Item 19 Staff Report Consider Request from Chamber of Commerce to Ammend the Budget to Add $20,000 for a Contract with the Town to Provide a Community Resource Helpline (Continued from 06/16/97)COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
DATE: JULY 3, 1997
TO: MAYOR AND TOWN COUNCIL
FROM: TOWN MANAGER
SUBJECT:
MEETING DATE: 7/7/97
ITEM NO. 19
CONSIDER REQUEST FROM CHAMBER OF COMMERCE TO AMEND THE BUDGET
TO ADD $20,000 FOR A CONTRACT WITH THE TOWN TO PROVIDE A
COMMUNITY RESOURCE HELPLINE (CONTINUED FROM 6/16/97)
RECOMMENDATION:
Consider request from Chamber of Commerce to amend the budget to add $20,000 for a contract with the Town to
provide a Community Resource Helpline.
BACKGROUND:
On June 11, 1997 the Chamber of Commerce submitted a request for funding to provide a Community Resource
Helpline. Council continued request to its July 7, 1997 meeting.
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENTS:
Is not a project defined under CEQA, and no further action is required.
FISCAL IMPACT:
If Council decided to accommodate this request, the Community Grants budget (8040) can be increased by $20,000
from the 1997-98 projected year-end savings of $22,660. If Council desires to provide a lesser amount to the Chamber
of Commerce, Council could allocate $10,000. Five thousand dollars ($5,000) would be provided on a reimbursement
basis for the actual cost of preparing and distributing informational materials on Los Gatos. Another $5,000 could be
provided on a reimbursement basis as well for actual costs of phone lines, postage, photocopy and printing. At the
$10,000 level, the Chamber of Commerce should continue to provide the services currently provided for the community.
Attachments:
1. June 11, 1997 letter from Chamber of Commerce
2. 6/26/97 Letter to the Editor from Robin Tole, Chairman of the Board - Town of Los Gatos Chamber of
Commerce -
Distribution: Robin Tole, Chairman of the Board - Town of Los Gatos Chamber of Commerce - 333 North Santa
Cruz Avenue (Bank of America), Los Gatos CA 95030
PREPARED BY: DAVID W. KNAPP
Town Manager
DWK:pm
MGR1 16 A:\CNCLRPTS\7-7-2.WPD ‘
Reviewed by: Attornnance Revised: 7/3/97 1:50 pm
Reformatted: 10/23/95
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MAYOR AND TOWN COUNCIL
SUBJECT: ACCEPT REPORT ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROPOSALS
June 12, 1996
Attachments:
1. PRELIMINARY MARKETING PLAN FOR A CONFERENCE AND VISITORS BUREAU from Katherine
and Gary Ehlert of Profit Source
2. TOWN OF LOS GATOS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROPOSAL presented by the Town of Los Gatos
Chamber of Commerce, Robin Tole, Chair
3. April 29, 1996 letter from Dan Ponder, General Manager - The Toll House Hotel
Distribution:
Gary W. and Katherine Ehlert - Profit Source (Management, Governmental, Community & Event Consultant) -- 71
Broadway, Los Gatos, CA 95030
Robin Tole, Chair - Town of Los Gatos Chamber of Commerce, 180 S. Market Street, San Jose, California 95113
Office of the
JUN111997
Chamber of Commerce
TOWN MANAGER
Town of
L11
os Gatos
June 11, 1997
Mayor Benjamin
Vice Mayor Lubeck
Councilmember Blanton
Councilmember Attaway
Councilmember Hutchison
Dear Mayor and Councilmembers:
In the past year, the Town of Los Gatos Chamber of Commerce has accumulated
many achievements. One of our proudest is that we have been able to step in and
fill the need for a Community Resource Helpline for residents and visitors.
Primarily staffed by volunteers, the Chamber's telephone number has become
known as the place to call if someone has a question about the Town of Los Gatos.
With practically no advertising or promotion, the chamber is fielding an average of
450 calls for information per month!
We are obviously pleased with this response, but also somewhat overwhelmed. We
would like to be able to continue, and expand, this service to the community and so
we are requesting that the Town consider funding a S20,000 contract with the Town
of Los Gatos Chamber of Commerce to be specifically earmarked for the
Community Resource Helpline.
Through this one-year contract (July 1, 1997 through June 30, 1998), the chamber
will be able to staff the Community Resource Helpline for 30 hours per week to
answer questions, make referrals, send out requested information, and generally
make our residents and vistiors feel welcome and appreciated in our community. We
would continue to use the Chamber telephone number, 354.3300, as the Community
Resource Helpline and to work out of our office space, currently located in the Bank
of America lobby on North Santa Cruz Avenue. The contract will help to pay for
staff time, telephone bills, photocopies, and postage. Much of the material we send
in response to questions has been printed by the Chamber or private enterprise.
We would welcome a performance review of this contract after the initial six months
as well as a year-end evalutation in June 1998. We would hope that this contract
would be renewed annually.
ATTACHMENT a
Town of fik
Los Gatos Chamber of Commerce
IF
June 26, 1997
Los Gatos Weekly Times
Dale Bryant, Editor
245 Almendra
Los Gatos, CA 95030
Dear Editor:
Office of the
JUN 3 0 1997
TOWN MANAGER
The article last week about the Town of Los Gatos Chamber of Commerce may have
given the wrong impression to some readers. Please allow me to clarify a few points.
• The Chamber's request to the Town is for funding to specifically support
and expand information services to community members and visitors.
The funds would not be used to underwrite day-to-day operations or
membership recruitment.
The Chamber is currently fielding 450 calls a month from residents, visitors, and
others who have questions about the Town. About 85% of these calls are not
related to Chamber business, but ask about things like events, relocation and
general community information. The Chamber phoneline (354-9300) has become a
Community Resource Helpline - a valuable service that is obviously needed and
wanted.
• The Chamber office, located within the Bank of America on North Santa
Cruz, is staffed at least two days a week. We have had wonderful
volunteer support from the community - answering phones, responding
to requests for information, and helping to organize our recent golf
tournament. What we want to do now, however, is to guarantee staffing
of the Chamber's phoneline at least 30 hours per week, and that requires
more paid staffing than the Chamber can currently afford on its own.
The Town of Los Gatos Chamber of Commerce has its own Board of Directors
composed of local residents and business owners. We are affiliated with the San
Jose Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and our members receive many benefits
as a result of that affiliation. But we act independently and focus on issues and
concerns of the Los Gatos community.
Robin Tole
Chairman of the Board
ATTACHMENT 2--
CC: Mayor Joanne Benjamin, Vice -Mayor Linda Lubeck
Council Member Randy Attaway, Council Member Steve Blanton
Council Member Jan Hutchins , Town Manager Dave Knapp
July 7, 1997
Los Gatos, California
HEARINGS CONTINUED
SANTA CRUZ AVENUE N 115/CHART HOUSE/CONT.
Motion by Mr. Attaway, seconded by Mrs. Lubeck, that Council make the following findings
regarding the sale of alcoholic beverages: Late night service will not adversely impact adjacent
residential neighborhoods; The applicant does not have a history of complaints and non-
compliance with local ordinances or Alcoholic Beverage Policy; The applicant has
demonstrated a clear benefit to the community; That Attachment 19, Recommended
Conditions of Approval for the complete Architecture and Site Application and the Conditional
Use Permit, included in the staff report, be made part of the findings with the modifications
made by Council this evening. Carried by a vote of 4 ayes. Mr. Blanton voted no.
TAX AND LICENSE PENALTY FEES/BUSH CONSTRUCTION (18.05)
Mayor Benjamin stated that this was the time and place duly noted to consider appeal from
Bush Construction regarding business license tax and late penalty fees.
The following person from the audience spoke to this issue:
Emerald Hathaway Bush, 174 Villa Ave, discussed Town's business license tax policies as they
relate to home businesses in Los Gatos.
Motion by Mr. Blanton, seconded by Mrs. Lubeck, to deny the appeal of Bush Construction
regarding business license tax and late penalty fees. Carried unanimously.
Council determined that all parties should be treated equally and that Town fees have been
reviewed and consistently applied.
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE/COMMUNITY RESOURCE HELPLINE (19.20)
Mayor Benjamin stated that this was the time and place duly noted to consider request from
Chamber of Commerce to amend the Town budget to add $20,000 for a contract with the Town
to provide a Community Resource Helpline.
The following people from the audience spoke to this issue:
Robin Tole, Chairman of the Board, Los Gatos Chamber of Commerce, 333 North Santa Cruz
Ave., requested funding for phones, desk, brochures, printing, mailing costs and staff at 30
hours a week.
Linda Asbury, 530 University Ave., Executive Director, LG CofC, explained the use of the
WEB page, and how plans are under way to keep it current.
Mayor Benjamin suggested that the WEB page must be kept up-to-date to help with the
distribution of current information. She asked that performance indicators be part of the
Chambers contract for Council's review
Council consensus to return this item to Council July 21, 1997 for service performance contract
review. The contract for services to be placed within the non departmental portion of Town's
budget.
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