2014 Sedona Businesses Withdraw from Chamber

Posted on by Donna Joy

In 2014 I withdrew my Sedona business and a non-profit 501 C(6) Sedona Wedding ~ Sedona Bridal Fair being their signature event from the Sedona Chamber. Learn why in this post:
This post was submitted to the Sedonaeye February 11, 2014

Thank you Eddie Maddock for accurately reporting the state of Sedona. You are my hero!

The City of Sedona is very young in regards to being incorporated. I have lived and operated businesses in the City limits for over 20 years. My husband and I contribute to the tax base in which the city operates by collecting sales tax from our businesses and by shopping in town every chance we get. We have also during this time always promoted our business neighbors. In my opinion supporting our local businesses builds community from the inside out.

I have worked exceptionally hard. I have even worked as a volunteer for Non-Profits. I have donated money and services to other non-profits that I love such as Humane Society, Sedona Recycles, Catholic Family Services, and Hospice. I have even donated product to other businesses in the hope it would bring us business along with forming lasting working relationships. We have discounted to the locals and even discounted products for other businesses in order to strengthen things, barely covering the cost of materials with us paying for the overhead and labor.

Well, I can say I’ve seen it all. Seriously. Been threatened, boycotted even been told to leave. My husband was actually physically attacked during an uptown business meeting several years ago. I could go on and on. Believe me I have some stories to tell.

Last year I was approached by a Chamber employee who wanted to ask me to speak up on behalf of raising the bed tax and sales tax. Out of her mouth came words like – “I want a video;” “The Chamber deserves it;” “We bring all the sales tax dollars to the city;” We’re responsible for it all.”

Say what? The more they (the Chamber) spoke, the more I became enraged with the pure ridiculousness of the statements. The references to places like San Diego and Scottsdale. The entire conversation got me rolling and thinking. Compare us with San Diego? Scottsdale?

With all those statements said, I began to investigate things. I asked questions. I went to council meetings. I wrote. The more I looked the more I didn’t like what I was seeing. Since the Chamber stated they represented the “Businesses” in Sedona we found that odd. Since I was a Chamber member I never voted on such items, nor did I sign a waiver to give anyone my rights to speak on behalf of my business. Very odd.

My husband and I did a report to show that Chamber businesses were not Registered Businesses in the City of Sedona. We found this to be a fact while auditing the Chambers website. We generate a report and submitted it to Mayor, City Councilors, along with City Manager.

I wrote, met with many City Councilors, the Mayor, City Manager, and City Staff under the City Manager. I even generated a proposal to the City for a Total Quality Management Program that would build a positive relationship with their businesses and offered to assist, unpaid.

I could go on and on. I have benchmarked, reported, called many independents along with municipalities to gain some knowledge. I even started a website for in-town businesses. I have thousands of hours invested into this.

Everything I suggested, or reports I published was discarded. My year ended with a meeting with Jennifer Wesselhoff , Chamber CEO/President. It was a long one. But the bottom line is when I asked why she published a report to City Council stating the Chamber membership composite report had 77% in city businesses – when those were not in town – she said “it’s too difficult to generate such a report.”

I told her I did audit that list and found the results were the opposite. I also offered to help. I feel it is important to make sure our City Council is informed accurately as they should be making decisions on those facts. We discussed why all 86336 zip codes were included in the Chamber report when we all know that Red Rock Crossing, Enchantment, Oak Creek Canyon are in the 86336 postal zone and are not in the City of Sedona?

Jennifer declined my free labor offer and also declined to support the in-town businesses as she has a membership organization and is obliged to them.

So after much discussion I formally withdrew my Chamber membership for my personal business. At the same time I withdrew a non-profit’s membership for a group I run. By the way, the Non-Profit Sedona Community Organization, Inc. is a true non-profit and all its Directors, President and CEO are volunteers. No management wages involved here. All money collected goes toward promoting their partners. Building community from the inside out. Which brings up a valid point, just because a group states they are non-profit doesn’t mean that they are not getting paid.

I could go on and on. But won’t. It is time for the Sedona Citizens and Businesses to speak up, get informed. Let everyone know how you feel. Knowledge is power and through that knowledge we grow and create a better tomorrow. I moved to a small town for all the right reasons just as many of you have. Transparency, community, positive small town environment, agreeing to disagree, with honesty and integrity.

Time for Sedona to take care of Sedona City business first, building community from the inside out.

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Donna Joy ~ A retired Entrepeneur, Creator, Business owner, Culinary Artist, Chef & Chief Operating Disruptor. 
♥ Donna Joy

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