Documentation at heart of chamber decision

As the former CEO of the Greater Sandpoint Chamber of Commerce I was saddened to learn the Lakedance Film Festival was leaving the area but disheartened that they blame the chamber for their departure.

The reason why the chamber did not renew their sponsorship is because the Greenfields repeatedly ignored my requests for the proper documentation as required by the Idaho Travel Council. The hoops they say we made them jump through are the very same hoops other events must also jump through but have no trouble in doing so.

In fact, the only reason we were able to receive funding from the state to pay our meager $1,000 sponsorship is because of the documentation I provided showing the state that they were asked repeatedly for the correct information and given deadlines that they never met until they were told they had 24 hours before the grant would be closed and they would not be paid.

In fact, when they did send the information which was simply supposed to be documentation such as advertising tear sheets of how they spent the $1,000 they were unable to do so. I had to send a ton of information to the state office to get approval, putting our grant and credibility in jeopardy for them.

I informed the Greenfields in January that because they could not did, not and would not, produce the documentation telling the state how the money was spent that I would be unable to support them again this year.

I question why now seven months later and after my departure that they have decided to blame the chamber for their failure to produce an event that the community as whole clearly does not support because I sincerely doubt that the $1,000 we gave them was all they needed to run an event of that magnitude.

In a year where bed tax collections were down and we needed to cut back support for all our partners I stand by our decision to support those who willingly and in a timely manner provide the documentation that is needed, and not hoops set up by the chamber, bona fide state written requirements available for review by anyone who wishes to read them online 24 hours a day 7 days a week.

AMY LITTLE

Beaverton, Ore.