Chamber planning October trip to Cincinnati

[peestandingup]

I agree that at this point they should cut the trips & focus on getting stuff done at home. One or two things implemented (from likely dozens of trips) seems like kind of a waste. I mean, I could see if they were going to these places for specific purposes, like to seriously study Cincy's rail system (after deciding to do one here) or their food truck implementation, but what exactly are they expecting to find out that they don't already know (or couldn't make a phone call about)?

Jax needs more action & less talking.

[Bativac]

How many trips are these idiots going to take and what exactly are they getting out of them besides a free trip? Will perhaps another study or paper be published? More talk about what Jacksonville may need to consider? Followed by more inaction and perhaps the destruction of a few more historic buildings?

I wonder if they've implemented anything in Jax from any of these trips, like ever? I'd also like to know the cost to send these do-nothings on annual trips like this.

The civic council idea was something they brought from Kansas City

Thank you, Stephen.

Anyone calling these people idiots or complaining about the lack of results is very uninformed.  The new Downtown Investment Authority is a direct result of their trip to San Diego. 

Personally, I'm proud to have a group of civic leaders that are concerned enough with our town to visit other municipalities to see where we can learn/improve.  I PROMISE YOU, NONE OF THEM ARE GOING FOR A WEEKEND GETAWAY, they are all family men/women who make additional time for their passion(our city).

Yeah maybe idiots was harsh. It just seems like there are trips after trips and studies after studies, and our downtown has nothing to show for it besides a new roundabout on Laura St, a few bars, and a centrally-located park that the city is seriously considering stripping down to a bare patch.

I just don't see the need to continue to visit other cities. Not when there are obvious things they could be doing (not making it difficult to run a food truck downtown for example) that would improve things.

But I'm just some guy who lives here. Far from an expert.

[tufsu1]

I applaud their passion and interest, but why visit yet another city, when they have been to a couple dozen already?  Why not retreat to a local location like the Hyatt (and keep the money in the local economy) and reflect on what to do to IMPLEMENT the things they learned in San Diego, Kansas City and the multitude of other cities?

I think many of them would say they do this already

[Ocklawaha]

How many trips are these idiots going to take and what exactly are they getting out of them besides a free trip? Will perhaps another study or paper be published? More talk about what Jacksonville may need to consider? Followed by more inaction and perhaps the destruction of a few more historic buildings?

I wonder if they've implemented anything in Jax from any of these trips, like ever? I'd also like to know the cost to send these do-nothings on annual trips like this.

No, they've never implemented anything. Jacksonville politicians do whatever they can do get away from here and that's why they take these trips! They hate Jacksonville! They use taxpayers' money to take these nice trips, come back and talk about how nice their city was, and not do anything about their own city! Nothing will result from this, watch! Nothing ever results! How can a city possess such a mentality? Why will nothing ever get done? I'm sick of it!

Seems to me as if there is a great deal of confusion over who, or what the Chamber of Commerce is. Nationwide these are local business people bound together to improve the business climate, push for favorable laws, assist each other through networking, and introducing new business to the community. The C of C is not a division of the city government and while there might be some politician-business owners in the chamber, the chamber doesn't operate on the whims of politicians.

OCKLAWAHA

[Bativac]

You're right, Ock, I didn't read it closely enough. Of course these guys can take as many trips as they want. God bless them in their travels.

Still, this is the scenario I imagine:

GUY #1: ...So, any ideas on how to improve downtown?
GUY #2: Uh... I heard they're gonna take the chairs and some of the trees out of Hemming Plaza...
GUY #3: Are there sumore buildings maybe the city could tear down?
GUY #4: I think we did a pretty good job making sure nobody starts any food truck businesses down there. That's something, right?
GUY #1: ...Anymore ideas?
GUY #2: I only got ONE idea... ROAD TRIP!!!

And then the press release follows: "We learned many important ideas on this trip and have formed a committee to review our study and compose a position paper which will present best practices going forward."

[vicupstate]

I applaud their passion and interest, but why visit yet another city, when they have been to a couple dozen already?  Why not retreat to a local location like the Hyatt (and keep the money in the local economy) and reflect on what to do to IMPLEMENT the things they learned in San Diego, Kansas City and the multitude of other cities?

I think many of them would say they do this already

If so, then what do they have to show for it?

And there will be numerous city officials and staffers taking this trip, if it is like the previous ones. 

[mtraininjax]

You folks are being really hard on our local Chamber of Commerce. Come on, you know when they went to China they brought home new trade routes to the orient, or maybe those trade routes were in the form of new currency into the pockets of Jerry Mallot and Wally Lee. These 2 lightening rods have been at the top of the CofC for many years now, and the vision of the chamber is really their own. They pull the levers behind the curtain, if you want a better Chamber, get some new blood.

The Cincy trip is a way for Mallot and Lee to line their pockets, on the annual junket. For everyone who hates the establishment and Good 'Ol Boy network, the Chamber is the ultimate Good Ol Boy network. You want to fix downtown, clean house at the chamber and start over with people focused on fixing downtown, instead of fixing their pockets.

[Anti redneck]

Brown should tell them, no trip until we get more downtown activity going. That'll kick the Chamber into fifth gear!

[peestandingup]

I'd love to be a fly on the wall during these trips, see where they go, listen in on conversations, etc. I bet its the biggest bunch of bullshit you ever heard.

[Ralph W]

I'd love to be a fly on the wall during these trips, see where they go, listen in on conversations, etc. I bet its the biggest bunch of bullshit you ever heard.

So pony up the membership fee, get on the bus, Gus and report back what the fly sees and hears.

[tufsu1]

^ exactly!

[vicupstate]

32nd annual event... 32 trips and what has resulted from any of them? This is more like "Hey let's take a field trip to Cincinnati to hang out."

Maybe the next JCCI study should be 'Lessons Learned, and Projects Implemented from Chamber Trips'  In all seriousness, the Chamber itself should want to know that. 

[Bativac]

I'd love to be a fly on the wall during these trips, see where they go, listen in on conversations, etc. I bet its the biggest bunch of bullshit you ever heard.

So pony up the membership fee, get on the bus, Gus and report back what the fly sees and hears.

Unrelated to the Chamber's vacation plans but - how do you joing the Chamber? I've been on their website a few times and I can't find anywhere on there how a small business owner joins. Is it an invitation only type of thing?

[tufsu1]

Maybe the next JCCI study should be 'Lessons Learned, and Projects Implemented from Chamber Trips'  In all seriousness, the Chamber itself should want to know that. 

JCCI is currently developing ideas for studies over the next year....this might be a worthy idea

[cline]

Call and ask.  I'm fairly positive all you have to do is cut them a check.