It is pasted time for Enumclaw Merchants to take responsibility for their own Business Destiny. Co-op with other businesses of like mind and let’s move forward. Details at EnumclawBusiness.com.

I just couldn’t take it anymore. If times are not challenging enough we don’t need to be disheartened even more by listening to the Enumclaw Chamber and the Enumclaw City Council bicker back and forth in public. Like any long-term relationship the two have to work to keep things fresh, current and exciting.  It has been my experience when a relationship seems to be at an impasse often times we call on a third party to help dig us out and “jump start” the communications again, OR… a stranger emerges out of the shadow (can you hear the spooky music) he begins to show value to the very things this relationship was taking for granted.  Jealousy sets in on both sides and this stranger now becomes the common enemy, the relationship between the bickering couple is back on track and we have the hope of a happy ending.

We will see about the happy ending, one of the Enumclaw City Council members tossed out the idea to put the relationship with the Chamber in a holding pattern for 4 to 6 months perhaps to see if the relationship can truly be recovered. Will the Chamber be able to afford to keep the Visitor’s Center open that long? They say it is actually their “main function” but as they reported at the last two City Council Budget Meetings, they are broke and loosing membership.  Will the stranger’s offer stay on the table for 6 months? Is he open to a long term commitment? What will happen to the Visitor’s Center and the Enumclaw Businesses in the mean time?

Tom Spencer the “Stranger” here, EnumclawBusiness.com only offered to run the Enumclaw Visitor’s Center and rent the building at the fair market value because the Chamber threatened the City that they were going to vacate and stop running the Center unless the City gave them $25,000.  Now that the Budget Workshops are over the City Council has the task of evaluating all proposals and then letting the vote decide.

I hope it all works out but the Businesses of Enumclaw cannot afford to wait for another phase of this drama to play out, as it has already been 3 years.  After talking to several Merchants in town I am challenging each business owner to make a decision to unite and become a co-op voice, taking responsibility for your own business destiny and stop expecting some non-profit group or city agency to pull a rabbit out of their? Hat? There could be a gathering of Merchants as soon as Friday morning, November 18, 2011. For more details go to EnumclawBusiness.com and click co-op.  Let’s unite NOW.