Since Mr. Solberg is seeking to be elected as the 2008 Oroville Chamber of Commerce President, I feel compelled to speak out and question his overall veracity, professional conduct and ability to provide competent leadership for the town or Oroville.
As you know, I have functioned in the capacity of manager of the Visitor Information Center for Oroville and have met many of our townspeople and have received many compliments on my friendliness, competence and professionalism for the last seven months. Due to lack of funds, today is my last day at the VIC in 2007 and although I had been told repeatedly that I would be returning next spring, now that this problem with Mr. Solberg has surfaced, I have been told that I am expected to reapply next spring. I can only conclude that Mr. Solberg has attempted to influence the Chamber of Commerce to exclude my presence in the event that he should be elected President in the month of December, to take office in January of 2008.
Although the active members of the Chamber of Commerce have searched for a competent opponent for Mr. Solberg’s bid to become a town leader, we have found that most people are simply too busy and it’s very difficult to find someone to assume leadership. Due to a lack of competition, Mr. Solberg may very well be elected and I must express sincere doubt that this will be in the best interests of our beloved Oroville.
The next two years will be very critical to the future of Oroville in my opinion. Next year is the town’s Centennial Celebration and Oroville is the “Inland Gateway” to the 2010 Vancouver B.C. Olympics. With all of the changes that the new Canadian resort developments may bring to Oroville, if our charming ’50s style downtown isn’t able to adapt, it is a distinct possibility that it may become neglected by the appearance of a new modern “downtown” on the eastside of Lake Osoyoos, developed by Canadian interests.
Now is the time for strong, positive, professional leadership among the Oroville Chamber of Commerce and I urge all voting members to consider carefully before voting in a new leader. I wish to invite all members to participate and lend a voice to our shared future. Together, with leadership we can trust, we can proceed into a positive future. If any of your readers should wish to see me continue at the VIC, please express that at the election to be held on Dec. 13 general Chamber meeting at 1 p.m. at Yo Yo’s.
Christy Lindberg
Oroville
Editor’s Note: Being a long-time member of the Oroville Chamber board of directors I must say that Mr. Solberg did not sway the board in its decision to close the VIC for the winter. First, the plain truth is we ran out of money to keep it open, even though it did remain open for a couple more months than you had been originally hired for. Second, being a non-profit that is partially funded with public monies we have always made people reapply for the position of VIC manager — it is a longstanding policy.
Lastly, I would have reserved comment for next week, but it sounds like you have a personal animosity toward Mr. Solberg and I feel it is unfair that you make the chamber board’s decision out to be something sinister when it wasn’t. I was there and Mr. Solberg was not the person that initiated the discussion about closing because of dwindling funds. Nor did he, a relatively new board member, even know about making everyone who is seeking the manager position go through the application process. G.A.D.
