APPROVAL PROCESS FOR SUPPORT

YUBA SUTTER CHAMBER OF COMMERCE APPROVAL PROCESS FOR CHAMBER SUPPORT OF ISSUES

It is the intent of the Chamber to offer its endorsement as an informative business-oriented perspective to the Chamber membership, residents in the Yuba-Sutter area and decision-makers. Therefore, the Board reserves the right to consider application of its endorsement policy to apply to other unique circumstances, as those circumstances arise.

As a general rule the Yuba-Sutter Chamber of Commerce will not endorse or support individuals, however, if you desire the Yuba-Sutter Chamber of Commerce to support or endorse an issue, please submit a brief request for endorsement to include the following:

1. A description of the issue
2. An explanation why the issue merits support of Chamber members
3. Identification of parties which may have reason to oppose the issue, particularly if they are Chamber members
4. Your Contact Information

Your submittal will be forwarded to the Government Affairs Committee (GAC) for review. Committee approval is required before the Chamber supports any issue. The approval process generally takes 30-60 days.

Issue Support Philosophy

The following are guidelines used by the Chamber in deciding which issues to support:

1. Projects should be broadly supportive of the Chamber's Mission, which is: “To support and promote innovative business solutions in order to grow a strong local economy and enrich our community's quality of life.”
2. Issues should deal with broad policy consideration of interest to the entire community or to the business community in general.
3. Although support for an issue is obtained by majority vote, there is a desire to obtain broader consensus among Chamber members. Issues that may polarize the Chamber membership, or that advantage one group or business at the expense of another, should be expected to require a compelling argument for support.
4. Requests for support should be in the form of a letter, which includes the nature of the project, how it supports the Chamber mission, time lines, what specifically is requested from the Chamber, and an identification of potential project detractors and their arguments.
5. If the GAC/Chamber believes there is the potential for possible public controversy on any such requests, the GAC/Chamber retains the discretion to ask its membership to comment on said request prior to the GAC/Chamber taking any action.
6. The applicant for an endorsement, its employees, and agents, must abstain from voting on the endorsement at the GAC.
7. GAC decisions on endorsements require a simple majority vote by those voting members present. Endorsements made on less than unanimous votes by the GAC will be reported out as an endorsement without reference to the division of votes.

GAC Policies Regarding Endorsements

Membership on the GAC is open to all members in good standing of the Chamber membership (application process required). Only voting members of the GAC may vote on recommendations or endorsements.

GAC recommendations on endorsements require a simple majority vote by those voting members present.

Recommendations regarding endorsements by the GAC will be reported to the Board with reference as to the division of the number of votes in favor, in opposition, and the number of abstentions.

Written Committee recommendations to endorse, oppose, or recommend Chamber abstention from endorsement will be presented in written form to the Board by either the GAC Chair or the Chamber CEO.

The applicant for an endorsement, its employees, and agents, if GAC members, must abstain from voting on the endorsement recommendation at the GAC levels.

The GAC Chair has the right to decide, on a case by case basis, if the applicant will remain present during the deliberation and the vote on the endorsement recommendations.

Endorsement Guidelines for GAC and the Board of Directors

The following guidelines for the GAC and the Board of Directors are offered as advisory only.

Is there a positive impact on the Yuba Sutter Area’s tax base?

Are new jobs created?

Would a new service or other outcome benefiting Chamber members and or the community occur as a result of an eventual decision in line with the proposed endorsement?

Are existing business interests served?

Is the Yuba Sutter Area’s quality of life improved?

Are our partners in serving the Chamber members, the community as a whole (such as schools and local government) positively affected?