Wednesday, May 1, 2013

Planning Commission applicant "Meet and Greet" hosted by Chamber


Pacifica Tribune, 4/3013, "Chamber of Commerce to host Planning Commission applicants 'Meet and Greet' " 

Continuing in a series of public policy meet and greets, the Government Affairs committee of the Pacifica Chamber of Commerce will host a reception and meet and greet for all applicants seeking appointment to the city's planning commission.

"Coming out of the recent recession, so aptly labeled the 'Great recession', we decided to really focus on looking at the complete picture of how our town is operated, funded and improved," said Jim Wager, government affairs chair. 

"The recession really taught us that if you cannot fund your municipal way of life a lot of functions suffer, dirty beaches, rundown libraries, dilapidated roads, among the worst in the county, are some of the challenges facing our city. Our planning commission will be an important part of our economic recovery process and we feel it is important to meet our applicants in a venue that can be informative for both applicants and chamber members. Our membership takes an active interest in the process and our businesses rely on good planning."
This current meet and greet with planning applicants will be scheduled soon after the application deadline of May 15. All applicants will be notified and invited.

This will be a unique opportunity for applicants to meet the Pacifica business community and discuss how these new potential commissioners can create a better sustainable Pacifica. This will be a Chamber of Commerce event and due to venue space consideration, will be by invitation only.

Submitted by Jim Wagner 

Posted by Kathy Meeh

81 comments:

Anonymous said...

Tacky. Post it here but say its by invitation only. You think the brainiacs down at the chamber would want more business instead of less business at the meeting.

The chamber has become half a phone book and coffee club.

Pathetic

todd bray said...

Hehehe, invitation only.

Anonymous said...

It's the pretentious tone of the invite that humors me. Commissioners are not elected, they are appointed "at the pleasure" of council.

That the Chamber wants to do this thing... in the privacy of their own homes... is neither here nor there, but the intention is clear. They want to identify commission applicants as friends or foes to their radical ideology.

I wonder when, if ever, Mr. Wagner will forgive the city council for not reappointing him way back when.

In the mean time the Chamber Board and Executive considers itself ( as evident by this invitation only Wagner blood feud) much more important than it's members or the greater community.

Anonymous said...

Thus you are not invited.

Dan Brown said...

It looks like the business community is taking an active role. That's not a bad thing. Heaven knows it lanquished for years as our prevous councils appointed cronies for important advisory posts. Why wouldn't it be invitation only? It's the Chamber of Commerce not some social club. Bray, why don't you go to a Masonic Temple and ask to be included in their meetings. That'd be a hoot.

Anonymous said...

Uh... why not just host this where space isn't a problem or is Winter's bathroom the only spot the Chamber could land?

The Chamber just can't seem to pull it together, can it.

Anonymous said...

Nothing wrong with the concept, but the execution is god-awful, pure Pathetica. If they had any real influence they wouldn't need this public ego-trip. Real power is quiet.

Anonymous said...

Oh yeah 1047 this should put a stop to council cronies being appointed. Only those bad old enviros do that. I know, I know...our cronies are better than theirs. Hold onto that thought, would ya, as our council and their cronies stumble along.

Anonymous said...

@1047 The Masons? Sure hope that was just a random, ignorant comment and not some attempt to compare the Pacifica Chamber of Commerce to the Masons with their centuries of Masonic history, mystery and influence around the world.

Anonymous said...

There is absolutely nothing that requires an applicant to show up for this ... hum... well, yeah, ego trip.

Anonymous said...

These guys need to plan their moves before the happy hour. Egos Gone Wild!

Anonymous said...

And what's the purpose of this little gathering? A public Chamber endorsement or rejection of applicants who volunteer to serve the city in these thankless jobs? Maybe you could just whisper your favorites in council's ear. Don't they listen?

Of course if the field of applicants has already been narrowed, as is often the case, then this is one way to climb on that bandwagon and claim credit as kingmakers...not a high-value distinction in Pacifica, but knock yourselves out!

Anonymous said...

Invitation only applies to Chamber members. If you want to go, join the Chamber and ask for an invite. All applicants are invited to attend. If you want to go, apply for the position.
The frog, snake and plover gangs along with their allies at Pacificans for Sustainable Development, scrubbed the word "economy" out of their definition of sustainability and killed Pacifica.
Pacifica belongs to all of us not just these arrogant, self-appointed, phony enviros.
We need new blood on Council, Planning Commission and City staff to rescue this sinking ship.

Anonymous said...

540 Pacifica belongs to all of us?
That's hardly the attitude being conveyed in this Chamber message. Pathetic.

Anonymous said...

Thanks anon 540 for clearing that up.

Looks like the NIMBY's from riptide are here complaining.

Hopefully we get the ones off the planning commission who are friends of the frogs, open space and stagnant growth.

Rich Campbell an environmental lawyer for the EPA who was badly beaten in the city council election needs to go.

Anonymous said...

So let me see if I've got this right.

The Chamber, which can't be bothered to keep it own visitor's center open on weekends all of a sudden has the wherewithal to play Pretend City Council as they put a handful of unpaid and unelected volunteers through the wringer. This is set in motion through a Chamber announcement in the Tribune which states, "Hey, we're having an event and you can't come!"

It all sounds so absurd that it's impossible to believe, but I think that's about right. The Bard would be proud. Comedy at its finest right here in Pacifica.

Anonymous said...

Didn't the Chamber host a council candidate get to know you to? Pay attention NIMBY's this is how we do it. Educate the public and people make the right decisions. Shine some light on prospective planing commissioners and hopefully the council will do the same.

Anonymous said...

anon at 9:26, if it's invitation only how is it going to be educational to the public? How is it shining a light? Who will be informed of the events transcript?

Anonymous said...

First the directory and now this "invitation only" fiasco.... The current chamber leadership is rapidly turning this into some silly, exclusive, and much less relevant "members only" club. I don't know whyanyone would bother joining. At least at the Moose you can grab a beer.

Anonymous said...

Chamber is being run by someone with no city chamber experience. First mistake excluding all businesses who don't belong.

What can you expect from a group of rogue realtors and angry people with not enough business.

These people should mind their own business.

Anonymous said...

"This will be a unique opportunity for applicants to meet the Pacifica business community and discuss how these new potential commissioners can create a better sustainable Pacifica." Doesn't sound all that subversive. Pretty transparent to me.I believe the post also referred to limitations on space for the venue.

Anonymous said...

I guess you get called a NIMBY now if you point out to these numbskulls that you can't "inform the public" by holding events that the public isn't invited to. Also, it doesn't appear that the Chamber flacks realize that these are appointed positions and neither the Chamber nor the public are the ones doing the appointing. I guess we're supposed to sit in the peanut gallery and wave our pom-poms when council chooses someone we agree with?

"This is how we do it." LOL

Anonymous said...

Business in Pacifica has never been this bad. Businesses are closing left and right.

Someone name one business or company the Chamber has help set up shop in Pacifica?

BTW what is the use of the City Chamber and or Vistors info center if it is closed holidays and weekends?

Anonymous said...

Seems some of you are a little paranoid about something. What's upsetting you so?

Anonymous said...

It may not be open to the public but city council will be paying close attention. Citizens will be informing them of their opinions. Anything that can help the commissions direction as far as making a better business climate is ok with me.

Anonymous said...

Commissioners don't do business climate unless you are referring to the commissioners rubber stamping anything that goes forward to them.

It's inspiring the lack of understanding of the way things are structured here.

What the Chamber seems interested in is having a commission with the power of a Sovereign. Too funny.

Not that any of you Ranties care but the commission actions are appealable to council, so this whole theatrical production of the Chamber Board is really just to get attention.

BTW if it can be proved the COC had undo influence in the choice of a commissioner that is a chargable offense thru the FPPC. So rock on.

Anonymous said...

Can't stop laughing at the Chamber announcement. Another blunder perfect for satire and ridicule. Yeah, this is how we do it in pathetica.

Anonymous said...

This chamber is an embarrassment. Even for Pacifica, and that's pretty bad.

Anonymous said...

@1244 No, no paranoia on here because the Pacifica Chamber of Commerce incites ridicule and laughter, not paranoia. Apparently in some of its members, it incites delusions of grandeur...which are always a hoot.

Steve Sinai said...

Why do some people do the Pavlovian foaming at the mouth whenever the Chamber of Commerce is mentioned?

Anonymous said...

Sinai, I just couldn't help myself.

Anonymous said...

Because Pacifica's poor hippies hate business.

Anonymous said...

Ding, ding, ding...the classic Pavlovian response @344.

Anonymous said...

"Why do some people do the Pavlovian foaming at the mouth whenever the Chamber of Commerce is mentioned?"

Because they're deserving of the ridicule?
Because they tee up the perfect softballs?
They're a great straight-man for our punch-lines?

Pick any/all.

The jokes write themselves:
Why doesn't the Chamber hold this event at the visitors center, they're not using it for anything else.

See how easy it is!

Kathy Meeh said...

Oh brother, who let the NIMBIES out? From these comments something tells me the City and our Chamber of Commerce are doing something right.

You guys want to crash the private Chamber of Commerce "meet and greet" business party? Join the Chamber. Or possibly, "hold your breath" until the next "free eats" public event occurs. Then make your own invitation, and go to that party.

But, if you think of this article as a "free ad", this is your invitation and realized opportunity to join our Chamber of Commerce. So here's the application. After you join and pay dues, you might want to attend all the informational meetings and parties.

Anonymous said...

Hahaha, yeah, call Nimby. Call it a lot because that Chamber is held in contempt by most people who have any contact with it. People who aren't a nimby by any definition of the word, but are appalled by the misguided direction and methods of the Chamber.
Labels and name-calling. Yup, that's about it.

Anonymous said...

Kathy, don't listen to those voices. They could be, oh my gosh, NIMBIES!

Anonymous said...

you don't understand

if the chamber apologists are unable to deflect criticisms onto imaginary bogeymen they'll be forced to confront the organization's very real and very tangible shortcomings which is of course an unacceptable intrusion of reality into their phantasmagoric worldviews

Anonymous said...

I suspect one or two commenters are cross posted with each other to keep this debate going. They oppose the chamber's activities yet do nothing themselves. So 1950's and dated , don't you think??.
The chamber should be commended for looking forward. I am not a member nor will I attend this event with potential planning commissioners. I did attend the chamber's city council debate. The chamber is lending a positive forward looking voice to this community as we collectively work through a number of long term economic problems. The emphasis on forward looking and positive are ingredients the naysayers on this topic seem to have forgotten, or maybe they simply do not care.

todd bray said...

Hehehe, the Chamber Board, not to be confused with the Chamber membership.

Anonymous said...

The chamber is half a phone book!

Anonymous said...

@619 I suspect you haven't a clue. But from the adoring tone of your Chamber tribute I'm counting on you to continue to doggedly paint the Chamber's clumsy efforts at relevance in very trendy terms you can choose--from almost any decade. The Chamber's blunders really are timeless. Stay positive!

Anonymous said...

849 Yeah but you know we're supposed to look at it as half full, not half empty. Otherwise you're uh uh a Nimby.

Anonymous said...

Face forward!

Anonymous said...

Hehehehe the nimby's hate the chamber. hehehe

Anonymous said...

The members of the City Chamber think they are the Karl Rove's of Pacifica Politics.

Epic Failure, is the Chamber.

Chris Porter said...

Wah, wah and wah...This is really comical all you anonymouses (or is in anonymoui?)

Steve Sinai said...

I have no doubt the one or two people bashing the Chamber are the same ones who claim to be pro-business when they post under their real names.

Anonymous said...

Steve, you don't seem to mind when the shoe is on the other hoof concerning your Ranties attacking those that disagree with you.

And Chris, do you really want to be that childish? Wah,wah and wah?

If you can't take it don't dish it out or allow it to be dished out.

Anonymous said...

Quick, Homer, mail an invite to Sinai!

Anonymous said...

Is there free food at the chamber meeting?

Anonymous said...

The Chamber gets our tax money from the city to operate a Visitors Center that's not open on weekends and holidays when visitors are most likely to be here and need info. Is that correct?

Does saying that make me a Nimby?

Anonymous said...

It pisses me off and will be addressed to the city council that while I am paying the highest garbage charges in the county, the general manager is online shilling for the city chamber.

Maybe she should worry about her crappy garbage trucks that seem to break down daily.

Anonymous said...

Greeting tourists? There's simply no time, no time, this Chamber has no time for that stuff. They've got a city to run and after that...the world.

Steve Sinai said...

That the Visitor's Center is hardly ever open shows that the "build trails and they will come" and "environment is our economy" nonsense never worked. They never brought visitors into town, so nobody ever went to the Visitor's Center.

We need more unique businesses that attract people. You hippieanons who have made the business climate in Pacifica miserable, take such glee when local businesses struggle, and think it's the Chamber's fault visitors don't come here, need to recognize the damage you've caused to Pacifica.

Anonymous said...

"They never brought visitors into town, so nobody ever went to the Visitor's Center." That's not true, Steve SInai. When the Visitors Center was open on the weekends, there were frequently visitors in there. It was staffed by a very helpful person who gave out lots of information and helped people decide what to do in Pacifica, where to eat, where to stay, etc. It was good for local businesses. The Visitor Center not being open on weekends has been bad for business.

Anonymous said...

I don't give a flip if the visitor's center is open. We had a few more visitors pre-recession than post, but the merchants and hotels can do a better job of greeting them and promoting the businesses in town. They're motivated. Figuring out how best to be an effective Chamber is going to be trial and error with the occasional gaffe. When they run spell-check on their announcements, whatever they may be, maybe someone in the office could also run pretentious-check? They really do invite ridicule.

Steve Sinai said...

I never remember seeing anyone in the Visitor's Center.

Osama bin Laden would still be alive if he decided to hide out in the Visitor's Center.

Anonymous said...

The chamber is half a phone book!

Anonymous said...

Once people are in Pacifica is there really any need for a visitor's center? Waste of money. Getting on their radar is the challenge.

Anonymous said...

Change that to half a dinosaur and
you'd be so close to smart!

The Ghost of Saddam Hussein said...

It is only now, several years after the credibility of GW had been completely destroyed (thus ensuring the future elections of relatively terrorist friendly Democrats) that I am able to publicly admit that all of the WMDs were hidden at the Pacifica CoC Visitor's Center. That's right. All of them! In fact, I have been told that Chris Porter uses one of them as an ashtray.

Hussein out.

Anonymous said...

Steve Sinai said: "I never remember seeing anyone in the Visitor's Center." How many times were you in there on weekends?

Anonymous said...

If no one uses the Visitor's Center, then why are the halfwits wasting money (some of it ours) on it?

Chris Porter said...

Dear Critical Anonymoui, I am the General Manager of the garbage company (something that of course needs to be mentioned by you anonymoui every time I post something because I use my own name)but am also an officer of the Chamber. I work about fifty-five hours a week and the City Council is well aware of that.

Anonymous said...

Oh Saddam, Saddam, first we hang you and now you go hang yourself. Hey, Dubya's all retired and rested and painting landscapes. Sends a Texas shout out to ya!

Anonymous said...

@334 we're rich we're rich

Steve Sinai said...

"Steve Sinai said: 'I never remember seeing anyone in the Visitor's Center.' How many times were you in there on weekends?"

Millions of times.

Kathy Meeh said...

At the City budget meeting this week (5/1), during citizen communications, Chuck Gust reminded city council that the TOT tax was originally set-up with the Chamber sharing 25% of the revenue, which represents about $100,000 per year.

But the Chamber stipend from the city is only $10,000 this year (the same as it has been for multiple years). So FMV the financial short fall to the Chamber is about $90,000 per year. Whereas cities that effectively partner with their Chamber of Commerce to promote tourism, conventions and their city, generally share a percentage of the visitor paid TOT hotel tax. San Francisco may be one of the better examples of this partnership, but then San Francisco also has developed its city infrastructure to accommodate tourists, residents, and business interests.

To promote Pacifica, the city could invest in two or three large neon signs entering each end of the city. The flashing message "our environment is our economy" will surely attract tourists.

Anonymous said...

Kathy

Maybe we can get you a couple HBO specials and your own comedy show.

Like Louis C.K.

Anonymous said...

"Millions of times." So obviously you're lying about that too.

Anonymous said...

Perhaps an organization that wastes money on things like empty visitor centers and obsolete paper directories should not be given any additional funds to waste.

Anonymous said...

You go right ahead and do that!

Anonymous said...

Give 'em the money. We're rich rich rich!

Steve Sinai said...

"'Millions of times.' So obviously you're lying about that too."

I never lie.

Anonymous said...

When someone says:
Trust Me
I don't lie
I am honest

A huge red flag comes out.

Steve Sinai said...

Everyone refers to me as "Honest" Steve, which proves my veracity.

Anonymous said...

A bigger "red flag"

Anonymous said...

Ha, good one Steve.

Anonymous said...

Honest Abe, Honest Steve...they're in all the history books in the PSD.

"Honest" Steve Sinai said...

"Ha, good one Steve."

Please refer to me as "Honest" Steve.