Document text
1 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Pizza driver in Ashland robbery says she was shocked with stun gun ... Wolf delisting bill heads to Oregon Senate for final vote ... Man faces sex trafficking, promoting prostitution charges ... Pizza driver in Ashland robbery says she was shocked with stun gun ... Wolf delisting bill heads to Oregon Senate for final vote ... Man faces sex trafficking, promoting prostitution charges ... TRAVEL MEDFORD AND THE CHAMBER City Council to force Travel Medford, chamber to separate Financial reports aren't clear about who provides what services, council says Comment By Damian Mann Mail Tribune Follow @@reporterdm MailTribune.com By Damian Mann Mail Tribune Follow @@reporterdm Posted Feb. 19, 2016 at 4:43 PM Updated Feb 19, 2016 at 5:27 PM By Damian Mann Mail Tribune Follow @@reporterdm Posted Feb. 19, 2016 at 4:43 PM Updated Feb 19, 2016 at 5:27 PM » Social News Disagreements over the Medford/Jackson County Chamber of Commerce’s control of Travel Medford boiled over Thursday night when the City Council issued an ultimatum to separate the organizations. “It really bothers me that we’ve come to this point with the chamber of commerce,” Councilor Dick Gordon said. “It’s a shame we don’t have that mutual trust in each other.” The council approved spending about two years looking at ways to separate Travel Medford from the chamber. The council voted 5-2 to explore separation, with Councilor Eli Matthews abstaining because he works at the chamber. Councilors Tim Jackle and Chris Corcoran voted against the motion. The council also approved extending its contract with Travel Medford for another two years while demanding that it stop discriminating against non-chamber members. A proposal to extend the contract for four years was shot down. Mayor Gary Wheeler, who urged the council to form a committee to find ways to separate the two organizations, said it has been difficult to determine who is in charge of Travel Medford. Anne Jenkins, senior vice president, is the main spokesperson, but she answers to Brad Hicks, chamber president and chief executive officer. “I don’t know who is running Travel Medford,” Wheeler said. Wheeler said the city has had problems getting the right financial reports on Travel Medford and a good accounting of what services the chamber and Travel Medford each provide. “From my standpoint — I don’t want to use the term incestuous — but it’s a pretty close relationship,” he said. The city gives Travel Medford about $750,000 annually from the transient lodging tax to promote local tourism. Travel Medford is located in the chamber offices. Hicks, who didn’t speak at the Thursday council study session or meeting, could not be reached for comment Friday because he was in meetings most of the day. Local hotels have pleaded with the city to extend the Travel Medford contract to enable the promotion of events sometimes a year in advance. The council has debated the issue of separating Travel Medford and the chamber for almost two years already. The current contract would have expired in June. Councilor Clay Bearnson said he blames the chamber for failing to move the negotiations forward, even though he said the city itself has gotten heat for not renewing the contract. “That ring of trust has already been broken,” he said. Bearnson had some of the most pointed remarks about the chamber’s refusal to allow Travel Medford to be part of the negotiations. “It’s like a child wanting a candy bar in a store, and they stand there and pout,” he said. “I fail to see why the people at Travel Medford aren’t at the table.” Bearnson said the city can no longer provide tax dollars to an entity with a political agenda such as the chamber, and he said the only solution is to separate the organizations. Bearnson said that on Travel Medford’s website directory of local businesses, it has left off the names of many businesses that aren’t chamber members, including the Gypsy Blues Bar, which Bearnson owns. Councilor Daniel Bunn said the city could create a nonprofit organization within a few months that would allow Travel Medford to become a separate entity. He said Travel Medford’s contract likely will increase when it separates from the chamber. Other larger cities in the state have taken similar steps. The city is now expending considerable money in its contract with Travel Medford and should demand more autonomy, Bunn said. Councilor Kevin Stine said he supported a nondiscrimination clause in the new contract with Travel Medford. “Travel Medford will promote Medford and the Rogue Valley without discrimination and regardless of the affiliation with the Medford chamber,” he said. Corcoran said he applauded the work done by both the chamber and Travel Medford in bringing tourists to Medford and for the continuing increases in transient lodging taxes. “I refuse to punish our top salesperson,” he said. Jackle said he didn’t understand why the city is attempting to restructure a local business, particularly a business that has done as well at promoting tourism as Travel Medford and the chamber. “I haven’t heard one person tell me Travel Medford isn’t doing a good job,” he said. “I don’t like to change anything for the sake of changing.” Reach reporter Damian Mann at 541-776-4476 or [email protected] . Follow him on Twitter @reporterdm . By Damian Mann Mail Tribune Follow @@reporterdm MailTribune.com By Damian Mann Mail Tribune Follow @@reporterdm Posted Feb. 19, 2016 at 4:43 PM Updated Feb 19, 2016 at 5:27 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2016 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501