Clear Lake Chamber Board President Joey Luiz helped get the meeting off the ground with the chamber's report. The council, which annually gives funds the chamber, has asked for the regular updates.
Luiz said 2008 was a rebuilding year for the chamber, which was under new leadership. But he said the foundation laid last year is helping the chamber move forward in a positive direction.
Budgetwise, the chamber appears stable. Luiz reported that the organization's total income for 2008 was $71,808.22, with total expenses at $71,218.90 for a net income amount of $602.73.
The chamber also conducted a membership survey to find what its members wanted. Luiz said. The answers included a Web site that featured their businesses, more marketing opportunities and increased visibility.
The chamber responded, creating a new, interactive Web site with a ratings system, said Luiz. It also launched a “Christmas in Clearlake” marketing campaign, established an e-mail blast to members to save resources and created new media arrangements to get members advertising discounts.
Luiz said chamber members attended the Bay Area Travel Show. Besides having access to a large group of people interested in travel, it helped them make a connection with Travel TV and a national travel show that plans to profile the county.
He said the chamber also is now meeting on a monthly basis, holding regular mixers and promoting featured chamber members in local media.
The chamber's offices have moved temporarily from Golf Avenue to the senior center on Bowers Avenue because of a leaking roof. He said the move has been a positive one, and made local seniors aware of business activities in the community, which has given the chamber a word-of-mouth boost. “It's worked out well.”
They've also put together a committee to work on special events, including the annual worm races and fireworks, bluegrass festival and Christmas light parade
Luiz said in 2010 the chamber plans to launch a “Graffiti Night” event – “Don't get nervous,” Luiz quipped to Police Chief Allan McClain – to bring in classic car enthusiasts to enjoy a cruise, music and other activities.
He said the chamber supports the Clearlake Vision Task Force proposal, the Lakeshore Drive plan and the “Cleanup Clearlake” event that takes place May 9.
Luiz showed statistics from January through December of 2008 that showed the volume of calls to the chamber and the number of information packets it's sending out grew substantially.
“We've very excited,” said Luiz, adding they feel that the foundation laid last year is helping them do good work for the community.
“I'm really pleased with the direction the chamber is going,” said Vice Mayor Judy Thein.
Thein asked how many members the chamber has currently. Luiz said 243, up from a “solid” 150 last year.
In other council business, the council turned down a request by Kevin and Elizabeth Zeier to purchase their home, located at 14935 Ball Park Ave. on a 100 foot by 95 foot lot across from Redbud Park's baseball diamond, for $1,332,000. City staff had presented a $43,000 valuation from the assessor.
The Zeiers proposed the city buy the house and property to add more parking to Redbud Park. They said there is traffic bottle-necking in front of their home due to parking issues, and they complained of a number of activities they found stressful, including people smoking in front of their home.
Mayor Chuck Leonard said they were causing some of the traffic issues by putting their garbage cans in the street with “no parking” signs on them, and he suggested the Zeiers' fence was in the public right-of-way, which the Zeiers denied.
When the Zeiers attempted to go off onto several other topics that upset them, Leonard gaveled them and redirected the discussion to the proposed purchase.
Elizabeth Zeier said she felt the $1.3 million price tag was fair. “We ought to sue for that just for the aggravation,” she said, walking away from the podium.
The council didn't agree, and voted 4-0 – with Councilman Roy Simons being absent – to turn it down.
The council also voted to move forward on a work plan to address a compliance order leveled against it by the California Integrated Waste Management Board for failing to recycling 50 percent of its trash stream; approved a $700,000 loan at 5 percent to affordable income developer Global Premier, which will also gain them 106 affordability covenants at a cost of $6,500 per agreement; approved a temporary street closure for Lakeshore Drive, from Golf Street to Olympic Drive, and Lakeshore Drive from Austin Road to Olympic Drive for this year's July 4 festivities; and approved surplusing six police vehicles that had been used for parts.
E-mail Elizabeth Larson at
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