I was saddened and angered by the comments of Jose Alejo, Chamber of Commerce President, in his Chamber of Commerce update to the city council this past week.

I say shame on Mr. Alejo for using his position as President of Chamber of Commerce to undermine the struggle of downtown to make our district more successful. An attempt at public humiliation does not make for friends in the ongoing bid to turn Downtown Bartlett around. Mr. Alejo, as President of the Chamber of Commerce, should be working on improving the cooperative atmosphere of the community in downtown. Divide and conquer will not work with these tactics. I am wondering if Mr. Alejo is trying to score points with members of City Council at the expense of downtown? Or rather still, is Mr. Alejo hoping to get appointed to a vacancy on city council, if one should become available?

What has the Chamber of Commerce done under President Alejo to promote the businesses of Downtown Bartlett and the rest of businesses of Bartlett? My understanding of a chamber of commerce is about promoting and being involved in efforts to develop new businesses and to help ALL existing businesses to prosper. T-shirts and product sales for the Youth Football Program doesn’t fit the chamber criteria for business criteria. The first job of t he chamber is COMMERCE, hence its name Chamber of Commerce. Sports activities should be engaged in after the first job is done. There are other organizations that should be working for these kinds of activities.

Now with regards to Friendship Fest, which is a party and has been here long before Mr. Alejo arrived in Bartlett. I am certainly not aware of any significant immediate or long term economic impact. Has there been an effort to cast a wider net of commerce during this fest? Has the Chamber even, ever made a profit on the Fest?

The recently printed and distributed brochure is a start, but unfortunately it is full of untruths and exaggerations that it could end up as a liability to our town. Is this good for commerce?

The downtown needs regular street light maintenance to have downtown fully lit. The city needs to keep these old style lights and find out why the bulbs are short lived or replace the lights with like kind.

The downtown needs a speed limit sign to slow traffic (perhaps a stop sign at Evie on Clark).

The downtown needs load limit enforcements on the brick streets.

The downtown needs the grass cut before it becomes knee high.

The downtown needs the police department to interact with property owners.

The downtown needs to be patroled at night so the city can stop that reward ad.

The town needs to have a public restroom for visitors.

The town needs a comprehensive plan to chart out its future.

What Mr. Alejo, President of Chamber of Commerce, may not realize is that the lack of enthusiasm has been with the city council. For 12 plus years and 5 plus years since the last major tear up of the bricks on Clark Street, we have petitioned the city council for repair and replacement to make our downtown look good. The condition of Clark Street as it is today speaks for how much response and concern we have gotten from the city on this subject. This has been a decade plus struggle by a number of downtown building/property owners to no avail at this point. But, when the bricks are repaired, ALL of downtown building owners must be given credit for their efforts, whether a Chamber of Commerce member or not.

So if by the building owners not responding to an event that sounded more like a children’s game, it is disappointing to Mr. Alejo, President of the Chamber, I suggest that he look at the record of the past 12 plus years with the city council and perhaps he might place his disappointments precisely where it belongs on this City Council.

Carl Powell, Bartlett