Artesia Chamber Will Move Into Community Center

Artesia’s Chamber of Commerce will find a home for the nominal fee of $1 per year at the , thanks to a 3-1 vote by the City Council May 14.

The chamber had been looking at three options for a site to conduct its business and board meetings, including two vacant offices at the Artesia Town Center. Now that the chamber’s request to use extra community center space has been approved, they have a place to conduct their board meetings and business recruitment.

The city has the option of revising the terms of the lease and can terminate it with a 30-day notice.

In return for getting space at the community center, Councilman Miguel Canales wants it made clear that the Artesia Chamber of Commerce should be separate from the City of Artesia.

“I hope in one year the chamber will be on their feet actively fundraising so it’s that perception that they are going after other merchants on Pioneer and the (rest of the) city,” he said.

However, Mayor Pro Tem Sally Flowers said the chamber should have their office where they can find the most traffic, not at the community center.

“I’ve talked to business members and they agreed that city should be separate from chamber,” she explained. “I don’t think they need to be around children. (Their offices) should be in the commercial corridor, not at a park.”

She suggested that the city can help with the chamber’s rental and furnishings expenses at either of the two suggested sites at the Artesia Chamber of Commerce, which could cost the city up to $2,700 annually.

Flowers’ idea did not gather enough support from her fellow council members, who said they already pay $500 a month to the chamber and that the extra space at the community center could be utilized.

“Under conditions of where we are at the moment, we have empty room that no one’s using,” Councilman Tony Lima said in response to Flowers’ idea. “It has access from outside. It’s only for one year and if something goes wrong, we cancel. We’ll terminate the lease instead of making (a) contribution of $1,000.”

Executive Director Sug Kitahara insisted to the city council that the chamber’s presence at the community center will only be temporary and will only be used to hold meetings and store items.

“One year is a good timeframe for us,” he said to the council. “In my mind, we’re not going to be there more than one or two years.”

Other actions during the May Artesia City Council meeting included:

- Presenting Dr. Edward Bloomfield of Cerritos Collage a certificate of recognition for winning the inaugural Hall of Fame Distinguished Faculty Award.

- Approved a resolution supporting the Los Angeles County Flood Control District’s Clean Water, Clean Beaches Protection Measure. This proposed referendum would levy a $54 fee from Artesia residential properties annually to fund water runoff and quality issues in the area.

The next Artesia City Council meeting will be held June 11 at 7 p.m. at Artesia City Hall. For more information, go to www.cityofartesia.us or call (562) 865-6262.