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Chamber site without membership list
By Karl Henkel
YOUNGSTOWN
Local businesses that quit the Youngstown/ Warren Regional Chamber after its pro-Senate Bill 5 stance are getting recognized — by no longer being recognized by the chamber.
The issue now is that no businesses are recognized as members on the chamber’s website, http://regionalchamber.com. That portion of the site is under construction and has been for more than a week.
Many businesses had voiced displeasure because the chamber had not removed their names from the membership list, despite having ended their memberships.
Such was the case with Merv Hollander, president of Weather Tite Windows in Girard, who, after disagreeing with the chamber’s support of SB 5, which curbs collective- bargaining rights for government employees, decided not to renew his membership.
As of April 1, he was no longer a member, so he was shocked to receive a letter from Ohio State Penitentiary Chapter 5041 President Doug Sollitto, who on April 20 had sent letters to approximately 250 local chamber members stating his 413 union members would not conduct business at their establishments if they remained chamber members.
Hollander immediately called Sollitto and informed him he was no longer a member. Sollitto apologized but said he sent letters to businesses listed as members on the chamber’s website.
Hollander then contacted the chamber.
“It really struck me odd that they wouldn’t respect my wishes of taking my name off the website,” he said. “And I didn’t pay chamber dues for them to be my spokesperson.”
The chamber did not respond to a request for comment.
Jim Braga, owner of two Dunkin Donuts locations in Austintown, also was upset that his name remained on the chamber’s list.
By not renewing, Braga thought he was done with the chamber but said he initially received bills in January and February as if he were still a member. Those bills ceased after Braga called the chamber, but emails have not.
“I never thought it would be an issue, but apparently it is,” he said.
Chamber Vice President for Government Affairs Tony Paglia said in March that SB 5 was “a common-sense approach that gives state and local government the flexibility and tools to properly and efficiently manage their dwindling resources and continue to provide services to the public without having to raise taxes considerably.”
Chamber CEO Tom Humphries later echoed those sentiments, and a wave of local businesses responded by withdrawing their memberships or deciding not to renew.
Paglia said new members have joined since the chamber announced its support for SB 5, but to date the chamber has not provided an updated membership list.