For those of you that have been reading the commentary on Hotel and Restaurant Tax Still Topical in the Bay. The Sea Coast Echo also has additional background here. Disclaimer: A Civil lawsuit tells only one side of the story. The Chamber of Commerce has not yet filed a response.
St Julien-Mims v Hancock Chamber Complaint by Slabbed on Scribd
The Chamber was turned down by the BOS to start a 501c nonprofit to manage county funds for Beautification. I personally feel this is a wise move to not further their affiliation nor allow them to suck management fees off of our county needs.
The Chamber needs to distance themselves from the taxpayers while they are being investigated on unethical treatment of others.
Put them in a time out. maybe even Audit them and the Hancock County Development program.
Mrs. Connie also failed to expand her statement that the County and the State Port Bienville also Fund her. The State Port is a Job Development / Business Development Opportunity Site. They should not be associated with this type behavior.
I was at the meeting. I did not understand why the County would need the Hancock County Development Foundation to manage the funding on this project to start with. David Depreo is more than capable of doing this as it is his initiative. I think it is great for the Foundation to have volunteers but management fees is not volunteering. The supers and Attorney were correct in saying they do not need a nonprofit involved to manage the funds.
It seems that the news medias are scared or unwilling to print about RACIAL DISCRIMINATION All the television stations know about the law suite but aren’t reporting it. I have reached out to editors and even Senator David Baria and Gov. Bryant. I haven’t gotten an answer from anyone. I think it is being censored.
Connie,
Have you paid your dues to bring you into active membership with the Chamber? I see in your statement to the court that you were not an active dues paying member of the Chamber at the time you wanted to host the After Hours. I believe the After Hours events are hosted by businesses that are active, in good standing with regard to dues being current. Perhaps that is why the Director denied you the opportunity to host the event, but offered to advertise on the Chamber Website if you wanted to have your own event. Just wondering.
I offered to pay it did not make a difference, she still would not allow me to host the event
Lana,
I have always thought that when taxpayers were funding the chamber it was a slippery slope as to what members benefits the tax payers should get. In this case they are funded at all tax payer levels. Municipal, County, Port Bienville, other various State Agencies Etc. The taxpayer themselves should get more out of it than free Gala Tickets for Elected and Appointed Officials? Just opening that conversation aside from the fact that they get tax free status at the Federal, State and Local Levels.
As a pro se litigant her pleadings will be more liberally construed. Circuit Court has general jurisdiction here and that includes possible claims under US law as well as Mississippi law. If the claims are predominantly made under federal law, the case could be removed to federal Court.
The complaint itself does not elucidate specific causes of action so it is hard to tell. According to MEC the honorable Trent Favre is presiding.
Wonder if Trent would have to or could recuse himself having been affiliated with the Chamber in the past? It seems like he was on the Board of Directors, but I know he definitely was a Committee Chairman. I know he will do the right thing.
I am searching for an attorney to take over the case. I just filled to get it started.
I see what you are saying, Rod, I think. So maybe the court will force the Chamber to allow non members to sponsor events in the Chamber’s name as long as the person is a taxpayer of the county?
I guess the point I am trying to clarify here is if Miss Connie paid her dues, and the Chamber is denying her a privilege that all other dues paying members have, we definitely have a problem here.
I have never seen the Chamber’s By-Laws so I really can’t say what member privileges are.
In my text message to her it is mentioned that I would pay the $225
That is exactly what I am saying even if I had paid which I offered she refused to Enter the idea
Entertain the. Idea
I question what the taxpayer gets from them if it is not business promotion if the taxpayer is paying. They are getting far more from the tax payer from all levels of government than any one business, which all represent the same taxpayer than any one entitiy! Last I heard we are all State, County and Municiple Tax payers! Non profits work at the tax paying public’s sacrifice of tax dollars at all those levels plus the Federal System! It wasn’t designed to pay salaries it was designed to support the public at large!
The Chamber lost its way when the present Director took the reigns! It became a for profit business because that is how the contract was structured for the payment!
I think I understand now why Ms. Connie thought she could approach the Board of Supervisors about the Chamber of Commerce. Both the Chamber and their Foundation are advertised on the taxpayer funded Hancock County website under County Boards and Commissions. Actually the Board of Supervisors doesn’t appoint anyone to either of these organizations, and that is probably why the Board told Connie they had no jurisdiction over them. But, yet, they are advertised on the County Website.
They ought to charge the chamber $200 like the chamber does for getting on their web site! The chamber is not even a tax paying member!
Let me first say there is no love lost between Tish and myself everybody knows that. When I was a member I asked if I could host a after hours party and was told basically the same thing. I did what any good businessman would do and stopped paying my dues … I also went to the secretary of state and opened up a corporation the new Hancock County chamber of commerce . That name is currently for sale and looking for someone to take the reins . 100% of the proceeds from the purchase of this name will be donated to a local needy charity Not just some Umbrella 501 C3 Hiding it’s overpaid director behind its name.
Da Pool Man don’t play! He for real!
That’s what we need, a chamber that will support and promote its members. Not a slush fund for the Tish and puppet politicians. She personally make about 130k per year and free alcohol.
Yes EX you hit the nail on the head
Well I have gotten nasty call about the lawsuit and have even been told you aren’t doing anything but making yourself look bad cause you are not going to bring Tish down and the Chamber is going to continue as it always has. It was never my intention to bring anyone down. I just want to be treated like any other citizen in Hancock County. And yes I do know my way back up North but this is where I have residence now and I should not have to allow people to walk on me and keep my mouth shut about the injustice. It has been soo much more than the situation with the Chamber. I took several documents of papers to the ECHO which verified the many acts of DISCRIMINATION by various organizations that are supposed to help develop business in the area. That is why the Echo printed the articles because I have the proof to back my statements up. It is heartbreaking to go through this when all I wanted to do was help people in the community
Ms Connie, that is how she runs things….by mob. She has extremists that get out front n try to muscle their way thru everything! She lost her #1 cheerleader to another job she must be grooming another person to run the assault on the public!
Keep it up, don’t let them try to intimidate you. Let the court decide. Tish has been on her high horse getting free drinks and a fat salary long enough. She is not worth 25% of what she’s paid. I know several businesses that left the chamber in the past few years and none I talked to regret leaving. The chamber is just a playpin for the Haas family. Can’t blame them if dumb politicians and weak business owners keep funding them. I think a good audit of the book’s is long overdue.
Tish will have a hard time getting someone to testify under oath that she is nice and benevolent person! She only sucks up to politicos and people she thinks can further her agenda to try n run Hancock County! There is money in political connections while she runs a for profit nonprofit!
I would for once like to see the taxpayer represented!
There was a slogan some years back on slabbed that said something like…..Represent the Masses not the Haas’s! I think it was when they were on the dole plus getting free rent!
Another thing I noticed they posted the picture of Mrs Connie but not Tish in the news paper Article! That was a mile stone as it was the first photo op she missed. Normally her mug shot is front and center.
She always wears a that Red Dress so it’s hard to tell if they are fresh photo ops or not.
Hahahaha! I’m told lil brother ripping it on face book! they are all lucky their parents were born first!
Not one has made it off the government fat except being bequeathed assets! They can’t even keep that going!
WE WILL SEE WHAT HAPPENS IN COURT. Tuesday at 6:30 there will be another meeting at my school by people interested in fairness for minorities in business opportunities within Hancock County. Although minorities are specifically mentioned (primarily because we haven’t any representation on any level) ALL are welcome and everyone’s input will be greatly appreciated and respected. I am not giving up the fight and refuse to change my phone number. The truth will win in the end. I stand firm on everything I have said
Ms. Connie you should invite Mr. Collier to your meeting, he is running democrat for District 4 supervisor. I think the majority of the minority area, in the Bay, is in district 4. He seemed very dedicated and respectable when he came to my house on St. John St. He’s a retired federal employee from the post office. I’m considering him very much. And why didn’t Scott tell you the county funds the chamber and or make an attempt to hold back funding and get to the bottom of the alleged discrimination. He said nothing, he didn’t want to be bothered. They could have possibly prevented the court battle, you gave them a chance.
I would love to invite him. I need his contact information
I just read an article on keep Waveland beautiful! They are giving 100% of the funds back by planting sets of 3 trees at each road and beach intersection! Wow how refreshing to see actual giving back and only getting the results in return…..unlike the other some nonprofits that find a way to get management fees. I guess you know who that is. The Chamber used to be a business networking group now it is a for profit business chasing tax dollars and everyone else’s money but st no time representing the taxpayer!
Did we ever think we would see in Hancock County when our Chamber of Commerce would name as one of its nominations for Citizen of the year a woman who they say in her bio organizes a downtown Bay St. Louis festival every July to commemorate the life of an avowed communist who hated our country and never missed an opportunity to demonstrate against us. Yes, the organizer of “Frida Fest” is a nominee for citizen of the year. This is all done under the auspices of her being an “artist.” Are there no other artist out there to celebrate, or do these people have a hidden agenda? This, the Chamber states, as one of her contributions to the community. And to announce this in the same week the free world is remembering and honoring those who gave their lives at Normandy on D-Day.
You cannot make this up.
They just as well put a Bernie Sanders sign up in front of the Hancock bank!
It is just an offering for the businesses to buy a $1500 table at the gala. You will get to meet the local politicians that give them your money for free tables to politic. It is not really a person or business of the year in Hancock county the only nominees or those that fund it. The exception is the taxpayer we fund it and our politicians go free. Tish will be wearing a red dress for this.
Chamber Director was seen in the Red Dress again tonight. That must be when she is working the big money?😂
It’s Election Time! She’s probably selling support for money! It’s better than Dialing for Dollars. Not sure how they all feel about the growing case against the chamber on discrimination!
They will fake it and promise but don’t think anything public will come of it!
Ward 1 here, Tish couldn’t get husband elected. Seal blew his ass and hers out! No power just month and no Republican help… this organization needs to be audited front to back. Ain’t in the clique, you’re treated like sh-t. Please Ethics or Hood…