Use chamber more efficiently, former president says

City council should better harness the “enormous” lobbying power of the North Bay and District Chamber of Commerce, outgoing president Dave Mendicino says.

Mendicino, who was honoured Friday night at the chambers annual meeting and gala, believes the city isn’t “fully utilizing” the power the chamber has as a lobby group, “and I’d like to see that explored especially with the chamber flavour that’s on council now.”

Four chamber directors including Mendicino, pictured here, were elected to council Nov. 10, and incumbents Maureen Boldt and Mike Anthony were both former directors.

As well, Coun. George Maroosis is a former chamber president as is newly elected Mayor Vic Fedeli.

“I’m not saying the chamber hasn’t been utilized by council in the past,” Mendicino said, “but by utilizing it more efficiently in the future we can all grow, and do what we’ve got to do, and that is to grow the city.”

Chamber had a strong voice
Mendicino didn’t have any immediate ideas of how the chamber could be better used.

“Maybe we could look at a tourism component, maybe we could look at other ways they could assist us,” he said.
“But once we get together as a council, that’s one of the first things I’d like to discuss.”

During his two terms as president, Mendicino said, the chamber had a “strong voice,” and used it.

“We didn’t lose focus on what we were there for, to be the voice of business, because business is tied to the economy,” Mendicino said.

“Obviously we spoke out a lot because there are a lot of issues for us to address, and the fact that four directors got onto council showed our message got out to the public.”

Business-like way
But Mendicino isn’t quite ready to say the chamber has become an incubator for political activism.

“I would be very surprised if four directors made onto council at one time again, but certainly if it did, that would be great,” Mendicino said, “because I truly believe you’ve got to run the city in a business-like way. And I think it would be great if we can continue cultivating business people to make the jump to council.”