The Niagara Falls City Council authorized a resolution in support of the creation of a new chamber of commerce in Niagara Falls, which has been initiated by a group led by Frank Croisdale.
But while the council’s resolution read that the city’s 400 businesses “deserve strong support and representation,” not everyone thinks the city needs another promotional arm.
In fact, Candace Corsaro, who heads the Hyde Park Business Association, said on the Soapbox with Craig Avery that it sounds like another group will simply increase the cost of doing business in Niagara Falls. She wasn’t alone.
A number of business association leaders stopped on March 21 at the Niagara Hub as the new chamber of commerce’s steering committee members met for the first time with Niagara USA officials and board member Ron Anderluh at Niagara Hub, 630 Main St.
Also present were representatives of the Downtown Business association and the Main Street Business Association.
The purpose of that meeting was to introduce the concept of the Niagara Falls chamber to the parties present. All agreed that some of the services offered by the new chamber were unique, such as web site design (at a cost to members), but others were redundant (health care benefits).
That’s when Avery offered up air time to each of the business associations on his Soapbox show, with each organization given a forum to discuss the services offered and their feelings related to the introduction of a new chamber of commerce.
Rick Crogan of Main Street Business Association said in his interview:
Did anyone on the City Council actually talk to any of these community leaders before they made their decision? They speak for the business associations in the resolution, but from what we have read and heard (on this very site) the business associations do not support this “chamber”. Did any of them contact the Niagara USA Chamber of Commerce to ask any questions regarding thier work in Niagara Falls, or do any of their homework comparing health insurance costs available to businesses before voting on this resolution? Who presented this resolution to the Council? The council has already cut the funding for the revitalization coordinators and now this. This council is just supporting more division and insulation. If these council people were truly concerned about the small businesses in Niagara Falls they would be doing more to clean up the city, curb crime, and actually work together with elected leaders to move the city forward.