Following is an interesting conversation that is taking place at http://facebook.com/thesacnews
The names of the other participants have been removed as a courtesy, but are freely available to anyone who friends TSN.
CURTIS BLOES
The Sac City Chamber/Mainstreet Board of Directors will not allow TSN's cameras into tonight's Highway 20 meeting.
What does Sac City Chamber President Nancy Houska want to keep hidden from the you?
COMMENTER #1
I don't know, but i don't like it!
Curtis Bloes
Nancy Gilliland Houska's board has received over $20,000 dollars from the people of Sac City in both gas fund money and labor... so far. As long as Gary Hansen, Jim Johnston, and Bill Brenny sit on the Sac City Council these funds will continue to be rubber stamped right into the Chamber Main Street's coffers with no demand of transparency.
COMMENTER #2
Well, now, that doesn't sound very nice of them.
COMMENTER #2
Especially since the public is invited, right?
Curtis Bloes
Here's how they do things at the Sac City Chamber Main Street.
The first thing that happens is the people at Chamber Main Street announce these so-called "public" events. I have observed that here are two groups of people that show up to these things. The first group consists of the same 25ish people that always show up at these things. Generally business owners or managers of Sac Cities larger businesses and due paying chamber members. Sprinkle in there a couple of government reps that have to attend. Typically Mayor powel, the city administrator, councilors Bill Brenny or Jim Frederick and one of the supervisors.
The second group, and keep in mind that this second group only shows up when it is something particularly exciting like, you know, trying to figure out how to keep Sac City from becoming Radiator Springs when Highway 20 bypasses us, consists of business owners who are suspicious of the Chamber and want to keep their eye on them, and members of the public who sort of misunderstood what the purpose of the meeting was. The number of people in this group floats between 5 and 20ish people.
The first group of people drive the meeting, the second group of people typically don’t show up at a second one and are replaced by new people. It is my observation that the chamber, particularly the president Nancy Houska and the director Laura Zimmerman can count on not having to actually answer to the real public.
The video camera would change that. The video camera would reveal to the public exactly what they are doing, and based on the fact that I am continually asked not to film, they clearly do NOT want the public at large to know the details of what they are actually talking about. It seems to me that they only want the sort of “approved” version that you will see in the Sac Sun. Granted, It won’t differ wildly from the truth and will be factually accurate, but it won’t tell you who said what because that would reveal to the public who is involved and would allow speculation as to the speakers underlying motives.
Now here’s what will happen. You, (or someone else reading this,) will attend one of these meetings at some future date and will be welcomed with open arms. They will tell you, “See, the public is welcome here!” What I have observed is that if you, now being a member of that second group, did show up what would happen is that you will sit through the meeting, see the ridiculousness with which the meeting is conducted, and then leave.
The ridiculousness that you will observe while there will be a variation of the following. Everyone in the room will make lists of stuff they want to accomplish on poster boards. They will make lists of pros and cons that take into consideration which ideas are able to be accomplished. They will then hang the poster boards on the wall and people will be given stickers to put next to their favorite do-able ideas. Once one of those items is determined to be the most popular, the Chamber will then pursue accomplishing that goal…
…All without any regard whatsoever as to whether they actually SHOULD go for it, whatever that “it” might be, which in this case is $25,000ish of your money courtesy the Sac City council for curb bump outs and some trees in front of the old Sunwise building.
COMMENTER #1
What a bunch of hooey!
COMMENTER #3
I don’t have the faintest idea why they would not want you taping the meeting. I was not able to attend last night, but I personally have yet to witness anything but proactive citizens seeking to adapt and prepare for the imminent changes coming ahead.
Out of context, lists on poster boards often appear ridiculous. However, brainstorming by its very nature often results in some ridiculous ideas, with the expectation of cultivating a workable plan. Perhaps you could invite your readers to throw in their own constructive ideas on “how to attract people to exit Hwy 20 and visit Sac City” or “stay in Sac City to do their shopping”.
I would like to applaud the citizens who are willing to put forth the time and effort to try to prepare for the change ahead. It is easier to criticize than to get involved.
CURTIS BLOES
They don't want me taping the meeting because they cannot control the editorial content.
I agree, the meeting is attended by pro-active people. The same pro-active 25 people that have driven Sac City to the place it is now. Roughly 1.5 miles south and out of view of a highway that will be bypassing us.
$20,000 cash is what the chamber got from Sac City's gas customers.
Give that some thought Commenter #3. Bill Brenny, god bless his otherwise overspending soul, recomended at that first meeting the creation of an attraction to the north of town within view of Highway 20 that would draw people in. An idea that hasn't seen the light of day again.
You suggest TSN readers get involved but Nancy Houska will not even take Bill Brenny seriously ffs!
What was followed up on was the creation of a pointless series of useless bump out parking spots on North 5th street with some trees for decoration that the chamber has been trying to scam out of the taxpayers for for the last 5 years. By the way, when this is complete, go out to the bypass and check out how much more attractive that makes our town look.
What I think is going on here is that they ARE taking my suggestion. I recomended that they stop worrying about retail businesses in Sac City and start building on what is already Sac City's main strength. Sac City main strength is that it could very easily be the perfect place for the following type of person:
1. Retired.
2. Not so concerned about the higher than average property taxes.
3. Wants easy access to a good hospital and social atmosphere.
4. Is still active.
5. Wants to live in a nice looking place with working sewers and smooth streets.
6. Wants an easy drive to three discount shopping and entertainment centers.
Sprucing up the local chemical cesspool is certainly a good start towards my suggested goal of gradually building the town up to the point where it will attract the above type of person, but it will in no way help local retail business owners with their immediate problem of trying to recapture the traffic they will lose due to the bypass.
The premise is dishonest, and anyone who believes this will fix the problem isn't thinking it all the way through.
…and by the way you don’t have to listen to me. Do the math on this one. As much as it pains me to drive traffic to them, go to the Chamber’s website and count the number of businesses in the directory, then count the number of business owners who showed up at last night’s Hi20 meeting. Now multiply the number of business owners that showed up by 100 and divide that number by the number of business owners that are in the directory to come up with a percentage.
That’s your Sac City Chamber/Mainstreet approval rating right there.
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Curtis Bloes - Editor
