Kawartha Lakes Board of Trade Holds Open Meeting!

Kawartha Lakes Mums Do You Wonder About the Board of Trade Being Formed? 

What is the Kawartha Lakes Board of Trade? Who are the stake holders? These are a few of the questions people might be ask tonight at an open meeting being held in Fenelon Falls. April 2, 2013 All members of the public are invited to discuss the future of the proposed Kawartha Lakes Board of Trade. The meeting, spurred by recent concerns published in Lindsay Daily Post, will be from 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm at Fenelon Falls Community Centre on Veterans Way in Fenelon Falls . The purpose of the meeting will be to address concerns clearly expressed Ian Forster, a stakeholder, and subsequently published in The Lindsay Post. The goal will be to address all the concerns raised and develop a move forward plan.  It is hoped that the timing of this meeting will accomodate most stakeholders.

What Concerns Did Ian Forster Raise?

March 17 , 2013 My Kawartha.com ran a press release the City of Kawartha Lakes Board of Trade had been incorporated and welcomed new businesses. The press release took Ian Forster, reresentative of Coboconk-Norland Businesses by surprise.
 Marlene Morrison Nicholls, part of the executive team of the Lindsay and District Chamber of Commerce and one of the founding directors of the new Board, she said it had been established with input from stakeholders in the various parts of City of Kawartha Lakes.

 'While it's been six months of effort to get to this announcement, the idea has been on the radar screen for a number of years, as it has for other organizations across the City of Kawartha Lakes. This would have never happened without interest and support from Bobcaygeon, Norland, Coboconk, Fenelon Falls, Omemee and Woodvillle, the City (Economic Development) and, of course, the Kawartha Lakes CFDC.'

Were you taken by surprise too?  I searched through the economic development site, and City of Kawartha Lakes site and could not find anything about it online. Here are some points Forster raised.

According to Lisa Gervaus of the Lindsay Post:

Forster, who represents the Coboconk-Norland & Area Business Committee of Council on the board sent out an e-mail on Tuesday, Mar. 26 outlining how he believes the [Kawartha Lakes Board of Trade] process has unravelled, and sharing his suspicions of the motivation for the formation of the board of trade were starting to grow.

Points addressed in the article include:

• Surprise change in players spearheading the process -from Lindsay Chamber of Commerce to Fenelon Falls Chamber of Commerce.
• Surprise parting of ways with consultant Robert Fortin
• Application for event funding in conflict with Coboconk Fresh Water Summit 
• Press releases issued without consultation or vetting from the group as a whole.
• Decisions were being made by only a few on behalf of the many

Kawartha Lakes Board of Trade Discussion Event Details 

Recap: of details supplied by Brenda Karagiannis, C.F.O. Trinity Taxi And Livery Services Ltd. Lindsay

• Who should attend? Open to the public. 
• What will be discussed? To address concerns clearly expressed Ian Forster, a stakeholder, and subsequently published in The Lindsay Post.
• Where? Fenelon Falls Community Centre on Veterans Way in Fenelon Falls 
• When? 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm
• Why is the meeting being held? To address concerns clearly expressed Ian Forster, a stakeholder, and subsequently published in The Lindsay Post. 
•  Why on this date and at this Time? To accommodate our stakeholders. 
•  How will the success of the meeting be determined? We address all the concerns raised and develop a move forward plan. 

Sources:

• My Kawartha: Board of Trade's goal is to become the 'voice of business

Lindsay Post: Concerns Aired over Fledgling Bard of Trade Be sure to subscribe to Kawartha Lakes Mums to stay in the loop! Visit us on Kawartha Lakes Mums Facebook Page, Kawartha Mums Twitter, and Check out Kawartha Lakes Mums Youtube for Insider Secrets