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9-year-old chamber claims it is 60


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Lake Tahoe South Shore Chamber of Commerce came into being in 2006. On Feb. 25 it is celebrating its 60 anniversary. (That was not a typo.)

It was a 13-0 vote by the Tahoe Douglas Chamber of Commerce to merge with the South Lake Tahoe Chamber of Commerce. Three board members were absent and one abstained. The South Lake Tahoe chamber board voted 18-6 to combine resources. Those two chambers were then legally dissolved.

The new board created a new name, didn’t hire either of the existing executive directors and in one of the more controversial decisions entered into a long-term lease agreement for a building in Stateline.

Lake Tahoe South Shore Chamber of Commerce Executive Director B Gorman deferred questions about why the chamber is celebrating the Feb. 17, 1955, birth date of the South Lake Tahoe chamber instead of its own to Mike Johnson, a board member and attorney by trade.

“As for the ‘birth date’, a component of the current chamber was ‘born’ in 1955 and (the) merger with another component did not serve to alter that date,” Johnson told Lake Tahoe News.

He chose not to answer these questions posed by LTN:

• But how was it decided which birth date to recognize?

• And why not recognize your true birth date of a few years ago?

— Lake Tahoe News staff report

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Comments (19)
  1. Tinfoilhat says - Posted: February 10, 2015

    Such scandal! THIS TOWN WILL NEVER BE THE SAME! Must be a slow day in the office.

  2. LeanForward says - Posted: February 10, 2015

    How did he not answer your questions?

    “As for the ‘birth date’, a component of the current chamber was ‘born’ in 1955 and (the) merger with another component did not serve to alter that date,” Johnson told Lake Tahoe News.

    You quoted Johnson answering your question…

  3. Fifty Year Resident says - Posted: February 10, 2015

    This sounds like Brian Williams of NBC news taking credit for something he was not involved in. 9 years is 9 years and even with some new math it does not add up to 60 years

  4. Emily says - Posted: February 10, 2015

    This is just reaching, where’s the story?! As a Chamber employee we fully embrace our merger date, the Tahoe Douglas Chamber incorporation date, and the South Lake Tahoe Chamber incorporation date. All of those dates are a part of our history. As for the 1955 date, it is the furthest back the South SHORE Chamber’s history goes so that’s why we went with it for our Birthday Party BAHM!(Business After Hours Mixer). 1955 was the beginning of Chamber of Commerce’s for the South Shore and we are proud of that history. Our history is a complex one but we embrace it all the way back to the beginning. Can’t we all just celebrate our community’s history and our businesses and stop being so negative all the time?!

  5. copper says - Posted: February 10, 2015

    So do they get an additional star or stripe or something on their letter sweater for each year?

    Chambers of Commerce are always creatures that the citizens need to keep a close eye on. Understanding the past is always important, but voters can only try to control the future.

  6. Lyndsay says - Posted: February 10, 2015

    I don’t understand why this site continuously chooses to try and spark drama and create divides within a community that is working so hard to grow and move forward as one.

    Why not look at this for what it is? A celebration of our community. Thank you to all individuals and organizations that are working for the betterment of our community.

  7. LeanForward says - Posted: February 10, 2015

    Amen Lyndsay!

  8. Steve says - Posted: February 10, 2015

    It’s amazing what passes for news these days. #onesouthshore

  9. Steve says - Posted: February 10, 2015

    Frankly I’d prefer just the opposite, upon turning 60 to be able to claim nine.

  10. Karen says - Posted: February 10, 2015

    For a new chamber that has tried so hard to have its own identity, to which I believe it has done so, why would it not be satisfied with what it is instead of reaching back on the coattails of an entity it did not want to be? This was less of a merger and more of a dissolution of two entities and creation of a new entity. I support the new entity that is 9 years old.

  11. Mike says - Posted: February 10, 2015

    I belong to the chamber and don’t understand the 60-year celebration.

  12. BLABLA says - Posted: February 10, 2015

    Mike, you don’t like to party?

  13. Slapshot says - Posted: February 10, 2015

    For the sake of this site please move on. Many more important issues.

  14. Kenny "Tahoe Skibum" Curtzwiler says - Posted: February 11, 2015

    I have to agree with Kae on this one. I belonged to the original chamber and still have the chamber newsletter showing it. I also belong to the South Lake Tahoe Chamber currently as well as the Tahoe Chamber. Nothing wrong joining both. Everything the new chamber did when formed stunk of back door deals and collusion between the powers to be in our town, perfectly done in a way that was legal to the T. If you think that there are a select few with power that use to and still do run our town you would be correct. They chose to break away and start a “new” chamber. When I started my family I celebrate my wedding day as my original family start date and then a new start date for each kid I have past that on their birthday. Same family, same dna and same last name but different birthdays. The problem with this chamber family is that they are estranged. I belong to both and attend both functions and utilize both services but for us long time locals there is really only one true South Lake Tahoe Chamber. My opinion only.

  15. Isee says - Posted: February 11, 2015

    It doesn’t matter how many years it has been. This is about having a drinking party as the Chamber does so well. Bottoms-up!!

  16. Scott Blumenthal says - Posted: February 11, 2015

    Kae and Kenny I do agree with you. Why the Nevada Chamber have to stoop to lies I don’t know. And all of you who want to “move on”, “this isn’t news” attitude you are certainly entitled to your opinion. This is news, just not news you like.

  17. Cranky Gerald says - Posted: February 11, 2015

    A lot of opinions and facts are provided above.
    There is truth in all of them, and it shows prominently to all who read far enough to understand.

    The only conclusion that you can come to is that this is NOT a community with common interests or common goals. You can blame it on the juxtaposition of the CA/NV border if you want to but this is just geography, not a reason.

    The real shame is that so much duplication of resources dilutes the entire, generally mediocre effort to promote the community.

    Clearly, this must be because WE DO NOT REALLY KNOW WHO WE ARE as a community, and do not have a workable forum to collaborate (a buzzword I think has been used far too often around here) or hear ideas from those who are working to hard to make a living to attend all the poorly timed, poorly attended meetings and discussions held by the current multiple chambers and agencies.

    Even our elected representatives can’t get along without sniping, arguing and derisive body language on the televised meetings. Imagine what this is probably like when they are not on camera.

    My suggestion:

    Business in the chamber(s), quit wasting your money, drop out and then REACH OUT to the myriad businesses who do not currently belong; start anew with different management and listen to one another. You will find huge common ground, and probably will decide not to paint busses in the Bay Area, or change the name of the community which has been on the maps for decades.

    You will be able to use the power of a common goal to go forward in a direction benefiting more people than simply Casinos and their buddies.

  18. Old Long Skiis says - Posted: February 11, 2015

    Cranky Gerald, A good comment about the Chamber! As far back as I can remember there was always some sort of rift between Cal / Nev. here on So. Shore.
    In the early days of Harvey Gross and Bill Harrah things were a little more civil and both sides of stateline tried to work together as it was beneficial for everyone.
    Not so much anymore. Can we turn back the hands time and work together? We will all benefit as a community with some team building. OLS
    p.s. If the chamber’s been here 60 years then I’ve lived here, by their math,254 years. No wonder my knees and back ache!!
    Thank you, OLS

  19. Passion4Tahoe says - Posted: February 11, 2015

    Oh, how I miss John Wynn!