Attack on Chamber & CentralSpeaks.com Unjustified: Just the Facts

By Dave Freneaux

    The Central City News today dedicated three full pages of its newspaper to an article in an apparent attempt to sabotage a project CentralSpeaks.com has launched to produce the 2011 City of Central Chamber of Commerce Directory.  CentralSpeaks.com brought the Chamber a progressive and innovative concept that serves as a marketing tool, fundraiser and membership drive for the Chamber, all rolled into one turnkey project which will be mailed directly to virtually all homes and businesses in Central.

    Now the Central City News is attempting to turn public sentiment against both the Chamber and CentralSpeaks.com, characterizing the publishing of the Chamber Directory as an attack on the Central City News.  That CentralSpeaks.com, and not the Central City News, was the first to conceive and promote such a project is simply creative and progressive marketing.  Being the first to do something is not “unfair competition”, it is innovation and free enterprise at its best.

    CentralSpeaks.com is proud to have conceived this project and successfully proposed it to the Chamber Board which voted unanimously to approve the project.  It will increase Chamber membership, strengthen the effectiveness of the Chamber Directory, raise funds for the continued operation of the Chamber, and provide real benefits to Chamber members including discounted advertising which gives Chamber members a 100% return on their Chamber dues. 

    The Chamber has produced a number of Directories, the last being in 2010.  The “Little Red Phone Book” has been produced in Central for over 30 years.  The Central City News can claim no “ownership” of either the Chamber Directory or the local phone book.  Let’s be honest here and examine the claims of the Central City News.  Here are “Just The Facts”:

Claim:The CCN claims that the Chamber Chairman proposed the Directory project.

Fact:Dave Freneaux of CentralSpeaks.com conceived and proposed the project.

Claim:The CCN claims the project is to publish a telephone directory.

Fact:The project is to produce a Chamber of Commerce Directory which will also include a local phone book in order to keep the Chamber’s name in the public’s eye all year long.

Claim:The CCN claims this project is “Tax Exempt” competition.

Fact:CentralSpeaks.com is giving up much of the potential profit of this project in order to support the Chamber.  If CentralSpeaks.com makes a profit on this project that profit will be taxable.  The real difference between this project and the CCN Phone Book is that the CCN does not donate ANY of its profits to the Central Chamber.

Claim: The CCN makes a broad assertion that this project somehow violates the non-profit status of the Chamber.

Fact:Chambers of Commerce all across the country publish Chamber Directories and sell advertising in these directories as a fundraiser and there are companies who engage in the business of producing Chamber Directories.

Claim:The CCN claims that the Chamber could have its tax-exempt status revoked.

Fact:An asteroid could crush the Chamber office in the middle of the night, which is to say that CentralSpeaks.com sought the advice of two attorneys and three CPA’s, one of whom is an expert in the area of non-profit organizations, and the unanimous informal opinion of these professionals was that this project in no way should jeopardize the tax exempt status of the Chamber.

Claim:The CCN claims this project places the Chamber in an adversarial role, favoring one business over another.

Fact:CentralSpeaks.com brought this innovative project to the Chamber, which the Central City News had failed to do for five years.  The Chamber’s choice to accept this project from CentralSpeaks.com is no more adversarial than the decisions made by the Chamber to purchase insurance from one member over another, to rent a building through one member over another, or to hold its meetings in the facility of one member over another.  The fact is, despite being a non-profit organization, the Chamber makes business decisions every day, and on this day CentralSpeaks.com made the best, most innovative and in fact the ONLY proposal to produce a 2011 Chamber Directory.

Claim: The CCN claims that to follow through with this project with CentralSpeaks.com “is just plain wrong.”

Fact:  For the CCN to attempt to prevent CentralSpeaks.com from engaging in its primary business of creating publications and selling advertising, THAT “is just plain wrong.”

Claim:The CCN claims that Russell Starns is trying to “put this newspaper out of business”.

Fact: According to the CCN in its 9/16/10 edition, Mr. Starns has “spent over $60,000 advertising his own business” in the Central City News.  CentralSpeaks.com WISHES we had received that kind of support from ANY advertiser.

Claim:  The CCN claims in its article that CH2M HILL “runs city government in Central.”

Fact:  Someone needs to read the Lawrason Act.  Mayor Mac Watts runs city government in Central.  Oh, and what in the world does that have to do with a Chamber Directory anyway?

    The Central City News has published the telephone numbers of all Chamber Board members and asked readers to contact these Board Members.  Out of respect for the Chamber Board, CentralSpeaks.com would like for readers to express their support for the Chamber Board’s decision by sending emails rather than calling.  Email [email protected] and we will forward your comments to the Chamber.