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Ojai extends Chamber contract through fiscal year; creates 2-by-2 ad hoc committee
Summary
The City of Ojai approved extending a three-month pilot professional services agreement with the Ojai Valley Chamber of Commerce through the end of the fiscal year and established a time‑bound 2-by-2 committee of two council members and two chamber board members.
The City of Ojai City Council voted Sept. 16 to extend a professional services agreement with the Ojai Valley Chamber of Commerce through the end of the current fiscal year and to form a 2-by-2 committee composed of two council members and two chamber board members.
City staff described the item as the next step following a three‑month pilot that began in July. The contract extension continues the pilot’s scope of services at the same monthly rate through the fiscal year (through June), and council asked that the 2-by-2 committee be ad hoc — time‑bound and focused on refining deliverables rather than making independent policy decisions.
Carla Ferrante D’Erfano, chief executive officer of the Ojai Valley Chamber of Commerce, told the council the chamber had spent the pilot period rebuilding a working relationship with the city and with local businesses. She summarized services the chamber provided: business consulting for local merchants (including help with receivables and online payments), permitting assistance and application coaching, vendor and event programming at Libbey Fountain Plaza, business-sector seminars (for example, social media and Medicare/Social Security information sessions), and plans for a Vintage Ojai event to broaden visitor traffic patterns.
Council members praised the chamber’s outreach and said the arrangement had reduced staff time spent assisting businesses because the chamber can offer hands‑on consulting and implementation help. One council member suggested creating a permanent city staff economic-development coordinator position to perform similar work in the future; that idea was discussed but not acted on at this meeting.
Council agreed that the 2-by-2 committee would be ad hoc and time‑bound to coincide with the term of the contract extension (through the end of the fiscal year). Council members volunteered to serve on the committee; the council indicated continuity of membership could be reviewed next year if the role were to continue.
Votes: The extension motion passed by roll call: Council Member Whitman — yes; Council Member May — yes; Mayor Gilman — yes; Mayor Pro Tem Lane — yes; Council Member Rule — absent. The motion to form the 2-by-2 ad hoc committee passed by roll call: Council Member May — yes; Mayor Pro Tem Lane — yes; Mayor Gilman — yes; Council Member Wood — yes.
Ending: The chamber will continue providing services through the fiscal year under the existing scope; staff will prepare the formal contract extension and notice of the ad hoc committee’s charge, membership and time frame for the council’s packet.
