www.encinitaschamber.com
Volume 5, Issue 9
Review held as scope expands
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INSIDE The chamber’s monthly Sundowner was a “Picnic by the Pool” at Belmont Village Senior Living in August PAGE 6
Just when people were getting used to bad news in the real estate market, home sales jumped more than 7 percent PAGE 7
Small businesses in the U.S. broke records by netting almost $100 billion in contracts from the federal government in 2008 PAGE 5
The chamber wants ideas from local business owners on how everybody can help each other succeed PAGE 10
Congressman Brian Bilbray visited local health professionals to get their take on what needs to be done with the country’s health care system PAGE 3
Get all the information about this year’s Oktoberfest celebration, including a list of vendors and a preview of the food and entertainment SEE INSERT
September 2009
ENCINITAS — After five months of waiting to receive the results of an audit from the city’s Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Center, the City Council and city manager’s office were told that the document was not yet available. In fact, according to an e-mail sent to the board of directors and at least one reporter by new chamber CEO Marshall Weinreb, the review will be expanded. “After very carefully reviewing the documents, I feel that this review will not satisfy the city nor does it satisfy me,” Weinreb said in the e-mail. “We were too restrictive in choosing only 2008 for review, while I now see that the most revealing information can be found end 2007 and early 2009.” The city has a long history of funding the Visitors Encinitas resident Alain Dussaud offers his daughter Raya a Center. Since 1990, the city meatball. See story and more photos on 11. Photo by Daniel Knighton has provided financial support in varying amounts to the center. In 2005, the city entered into a three-year agreement worth it according to Mark Ford for the past 21 years. program. “It’s been a little with the chamber to operate Wheeler, owner and gener- He said his dealership sold problematic but it’s worth the Visitors Center with the amount of $91,500 per year. al manager, of Encinitas 76 vehicles through the ❚ see Dealers on 13 A month-to-month extension was granted in June 2008. Performance measures are monitored by the city manager’s office. Richard Phillips, assistant city manager, suggested to council during the April 16, 2009, meeting that the chamber be required to hire a qualified person to audit the chamber’s financial records for the previous year as a condition of renewing the contract. A 3-2 vote — with Mayor Maggie Houlihan and Councilwoman Teresa Barth opposing the one-year contract renewal — came after
TASTES GOOD!
Dealers score with stimulus program
ENCINITAS — The highly publicized Cash for Clunkers, or CARS program, benefited at least two of the three car dealerships in Encinitas. According to Herman Cook Volkswagen and Encinitas Ford representatives, the government rebate offer to trade in gas guzzlers for more fuelefficient vehicles j o l t e d monthly s a l e s Mark Wheeler upward in July and August. Encinitas BMW didn’t participate. Although the process was not without a few One of the 70 vehicles traded in during the Cash for Clunkers program at participating dealhiccups, the result was er Encinitas Ford. All of the so-called “clunkers” will eventually end up at a salvage yard.
859 Second St., Encinitas, California 92024
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see Review on 13
PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID ENCINITAS, CA 92024 PERMIT NO. 94
LOCATON: El Camino Real & Mountain Vista Rd., Encinitas
The Encinitas Chamber of Commerce, it just works!