Dear Editor:
Thank you for your coverage of the Summerland Chamber’s Annual General Meeting in the March 20 edition of the Review.
As you mentioned, our budget forecast in 2014 is similar to the past few years.
As presented in our strategic plan at the AGM, this allows us to work in three key areas for Summerland: tourism, member benefits, and business retention and attraction.
Our grant funding, various program funds and our fees for services from the District of Summerland allow us to provide a variety of annual programs in each area as well as certain special projects each year.
Our full strategic plan is available on our website and I’d encourage the community to take a look at it.
I would like to clarify two items that appeared in the budget article on March 20.
First, there were a couple of significant tourism expenses totalling $18,600 that were expected in 2013.
These expenditures instead took place early this year.
The funds unspent last year have been moved to 2014 and account for this year’s projected shortfall.
Second, these expenses relate to the new tourism website and appear in the category of office expenses, which is why this category was under spent in 2013 and contributes to the increase in this category in 2014.
Christine Petkau, manager
Summerland Chamber of Commerce
Summerland