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Tag: Blythewood Chamber of Commerce

  • Council reverses vote to fund chamber

    BLYTHEWOOD – Under pressure from former mayor Mike Ross, the Blythewood Town Council voted in a contentious 3-2 decision to approve funding to help pay for the Greater Blythewood Chamber of Commerce’s rent and utilities for the current fiscal year. 

    Voting Monday night to award the Chamber $4,000 from the Town’s accommodation tax (A-Tax) fund were Mayor Bryan Franklin, Councilmen Eddie Baughman and Larry Griffin. Councilmen Donald Brock and Sloan Jarvis Griffin, III voted against.

    It was an about face from the July meeting when council voted 3-2 against the funding.

    At that meeting the Chamber asked for $5,500 to help cover its rent and utilities so it could continue to rent the building it had shared with CPA Susan Smith for the previous year. When the lease was up and Smith moved out earlier this summer, the chamber wanted to retain the entire building so it would have an office large enough to also house, free of charge, Bravo Blythewood, the Artist Guild and the Visitor’s Center which is currently housed at Town Hall.

    Following the July meeting, Ross wrote a scathing email to council members Donald Brock, Sloan Griffin and Larry Griffin, telling them they were “slapping the arts and cultural community in the face” by not funding the chamber’s rental/utility costs. Ross then scoffed at council’s funding of the town’s Doko Film Fest.

    Ross wrote that he would, “do everything…to make the decisions of Mr. Brock, Mr. Sloan Griffin and Mr. Larry Griffin known to every member of these groups and their supporters.”

    Two weeks later, without that funding, the chamber signed the rental lease for the office. Ross then sent a second email to Mayor Pro Tem Eddie Baughman, who had voted in favor of the funding in July, asking him to secure a place on the August agenda for the request. In that email, which was copied to multiple people and obtained by The Voice, Ross again pleaded for funds but for a lesser amount of $4,000.

    “This allows us to secure residency in the old post office building on McNulty Road,” Ross wrote on Aug. 14. However, the chamber had secured the lease weeks prior.

    There was no mention in Ross’ second email as to whether the chamber would still offer free housing for Bravo Blythewood, the artists guild or the visitors center in the chamber offices.

    When Franklin called for approval of Monday night’s agenda, Brock made the motion to remove the funding request from the agenda. The motion failed 2-3, with Brock and Sloan Griffin voting for and Franklin, Baughman and Larry Griffin voting against.

    Franklin explained why he had granted Ross’s request to place the item on Monday night’s agenda.

    “It was my understanding, and the reason I added it to this agenda as requested, was that there were going to be material changes [in the request] that could change the opinions of the voting body,” Franklin said.

    Larry Griffin also inferred that it would take material changes to the request for him to change his vote to approve the funding

    “I’m curious to see what that information is to see if it will be a game changer,” Larry Griffin said. “I want to put that on record and up front before we get started.”

    Chamber Board Chairman Allan George, who presented the chamber’s request, answered Larry Griffin, saying there were no material changes to the funding request except that it was for a lower amount. Both Franklin and Larry Griffin voted to approve the funding.

    Addressing George, Sloan Griffin questioned the chamber’s financial judgement in securing a year’s lease for an office they couldn’t afford.

    “We made a unanimous decision to enter that lease, and we will honor that lease and all our expenses no matter what it takes,” George said. “We’re just asking for some help in doing that. We’re not going to give up on our purpose just because we’re not getting $4,000 dollars from the town, if that’s your question. Are you questioning the decision we made to enter the lease?” George asked.

    “There you go.” Sloan Griffin answered. “You entered into a lease that you could not afford.”

    “That’s not to say we could not [afford it.],” George said.

    “Then why are you here?” Brock asked.

    “We’re asking for help, that’s all.” George said.

    He went on to say that, “Our entire financial picture Is before everyone in this room.”

    “Where are all these financials you say we have before us,” Brock asked. “We’ve seen no financial reports [from the chamber]. The chamber was $20,000 in the red this time last year. How is now any different than last year? You’re asking for a bailout.”

    After giving a lengthy review of the chamber’s failure to maintain financial records of more than $143,000 the town gave the chamber over a three to four-year period that ended in early 2019, George said quietly, “You’ve made your point,” and sat down.

    The chamber has been criticized by the last council for supporting its larger businesses members and members located in Columbia and other counties over the mom and pop, family owned businesses in Blythewood. George told council Monday night about ways the chamber plans to tweak that perception.

    He noted one member benefit the chamber offers is that non-profit vendors are allowed to participate in chamber events without paying the vendor fee that businesses pay.

    “We’re kicking off a marketing campaign that’s a cooperative effort where we can have a half page in the paper for 48 weeks, with 20 people represented in that ad, but paying a small portion of the cost of the ad. That’s a tremendous benefit,” George said.

    “That’s going to be a little bit of administrative expense to us, but that’s something we’re willing to do to help our very small businesses. That’s a great benefit to small businesses that can’t afford to advertise every week,” George said.

    “Joe Bernard, the CEO of Providence Health, a great guy, has agreed to chair a new committee for us called the industry partners committee,” George said. “It invites members of industry to get together to discuss what’s going on in their world.”

    Both Baughman and Franklin praised the chamber.

    “I stand with the chamber,” Franklin said after reading a list of events and organizations the town funds.

    “We fund these events because these are what our values are,” he said.

    Franklin said any business can receive A- and H-Tax funding from the town.

    “If your business wants to come and run an Octoberfest, and ask for A- and H-Tax money, then come and fill out an application and do it,” Franklin said. “This chamber runs more events for this town than any other non-profit.”

    While the town funds the events, Franklin said the town’s funding is not necessary for the events to happen.

    “If we didn’t spend a dime, every one of these events would happen,” he said.

    Following the meeting, Town Administrator Brian Cook clarified that only non-profits can receive A- and H-Tax funds for events, not for-profit businesses.

  • Oktoberfest set for Saturday

    Mountain Top Polka Band will perform at the Oktoberfest in Doko Park on Saturday.

    BLYTHEWOOD – Talk about a German invasion! This weekend will have that and more, much more in Doko park – a mountaintop polka band, an authentic German oompah band, yodeling, cows pooping money and many other fun activities.

    The Blythewood Chamber of Commerce will be hosting a traditional German Oktoberfest, the first festival of its kind in the town. Admission is free.

    The event, set for Saturday, Oct. 5, in Doko Meadows Park, will open at 1 p.m. and continue until 10 p.m.

    There will be live music all day on the Palmetto Citizens Amphitheater stage: Stampede (southern & classic rock) will perform from 1 – 2 p.m.; Ramblin’ Road from 2 – 3 p.m.; the Stuebenville Tootlers from 3 – 5 p.m. and the Mountaintop Polka Band from 7 – 10 p.m.

    Games and activities will include a yodeling contest, traditional German trachten dress contest, balloons, face painting, a photo kiosk and games, games and more games for the kids.

    German cuisine will be plentiful. Food trucks with ice cream, sweets and ‘fair’ food will line the park and two biergarten tents will be open all day.

    An Almabtrieb cow parade through the park will begin at 5 p.m., and the highlight of the day’s festivities will be cow patty bingo from 5 to 7 p.m., in the Farmers Market field next to Town Hall. Raffle prizes include 1st cow patty dropped – $250, 2nd – $500, 3rd – $750 and the grand finale cow patty will earn a lucky ticket holder $1,000.

    Raffle tickets ($5 each) for cow patty bingo and Bavarian beer mugs can be pre-ordered at blythewoodoktoberfest.com or purchased at the event.

    Sponsors for the event are McNulty’s Taproom, Mekra Lang North America, Founders Federal Credit Union, Buck, McDaniels Volkswagon, Constantia Flexibles, JTEKT, Koyo, TOYODA and Watercrest Senior Living Group.

    For more information about the event, contact the Greater Blythewood Chamber of Commerce at 803-403-6769. Or blythewoodoktoberfest.com.

  • New is Better!

    BLYTHEWOOD – The Blythewood Chamber of Commerce and Mayor J. Michael Ross cut the ribbon Wednesday morning for Food Lion’s grand re-opening.

    Store manager Stephanie Hartford welcomed the community and handed out $10 gift cards to customers. The store boasts new checkout stands, more fresh produce, a wing bar and hand battered chicken in the deli.

    Below, Hartford presents the morning’s first customer, Barbara Voyles, with a bouquet of roses.

  • Chamber Scholarship

    BLYTHEWOOD – Greater Blythewood Chamber Interim Director Phil Frye, left, and board member Deborah McCutchan, right, presented Westwood High School graduate Abigail Daniel-Perez a $1,000 scholarship during Tuesday’s monthly Chamber meeting. Abigail, the first in her family to graduate from high school, will be attending the University of South Carolina.

  • Chamber Welcomes Planet Fitness

    COLUMBIA- Greater Blythewood Chamber member Brian Bobenage, center, cuts the ribbon for the grand opening of his Planet Fitness facility at Hardscrabble and Clemson Roads on Tuesday.

    From left: Chamber Board Chair Mark Cunningham, board member Tom Gawinski, Byron Thomas (aid to Representative Joe Wilson), Town Councilman Eddie Baughman, Interim Chamber Director Phil Frye, Bobenage, Adam Bobenage, Chamber board member Trez Boulware, Town Councilman Larry Griffin, Chamber member Ron Perryman, board member Deborah McCutchen and Brad Lewis of Mid-Carolina Credit Union in Blythewood.

  • Frye: Chamber will be transparent

    Meggs: Town Bailout of Chamber is Unlawful

    BLYTHEWOOD – After it was revealed last week that the Greater Blythewood Chamber of Commerce is $22,000 in the red and is currently operating on a $20,000 line of credit, Interim Chamber Director Phil Frye raised eyebrows on Council when he announced the Chamber would no longer request the $17,500 grant from the Town’s general fund that it has requested and received annually for several years.

    “You are down $22,000! How can you not ask [for the grant]?” Mayor J. Michael Ross asked. “You’ve overspent, it looks like, and now you don’t need our money? I guess this is the fiscal responsibility we’ve been talking about over, over and over.”

    Town Attorney Jim Meggs made it clear where Council should be standing on the issue of funding for the Chamber.

    “You’re not a bank,” Meggs said to Ross. “Anything you do with public money has to go to a lawful public purpose. Being a bailout source is not an appropriate public purpose.”

    “But they aren’t asking for the $22,000,” Ross said. “That [grant] is the same thing they’ve been asking for every year.”

    Meggs shrugged, standing by his advice.

    Ed Parler, Council’s liaison with the chamber board, offered his explanation concerning the Chamber’s numbers.

    “The $22,000 is the profit and loss from July 1, 2018 to the projected end of the current fiscal year,” Parler said. “It is not the bank balance. [The Chamber] is anticipating taking a hit of $22,000 from the previous year. We are now operating on a line of credit until the membership dues begin coming in. With sound management, we are working toward a balanced budget.”

    “That’s a big hallelujah,” Ross said, drawing laughter from the audience.

    “The Chamber board voted unanimously against coming to Council for a bailout,” Parler said.

    “My hat’s off to you,” Ross said. “I think you’ll get the confidence of the community back that you have somewhat lost. It’s a great step forward.”

    Councilman Eddie Baughman thanked Frye for providing the Town with the financials.

    “Mike and I have talked. It is what it is and it showed what it showed,” Baughman said. “I appreciate you tightening the boot straps. It shows a lot of character.”

    “The good thing, Phil, is that if we don’t give you any money, you ain’t gotta tell us anything [about your finances],” Ross joked in an apparent reference to the requests The Voice has made for the Chamber’s financials over the past two years.

    Frye said the Chamber did, however, want to request that Council continue to purchase a $2,500 premiere membership with the Chamber, an amount that is in the Town’s proposed budget.

    Frye also asked for $14,000 for the Chamber for a fall fundraiser event. Frye said the Chamber hopes to net $10,000 from the event.

    Frye assured Council that the Chamber would be more transparent with its finances in the future.

    While praising the Chamber’s promise to be financial responsible in the future, no one on Council asked questions about the Chamber’s vague financials from this fiscal year or lack of financials from prior years. According to CPA Bob Massa, formerly both a Council member and member of the Chamber board, the financial documents submitted last week and last year by the Chamber are vague and do not show with any clarity as to where some of the money that came into the Chamber ended up.

    “Those financial records absolutely can’t be followed with any accuracy,” Massa said. “It’s anybody’s guess what was going on. They apparently kept no books on the chamber until someone started asking for them last year. And Mr. Switzer is apparently no longer available to comment on those financials. It’s hard to follow.”

  • Chamber financials $22K in the red

    Council To Discuss Chamber Finances at Thursday Night’s Budget Workshop

    BLYTHEWOOD – The Greater Blythewood Chamber of Commerce’s budget and other documents reveal the Chamber is in financial trouble and has been for a while. Those documents were obtained by The Voice on Tuesday.

    Now in the red by $22,000, the 183-member organization is taking steps to dig its way out – moving to a less expensive location and taking out a line of credit for $20,000 as it adjusts to not receiving the lucrative financial support previously provided by the town government.

    Executive Director Mike Switzer resigned his position two weeks ago, and Interim Director Phil Frye said office manager Kitty Kelly has submitted her resignation as well, effective July 1. Chairman of the Chamber’s Board, Matt Cunningham, said in an email to members that Switzer is leaving his post with the Chamber in order to dedicate more time to one of his business ventures.

    Several Board members have confirmed to The Voice that the Board voted unanimously last week to give up their office in McNulty Plaza and are searching for less expensive office space in the town. According to records, the Chamber has been paying $23,500 annually for rent to Mayor J. Michael Ross and his business partner who own Blythewood Professionals.

    During the current fiscal year, the chamber received approximately $44,000 from the Town’s general fund and accommodation tax fund as well as additional funding for any events organized by the chamber. Council also approved $14,000 in Hospitality Tax revenue for a Chamber fundraiser to be held next fall. According to the request, the Chamber expects a total net profit of $21,125.12.

    Frye said the organization remains intact.

    The changes during the last couple of weeks have come as the deadline approached for the Chamber to turn over its financials for Council’s review prior to Thursday’s budget workshop. Mayor Pro Tem Eddie Baughman said Council will discuss those financials during the workshop on Thursday, May 23. The third and final vote on the budget is set for the regular council meeting on Tuesday, May 28.

    The financials were presented to Council members via email on Tuesday and include the Chamber’s budget for the current fiscal year ending June, 2019, a profit and loss detail and expense detail for the former Visitor Center from July – December, 2018.

    The Voice obtained the documents through a Freedom of Information request and reviewed them with Certified Public Account Bob Massa, a former Town Council member and former member of the Chamber board.

    While the Chamber had a total income of $88,587.13 (as of May 13) for fiscal year 2019, that amount was surpassed by total expenditures of $110,865.81, leaving a deficit of $22,278.68 for the year.

    A Chamber source said the Chamber will not be requesting any funds from Council for this budget year but hopes to receive some funding from Council in the form of sponsorships for various Chamber events throughout the year.

  • Switzer resigns chamber post

    BLYTHEWOOD – In what it called a leadership transition, the board of directors of the Greater Blythewood Chamber of Commerce announced Friday that executive director Mike Switzer has resigned his post with the Chamber.

    Switzer has served as the Chamber’s executive director since 2014. During his tenure he has expanded the Chamber’s membership and programming, Chamber board chair Matt Cunningham said in an email to Chamber members.

    “I am proud to have led the Chamber during this period of tremendous growth,” Switzer was quoted in the email. “I am grateful for the many businesses who have joined the Chamber and for all who have given of their time and talents to help the Chamber and our community grow and prosper.”

    While the Chamber has grown from 20 or so members to 187 under Switzer’s leadership in the last five years, much of that growth has come from businesses outside the town. Switzer has come under increasing public criticism from Mayor J. Michael Ross and some of the town’s businesses for focusing on bringing in large out of town businesses instead of focusing on bringing prosperity to what Ross calls the town’s mom and pop businesses.

    The Chamber’s financials have been a target of investigation by The Voice newspaper for almost two years.

    Last month, almost a year after the Chamber was unable to produce a credible set of books to Town Hall for the previous budget year, the Chamber’s board chairman-elect Phil Frye told Council last month that the Chamber still does not have a working budget or even a draft budget to present to Council.

    In May, 2018, after an investigation by The Voice of the Chamber’s financials, Council called for the Chamber, which is funded primarily by the Town, to turn over its complete financial records by June 12, 2018. Copies of those documents were subsequently provided to The Voice by town government officials.

    After being asked by The Voice to review the documents, CPA and former Town Councilman Bob Massa concluded the submitted financials were “confusing, lacking in detail and sometimes impossible to follow and understand.”

    Massa said records submitted by the Chamber indicated that $18,500 provided to the Chamber by the Town Council to fund a Visitor Center was more likely used to help pay the Chamber’s operating expenses, and that the Visitor Center served as little more than a pass-through for those funds to the Chamber.

    On June 25, 2018, council voted unanimously to stop funding the Visitor Center after Dec. 31, 2018.

    Financial records submitted to the town government at FY 2017-18 year end were also lacking in details for thousands of dollars the Chamber received from the town, t-shirt sales, sponsorships and other sources for events including the Big Grab and the Eclipse.

    Still, in February, 2019, Town Council voted to award another $14,000 of Hospitality Tax revenue to the Chamber for a fundraiser for itself.

    In an application requesting the funding, Sarah Ballard, an event manager hired for the event – a Bavarian Oktoberfest – noted that it was being held to raise funds for the Greater Blythewood Chamber of Commerce, and that it will also provide an opportunity for residents of Blythewood and the surrounding areas to build community and learn about Bavarian culture.

    The request said the total project cost would be $37,394 and would be partially funded by the proceeds from food, merchandise and beer sales ($14,500), cow paddy bingo ($18,450) and sponsorships ($10,000) plus $1,520 in in-kind services.

    According to the request, the Chamber expects a total net profit of $21,125.12.

    The Town has also funded the Chamber with a grant each year to cover operating expenses. Last year, the grant was for $19,500. According to the agenda of the April, 2019 Council meeting, the Chamber is expected to ask Council for $20,500 for the upcoming budget – $17,000 for an economic development work subsidy (previously called a grant by town officials) and $3,500 for an ‘elite partner’ annual membership for the Town government at the Premier Level.

    Since last summer, Ross has partially, though not officially, recused himself from discussions/voting on Chamber funding since he and a business partner are the Chamber’s landlords for the space the Chamber rents in McNulty Plaza in downtown Blythewood.

    In the announcement on Friday of Switzer’s resignation, Cunningham said Switzer is leaving his post with the Chamber in order to dedicate more time to one of his business ventures.

    The board has appointed Phil Frye to serve as interim manager, effective immediately. Frye is managing director of Pee Dee Enterprises, Ltd. and is the former chair-elect of the Chamber board. He received the Chamber’s community service volunteer of the year award at its gala in December.

  • Chamber financials still in disarray

    BLYTHEWOOD – Almost a year after the Blythewood Chamber Commerce was not able to produce a credible set of books to Town Hall for the previous budget year, the Chamber’s Board Chairman Phil Fry told Council Monday evening that it still does not have a working budget, or even a draft budget, to present to Council.

    The occasion was an aborted attempt by the Chamber’s Executive Director Mike Switzer (as listed in the agenda) to request $20,500 from the Town’s FY 19/20 budget – $17,000 for an economic development work subsidy (previously called a grant by town officials) and $3,500 for an ‘elite partner’ annual membership for the Town at the Premier Level.

    Standing in for Switzer, the Chamber’s Chairman-elect Phil Frye asked council to withdraw a funding request that appeared on the agenda.

    “The chamber is making its internal budget cycle (inaudible)…we’re in the process of (inaudible),” Frye said. “We feel it is premature to make any further request of council at this time. Therefore, I respectfully request discussion be deferred to a later date, for the chamber to present any and all requests for discussion during the council’s budget workshops on May 9 and May 23.”

    Mayor J. Michael Ross, who is co-landlord of the McNulty Plaza offices rented by the Chamber, did not participate in the Chamber discussions. Mayor Pro Tem Eddie Baughman conducted the discussion.

    “Do you have a working budget at this time?” Baughman asked, then answered, “You said you do not. You do not have even a draft of your budget? We want to see a hard copy of your budget and how the funds requested by the chamber are spent,” Baughman said. ”We’ve asked for financials [in the past] and haven’t gotten them. We would like to see some monthly financials from the Chamber.”

    Baughman also asked about a business [The Guilded Iris] that the Chamber is now subletting a portion of its offices to.

    “Now that you have a business operating in your Chamber space, how is that going to affect your budget and your request as you’ll be receiving rental income from the business operating inside the Chamber,” Baughman asked. “And will you be expanding the business’ space and decreasing the space used by the Chamber?” Baughman asked.

    “You should be transparent,” Baughman continued. “I think the public has a right to know how public money is being spent. I don’t know how much rent you pay or the percent [of your rent] that the Guilded Iris pays you for rent. How will that affect your upcoming budget request and your year-to-year budget?”

    “When we come back for the budget [work sessions], these are some of the things I’d like to see,” Baughman told Frye. “The Town’s budget is transparent. We share our financials with the public monthly, and we expect to hear from you [Chamber] monthly.”

    In May 2018, after an investigation by The Voice of the Chamber’s financials, Council called for the chamber to turn over its complete financial records by June 12. Copies of those documents were subsequently provided to The Voice by two different town officials. After reviewing the documents, CPA and former Town Councilman Bob Massa concluded the submitted financials were “confusing, lacking in detail and sometimes impossible to follow and understand.”

    On June 25, 2018, with no further submission by the Chamber of credible financials, council voted to stop funding the visitor center after Dec. 31. However, that vote also continued full funding ($9,250 for six months) of the visitor center through Dec. 31.

    During that meeting there was no specific criticism of the chamber’s financial records by council and council did not set forth any clear expectations for how the chamber was to spend the $9,250.

    There was no mention of the chamber’s announcement that it would be increasing the amount it was charging the visitor center for the chamber’s operating costs. Even though the visitor center was fully funded for the first half of the budget year, Switzer announced in a letter to members in September that the visitor center hours were being cut back.

    In voting to continue to fund the Chamber through Dec. 31, Councilman Eddie Baughman said he “wanted to be fair to the chamber,” and not pull the rug out from under them. There was a suggestion, as in the past, that no more funding would be provided unless the Chamber provided council with complete financial records of how the funding was used.

    When the question of the Chamber’s finances came up during Council’s retreat last month, Councilman Bryan Franklin defended the Chamber saying its books were being audited by the same auditor the town uses – Love Bailey.

    “As soon as that audit is completed, they are going to present it to the board based on the conversation we had before when we found out there were some issues with their internal auditing,” Franklin told Council. “So they have agreed to do an audit with our town auditor.”

    When asked about the audit, Ed Parler, Council’s liaison with the Chamber, however, told Council there was no audit, but that Love Bailey had ‘reviewed’ the chamber’s books.

    Neither Parler nor Town Hall have been able to provide The Voice with any of the Chamber’s monthly financial statements since June 2018.

    At Monday night’s meeting, Frye told The Voice that while no financial statements have been produced by the Chamber since last June, the chamber is working with a CPA to prepare them.

  • Chamber finances still in question

    Parler: There Was No Audit, Just a Review of Financial Statements

    BLYTHEWOOD – Former Blythewood Town Councilman Tom Utroska picked a scab at the Council retreat on Saturday when he suggested Council has never resolved its questionable financial relationship with the Greater Blythewood Chamber of Commerce.

    “I continue to harp on the Town’s fiduciary responsibility regarding the GBAC,” Utroska said. “My concern about the Octoberfest is that you are giving them [Chamber] $14,000, and they are going to make a $21,000 profit…16-18 months ago we required that the Chamber give [council] an accountable audit of their finances before you would give them any more money. In fact,” Utroska said, “you stopped giving them money for the Visitor Center. According to a former Town Council member, CPA Bob Massa, the Chamber gave you a bunch of numbers but didn’t give you anything to prove those numbers. Before the Town gives the Chamber more money, I’d like to see us have an audit [of the chamber]. I’d like to understand that what they say they’re spending is what’s actually happening.”

    For openers, Utroska criticized council for allowing the chamber to spend event advertising money provided by council on two of three newspapers, leaving out The Voice which he said is the one of the three that is a town business.

    “Don’t leave out someone that you’re supposed to be representing – a town business,” Utroska added. “The Council has done a good job with the Town’s finances. But I am concerned that you are not fulfilling your fiduciary responsibility [regarding the chamber.] I think you’re setting yourself up to be criticized more in the future.”

    Councilman Bryan Franklin defended the chamber saying it is having its books audited by the same auditor the town uses – Love Bailey.

    “As soon as that audit is completed, they are going to present it to the board based on the conversation we had before when we found out there were some issues with their internal auditing,” Franklin told Council. “So they have agreed to do an audit with our town auditor.”

    “Is there an actual audit that’s been done? That’s been completed on [the chamber’s] last year’s finances?” Mayor J. Michael Ross asked the Town’s Economic Development consultant Ed Parler, who also serves on the Chamber board as a liaison with town council.

    “As far as an audit that goes into depth – a management audit – no. It’s just purely on financial statements. We’ve been told that an organization the size of the Chamber really doesn’t need a certified financial audit, that their statements are accurate and are being independently reviewed by [Love Bailey].”

    Ross asked chamber board secretary Mark Cruise, seated in the audience, for a copy of that review.

    “We submitted a copy of that review with a final report on the A-tax Visitor Center funding at the year end and the numbers matched up,” Cruise said. “We made sure that Mr. Bailey’s review matched up independently with the chamber’s financials and they did.”

    Cruise went on to say that the reports are on the chamber’s website. A review of those reports by The Voice, however, revealed that the year-end report submitted to council in June, 2018 for the Visitor Center (and which is not posted on the website) does not match the financial review on the website produced by Love Bailey.

    According to a 2018 ruling by the S.C. Supreme Court, Chambers of Commerce in South Carolina are now only required to disclose financial information to the funding government which, in this case, would be the Blythewood Town Council.

    Both Parler and Town Hall have been unable to provide The Voice with the Chamber’s monthly financial statements since June, 2018, but Ross said he would be happy to meet with The Voice, Cruise and Parler to discuss the Chamber’s financials.

    In response to Utroska’s criticism of council voting unanimously to award the Chamber $14,000 for a fundraiser that is expected to raise $21,000 to benefit the Chamber, Ross explained council’s actions as, perhaps, a rushed decision.

    “We got that 48 hours before our meeting,” Ross said. “We sat up here looking at that for the first time and they needed approval for some of the vendors, performers, etc. and I think we rushed through that. But it’s [the event] not until 2019-20 budget approval, so we may have to revisit that.

    “For an organization to have a $21,000 profit, that’s great, but maybe they don’t need the money,” Ross said.

    “I wish the Chamber had gotten inside the true town center district, the businesses in town that should be the real nucleus of support,” Ross said. “I see new members being the United Way of the Midlands. But I still charge the Chamber to somehow be a voice for businesses in Blythewood…to reach out to the mom and pop businesses that really do make up Blythewood.”