Chamber lease extended Chamber lease extended (April 29, 2005)

By Jon Wiener

The city council voted 6-1 on Tuesday night to extend its somewhat unorthodox lease agreement with the Mountain View Chamber of Commerce. Under terms of the deal, the Chamber pays no rent for its ground lease in Pioneer Park at 580 Castro St. In exchange, the business group provides the city with visitor information and economic development services it estimates at a value of more than $40,000.

The vote extended the existing lease for a period of five years with five more subject to meeting several criteria. The lease was set to expire next April and had an additional two-year option.

Chamber CEO Carol Olson said the group would like to move into a larger, more prominent building, but does not have the resources to do so now. In a January letter to the city council, Olson and board chair Pamela Read - general manager of Foothill Disposal - said that they intended to make $50,000 in improvements to the building.

Council member Greg Perry, citing the Chamber's habit of endorsing candidates in city council elections and lobbying for business-friendly legislation,

But other council members cited the group's longstanding ties to the local community and the value of the in-kind services. Mayor Matt Neely said
E-mail Jon Wiener at jwiener@mv-voice.com

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