Modesto Chamber of Commerce Drops the Ball Wants City Bailout Money
By Emerson Drake
Over the last several months we’ve been regaled with several tales lauding the Modesto Chamber of Commerce’s CEO/lobbyist Cecil Russell and side kick Mike Moradian for raising money to restore Modesto’s Arch. While I acknowledge it’s a fine project, and will be somewhat appreciated, does the City of Modesto really have $40,000 in the General Fund with nowhere else to go? We’re even being asked to throw in $15,807 from the Mann Grant Donation into the project for a total of $55.807.00.
At a recent City Council meeting lobbyist Cecil Russell was given a round of applause as was Mike Moradian for selling the $3.00 “Golden” candy bars. There were several stories in the Modesto Bee ( Aug.18, Sept.7 & 11 and Oct.1) about what a great job the Chamber has done raising money. But now they come, hat in hand, begging for tax money that could have gone toward another police officer on the street.
It’s Item #11 under new business http://www.modestogov.com/sirepub/mtgviewer.aspx?meetid=460&doctype=AGENDA on this weeks agenda. What? You say you haven’t read about it anywhere? Not even in the Modesto Bee? Apparently City manager Greg Nyhoff requested this item be added. But how did he hear about the need?
There is little doubt that when he blew off last weeks agenda meeting and missed half of the Safety and Communities meeting, he was being apprised of the situation as the city liaison with the Chamber. He failed to mention it upon his return from the meeting, but since he likes to keep city business on a need to know basis or as strictly required by law, we don’t wonder why, as it would keep his secret as long as possible. At least several City Council members were surprised to see this item on the agenda when it was published on Friday afternoon.
The Chamber of Commerce has already planned a celebration for October 26, 2012. But they FAILED to raise the necessary money to pay for it. Unfortunately it says more about Mr. Russell’s leadership than it does about Modesto businessmen. I don’t believe this would never have happened under someone who was as fiscally responsible as former Chamber CEO Joy Madison.
Lobbyist Cecil Russell has done a lot of bad-mouthing against the Modesto City Council over his client/benefactor the Double Tree turning down the Modesto Centre Plaza deal. You would think he would have run into some resistance for being a grandstander who failed in his responsibility to come through with the promised funding.
Next time the Chamber of Commerce or its CEO have grandiose plans (for the public’s good) I hope they can pay for it themselves and leave Modesto’s general fund out of the equation.
Eye On Modesto 
I am glad to reply to this slander! Although I am confident you will not post it…Mr. Drake I am not sure who you are, just as you do no know me. However, what I do know is that you simply have NO IDEA of what you are talking about! You need to do a bit more research and hire a fact checker before you publish work that makes you out to look like a buffoon! What have you done in way of supporting the Arch or this effort? Oh, nothing? I guess you feel that gives you a leg to stand on, when really you just need to take a seat!
I thank you for your comment Mr.Leland, but your response is that of an angry petulant child who stamps their feet, uses words they obviously don’t understand and then proceeds out of frustration to call people names. The one thing you didn’t do is refute a single thing I wrote. And that’s because you can’t. The numbers I use in the article came straight from the Council agenda support items. Here’s the link http://www.modestogov.com/sirepub/mtgviewer.aspx?meetid=460&doctype=AGENDA just click on agenda item #11 and take your choice of reading material on the right hand side. If you read the first item you’ll find all of the numbers I used. More importantly you’ll see the “$40,000 in pledges” aren’t mentioned. Only in the live presentation will you discover them. City Manager Greg Nyhoff asks for a “GIFT” of $40,000 to the renovation fund. While I believe the project is good for the community we can’t afford to use tax dollars frivlously at this time when we have city employees making personal sacrifices. When the lobbyist Cecil Russell says nothing was given away he wasn’t being truthful. They were giving away the candy bars to those in the audience. If it makes you feel better I didn’t take one.