Where in the Pocono Business Community is the Chamber of Commerce?
“Letter to the Editor”
Where in the Pocono Business Community is the Chamber of Commerce?
My question is prompted by more and more frequent meetings, both business and community service, that I attend where the question arises “What’s the Chamber’s position on this?” My question is also prompted by the Chamber’s complete lack of response to an inquiry of mine recently regarding the Chamber’s position on our area’s school budgets. Our community has a strong and effective economic development force in the Pocono Mountain Economic Development Corporation. So, while many community chambers of commerce are required to and do play a major role in economic development activities, such is not required here. However, our business community still needs someone to play the role of strong and vocal business advocate in our local and state governments, including school districts. It is said around town that our Chamber’s membership is in rapid decline and that the financial health of our Chamber is following suit. Some blame this on the economy. But business people are smart and they’re very good at recognizing a solid value proposition. I present that perhaps our Chamber’s membership and financial health is in decline because there is no good reason for area businesses to pay for membership. There should be. Everyone knows that the government’s (from Washington D.C. to Harrisburg to our school districts) assault on business is intense. There’s an abundance of opportunity for our Chamber to add value to our businesses by being our advocate, ally and supporter. It seems though that our Chamber’s leadership is not interested in leading the membership to take pro-business positions on tough issues such as school tax increases, selective property reassessment, regulations and permitting for new development, sign (or menu board) issues, and so on. I’m sure the response will be that “work goes on behind the scenes on these issues.” The very nature of the chamber, a collaboration of area businesses to achieve critical mass and momentum, belies such “behind the scenes” work. Besides, where are the results of that work? Now more than ever, the Pocono area business community needs a vibrant, strong and vocal chamber of commerce at its side. The Chamber’s board should seriously consider whatever changes are necessary to get our Chamber back in the game.
George K. Strunk
Cresco
I’ve just learned of this letter and am afraid that the author misses the point and misrepresents the Chamber.
As a long-time Chamber member and recent addition to the Chamber Board, I have found our local Chamber to be more responsive to businesses, and more representative of local business concerns, than either the state or national chambers of commerce.
It is also among the most active and effective voices for business among the many Chambers with which I have been associated over my 25+ year business career. For one example, one need only look to the near 100% attendance of local legislators at our annual legislative breakfast. Compare that to the somewhat dismal attendance of legislators at similar functions of the Chambers in our contiguous communities. Our Chamber has developed a meaningful relationship with our local legislators, who are responsive to Chamber concerns.
That the Chamber may or may not have acted on the parochial interests of one particular letter writer (and I am not sure if it has or has not) does not justify the proposition that the Chamber lacks any voice or effectiveness.
However, one can be forgiven a lack of information — about just how much the Chamber has done, is doing, and continues to do for our businesses and community — when one is not a Chamber member and does not participate in the many Chamber activities, committees, and events.