Current Watch: "The price paid to have the Glenwood Springs Chamber Resort Assoc. as our tourism marketing vendor"

‘glenwoodsprings22’, founder ‘smalltown7’ has this one today.

“Coming up on July 14, the new tourism board under Ordinance #12 Series of 2010, chooses the 2012—2013 tourism marketing vendor.

Hill Aevium, who created our logo brand of “Soak it all in” and gave us the baseline for what we’ve marketed Glenwood as for over 6 yrs. now, is one of two bids left standing.

Don’t be fooled by the spin-off of city council.  Don’t be fooled by the ‘Tourism Lions’ that have a vested interest in not awarding anyone but GSCRA.  There were other bidders.  One of them didn’t quite get in under the time-gun.  Unlike the blatant bending of ethical rules when city council let GSCRA board member and ‘Tourism Lion’ Ken Murphy shove Jon Z. out of the tourism board seat earlier this year; council, tourism board and Kate Collins decided to not give that firm the benefit of doubt.  That’s their power to do. I’m just not letting the double standard get lost in the spin-machine shuffle. Count on it that double standard is going to play over and over on the commentary if Hill Aevium is not awarded.   

The obvious point is that we don’t really have rules in 81601.  We have whatever a few who get away with it let us have.

There was also a firm that had to back out due to a conflict of interest.  No, it wasn't GSCRA, who has raging conflicts of interest.

All in all, there were 4 out of 5 possible that left us with just Hill Aevium and the Glenwood Springs Chamber Resort Assoc.

smalltown7 and  the dozens of businesses out here in the shadows support Hill Aevium.

Here’s why:

• We’ve been in the tank for three years. Every resort around us has proven for two of those three years that it is not “because of the recession”.  That makes 81601 circling the drain for half of the six years we’ve been marketing under “Soak it all in”.

• It’s so in the tank, we’re still over 60% down.  Millions of dollars down is what that translates out to.  Our hotels haven’t been overflowing and turning away for years.  Most nights, there’s no light on in the bulk of their buildings.  Our restaurants rely on a couple good nights a week and can’t rely on boom nights, if they come, they’re a bonus.  Our retail is so down we’ve still got empty buildings everywhere and not just downtown.  They can’t stock their stores.  They’ve got weeks where they only make a few sales. In fact, because of hyped-up numbers out of GSCRA vendor for all of those 6 years of this brand, we’ve never even seen reality in comparisons between sales revenues and lodging revenues.  We have no idea how it’s all really measured up.  Forget construction in 81601. The only given that’s building is the money we don’t have, being burned by city council for trails, repairs that could wait and added infrastructure.  In the case of concrete on  Grand Ave and the WWP, they gave that away to out of town contractors.  Our hungry have grown 4 times what they were three years ago.  We have families living in cars.  We have young professionals that cannot afford rent.  Even our grocery stores are not stocked like they were.  We’ve now had 3 Strawberry Days in a row that are down by 30% to 50% what they used to be. And still don’t have a clue where that civic event money is disappearing off to.  Christmas shopping’s been on its knees for the past three years.  Biggest snow year in recent history and they went to Vail or Aspen.  Vail Resorts has never dropped during the recession.  They’ve posted a $35 million dollar profit this past year, booming in events year round.  Aspen dropped, then held steady with small growth.  This year, even under major scandal, Aspen still saw an increase.  The only town in the area that’s almost as bad as we are is Basalt.  No comparison there when you look at the towns and what they offer.

• We don’t need ladies sitting at computer keywords playing on social networks or pumping out viral marketing advertising.  We don’t need regurgitated gimmicks.  We did get, from GSCRA, an internet full of scandal with a bragging and boasting top employee in GSCRA linking our city website to her Google Blogger profile she used to become a self-declared vigilante. Then, beating all the odds and finding hundreds more social networks to glorify herself on while allegedly committing crime. Every one of them attaches our city website to them in links.   When anyone breaks off from the canned PR out of GSCRA and the City of Glenwood Springs and surfs through blogs, real news media and comments all over the nation on all search engines, they find 81601 so slammed with talking heads spouting off on the low ethics and how bad our downfall is; most of us don’t see how we’ll ever recover.  We did get all that out of GSCRA’s past two years of marketing efforts.  And they wonder why we’re still in the tank.

• The only way to get out, is to clean house and stand up for accountability.  Tell the truth.  We need a marketing firm that will deal with our reality.  Not the Pollyanna view from rose-colored glasses that does exist.  The RFP for this contract bid did not even have the guts to tell the bidders (except the chamber that knows) what our reality is.  ‘smalltown7’ sent the links to Hill Aevium so that they could at least have a level playing field and so the folks could stand a chance with what will be close to a million bucks of public money awarded over two years.

• We need a marketing firm that will build us a future while maintaining what we have without losing any more ground.  We need a legitimate firm that has integrity, ethics, values and standards.  That if they were faced with either doing a cover-up or what’s in the best interests of the folks they ultimately service, they would choose the folks.  That firm is not the Glenwood Springs Chamber Resort Assoc. 

Here’s where reality is on the problem of GSCRA:

• There is an investigation.  Your city council and D.A. (9^th Judicial elected with likely a re-up attempt coming up in 2012, be sure to vote) have just kept it swept under the rug and that rug shoved in the basement cellar closet under triple deadbolt.

• That investigation has gone so far there’s admission by those authorities that victims have tort power.  The problem there is not that major action against all parties is coming.  That’s a really big problem.  But the real problem 81601 faces is how long that is going to take.  We’re looking at minimum of a year on one part of that mess in the system and likely another year for a total of two plus before it all resolves. That’s the entire life of the next marketing contract award.  So far, our gutless local news media has burned every credibility and ethical bridge they could ever hope to have in not reporting.   Since when have you ever heard of stalkarazzi style reporters who didn’t jump on fresh blood no matter whose it is?  That tide on raw meat is getting ready to turn.  Finally the real whistle is opening her mouth to speak up on the other side of the story. All those linked to city glorifications of that one person at the chamber are likely to be as historic as the sinking of the Titanic.  Remember that when certain members of city council, who attached us to that kite-tail going down come up for re-elect over the next two years.  Remember that when city admin contracts come up again in 2013.  The only reason we’re still headed for the iceberg is thanks to their failed stewardship to the oaths they took.  

• There’s also the reality of the problem that thanks to the super-fine viral marketing efforts of one individual at GSCRA; that turned tide is going to rage through the stratosphere of 24/7 news.  It wasn’t enough for our council, city admin and D.A. to force a community to kow-tow to ‘VirgZilla’ and her will.  The folks, thanks to our city and district attorney blessing Marianne Virgili to the point of ignoring crime, are now forced to stay on their knees while everything surrounding our integrity as a community is questioned.  We cannot financially handle, as a community, another day of being attached to the mass liability the Glenwood Springs Chamber Resort Assoc. represents.

The city rolls out financial records for 2010 this upcoming council meeting tomorrow night. 

Read those and see how poorly the decision making over the past year alone has been.  When financials for a number of years are held up to us not even being able to collect money we know has ‘slipped’ through the cracks of the accommodations tax and Strawberry Days; it’s not an option any longer to just have wishful thinking  over whether or not we get fireworks.  The barn’s ready to burn, folks.  It’s been empty for a long time.

Here’s what a nationally known figure in the construction industry had to say when he turned down area contractors awhile back for bringing his event to 81601:

“For me to schedule my event in Glenwood is to say I support the community leaders and their choices. After watching with you the city council meeting’s videos that declare a nearly undying devotion to an organization that has not only authorized its President and CEO to engage in unlawful activity that also is vigilante activity, but has blessed and publically supported that activity and years of allegations of crime with city money;  I am appalled. That they have allowed this to happen in the middle of the worst construction recession in history and with your sinking sales revenues tells me they have no control. The devotion to the chamber of commerce when they cannot keep their own house in order over this public tax also tells me it would be an uphill climb to get these officials even in the ball park of normal business.  They strike me as bent on personal games and social gain rather than stewards. That they would allow the obvious at the same time they’re making constrictions on construction even tighter is also a sign that they do not care for pro-growth.  If I could even get past the wondering if your authorities have lost their collective mind, I still have my own standard of ethics in responsibility for what we’re trying to bring together here to get past. Glenwood Springs and Garfield County have some of the least friendly to construction ordinances in the state.  How can we go before a BOCC and council that lack the foresight to even police their ethical standard to their community?  No, I am sorry, but we must decline.”  

smalltown7 keeps talking.

Current Watch: City of Glenwood Springs City Council "Spell it out"

This post is brought by 'gws44' on behalf of 'smalltown7'.

Buzz, spin, twisted play on words to meet individual spin machine goals brings to our attention continued complaints re: our lack of clarity.

'What do they want?'

Let's go over what remains  to be answered by council:

1.  Never once has the public been made aware of the results of a forensic audit (not the calculator tape run from 2005) on the funds feeding into the tourism marketing contract. Yet, years upon years worth of concerns and discrepancies have been not only voiced by the public, those concerns show up in dozens of city council meeting minutes and taped video recordings of council meetings.

Request:   Publically disclose all the results, from all audits, including forensic strength from third party, on all funds feeding into the tourism marketing contract since it's inception.

2.   It's public record the battle that took 14 years minimum to get done with Ordinance #12 Series of 2010.  Now that it's here, there are 3 sitting chamber directors on the new tourism board.  The secretary taking minutes is a chamber employee.  The chamber's CEO sits meetings at her discretion and the board's.  That makes 5 out of 11 people present who have a vested interest in the accommodations tax.  As defined by the city attorney in a recent council meeting:   "Jan Shute explained the Conflict of Interest statute deals with not only financial interests, but whether there is an interest that would cause a person not to make an objective decision. That’s a personal decision question."

With all the public record history of the tug-of-war with the chamber over the marketing contract for the past 14 years (or more) and the ethical propriety concerns of a non-profit in a position of trust repeatedly skating under the public eye radar on serious allegations; the new tourism board should hold only one chamber representative seat.

The issue of abysmal performance for 3 years and refusal to publically disclose answers to legitimate public questions, such as Strawberry Days has severely undermined the trust needed for someone in a position to hold one of the most important marketing functions we have.

Request:  This is a public RFP that nowhere on city website does it state fair and equitable coverage of inside information to all bidders. 

There are very clear statutes in place regarding conflicts of interest. 

Disqualify the chamber's current bid until all questions over forensic auditing, current investigations, current contract performance and Strawberry Days contractual arrangements are publically answered.

3.  Ethical propriety.  Publically taped evasion by council to address ethical propriety and public unrest has now been ongoing for over two years.  With the ending now confirmed as legal liability for the city and others.

Request:  The city needs to publically address exactly why we have been put in this position. 

Then stay on top of every concern in a public, forthcoming manner until all matters are cleaned up. 

The city needs to issue city controlled, not local reporter controlled press releases that publically clear up the entire decades old problem that have created all ethical impropriety.

smalltown7 keeps talking.

Current Watch: City of Glenwood Springs oversight of tourism promotion within 81601"

This post is brought to you as a group compilation from 'smalltown7' and posted by 'gws44'.

As a group we make the public statement that we had hoped the passing of a little time would see the end of the few remaining issues surrounding current and past use of public funds by GSCRA.

Not only does that seem to not be happening, public awareness now holds serious concerns over conflicts of interest that effect fair process in the tourism RFP, still no control over the funds surrounding Strawberry Days and no answers to the citizens on the legal concerns surrounding public monies.

The highly effective medium of this blog seems to be the answer once again in getting voices heard.  Now that confirmation holds the innocent in this scandal are safely tucked aside, we can return to the cause we began in 2003.

Which is the full securing of past, present and future aaccommodations tax revenues within 81601.

This post is a summary of where we are in that battle:


"The standard response from elected officials and city administration anytime the subject of any question raised about the current and past handling of public funds or public events by the Glenwood Springs Chamber Resort Assoc. is that they believe the chamber does an excellent job and has their full support.

To say that answer is an evasion of the question(s) is unnecessary.

Anyone can see that it is not only an evasion, it's a deliberate spread of disinformation by omission.

Anytime a question of concern by taxpaying citizens is not only avoided but deliberately steered in another direction, the only conclusion that can be drawn is that something is being kept hidden.

If the problems and concerns were fresh, new and few then maybe some understanding of officials possibly wanting to not tarnish their city could be found.

But in the case of 81601 the diversion and aversion has run rampant and unchecked for literally decades.

Where exactly do the citizens of Glenwood Springs stand now?

Let's take a look:

• A quick review of this blog shows that not without a great deal of passive aggressive manipulation by the Chamber and its Board of Directors, 81601 now has a strong Tourism Board in place that is under the control of the city.  Also in place is a first ever competitive bid process for the tourism promotion contract, starting with the 2012 award.  What is very important to note are the subtle manipulations in the background and throughout 81601 to try to undermine this good work.  The people see it, they know it, but yet the behavior remains tolerated by our sitting officials.  There is some hope that our new council members will finally get their legs under them and begin to objectively look at what is ultimately best for 81601 when it comes to tourism, events and city functions that draw revenue into our community and meld all factions into a working unit rather than under the umbrella of a unilateral determination of direction.

Let's take a look at the loose ends surrounding those two big changes.  All of which are not minor, but rather are major thorns in progressive movement for 81601:

*  The allowing of a bidding vendor, in the Chamber Resort Assoc. to hold a monopoly of seats on the new Tourism Board.  The people still state that this is not a popularity contest nor is the rationale that just about everyone on the Tourism Board is a chamber member.  This conflict is directed at any sitting Tourism Board member that is also a sitting director on the chamber board.  There are at least three in Peter Tijm, Ken Murphy and Carl Moak.  The solution is simple.  All should have abstained from any input whatsoever on the RFP, any input whatsoever on selecting who can and cannot bid and certainly abstain from any voting.  We can see in our own city council that even the slightest hint of conflict of interest and councilmen abstain.  Actually leaving the chambers during discussion. 

*  While on the topic of conflicts and special privilege granted to certain members, the question of whether or not Ken Murphy's application to re-up his seat was done in a legitimate manner or should Jon Zalinski actually be sitting that seat needs to be answered by council.

*  The  tourism board, because it is a public funds accountable board, should have minutes and taped meetings available for public view instead of kept under lock and key with the city clerk.  

The point to these questions is that our board needs to be held to legitimate standards, not selective and preferred by some standards.

What is our call on these points? 

Publicly announce what has been done to date on the issue of conflicts and if the answer is nothing, then GSCRA should disqualify.  

If the answer is only abstain from voting, then the public should be informed of all the reasons why the Tourism Board is being granted any special privileges above any other city board and requirements of charter and law.

This board is the only board that handles public funds and they should be held to the highest of standards as they are in a position of trust.  Be accountable and transparent in public ways.

Moving forward with the remaining issues we see:

• The current tourism marketing contract for 2011 was given blindly to the chamber in early 2010.  No one really has a problem with that, it's best we have someone familiar to keep things going while transitions are being made.  Where the problem lies is still in the stone wall to show transparency to the money. Since the time of giving them 2011, publicly recorded minutes and videos of meetings show the see-saw effect of the chamber's attempt to push council and the citizens back to 'the way things used to be'.  These public records then show a grudging acceptance. 

The three issues still unanswered, but still on public record as questions and concerns are: 

a)  Where is the accounting for at least the 2010 bailout of the grant fund? Why haven't the detailed records of exactly where the 2010 20% to the chamber went been seen by the public?

b) Why  hasn't the accounting for the tourism contract cushion, spoken of by Lindsay Lewis as being sat on by the chamber and the obvious accounting for the salary of Kate Collins that was not spent after she quit yet was funded by the contract; been accounted for publicly?  The chamber is boasting of sitting on a positive bottom line at the end of 2010 fiscal year.  How much of that is public money?

c)  Mayor Christensen showed a rare moment of both anger and disdain when confronting Virgili over the signing of the 2011 contract.  On public record, the city returned to the contract the more rigid requirements and accounting mandates for the 2011 contract that had previously been imposed, then removed to soothe ruffled feelings by the tourism board.  Those accounting mandates held to a placing of the bookkeeping into the hands of private and tourism board/city controlled hands as of April 1, 2011.  Where is that accounting?  Does it finally include forensic accounting of past year's records?

What is our call on these issues?

a and b) Forensic accounting of legal strength and standards needs to be done on all public funds passed through GSCRA to date.  If the dogma defense that it is more important to maintain the popularity contest stature of our council and chamber still prevails, then fall back on city charter and law that mandates good stewardship, not guessing games, of public funds.

If any type of forensic look of any type of legal strength and standard is being done already, then control the press release that divulges that information and let the people know.  The people of 81601 are struggling mightily and working hard to prosper, they need to know exactly where the money is, where it has been spent and how it has been accounted for.

c)  The public focus on Virgili has been proven, time after time, to have nothing to do with one individual.  Yet, our esteemed council, our city administration and our law enforcement have now put many levels of 81601 in legal jeopardy from failure of their duty.

The citizens who ultimately have to pay for that loss and not just in monetary ways, deserve to have their minds put at ease that the time of blindly stumbling about making governing judgments from the foundation of gossip are over.  To alter a legal contract, given by us as a people in good faith and then attempt to shove that contract into signature was an outrageous showing of contempt for our community.  As shown in our last municipal election, the people no longer tolerate the abuse of power from anyone, including our elected officials.

Our call?  Announce publicly that the city has proven smalltown7 wrong on every point.  If that cannot be done, then begin the painful process of telling the full truth publicly.

• Strawberry Days.  81601 needs every dime of tourism related revenue we can get.  Before our esteemed council even tries to run a new attractions tax by us, they need to get control over all the loose ends in tourist related revenue we have.  Our biggest event of the year is Strawberry Days.  And it used to be a fund-raising civic event.  We just blew another $9,000 in bailout money for fireworks, on top of the tens of thousands we bailed out the grant fund in 2010 when the chamber ran that dry.  Strawberry Days should not be a Glenwood Springs Chamber Resort Assoc. fund-raising event, it should be returned to the City of Glenwood Springs control.

Our call on this one?

The city either needs to show the public, through council, the contract for the turning over of Strawberry Days to private controls or take it to the people on whether or not the event should be returned to city controls.  Including the money generated, which would be a great source to fund our discretionary grant spending.  If it should turn out that the event and all monies it has generated over the years is just another one of those 'whoops' of being asleep at the wheel by our elected officials, then the chamber needs to provide an accounting.

• Sunshine.  Since when does our community sit back and allow a few in positions of power make the kind of governing decision that the public should be kept in the dark?  Obviously, since our own council members have remained oblivious to what the common man on the street has known for months; we have a very real concern that our leaders are possibly deliberately keeping themselves blinded.

Our call?

Get it all out in the open and make certain there is no twist or spin on the content.  Otherwise, the citizens of 81601 are not going to trust where they are being led.

smalltown7 keeps talking.

Current Watch: Glenwood Springs Chamber Resort Assoc. “City refuses transparency to taxpayers”

“smalltown7 keeps talking.”

‘gws44’ bringing you this post.

"Official confirmation has been obtained that state and federal investigations are open into suspected misuse of public funds at the Glenwood Springs Chamber Resort Assoc.  

Further confirmation verifies investigations are outside of the local prosecutorial investigation rumored to be ongoing for the past aprx. 10 months by the 9^th Judicial District Office of the District Attorney Martin Beeson.

The entire region is already aware that to date, there has been no official confirmation from 9^th Judicial or the City of Glenwood Springs that any investigation into allegations of misuse of public funds by any chamber employee is ongoing.  'smalltown7' has been very vocal in asking the question of "why" has this information been kept from the general public and GSCRA sheltered? 

The obvious covering of any public or media exposure has been seen by the people as no different than the many years of our officials condoning all of the issues surrounding the accommodations tax and its use here in 81601.  

Also confirmed by  an agent of 9^th Judicial is acknowledgment of tort remedies existing for the private citizen whistleblower and her family.   

On confirming that wildfire rumor directly with the victims, ‘smalltown7’ has learned that the scope of that imminent  suit is contained in what is known as criminal liability. 

It is understood by ‘smalltown7’ that the actions potentially acted upon in criminal investigations would have separate liabilities from any actions taken by a victim through tort litigation. 

We also understand from our own internal members within the legal field that it makes no difference in any way, the outcome or subject matter of any other litigation present in the victim’s life. 
The evidence is so overpowering as to what was done to her and her family and the failure of duty on multiple levels  so documented; there is no protection anywhere for any entity or individual that sanctioned or failed to stop the acts committed. 

After a great deal of internal discussion within our group and a number of our followers; ‘smalltown7’ returns back to the one undeniable and original issue we have had all along.

Which is the complete and utter lack of  transparency within the City of Glenwood Springs over the decades of allegations against the Glenwood Springs Chamber Resort Assoc. 

Over the next few days, ‘smalltown7’ will attempt to narrow down any and all remaining issues we see.

And return to posting regularly here on safeplace so that you can speak up safely and freely."

‘smalltown7’ goes live.

Current Watch: "City of Glenwood Springs: Tourism Marketing Contract and the Public Accommodations Tax"

'gws44' bringing you this post.

It's official. 

The talk around town, that the new Tourism Promotion Board, with no dissent among them now believes an RFP for tourism marketing is in the best interests of 81601, has been substantiated by board vice chairman Don Gillespie.

By unanimous vote at the 02/03/2011 City Council meeting, and after council comments, unanimous support was given to the board's recommendation.

Enough said. 

The citizens of Glenwood Springs have now not only accomplished Ordinance #12, Series of 2010, they have made effective changes in oversight policy and placed the wishes of a community into putting the contract out for competitive bid and positive change.

Filling available seats on the board is Steve Beckley retaining. 

While disappointing only because of his conflict of interest serving as a Chamber Director while the chamber is the tourism vendor; Ken Murphy retains.  We assume that in any bid the Chamber may wish to put in for the future, all Tourism Board members who are also Chamber Board directors will abstain.
 
By unanimous vote, Scott Hemmen retaining his current seat.  A very special thank you goes out to Hemmen for his desire to retain.

This is a board that was given a very, very tough job that made the conscious choice to pull together as a team.

Enough said.

'smalltown7' feels this action on the part of the City of Glenwood Springs closes the Current Watch on the Glenwood Springs Chamber Resort Association. 

Public funds are secured into oversight's hands and the voices of a community have had the ability to raise in a safe place.

Allowing your public comments now, in our view, is neither necessary or appropriate.  smalltown can be reached by email at smalltown8@gmail.com and also by personal contact for those of you that have that information.

smalltown7 goes dark. 

Current Watch: "City of Glenwood Springs City Council"

"'glenwoodsprings22' writes you this post.

'Ok, everyone.  I am going to put this comment into a post so that I can make sure it's seen.

Here are the answers we have:

No, there is no video of the 1/20 council meeting, where you can see for yourself the reactions of council and listen to their statements as they reviewed board meeting attendances.  No, that is not normal and yes, it is something that you should all be upset over.  Totally inappropriate given the current climate. 

Yes, your board applications are in.  They look great.  Murphy is not re-submitting, tomorrow night's meeting will show if that stands.  Beckley is.  Jon Zalinski and his latest venture 'Treadz' has stepped up for the tourism seat.  Great choice.  The next move we feel should happen is for Peter Tijm to resign from the Chamber Board if he wishes to sit the Tourism Board as long as the chamber is the marketing vendor.

Scott Hemmen has stayed the course for the resident seat.  Retain him, even though Judy O'Donnell is the best pick ever to be strong enough to also stay the course.  When the next resident seat is available, we hope Judy steps up.  Scott is settled in and should stay, in our view.

Yes, we see the staying away from the PI Hub that many are doing.  We feel that is the very best thing for you to do.  If you want to chat with us, we are over on Sandbox.  No, it is not safe on the PI Hub.  This morning, as I write this, one of the predator trolls that hub is infested with has showed up.  Probably because of today's news media reports, Russ Arensman and Dirk Myers putting up their websites and blogs.  Because it is standard news, SandBox has posted and we have commented.  'FCL' gave a great commentary for us on Russ's news that started it off.  Of course, predator trolling is going to start again on the PI Hub, there is no longer an opening to get close elsewhere.

You need to take your own stand.  The good news, is that Russ has comments open on his blog and we are sure he would welcome you.

Dirk Myers has a great website up and we notice he has extended himself to you on the PI Hub.  Take him up on that and communicate with these guys in a safe and controlled environment.

No, we will not be on either one, there is simply no safety.  You can find us on SandBox, along with the vast majority of previously censored by the PI avatars.  Just click on the title of this post and you will get there.

Here's Arensman's blog: http://arensman4gws.com/

Here's Dirk Myers site.  Looks like he is moving fast to get it up to speed, but it's there. Frankly, impressive.  http://www.dirkmyers.com/

'smalltown8' encourages every council candidate to set up a blog arena and chat ability for 81601.  It's not as easy as it sounds to guarantee anonymity.  Likely, you won't.  Come to think of it, every sitting seat on the big boards should also have a blog and chat ability that guarantees anonymity.

But sooner or later, the leaders in this town need to step up and openly acknowledge that they have a very real and very serious concern. 

Time for change. 

Time for the end of an era. 

Time to come out of the shadows and work for what a community wants and needs.  Not just a self-appointed elite circle of a few.

Watch your council meeting tomorrow night, folks.  If you need to, access through the link in the post below.'

'glenwoodsprings22'

Current Watch: "Glenwood Springs Chamber Resort Association Investigation"

Today's post is put up by 'GWS44'. 

Yesterday, a Garfield County citizen commented and put up his name.  This individual has been aware of the whole scope of problem from the beginning.  His comment was heated, direct and if there were no concerns for harm to others, we would let it stay.  In fact, we wanted to let it stay.  It was pulled by grace that runs far, far deeper than my own.

With everyone agreeing this morning we're putting up his revision at his request.

For anyone else wanting to speak while we have comments down again, write in by email in a letter form and we'll review it.

"smalltown:

I talked to her at length yesterday after she pulled my name and comment off this blog.

There’s 2 reasons I’ll go along with that.

The biggest one is after talking, I see your right.  There’s a list now of people hurt and after a lot of years, clear evidence that shows who did that. That woman is known now with hard evidence that eventually stops her.  If people don’t have a safe place from that, they not only won’t talk, she’s daily revealing she doesn’t think she has anyone stopping her and anyone getting in the way gets hurt.   

The second reason I’ll go along with being yanked is because the men involved in this group and the men who have fallen in alongside them since you started now have one who needs help staying standing. They now have vulnerable younger kids and their parents in the line of fire from that same woman running loose. The goal seems to be complete destruction of their lives. On the other hand it’s not an option to let lives be taken. Those men are right that the thing to do is stay standing in front until authority deals.  Those men are right that there isn’t anyone stopping her.  The vulnerable come first.

You put me up in an email post too.  For now, leave my name off and I won’t post it again until we agree on that.

Here’s my words:

“Interesting to see the delay in the video put up on the city site.  Save the smoke and whistles trying to slap an excuse on that. I don’t want to see minutes like I saw yesterday on the city site that are shaved down from what they were when they came in the council packet last Monday.  Shaved down in Kaup’s stmts of why she’s not running again.  I don’t appreciate the attempt to insult my intelligence.  Remember, your all on public record now in a lot of areas and your actions reveal. 

Chuck out to the garbage every single word out of council, city leaders, tourism and the chamber mouths that distracts from that fact and please do so from this point forward.  I don't want to hear it.

At this point, I want to know where in the hell my Garfield BOCC is. 

They oversee the county.  What we have here that a blind man can see now is verified proof that more than one of Garfield’s citizens has a complaint against the chamber of commerce.  And every one of those complaints says the same thing.  Get the problem of your public tax, your public contract and your whole relationship with the chamber away from the victims.  Deal with it, it’s your responsibility, they have nothing to do with it and never have wanted to.  What we have here now is a proven city council not doing anything about at least the current for over a year now until recently when it's so bad it gets filed in a court of law.  What we have here now is a legal process trying to back track and clean up but think it's Ok to still let more fall and all to go deeper into the shadows.   

The writer before me is dead on right.  Those things stand when all else falls away.

What really stands up that needs intervention from higher, is council and chamber board not just turning backs on those complaints, but encouraging the harm happening to people by encouraging a process that is now proven to allow anything to go on because they're being led around by the help that can't be fired.

To hear at Christmas another family has fallen prey. And to keep hearing no matter how bad or obvious it gets, there’s still a council sitting that has the audacity to act like they are now in public meetings plus still sit cowering in front of that one sick mind in the help that can’t be fired,  sends nothing but a cold chill up my spine. 

To watch with my own eyes that council has the power to run human lives, businesses and physical bodies into harms way is a feeling of fear looking at the depth.

Since when is any part of this allowed?”
MR 

Current Watch: "City of Glenwood Springs City Council, Tourism Marketing Contract 2012, Tourism Oversight and Promotion Board

This morning's post is done by 'GWS44'.

Today's Glenwood Springs Post Independent announces a deadline of this coming Friday (2 days from now), for 'vacancy' seats on the new Tourism Promotion Board that was just sat last fall.

These three seats have always had a short term in order to work the new board into the designated seating cycles. 'smalltown7' is just not buying the obvious today in the fact that the PI has not announced this publically so the folks could truly be informed.

When City Council chose to heavily seed the new board with the current marketing vendor's Board of Directors last Fall, the public noticed.  One of those seeds is Ken Murphy.  He sits both Chamber Board of Directors and the new Tourism Board.  Ken also was sitting the Financial Advisory Board that has a direct tie to the tourism grant fund requests.  Ken is a highly qualified person and well liked in the community.

smalltown7 points out again that this is not a popularity contest and we do not care for the performance of our City Council's oversight.

It is a true conflict of interest for the marketing vendor board of directors to be seating the Tourism Board.

The people's request for a city handled tourism board has seen nothing but purposefully driven friction from the tourism sector that is now having to fund their private businesses themselves and who support giving no public transparency.

Nobody will blink today seeing this from the PI. It's also possible they still just remain asleep at the wheel and missed the signficance of these seats upcoming.

We hope our resident seat in Scott has not already reached a point of being so fed-up with little to no true support (or) is watching the current harm being done to still yet another local family, that he decides this is not worth it and bails.  If he does, we hope John Duven steps up now that he has not turned in a petition to take the council seat held by Dave Sturges.

We call out today to 81601 avatars in commentary and ask you to pull in any tourism sector replacement that meets the requirements and at the very least replace Ken Murphy.  Steve Beckley needs to move on as well.  From the sound of the tourism feedback, his position of trying to force the old status quo that has kept both the rift in the community and our lodging revenues in the tank is just not right for 81601. 'necky', 'remedy'--you both could make this change happen because of how you are placed in the community.

There are terrific replacements on council in Leahy and Gamba.  They'll do a great job.

Support Edmonds for Arensman's seat and urge him into the position of Mayor.  smalltown could support Arensman if he retains his seat but feels it's time for a clean sweep.

Very disappointing that Dave Sturges has no competition unless what could be a well-supported write-in steps up. The one thing we know historically with Dave is that once he can finally be made to move, he usually follows through.  His handling of the chamber situation and his allowing the lack of support to hold the tourism board's positions is deeply concerning.

Applications for the Tourism Board seats are due by this Friday.

Good luck and our thanks,  to any qualified  individual stepping up.

Current Watch: "Tourism Marketing Contract 2012 and City of Glenwood Springs City Council Oversight"

Instead of continuing to answer individual emails with the right links, here again are the links to access the minutes archives, the new video library, the board meeting dates and the email address to set yourselves up to go in and view the tourism board minutes.

We are not certain, but do believe if you will just click on the links from this post, they will show as safeplace under #8 IP address. 

http://www.ci.glenwood-springs.co.us/   takes you to the city's site.

http://centralvideolibrary.info/   takes you to the video feed.

http://www.ci.glenwood-springs.co.us/council/agenda.htm  takes you to the minutes and agenda archives for a number of years.

http://www.ci.glenwood-springs.co.us/boards/2010_MeetingDates.pdf  takes you to the meeting dates of all boards within city control and some county.

GWS44 here, posting these links to you.  And also bringing an interesting detail that should be watched on the upcoming 2/3/11 council meeting.

Today's PI, plus from the looks of things at least 2+ dozen search optimized newspapers and viral sites all over the country, has the article  on Randi Lowenthal's new idea. 

Avatars in comments on safe sites are commenting that they feel council should fund Randi and the Roaring Fork Resource Center's new project, with the 'cushion' Lindsay spoke of along about this time last year when the chamber was promoting themselves for the upcoming 2011 contract award.

This is a cushion that 81601 has heard about for a lot of years.  Usually during the friction moments each year when the chamber is on the hot seat.  Yet, it never shows up.  Not even when grant funds are hit because there is no money for events they say are related to tourism.   Like last year.

This year, smalltown7 calls out, here on SafePlace to our current  Glenwood Springs City Council, for a reveal of that cushion.  And then, a request for the decision on pulling that cushion over into promotion of small businesses in 81601 that are definitely going to be pulling in visitors and revenues into town under Randi Lowenthal's 'Economic Gardening' project.

The email address below is to the head city clerk who handles putting people on emailing lists for current council packets.  This is also where you set up to come in during City Hall hours to view the Tourism Board minutes. The answer to the question of why Lindsay is still doing the minutes of the Tourism Board, we cannot answer.

robin.ungsworth@cogs.us

Current Watch: Tourism Contract 2012, The City of Glenwood Springs City Council oversight and a sharing of email from a follower"

The following is an email from a follower that we are asked to not cut down to a capacity that fits comment character allowance.

Sure.  We are happy to do that for you. Verbatim as received:

“The key to this stranglehold on the AC tax and our revenue generating tourism promotion could be said to be in the details that stand when all else falls away.

In the over 20 years the chamber has been the sole source vendor for promotion, there has never once been anyone in true control of the promotion contract funded by public tax except the unprecedented allowing of the vendor.

Nobody cares if the vendor is the chamber or the guy down the street.  They care where officials put the marketing contract that gives peak performance and public accountability for that performance.  The only ones who seem to care about the chamber being the hired help are the ones who have made this about personally supporting one individual within the chamber and a political popularity contest for the powerful who are run by that individual.  The citizenry has never bought into it and we have been listening to it for years. 

During that 20+ years, somehow the hired help vendor has developed into controlling all  information,  handed a contract and a check for the entire amount of the contract and  spend that without anything except weak control  from their own board.

It’s only been because of friction from citizenry for more than 18 years, that the chamber board handling this contract has moved in the last three out of 20+ years to being even partially not hand-picked by its own employee. An employee that no one can possibly argue with as being the most magnetic polarizing force the community has ever encountered. It’s only because of the yearly repeat of that friction that awareness of a problem continues to grow hits the public eye. 

During the past five to six years, the detail that refuses to be lost in the mist is the truth. 

There is no employee plot.  There is no lack of money. There is no economic factor that put the community here.  There is no lack of cooperation or lack of enthusiasm to make big ticket things happen in our town. There is no incompetency in who gets hired within the subs or employees of the hired help.  There is no elected official not friendly to the hired help.  There are no persons unknown not touched by the hired help, there is only an entire community helplessly in tow of the hired help’s agenda to not part the mists.  There are no consequences for the mists of the chamber board, there is now only one apparently very private citizen that apparently did nothing more to get caught up in this than to tell the powerful to take hold of their problem and leave her out of it.  Two years or more ago according to public record, yet the mists have not parted, they instead have been turned into a concrete wall using the mother of all excuses that it is OK because they are, the hired help that cannot be fired.

There only remain the two components of the truth that never die. 

1.  There is a complete shirking of duty on the part of the chamber board in not governing the accountability and transparency of their entity, because they refuse to lay down the public fear fueled by not showing the hired help’s intent.

2.  The hired help has convinced elected officials that no matter what the hired help does, the hired help is apparently above ethics, law and is infallible. So much so, elected officials and powerful business now have moved the citizenry from the possibility of belief that even our prosecutor and law enforcement might be approving on behalf of the hired help that anything goes, the public only has to look at the public record and the obvious to know for certain that the hired help has put our prosecutor and his investigation methods into public concern. I resent deeply our prosecutor and our law enforcement being placed in this position but also clearly see the verifiable of public record that duty followed would not have them there.  Knowing the hired help  as well as they do, the citizenry may have some hope of their concerns over our prosecutor and our law enforcement being alleviated from taint as the mists continue to part.  But the verifiable that we  have any citizenry, including the private one and all associated with her left hurt and unprotected is as zgnative says, horrifying.

The smaller details remain kicked under the rug even though when combined they are the bulldozer that knocks down the wall are easy to spot.  Just pick up the rug and let the bugs scurry.

• A good deal of talk of big things and big change from the chamber with no performance showing the turn-around of this supposedly different chamber board in charge.  
• After 3+ years of that big talk, there is still nothing but double speak on what the real numbers are. Leading up to this time the community, despite incredible assets, remains one of the poorest displays of performance in the state. When the citizenry objects, we can believe our eyes and ears and watch where that is brushed over by our own council still letting the hired help run the show.
• There is no itemized break-down of the tourism contract spending because when it suits them, the board still says they are a private entity that now, apparently claims full ownership and control over what our public funds bought and if fired, we can't have our own assets.
• During the past 20+ years, there has never once been any report that tied the lodging sales to the sales tax sales. The city does the sales tax sales, the chamber does the lodging sales. There is no municipality in the state (maybe even the nation) that allows the hired help control over the books when public funds are involved.
• To make this even more alarming, this same vendor has been allowed to co-mingle what they do with a clear and direct tie to being the head of all of our small business in the area.  If we were to place a vote of confidence before voters in the way that Aspen just did that earned a voters confidence approval to actually raise the lodging tax in Aspen, it would landslide fail.
• During the course of this massive failure within the AC tax, the downtown has polarized away from everyone and we spend more money to help it.  The elite few (not unlike what happens right now with skico) have prospered so much that no one has even blinked an eye yet at the outrageous admission from the chamber retreat that they want an attractions tax added on to the burden of the people so there can be more uncontrolled money to spend.  Those elite few are the attractions that have had their advertising budgets paid for by the promotion of what is supposed to be global 81601 tourism.  While the small businesses within 81601 have suffered for almost three years from all eggs being in one basket.
• Even knowing they have no confidence from the population, when it suits hired managers, elected council and stroked tourism board members to not tangle with the chamber because it’s too much or fear of ending up like we are right now verifiably in personal harms way; the chamber/hired help hides behind some cock and bull concept that they are a private entity, owner of the brand and all with it that public funds hired and paid for. 
• To further that embarrassment of insult to the citizenry’s intelligence, this dancing by the hired help is not being done by a private business, it is being done by a held at high standard non-profit in position of trust.  Who highly likely should never have been put in this position in the first place if we are to look around the country at the state of failure our chambers of commerce are in.

On a logistics level, it does not matter if all the above is wrong.  The citizenry is neither blind nor dumb.  We are not stupid.  We will vote out the weak, keep on carrying the load and believe in a democracy that eventually will change all of this.

On a moral level, any individual in the community of 81601 who does not see the magnitude of this entire situation, that feels no concern  that our foundation is cracked and marred forever now by the hired help, will remain my community but is no longer  a neighbor of my household, my professional services and my firm. You ask too much of me and my own to participate in this.

As for all of us  raising our public voices, under the circumstances of the obvious, be wise enough to remain closet expressions and err on the side of prudence.  I know I am.

As for the private citizen who still has not spoken a word according to public record, but whom I hear from sources I trust deeply really is a very good person who no one could ever say is not vocally forthcoming if asked and whose intent shows on every aspect of her being; you have my deepest prayers and most heartfelt wishes that your life is not ruined beyond hope of any repair.  

As for the verifiable others falling daily in harm to the obvious and verifiably no prosecutor or law enforcement in front of them, I honestly do not know what to say.

As for what sits on that dais calling itself my friends and my leaders, think again."

Current Watch: "Tourism Marketing Contract 2012 (and) City of Glenwood Springs City Council oversight"

smalltown7 post the Draft Agenda for the City of Glenwood Springs City Council Meeting of February 3, 2011.

Click on the title of this post for viewing. 

Or:  http://www.ci.glenwood-springs.co.us/packet/Addtl%20Info%20-%20Draft%202-3-11%20Agenda.pdf

Item #10:  'Discussion and/or Action on 2012 Tourism Marketing Contract' makes this an upcoming meeting that is extremely important to the citizens of 81601. 

All citizens are urged to watch this council meeting. 

You do not have to buy into council's mandate that they want you to appear in person.  You can review and watch from the privacy and comfort of your own home.  Simply go to the City of Glenwood Springs homepage and click on 'live feed'. 

Should you miss the meeting, you can now also simply go to the video library link under the City Council sub-category and pull it up on file.  Conveniently broken out into sections of meeting so that you do not have to endure sitting through the entire meeting.
______________________________
In the past, smalltown7 has posted 'after the fact'.  Always hoping that their belief in giving every entity under Current Watch the benefit of the doubt would bring same to be forthcoming.  That turned out to not be the case, yet the wheels of rightful things kept turning and the end result of victory came to the voices behind the scenes.

Now, that the tourism marketing portion of the Accommodations Tax is safely in City oversight hands and your  new board has held firm gaining control of the 2011 contract and vendor, what faces the citizens of 81601 is the last section of your list of concerns.

Do you get an RFP for all future awards, including 2012?  Is there going to be public awareness of the results of audits forthcoming from private hands?  Is Strawberry Days truly a civic event and if so, why is there no city oversight or handling of all the money pertaining to the event?  So much has torn Glenwood Springs apart in the battle to get Ordinance #12, Series of 2010, where are we now and how do we pull together?  What more lies ahead that is in the public eye?

As these concerns unfold over the next few months, Glenwood Springs also has a City Council election coming up.  A very, very important one with (4) major seats in play.

81601 has some very strong and incredibly capable competitors stepping up for these seats.  This is likely the most important election for City Council and Mayor 81601 has ever known.  The smalltown7 group urge anyone qualified by living in the correct ward who desires to do what is best for Glenwood Springs to step up.

This time, there is no longer a fear of retaliation  nor is there a need to be concerned over back-door politics.  smalltown7 makes it known now that Russ Arensman is the only incumbent they feel could be a possible to stay.  If you will go back and watch all videos and read minutes from the past few years, you will see that Arensman has grown throughout the bloodshed of 2009 and 2010.  He has strong competition who is also very fit.  smalltown7 makes it known at this time that their decision is not to disclose their personal choices.  That decision making turned out to be very wise as Ordinance #12, Series of 2010 began to wind up to really be possible.

You, the citizens of 81601, have done an incredible job with your new board.  smalltown8 is greatly encouraged and so very glad to see the growth.

As this group looks at the tasks remaining, they see that once again, the slippery slope of disinformation and/or omission, is still a factor attempting to side-track your progress. 


"It's the little details that are vital. Little things make big things happen." John Wooden 


We are not certain exactly how to do it, but have decided that a vital role for this group is to keep pointing out the little details:

This evening (January 20, 2011) City Council meets.
http://www.ci.glenwood-springs.co.us/packet/agenda.htm

• The two items of likely significance at this meeting are unfortunately at the discretion of Council to disclose.
• Those items are #5A pertaining to approval of minutes from special closed door meeting held January 12, 2011 and Item #9 Council Reports on Board, Committee and Commission Meetings. 
• Relevant to both item #5A and Draft Agenda for February 3, 2011 are the meeting dates of the new tourism oversight and promotion board.  http://www.ci.glenwood-springs.co.us/boards/2010_MeetingDates.pdf
• If you have been following the progress of Ordinance #12, Series of 2010 and 81601's new board, then you are aware that the meeting held on January 13, 2011 was the first meeting after they had set their mandate that in order for approval of the 2011 Tourism Marketing Contract to be given, both oversight of spending in all contracts by the vendor (and) the removal of accounting from the Chamber of Commerce vendor and the Chamber Board.  Accounting to be placed into private hands for accounting and audit purposes.
• Located for your review on older minutes are Leo McKinney's comments that he was wondering if the tourism board could be stopped from their executive session request last fall.
• Located for your review on older minutes is Dave Sturges placing a disclaimer of liability on to the meeting record after the board's mandate was given.
• Yet, our council is verifiably not transparent in all matters pertaining to the accommodations tax and have been that way for decades. 
• A very important area that voters need to ask some hard questions about are the number of closed door sessions this council has gone into.  The dates of their doing so are significant and will likely reveal how significant as the months ahead unfold in the public eye. For now, smalltown7 urges you to keep a close eye on upcoming ventures and awards of contracts where the accommodations tax are concerned.  Ask questions on closed door meetings.  Check with your tourism board members and make sure they are comfortable with where they are at between their last meeting of January 13, 2011 and council's agenda for February 3, 2011.
• The only 'rush' there has ever been is the one that puts the tourism contract into the coffers of the Chamber as the sole source vendor all these years.  That is no longer the citizens of 81601's concern and you can safely and freely focus on your goals and aspirations for revitalizing the assets of our community.  

smalltown7 keeps talking.

Current Watch: "Glenwood Springs Chamber Resort Assoc. citizen's investigation summarizes 2010's 'Watch'"

A year ago, 'smalltown 7' summarized the first year of the 'Current Watch: Glenwood Springs Chamber Resort Association' with a post from the two founding members of their group. 

 'glenwoodsprings22' and his wife 'gws44'. That post and the resulting comments from the community is now hard copy archived for evidentiary purposes in the future.

'22' spoke from his heart as he told the story of what prompted them to step forward. 

There were many points brought to light in that post. 

The resultant comments and emails that locals and others sent in were overwhelming. 

And, as rightful things always do, contained the last remaining pieces of the puzzle to enable this group to accomplish what they have this year.  After watching us for months, your trust that you really did have a SafePlace, paid off in the end.

That was also the post that brought SafePlaceBlogs to national non-profit watch-dog attention and our statistics soared along with our rankings getting to the top of internet searches. 

With your insights and facts as fuel, that rise to visibility turned the tide for the citizens of 81601 and eventually for all whistleblowers on GSCRA.

As 'smalltown7' met today to discuss strategy for the upcoming year on this 'Current Watch', all agreed that the strongest point made in last year's summary remains the strongest point to summarize how very far they have come. 

That point is one that these very good people saw and instantly knew they could not turn their backs again.  Knew that their standing up  to finish what a community actually began well over fifteen years earlier, was imperative in it's need and unyielding in it's demand.

That point, was the watching of a crew of hispanic masons, who had not been paid in months.  Who were forced to work hungry and frozen in exterior sub-zero temperatures for days.  For the sole purpose of attempting to satisfy an obvious insatiable greed from the project's owner.  With hungry children at home and on through Christmas Day of 2008, those men worked at what would end up being an effort in vain as that project rolled over the course of the upcoming months. 

As 'glenwoodsprings22' sat idling in his warm truck, watching these men he had known for years help each other move their frozen limbs as they lifted stone after heavy stone, an unyielding resolve ignited into a flame that would alter his life forever.  That flame was the realization that there comes a time in everyone's life where they must act for the sake of others.

That project's owner was Marianne Virgili, President, CEO and Executive Director of the Glenwood Springs Chamber Resort Association.

From that now epochal moment, this group of seven tackled a problem within Glenwood Springs so entrenched in multi-faceted issues, the web spun around it daunted everyone who had tried before them until they simply gave up.

First taking the steps to attempt discreet handling for the sake of a community with need for no further scandal on those issues. 

At that failure, empowering others to step forward and share what they knew with them. 

With the next step being the need to move out into the open, they attempted local media.  That media that would later go on to reveal as being one of the greatest contributing factors in cover-up on these issues.  Due to their asleep at the wheel apathy and loss of journalistic integrity, they failed their community and this group.

Sitting on top of a Jobox on a construction site, four members + one sketched out a three-sided strategy.  With the need for only that one point of '22's' to be accomplished, that strategy basically amounted to a '3-sided pen'.  One strong enough to first corral and then hold the elements needed to finally accomplish getting the problems they faced under control until authorities would act.

That 'pen' has it's base side as the unyielding truth.  A very basic strategy that sooner or later and despite human nature that holds free will to make wrong choices, the truth of the accommodations tax issues and what five women whistles and their lives had endured, would prevail.

By that time, law had been broken by those wanting SafePlace and it's harbor suppressed.  Lives were being harmed by others in obvious ways and at an obvious hand.  Through the anonymity of safety within SafePlace to Whistle blow, a community strengthened and created this blog and their commenting in as the second side to the 'pen'. 

The next step that led to the third and final 'side' of this now unbreakable corral was given by human nature. 

Human nature that when facing the beast inside a bully, puts it's head down and gives up.  With the result then being a back turned and a blind eye  overpowering the awareness of right from wrong.

In the case of this 'Current Watch,' the dual factor of that problem was our local print media being one of the sectors falling prey to it.  Obstruction of voices began to occur.   'smalltown7' encouraged and helped create blog media that allowed for the tracking of daily regional news and allowed free speech in commentary.

With their own media and the 'pen' tracking the problem within the Chamber, freedom was able to come to the voice of the common man and the sub-community of 81601.  Who then went on to see the following accomplished in 2010 on this 'Current Watch on the Glenwood Springs Chamber Resort Association': 

• From 1/1/10 through to early September, a historic new board, with unprecedented power and representation of the citizens of the community was seated.  Marking an end to upwards of an estimated 14 million dollars in public revenues, over the span of 23 years, never undergoing a forensic audit and being continually left with little to often no oversight in the hands of a private non-profit and that board of hand-picked directors.
• Within a little over 60 days that board revised the control over spending of those funds by the still held marketing vendor of the Chamber.
• Within a little less than 90 days that board sent the very strong and powerful message that allowing public funds to remain with no forensic and outside oversight would no longer be tolerated.  They sent down the mandate to City Council that the accounting and handling of marketing funds from the acccommodations tax would be under the control of the board and an outside accounting firm of their choice.

As the year now rolls over, GSCRA has been awarded one last year of the tourism marketing contract.  All future years will see, for the first time ever, an RFP issued on this contract.  The board to remain in charge.

'smalltown7' sees the following needs for SafePlace remaining as they wind down 2010:

1.   The accommodations tax revenues and the tourism marketing of 81601 is in excellent hands now.  Under a City Council oversight that has much needed elections coming up in April of 2011, politics can never play as influential of a role as they have in past years.  The citizens, under Ordinance #12, series of 2010, are now in charge.

2.  Come April 1, 2011 the bookkeeping and accounting from the Chamber will be removed from the Chamber Board's hands and placed into third-party control.  By relying once again on 'side #1' of their pen, 'smalltown7' believes truth will prevail with the eventual validation of all whistles.  In the event there is a continued lack of  authority's doing their jobs, and stepping in with the strength of prosecutorial powers to investigate; the remaining two 'sides' of small's 'pen',  will be keeping an eye on progress as the conversion is made.

3.   The board has now placed themselves in the micro-management position of oversight on how the 2011 marketing funds are spent.  Spending and the use of credit is one of the major whistle complaints over the years. Rightfully so as those whistles are the ones suffering the wrath of the Chamber in retaliation for speaking up.  As the next few City Council meetings unfold alongside other related due processes,  there is still the issue of the supposedly civic event of  Strawberry Days to be reined in.  There is also the still remaining issue of repayment for the bail-out given to the funds when the Chamber ran the grant funds dry in Spring 2010.

From a long, long list of your concerns brought forward to SafePlace and 'smalltown7' over two years ago, we are now down to those two remaining issues being the only true issues surrounding public funds.

The third and also the few remaining concerns over GSCRA, Virgili and the accumulated past we feel will likely run a natural death course (or) end up in the hands of our community's new Tourism Promotion Board.  After this last stand by the board, we are highly confident they recognize all the issues and the dynamic of what they face in 2011.

As for the crew of hispanic masons so symbolic to an entire community, their plight and the plight of the five women whistles spanning over 12 years draws to a positive close for them and their families. 

You have noticed the decrease in posts on SafePlace over these months.  We have been slowly rounding to full circle and returning to what 'smalltown7' had forcibly taken out of their hands in 2009 and 2010 by Virgili and the Chamber.

What was taken out of their hands was their choice for discretion and quiet handling of the clean-up of a core so ugly it tainted a town. 

That was the original desire of these people who love their community deeply. 

The feeling of 'smalltown7' is that they now claim a belated victory in that effort as well. 

The wailing and crying of a chamber board, former tourism board and former council members that do not care to bring the darkness of years into the public light, is back full circle in those same folks hands that are doing the wailing. 

A community has held them accountable and exposed core concerns.

All of the people, including whistles and small have simply stood back and let the base of the pen run it's natural course. 

'smalltown7'  and 81601 would have by far preferred discretion of their problems over two years ago.


'smalltown7' takes the win.

Only the reporting of progress as we head down the home stretch will now be reported on this 'Current Watch:  Glenwood Springs Chamber Resort Association'. 

smalltown7 keeps talking.

Current Watch: Glenwood Springs Chamber Resort Association: "New tourism oversight board mandates accounting of public funds be removed from chamber control"

smalltown7 commends the new Tourism Promotion Board for their recommendations to the city on December 16, 2010.

Requiring that the following changes be made before they would endorse recommending that the city keep it's verbal word from early 2010 to award the 2011 tourism marketing contract to the chamber.

• Board oversight on every contract and sub-contract that GSCRA enters into on behalf of tourism promotion.
• Accounting for any public monies in GSCRA's control for tourism promotion be pulled from the in-house methods controlled by the GSCRA staff and board of directors.  Moving instead to a private accountant to be determined by the Tourism Promotion Board.

With Councilman McKinney being the only absent vote, City Council, at their regularly scheduled meeting last night  unanimously  voted to accept the requirements of the new oversight board.

Locals have been aware, since mid-November, that the new board found it necessary to call for the ability to hold executive session meetings as needed.  No surprise to all who know the inner-workings of the protracted relationship between the decades old marketing contract held by the chamber and city council. 

Other changes over the past few months where tourism oversight and the Glenwood Springs Chamber Resort Association are concerned are transparency and accountability requirements.

• Public disclosure of tourism board minutes have never been available without an act of God or Congress to get them out of the hands of chamber staff.  Since the onset of the first tourism board, unilateral control was held by the chamber in selecting the board members, setting the agenda and controlling the minutes in-house.  At any time, during City Hall hours, anyone may view the minutes of the tourism board meetings now that they are city controlled by the new oversight board.  City clerks can help you access.  Another change in logistics is the posting of board meeting dates will now be done on the city calendar.

• Accountability for the types of promotion done by the chamber, as the current marketing vendor has also occured.   Locals have watched the glimpses given at city council meetings of the new board  vetoing gimmick type promotions and admin expenditures.  Instead obviously choosing to head more in a direction conducive to less fat in the administration of the contract  and more substance in promoting draws rather than gimmick promotions.
• Once the 2011 contract and the 2010 verbal concede to give that contract to the chamber is completed, all future contracts are to be done under RFP process and competitive award. 

Overall, safeplace is exceptionally pleased with the strength and also the courage of this new board.  Thank you, from the many citizens within 81601 who have encouraged you for close to two years now.

smalltown7 keeps talking.

Current Watch: Glenwood Springs Chamber Resort Association: "Marianne Virgili, President and CEO"

Today’s post is brought by two former employees of the Glenwood Chamber.

“On the 27th day of September 2010, legally upheld confirmation was received that Marianne Virgili, President and CEO of the Glenwood Springs Chamber Resort Association, admitted in June 2009 to engaging in a pattern of deliberate and targeted destruction of a local business and family for a period of five months from February to June 2009.


Further revealed as legally upheld is Virgili’s leadership, encouragement and orchestration during this same span of time, of two other women to band together a pattern of their gossip and previously discredited allegations against this family and their business, spanning from Fall 2007 through 2008.

This company targeted was owned by the latest whistle blower on Virgili and the Chamber. This family a local family consisting of a woman and her four young adult children. This woman is the whistle on Marianne Virgili that began coming forward aprx. New Year’s day of 2009.

“smalltown7's unconditional support, thoughts and prayers go out to this family as they struggle to not only gather their lives in the face of tragedy but continue to seek justice for their own and their responsibilities.”

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Today, smalltown7 carries on with a loud whistle on the Glenwood Springs Chamber Resort Association by asking the following:

“What have we seen in changes at the City of Glenwood Springs since February 4th, 2010 when the minutes at the end of this post were the high point of that City Council meeting?”

Those minutes make for an interesting read given what we now have lived through in the months since.

smalltown7 has decided to post them again at the end of this post.


First, our comments on the current status of the 2011 Tourism marketing plan:
• In our view, the information on tourism does not pass litmus. A reminder that can be verified below in the 2/4 minutes that there is strong discontent with the lack of results we have seen out of tourism promotion since 2007. It is highly debatable whether or not effective use of marketing funds has taken place. According to council packet, this budget and plan has now been through one round of the new tourism board, where a good deal of the initial presentation was scuttled and funds moved around to be more effective. Great move and news and we thank our new board. We hope that you will make many more changes as the months unfold. We have high confidence in you.

• It’s noted again how little real information there is in these outputs from the current marketing vendor in the Chamber. There is no data. No meat, no substance. It is repeated and flashy power point presentations that we have seen time and time again. There are a few good events coming in and we are glad for that. It is not enough and certainly not an effective use of funds. We call on our new board to not be passive. Be pro-active. If necessary, meet more often and possibly without the marketing vendor attending. That has always been and remains a huge conflict of interest. The vendor on board should have no access to the decision making for the contract and contract execution of disbursing funds, in any way.

Let’s talk now about what changes we have seen since the 2/4/10 minutes below:

• From that February meeting through September 2010, conflict after conflict with the Chamber and tourism fund.
• the grant fund was run dry
• the budget overspent
• a historic new tourism oversight and promotion board put into place with the old disbanded
• City Council put fully in charge of board selections and disbursements of funds
• controls placed on tourism entities for term limits and input
• an empowered Council that no longer just sits and takes at face value what it is told by the Chamber.
• a region with a concentrated focus on our community, unfortunately now facing at least a year more of global media recognition from the entire range of what has been done to a local family.

• We have seen the allowance of biased and censored coverage in the local media.
• We have seen such outcry from the community over that bias that our local newspaper is now seeking new editorial management with previous management taking a “mental” leave of absence.

• We have seen the resignation of Kate Collins from the Chamber with no equal caliber of replacement.


• We have seen a community grow to full awareness and empowerment of themselves against an issue of lack of oversight on tourism that has existed yet swept under a rug for close to two decades.


• We have seen our Chamber Board of Directors still keep the same state of mind on the surface, as Mr. Sanderson has below in the 2/4 minutes.

• We have seen a community support by either apathy or salivating over gossip and scandal; our city officials sitting back with public statements of their full support of all actions within the Glenwood Springs Chamber Resort Association.

smalltown7 keeps talking.

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From City Council meeting of 2/4/10:
“ITEM NO. 8 Discussion and/or Action Regarding Tourism Promotion Contract.
Mayor Christensen said Council needs to decide if, for 2011, this will continue as a sole source, non-competitive contract or if an RFP is needed. This is a large amount of public money and there needs to be a public discussion as to how it is allocated. The Chamber needs to know as soon as possible which way the City will go.
Kate Collins, Vice-President of Tourism Marketing for the Glenwood Springs Chamber appeared with Steve Beckley of Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park, incoming Chairman of the Tourism Board, and Bill Sanderson from Alpine Bank, past Chairman of the Glenwood Chamber and current Boardmember. She said she would like Council to continue the contract with the Glenwood Springs Chamber. The City has been partners with the Chamber in the stewardship of the Tourism Funds and the tourism business which is the City’s largest economic driver. The Glenwood Springs Chamber is built on 22 years of managing this fund and is built on the strategies and infrastructure they developed. The last year has been difficult, but it has been less bad for Glenwood Springs than for other Colorado destinations due to having a great brand and product but also to the consistency of their marketing efforts. Their website sees 400,000 to 500,000 visitors per year with new visitors and longer visits. Their Central Reservations has one stop shopping and a conversion mechanism for marketing efforts. They have a leads database with 30,000 loyal visitors and prospects. Their PR person has a great reputation and rapport with travel writers and the employees are committed and talented. The Chamber knows the target market and has a continued theme that allows their message to evolve. She encouraged Council to view visitglenwood.com which was launched last week and includes three winter promotions: ski-swim-stay, ski-swim-spa and ski-swim-play. To coincide with Glenwood’s 125th Birthday, there are coupons to area attractions and restaurants for use on your 2010 birthday. There will soon be 220 new lodging rooms so they will need to work hard to try to fill occupancy over 12 months and now would be a risky time to put this out to bid. The City and the Chamber have grown as partners to make Glenwood a model mountain community. An RFP is inconsistent with the local preference policy. There are only 2 staff members that manage this contract and dealing with an RFP would take them from their core work. The Chamber operates the Visitor Information Center which saw 65,000 visitors in 2009. It takes training, commitment and patience to respond to visitors’ needs which then allows them to spend more money. The Chamber helps run events and they consider themselves the stewards of the brand. They would like to continue their contract and this partnership in 2011 and 2012.
Bill Sanderson, Alpine Bank Branch President and Chamber Boardmember, stated when he joined the Chamber 5 years ago there were discussions of putting this contract out for bid and allegations of misappropriation of funds. The Chamber and the Tourism Board came through with flying colors. They have diversified the Tourism Board by adding non-tourism members and have proven that keeping administration of the funds in-house has been very effective. He pledged his support to keep things as they have been.
Steve Beckley mentioned that the Tourism Board works closely with Council and has tried to accommodate their suggestions. He is excited about the things being done and encouraged Council to keep the 2011 and 2012 contracts with the Chamber.
Larry Emery said this has been an ongoing issue for many years. The Chamber does its best to promote Glenwood Springs but the issue is that $750,000 of public money is spent annually. How do you justify spending it on something that hasn’t been bid or seeing what is available? This is probably the largest budget item Council has control over and it is awarded to the Chamber every year. He said he takes exception with the Chamber saying they don’t have time for an RFP. They do an annual plan on how the $750,000 will be spent and probably have the facts and figures in place. These funds from the Glenwood Springs’ taxpayers are to be used to promote the City and it is left to Council’s discretion as to how best to spend the money. He received the audit results 5 years ago. This audit was not a forensic audit, just an analysis of the figures to make sure they added up.
Bob Campbell said he has worked a lot with Chamber staff. They are hard working, conscience and knowledgeable. He said he was impressed with their understanding of what works best for Glenwood Springs.
Councilor Steckler said he is the Council representative to the Tourism Board, knows what the Chamber does and is happy with their work. It’s a good idea to look at this from an RFP prospective, but there is a lot of learned knowledge and continuity. The Chamber knows what works and what doesn’t. From what he understands of the business there would be some risks of going with an outside entity. He said he doesn’t think it would be difficult for the Chamber to put together an RFP, but it would be difficult for an outside firm to compete. He said he is happy with how the money is spent, but would like broader input from the community, a more regional approach. He said he is happy with the status quo.
Councilor Bershenyi said he is conflicted because it is Council’s responsibility to do the best thing with the public’s money and they should be doing this through a more open process. The Chamber has done a wonderful job and has a quality product.
Councilor Kaup echoed the comments that this is not about performance of the contract. The Chamber’s main strength is an understanding of the product and the market to which Glenwood appeals. She said she is happy with the changes made to the Tourism Board. Council has a responsibility to make sure this money is spent prudently. She would like someone to analyze the impacts, benefits and costs of changing the structure of this contract before sending this to a RFP.
Councilor Sturges said everyone has reviewed the history, the Chamber product and the marketing. He said the Chamber’s marking work is high quality and consistent with its message. This is no longer just about the money. The Visitor Center is one of the best, from the location to the friendliness. He said someone from outside the area could not manage that responsibility so it should be separate from the RFP. The Chamber’s marketing plans have been professional and well documented. Staff raised a question about oversight and administration so, if Council decides to go through with it, he would like staff to come back with a proposed RFP. He wants to get the best marketing program that will bring in the best return.
Councilor McKinney reiterated that Council is the steward of the public money and it is a disservice if the money isn’t spent in an open and just manner. If it goes to bid it will likely go to the Chamber. He said most of the information should be in place for the Chamber to put together a bid and the money should stay local. He asked if this is the way it has always been done.
Mayor Christensen explained that it has been done like this for the last 22 years and prior to that it was administered by the City and bid out as an advertising contract. The amounts were much smaller.
Councilor McKinney said he is leaning toward putting it out for bid.
Councilor Arensman said he has served as Council liaison to the Chamber for the last 2 years and respects the people on the Chamber Board and all the volunteer efforts. They are doing a good job with the City’s tourism marketing and they understand the local attractions and appeal. If it isn’t broken don’t fix it. The City is getting good value for the money. The Tourism Board has improved its accountability, broadened the representation, and implemented conflict of interest waivers. They have allowed regional golf course promotions and that’s the type of regional marketing that needs done. If this goes out to bid front range companies could under-bid because they don’t have to pay the operating costs of living here and the City is trying to keep funds local. He said he supports not changing at this time, but would like more scrutiny. What does the $200,000 in overhead pay? This was an almost $800,000 budget which has shrunk to $600,000.
Mayor Christensen said Council would negligent to spend this amount of money without seeing what is available. If this was done with any other entity there would be public furor. The City has given the Chamber $2.8 million over the last 4 years to market Glenwood Springs. Council took an oath and is responsible to see what the alternatives are no matter how much they like the people here. The Tourism Board should be looking at all the regions’ resources and look at Glenwood as a gateway to them. Glenwood’s Chamber is paid to host Ride the Rockies, but none of the other western slope municipalities do that. The Chamber is paid to market Glenwood, but they can’t do an RFP because it will take time from marketing. That is unethical. There are things that need tightened up. The Chamber is paid $22,800 for rent under the contract, but the County provides the facility for free. He said he hopes an RFP would provide someone local, but if they continue with a sole-source and no bid contract, the oversight needs improved. The Tourism Board should not be appointed by the Chamber. The Chamber promotes Glenwood with a water theme yet pays dues to and supports the U.S. Chamber of Commerce which is trying to dry up the West. Other options must be explored.
Councilor Steckler said he agreed that maybe a different structure should be explored, but continuity is needed with a marketing entity. This wouldn’t be easy to bid, but an RFP could be explored. How costs are allocated through the Tourism Fund needs examined and an external auditing procedure is warranted. He said he is in favor of a more regional approach but likes the basic execution of the contract. This is public money so it shouldn’t be contentious and justifying how it is spent should be accepted as a matter of course.
Mayor Christensen explained that he personally has a problem when the Tourism Board wants to put the 20% into advertising. It is the one thing the community receives and it is spent wisely. Infrastructure needs built to enhance the community. The Tourism Board didn’t want to partner for downtown Christmas lights or on a better bus service.
Councilor Kaup said there are some valid questions with issues over the years, but will an RFP address them? She said there are advantages to having the contract local and involving community cooperation in marketing Glenwood Springs. If things need fixed, then look at the best way to address them.
Councilor Bershenyi reiterated that no one is denigrating the Chamber’s product, but it is Council’s fiduciary responsibility to the community to oversee these funds. The Chamber tonight has asked for the 2011 and 2012 contracts which are $l.4 million and he is unwilling to give blanket approval to an expenditure of that amount without a formal process.
Councilor Sturges said Council is executing their responsibility as prior Councils have. There are legitimate questions and he would like to better understand the issues of administration and oversight. It’s not as simple as requiring an RFP. There should be discussion with staff regarding the type of oversight and an RFP, review the proposal and then make a decision as to an RFP. If it is decided an RFP is needed, he is sure the Chamber will make a good argument that they can deliver what the City wants.
Councilor Arensman agreed that it is premature to go to an RFP now. If it goes to bid, a different form of governance will be needed and the ramifications need thought through. He said he would like to discuss the issues brought up tonight.
Mayor Christensen said the Chamber needs to know they will have the 2011 contract, then have the discussion sometime during this year.
Jeff Hecksel said the discussion tonight is not an approval of a contract, just a discussion and decision about issuing an RFP. This is a significant process with involving overlap and time to transition.
Councilor Kaup said if Council seriously considers going for an RFP, questions need to be answered about the implications, what type of changes would need to be made to administration and structure, etc.
Mayor Christensen said those are structural issues.
Councilor Steckler said an RFP is not simple. How is the RFP sculpted? What do you do with the infrastructure already in place? What about the marketing leads?
Jeff Hecksel said, from his perspective, those are losses that will have to be paid again when/if providers are changed. The investment to the website is gone and would have to be redone. The only way to get those costs is to go through an RFP.
Mayor Christensen said those are advantages to the current vendor and he is fine with that.
Councilor Bershenyi said those are work products produced using public funds so it should be the property of the City of Glenwood Springs.
Mayor Christensen and Jeff Hecksel disagreed.
Councilor McKinney suggested extending the contract for a year and having a worksession before June.
Councilor Sturges pointed out that renewing or continuing a contract is not the issue tonight. He asked if there was a date by which they need to decide who receives the contract.
Jeff Hecksel replied, it feeds into the budget and it would be preferable to have more time to minimize the disruption. Changing providers, especially when they involve the items in the memorandum, will cause disruption because development lead time is significant. He said he sees this as a political issue for Council and has no recommendations.
Councilor Sturges said there in an issue as to how the contract is administered and another one of oversight. He said Council should have a worksession to discuss what they want under an RFP.
Councilor McKinney said if this is the same conversation that’s been happening for 22 years. The right thing to do is put it out to bid because of Council’s obligation as public servants and nothing will change until that is done.
Councilor Steckler said if you lose 6 months marketing getting a new vendor up to speed it is a disservice to the community. It isn’t a tangible service.
Councilor Kaup said the decision should be how best to serve the City and it is not best served to lose marketing time in a down economy.
Mayor Christensen said it is on the agenda tonight because there is almost a year lead time. If there is ever going to be a change, it needs to be planned well in advance.
Councilor Bershenyi moved, seconded by Councilor Kaup, to direct staff to schedule a worksession to examine the ramifications of an RFP.
Councilor Steckler said he would like it amended to expand the scope to include structural issues with the existing approach.
Mayor Christensen said, in that case, the RFP would be for the 2012 contract.
Councilor Steckler asked if they were going ahead with the status quo for 2011.
Councilor Arensman answered, it doesn’t have to be status quo. There is the opportunity to interact with the Chamber and the Tourism Board during the entire next year.
Mayor Christensen said that’s a good thing then everybody can work through the issues and it can be a component of what happens in 2012.
Councilor Bershenyi amended his motion and Councilor Kaup amended her second to schedule a worksession to discuss the ramifications of an RFP for the 2012 contract and some of the structural and/or policy concerns with the current situation.
Council registered their votes on the electronic lighting system. The motion passed unanimously.”