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(Read
the Grizzly article - click here)
Good
Morning Board Members of the Big Bear Chamber of Commerce and guests.
My name is Stanley Miller, and along with my partner, Thomas
Bicanic, own the Knickerbocker Mansion.
I
am here to speak about the PHR within the City of Big Bear Lake.
I have some prepared text and then will welcome your questions.
But 1st, will you answer a question for me.
Is it true that this board has adopted a resolution to support
Michael Perry and his clients? IF
TRUE... (PROCEED & DELIVERY OUR PLAQUE TO THE TABLE, plaque was
delivered).
It is my opinion that this group should SUPPORT FAIR practices for
ALL businesses in
Big
Bear
Lake
and certainly not PLAY politics on this issue.
What individual board members do and support privately is not the
concern of this organization..... but what the organization does is the
business of every member. IF
YOUR BOARD VOTED POSITION IS TO SUPPORT Michael Perry and his clients,
Knickerbocker Mansion is hereby resigned and I will do everything within
my power to convince other members to resign IN PROTEST.
Now, Putting that aside.
How many of you believe in FAIR business competition?
Do you as a board and individual members REALLY support UNFAIR
business competition?
It has been said that the PHR ARE NOT A BUSINESS..... yet they take
in money, pay TOT....and supply overnight transient occupancy to guests
that come to visit our valley. HOW
IS THAT ANY DIFFERENT THAN THE BUSINESS THAT I AM IN?
Yet commercial lodges & B&B'S, even those in residential
areas are treated differently. "WHAT
IS GOOD FOR THE GOOSE, IS GOOD FOR THE
GANDER
".
Let's face the fact that these ARE BUSINESSES.... or why else would
these owners pay TOT... and why else would the CHAMBER get involved.
Let's FACE another fact.... overnight occupancy is around
30%....maybe 35% on a good day across the valley.
THERE ARE PLAIN JUST TOO MANY BEDS FOR OVERNIGHT OCCUPANCY IN THIS
VALLEY.... This UNFAIR
business BLATANTLY PROMOTED BY THE CITY.... and now evidently by the
CHAMBER, crates a "false" economy in Big Bear.
Jeff, the
new City
Manager, told me in a private meeting the other day that I was in the
wrong business. Obviously....
and IN THE WRONG TOWN, also.
As commercial lodges, we CANNOT SURVIVE.
There are more than 17 lodges on the market in Big Bear.... and the
KNICKERBOCKER is next. I only
lost $50 grand this last year..... and at every turn I have another
problem with city agencies. This
last week....AFTER 8-years, I think I have finally resolved the last
issues... and with another $40 thousand plus we may FINALLY get all of the
permits signed off and REAL occupancy permits.
My partner and I saved a Big Bear historic landmark from the
bulldozer..... and to what avail.....
to be systematically driven out of business and ultimately out of
town.
THOSE OF US THAT HAVE COMMERCIAL LODGES AND HAVE "PLAYED BY THE
RULES" don't want the vacation houses to "be eliminated" as
most people have been led to believe by the parties THAT DON'T WANT ANY
CHANGE. We are SIMPLY asking
for equal treatment. We want
conditional use permits, etc. We
want them controlled in the same way we are controlled.
We have repeatedly asked for compromise and to sit down with all
concerned....give and take to a GOOD workable ordinance.
IT HAS GOTTEN OUT OF HAND BECAUSE EVERYONE IS AFRAID TO WORK FOR
THE COMMON GOOD. This proposed
ordinance was written out of desperation.
Apples has been blamed for being a bunch of "cry"
babies.... but until now they were the only ones that have stood up to be
counted. THEY DON'T WANT
ANYTHING that the rest of us don't want...... WE want FAIRNESS, a
"level playing field" and for like business to be treated
EQUALLY.... PLAYING BY THE SAME RULES.
We feel strongly that it is time for "FAIR PLAY".
We feel strongly that a "fair play" ordinance will
strengthen the community and bring more income for the city and the
surviving good businesses. Yes,
there will be PHR that fall by the way.
Yes, there will be agencies that fall by the way.... BUT FAIR
COMPETITION IS THE AMERICAN WAY. The
good and strong WILL survive and get stronger.
The weak will not survive and go away.
We will end up with a better higher class of PHR, attracting a
better higher class of people that will spend more money in the community.
Yes, there will probably be less beds.... and those that are left
will be high quality, well maintained SAFE and comfortable for our
visitors. Only then will we
begin to stabilized this "false" economy and be helping it grow.
Saying that the PHR rentals will completely go away with this
proposed ordinance is a scare tactic of those that can't or don't want to
comply. As a community we are
doing a disservice to our guests by continuing on the present course.
I ask you to rescind your support of this unfair business
practice.... and form a committee to bring the concerned parties together,
including our city fathers, and work for a FAIR AND EQUITABLE COMPROMISE.
Thank you.
Stan Miller |