I am sharing my thoughts before I read any accounts of the end of the CVB legal issues. I'm sure the spin doctors will be at work painting the best picture for each side both in news print and media interviews.
Here is what I know. The CVB and the City of Buckhannon basically said "We quite". I don't know the legal term for "we quite" but it avoided a trial that could have exposed the happenings that led to the law suite. For all intensive purposes our community is back to square one. The CVB building site has been returned to the city and the city will refund the purchase price to the CVB. The CVB has incurred close to $100,000 in legal fees, may be liable for the attorneys fees of the plaintiffs and our city has likely incurred extra legal fees since the city was a party to the legal proceedings. Of course we all know it is the taxpayer that bears the burden of these costs.
Having done a little research I was informed that CVB's throughout our state have between 12 and 21 board voting members with representation from a wide variety of businesses, governments and programs. Our CVB has a board of 5 voting members and requires a quorum of three to make decisions. With a quorum of three, only two votes are necessary to enact policy. Do you think that may have contributed to the mess we find ourselves in?
As of this morning our CVB website has not posted any events for 2010 and still lists 2009 events. We've lost the whole first quarter of 2010. Indeed that is our loss. http://www.buckhannoncvb.org/
In today's WV State Journal there is an article about the American Mountain Theater in Elkins indicating their 2010 bookings are 50% ahead of last year. That could mean an additional 487 buses or 48,000 people visiting Eklins in 2010. If we could entice just 5% of the visitors to stop in Buckhannon, we would see an additional 2400 people enjoying our area. In my opinion this is the type of opportunity our CVB needs to explore. Thinking regionally is the key to growth. Thinking within the city limit boundaries leads to atrophy.
I hope the CVB board that represents our area include voting members from: the city, county, Chamber of Commerce, SUBA, BURMA, antique industry, cycling interests, motorcycling and car clubs, Strawberry Festival, WVWC, other CVB's?, Rotary and service clubs, SYC and the list goes on. Our CVB should have a broad representation of area interests with decision making resting in the many not the few.
I have just read Friday's Record Delta and the story confirms that the spin doctors are hard at work.
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As long as ignorant people like you are involved, things will never change. You must have spell check now look for a grammar check. Hard to take you seriously when your blog is hard to interpret. Of course, as an aspiring politician, I guess you are practicing to be vague so you can appear innocent when things go wrong. You will do well.
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