Business task force is good move

Hats off to Agoura Hills City Manager Greg Rameriz, his staff and the City Council for establishing a business task force committee. It's about time the business community is given an opportunity to partner with the city in a positive way.

Since 2000 this Chamber has marinated in negativity toward the city of Agoura Hills. Every week in The Acorn it bashes the city, whining that it receives no funding or support from the city of Agoura Hills, and boasts that the Chamber represents business working to advance our community.

In last week's Acorn the president of the Chamber is quoted saying, "The Chamber tries to stay out of the way of the city's business and the Chamber wants the city to stay out of the way of the business community." You call that working to advance business in our community? Wow, can you imagine how the cities of Calabasas, Thousand Oaks and Westlake Village would react if Carol Washburn of the Calabasas Chamber or Janet Leavitt of the Thousand Oaks/Westlake Village Chamber made a comment like that to press? Why would any city want to support a Chamber with that attitude?

The editor has asked for new players to come to the table. The city has stepped up with new players, Mayor Edelston and Councilman Koehler. These men have extended an olive branch to the Chamber many times and have been rejected. It's now time for the Chamber to step up and bring in some new players with a more professional positive attitude toward the city.

It's time to have an open election for board members like all the other Chambers have, rather than appointing board members. There has not been an open election to members since 1999. If that doesn't happen then the editor is right- the formation of the new business task force is the right approach, and the businesses of Agoura Hills should embrace it.

The members of the committee represent a great cross section of local businesses that will truly work to build a partnership with the city that will benefit the entire community. Tom Jacobellis Agoura Hills