What’s planned for 2022?
Just recently, The Advance contacted the McAllen Chamber of Commerce by phone and left a message for the interim president/CEO to please return our phone call. We had some questions for her that might be of interest to the public, since the chamber is so heavily subsidized by city of McAllen tax dollars (in excess of $1 million — sales tax, hotel/motel tax).
A copy of some annual budgets would show where the money is/was being spent. The entertainment receipts can sometimes be of interest since chambers do so much in the way of hosting high-profile events.
Since the former president, Steve Ahlenius, left abruptly last October after spending 24 years at the helm, why are board minutes and past board audits not subject to public review?
Which attorney, if any, is now advising the board and interim president, Blanca Cardenas? Which attorney, if any, is providing the chamber with legal advice, presumably saying that the McAllen Chamber is exempt from public disclosure? How can the chamber claim it’s exempt from the Texas Public Information Act? What legal leg is it standing on to keep all chamber business private?
What did Steve Ahlenius accomplish during his tenure (many people sing his praises), and what is the chamber up to now, moving forward? Surely the interim president can answer those questions.
When will the board decide to hire a new permanent president? Will Cardenas apply for the job? Is the executive committee still suspended?
Questions, questions, questions.
Also, may the public see the conflict-of-interest forms, if any, filled out by past board members when (if) they were paid for services rendered as a chamber vendor?
Here’s what we got in response (in the form of a Q&A) from our recent effort to reach out to the McAllen Chamber of Commerce for comment:
Advance News Journal (ANJ): So, what does the McAllen Chamber of Commerce have planned for this year? Anything exciting?
Chamber interim president:
ANJ: Last month, The Advance filed multiple public information requests with the chamber. Yet, no response has been forthcoming. One of those public information requests simply asked for board minutes to verify that pay raises for the past president (Ahlenius) had been approved by the board. Any chance of those board minutes being offered up for review any time soon or will they remain under lockdown?
Chamber interim president:
ANJ: Since the chamber touts its “transparency,” why is it being so non-transparent when it comes to simple public information requests? Why won’t the chamber turn over simple things, such as board minutes, annual audits? Why are past chamber budgets being shielded from public view? Is there anything at all you can say on the record?
Chamber interim president:
ANJ: In what city is the McAllen Chamber located?
Chamber interim president:
ANJ: What is the chamber’s budget for fiscal year 2022?
Chamber interim president:
ANJ: Why isn’t the chamber responding to our public information requests?
Chamber interim president:
Note: McAllen Chamber Executive Board Members include: Chairwoman Annette Franz; Chairman-Elect Stephan Wingert; Vice-Chairwoman Cris Rivera; and Treasurer Omar Quintanilla.
Board members include: Joseph Habbouche, David Hernandez, Kay Jancik, Jim Darling, Todd Mann, Carlos Melguizo, Francisco Paez, Hershal Patel, Elva Cerda, Kelly Nassour, Pablo Tagle, Robert Vackar, Francy Jones, Adrian Villarreal, and Tania Ramirez.