They are the voice for our local businesses.
4. The Chamber offers workshops for our local business which includes breakfast, lunch, sometimes dinner.
5. They have networking groups, I believe 5 right now soon to be 6
6. They attend a lot of city meetings to see if it well effect local business’s and future business’s.
7. etc
8. Ted, you used to be active in the chamber before you became an activist.
Why does every small town have a separate Chamber of Commerce ?
Wouldn’t the area be better served by one united chamber ? Daytona has one, Ormond has one, add South Daytona / Port Orange and its fragmented all over the area.
Kind of like a Mayor, City Manager, Police Chief in Oak Hill, Ponce Inlet, DB Shores etc. Nobody wants to relinquish their piece of the pie.
The only real hope for the Greater Daytona Beach Area is to consolidate from Edgewater to Ormond By the Sea. All of these little fiefdoms making their own little decisions not wanting to give up any authority. It makes no sense to have 10 police chiefs, 10 fire chiefs, 10 city managers, etc, etc,etc. This entire area will continue to stagnate and not move ahead under the present local governmental system. After living here for over 35 years I can’t see a whole hell of a lot of changes.
If anybody REALLY wants accurate information on our community, don’t ask the Chamber, ask someone on this blog – you will hear the truth !
What did you just say? Beyond being marginally illiterate it was devoid of substance. Would you care to elucidate on what you just said with a little more specificity?
Ted recognized!!
Onlooker 2, I was always an activist, perhaps you just never noticed.
My business like many in the area pay our annual dues, but if I am remembering my personal involvement with the Chamber correctly it was mainly with the government affairs committee which I felt morphed into a cheerleader group for Ken Parker and his administration.
One of the last if not the last meeting of that committee that I attended had 8 participants …… 5 City employees, Debby from the Chamber, myself and 1 other person from the private sector.
That group had little appetite for critiquing City operations as evidenced by the inability of anybody to reference the last time the Chamber argued lower property tax through greater efficiency in government operations.
My goodness South Daytona raised property taxes 25% last year and the Chamber was mute.
If they are a voice for business they must be a silent one.
I would hope the end result of this dust off will see the Chamber distance itself from the City and become that true voice for business you believe it to be.
I did ask a few questions about the chamber below are some of them
Basically South Daytona pays $5000 and gets the same services, although they are a smaller city, South Daytona is not providing them a super sweetheart land lease.
From: Newton White [mailto:NWhite0@cfl.rr.com]
To: Joe Yarbrough (South Daytona City Manager)
Subject: Port Orange South Daytona Chamber
Mr. Yarbrough,
I would like to request to view or have copies (emailed pdf’s are great) of current agreements South Daytona has with the Chamber. I am interested in current contracts or agreements for services and financial matters.
What services does the city receive from the chamber and how much the city pays.
Please let me know for future requests where you would like me to send them.
Thank You,
Newton White
Mr. White,
The City of South Daytona is a member of the Port Orange/South Daytona Chamber of Commerce. However, we do not have a copy of an agreement. The city pays quarterly dues of $1,250.00.
Debbie Fitz-Gerald, MMC
Deputy City Clerk
City of South Daytona
And in reply to further clarification I asked about services provided and provided the list that was in the chamber contract with Port Orange
Hello Mr. White,
Mr. Yarbrough asked me to respond to your inquiry below. Yes, the City of South Daytona is a member of the Port Orange South Daytona Chamber of Commerce. I currently serve as a liaison between the City and the Chamber and on the Economic and Government Affairs Committee. Councilwoman Nancy Long also serves as an Ex-Officio member of the Chamber Board and is very active in that role. The Mayor, Chamber President and I make monthly visits to our local businesses as part an outreach program. The Chamber provides all of the same services they provide to the City of Port Orange with the exception of the items that are specific to the Port Orange only, such as the Riverside Pavilion. Although the South Daytona City Council has not felt the need to execute a formal agreement with the Chamber, the budget line item is reviewed annually and has received council approval for over thirty years. I hope you find this information helpful.
Regards,
Patty
Patty Rippey
Redevelopment Director
City of South Daytona
Newton:
The South Daytona clerk wrote ‘ The Chamber provides all of the same services to the City South Daytona they provide to the City of Port Orange …..’
You know what that means — They don’t know what they get either !!!
to don’t know. good observation
You should look at the list
Newton, the list indicates what was promised not what was delivered.
Bob Ford provides a better service to local business’ when he promotes them at council meetings. He brings samples and lets everyone know where they are located and reminds citizens how important it is to purchase from our local business’.
I wonder why the Chamber Of Commerce has such a problem with a council member doing their job for them. Cut the next check to Bob Ford and have him promote local business.
I agree Gabe…due to Bob Ford’s heavy and enthusiastic promotion of both Panhead’s Pizza and the Pepper Corn Cafe on US 1 we have added 2 new restaurants to our list of regulars. I was stunned at the variety of the menus of both establishments. They want to please a customer with special requests too. I agree..cut the check to Bob Ford. He could do my marketing any day. Peppercorn Cafe has waffles and fried chicken, shrimp and grits..real Southern cooking. Owner is a gentleman named Tony from Louisiana. Killer gourmet food. Keep up the good work Dr Ford. What our Chamber should be doing weekly @ CC meetings.
It seems to me “the chamber” should be self-funded by its business members. And,the fact that it it performs as a lobby group this seems to be “a conflict of interest” to the citizens that are not business owners (who are the majority). City of Port Orange should not be housing and funding this organization.
A chamber of commerce (or board of trade) is a form of business network, e.g., a local organization of businesses whose goal is to further the interests of businesses. Business owners in towns and cities form these local societies to advocate on behalf of the business community. Local businesses are members, and they elect a board of directors or executive council to set policy for the chamber. The board or council then hires a President, CEO or Executive Director, plus staffing appropriate to size, to run the organization.
A chamber of commerce is not a governmental body or institution, and has no direct role in the writing and passage of laws and regulations that affect businesses. It may however, act as a lobby in an attempt to get laws passed that are favorable to businesses.
Well yes, in a normal setting but not in Port Orange.
We may see this tide change although it’s unlikely. Unless the council votes to not fund them the 20k – unlikely too.