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Council restores limited funding to Chamber of Commerce, sets conditions and reduces leased parking
Summary
After presentations and public comment, the council approved funding the Chamber of Commerce at an intermediate ($75,000) tier for FY25–26 (above the $40,000 budgeted amount), asked for analytics and reporting, and directed staff to negotiate a five-year nominal lease and reduce dedicated parking stalls from four to two.
The City Council on Nov. 18 approved additional funding for the Manhattan Beach Chamber of Commerce for FY25–26 and provided direction on a lease and parking spaces at city-owned office property.
Staff presented three funding tiers proposed by the Chamber: a budgeted priority-1 package of $40,000; a mid-level priority-2 package of $75,000; and a full priority-3 package of $85,000. The Chamber’s new executive director, Jill Lamkin, laid out priorities that included economic-development services, visitor-attraction/destination materials and a resident welcome program.
After extended discussion that included questions about return on investment, measurable deliverables, and lease market value, council members coalesced around a compromise: fund priority level two for the remainder of FY25–26 (an additional $35,000 beyond the $40,000 already budgeted), direct staff to formalize the work-plan agreement and require semiannual analytics reporting, negotiate a limited-term lease (council directed a five-year arrangement), and reduce dedicated Chamber parking stalls from four to two to free space for Jocelyn Center needs.
Chamber leaders emphasized the potential economic benefit of destination marketing and business outreach, noting revenue sources for local government (business license taxes, transient-occupancy taxes) are generated largely by businesses and visitors. "A small percentage of those dollars reinvested in marketing and business support would help the businesses that generate them," Jill Lamkin said.
Outcome and next steps: Council approved funding at priority level two and the staff resolution for the Chamber work-plan agreement. Staff will finalize the lease and agreement language, incorporate analytics/reporting requirements as directed and return with required contract documents and, if necessary, midyear budget adjustments.
Speakers quoted: "Business license taxes in 2025 brought in $5 million. Transient occupancy tax brought in $7 million... The maximum I'm asking for right now is $85,000 — that's 0.7% of what that is," Jill Lamkin said, arguing for partial reinvestment of visitor/business-sourced revenues.
Provenance: staff presentation, Chamber testimony and council votes recorded Nov. 18.
