(Spirit Lake)– A strained relationship in recent years between the Okoboji Tourism Committee and the Iowa Great Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce was a topic of discussion at Tuesday’s Dickinson County Board of Supervisors meeting. Supervisor Jeff Thee brought the matter up during an annual update the board received from Okoboji Tourism. He said he was hoping for more progress by now in ongoing talks between the two entities over several issues, including funding for off season promotions…
“Are you getting any where with the conversations of that agreement with the chamber and tourism? And I ask that because tourism is a committee of the Iowa Great Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce and you would think the two could communicate quicker faster for the betterment of our area.”
Rachel Fandel, who serves as a liaison between the two entities, said progress is continuing over a proposed amended agreement between OTC and the Chamber…
“We have not settled on that amendment yet but we have gone back and forth with the chamber. The chamber has given their input, the OTC has also given their input, and those discussions are still happening between the executive committee of the chamber and the executive committee of the Okoboji Tourism Committee. Those serious conversations at that combined executive level began probably in October and I would say since then we have made great strides with that. Bettering the relationship has already taken action, and in regards to funding support, that is something that is again continuing to happen. We are inviting a Chamber of Commerce board member to sit on the Okoboji Tourism Committee as a part of that proposed amendment.”
Fandel says there continues to be sticking points, after the most recent proposal was voted down by the Iowa Great Lakes Chamber Board…
“Most recently it is about a dissolution agreement. So I mean, again, when we began these conversations there were probably, oh I don’t know, 15 sticking points on both sides, and we’re down to maybe a couple.”
Fandel and Mike May, who’s a member of the OTC Board, said the talks continue and that they hope to have an amended document that’s mutually agreed upon within the next couple of months or so.
