Get TOCC out of the Chamber of Commerce

The Town of Chevy Chase is a residential community of +/- 1,000 single-family homes. We have been that way since our incorporation in the early 20th century. We have no commercial main street, no mixed-use development, no industrial park within our Town. We have far more in common with the Coalition of Bethesda Communities than with the County's Department of Waste Management, local developers and Bethesda's business community. I am very troubled that this "New Business" item was not openly identified on the Council agenda and residents were not allowed to provide comment. I urge the Council to set aside its vote, establish a date for a public hearing for resident input and deliberate this matter in a more transparent manner.

I do not like the group or the way that the Town decided to join it.

The Chamber of Commerce is an organization of businesses to advance the interest of businesses. By voting to join the Chamber of Commerce, our Town Council projects the image that we in the Town are merely pawns of the developers. That is not the image that I want for my Town! Rescind the vote!

I am very concerned with the lack of public notice or the lack of opportunity for public input.

I would not want to see our Town associated with the regressive policies espoused by the Chamber of Commerce.

This is a business lobbying organization not a community support organization.

I oppose the Town Council's hasty decision to join the GBCC Chamber, whose goals are contrary to the interests of the town. Of greater concern to me is the manner in which the issue was acted on, following by all reports an out of control meeting, without adequate time for council consideration, and without any resident input. The Coalition of Bethesda Communities is a better organization for the Town to invest time, efforts, and money. Georgia Guhin Rosemary Street

The tension between residential communties and developers is what keeps a balance in future growth. That is why coalitions of community groups is needed to counter organizations like the Chamber. Being the lone voice in the chamber for communities will be useless and serve only to alienate our fellow residential communities. This is a mistake.

I think that the Town should serve as a counterweight to Chamber of Commerce to uphold the interests of our residents against the ravages of Manhattanization being promoted by business and development interests.

I am quite disappointed that the town leaders have chosen to join this organization that I do not believe really has the wants and needs of the community at heart, but is just another place for jobs and egos and is not truly oriented for the betterment of our own society. I have seen the Chamber in "action" with other organizations I have been a part of, and they did nothing to further or alleviate the needs of those organizations. We do not need them for our own mission in the Town of Chevy Chase; we can accomplish that by ourselves.

This association strikes me as being a conflict of interest.

While I believe it is necessary for government to work with business, government should not align itself with business. I also object to the manner in which this proposal was placed in front of members of the Council and its constituents.