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Residents urge council and commission to support and hold Cerritos Chamber of Commerce accountable
Summary
Multiple speakers during public comment asked the commission to support the Cerritos Regional Chamber of Commerce, questioned why city funding was stopped in FY 2025–26, and urged accountability and cross‑promotion between the city, chamber and workforce board.
Several residents used the public‑comment period at the Oct. 14 Economic Development Commission meeting to press the city and commissioners on the Cerritos Regional Chamber of Commerce’s funding, visibility and accountability.
Dr. Telvina Jurado spoke as a chamber board member and said the organization is reorganizing and trying to increase activities. “We are reorganizing and we're trying to get more activities on our calendar,” she said.
A caller identified in the record as a resident asked why the city “stopped funding chamber in 20 25, 26 financial year budget” and said excluding the chamber from the city’s State of the City was “a major opportunity lost for the chamber to be visible in the community.” The same speaker urged the commission not to restore an unrestricted $60,000 annual subsidy but instead to require transparency and accountability, such as returning quarterly reports that previous chamber directors submitted, and to encourage membership growth.
Small business owner Sam Desai told commissioners they should be committed and consistent, recommended a “3 strikes and you’re out” attendance policy for commissioners who do not participate, and suggested the commission foster a collaborative workforce ecosystem that connects SELACO training with local businesses, schools and technology labs. “If you are not committed, get out,” Desai said.
Why it matters: Residents framed the chamber’s role as central to business recruitment, local visibility and cross‑sector coordination with the school district and workforce board. Several public commenters urged the commission to encourage transparency and to facilitate stronger connections among the chamber, SELACO and the ABC Unified School District to increase placements and employer engagement.
Ending: Commissioners acknowledged the comments and asked staff to consider cross‑linking partner pages and to continue outreach; staff noted the city already links to partner organizations on the economic development web page.
