COMMENTARY

“Late this afternoon, I received a “shame-on-you” email from Wilson, who claimed the current interface between the Vero Beach Chamber of Commerce website and VeroBeach.com is not intended to create the impression that businesses listed under ‘Member Directory’ are actually members. ‘Our contractor is currently building the membership directory. At this time the membership directory is in testing. There is no connection to Mr. Cox and especially to First Marine Bank (sic). Neither are currently members. When the construction is complete we will let you know. In the meantime we have a co-op agreement with InsideVero.com, (sic)’ Wilson wrote in an email.”

Updated 4:38 p.m.

MARK SCHUMANN

Every time I hear the likes of Charlie Wilson attempt to paint the truth in shades of gray, I think of the infamous answer former President Bill Clinton gave while testifying under oath before a grand jury.  “It depends on what the meaning of ‘is’ is,” Clinton said.

Wilson, along with Mark Mucher and Dan Stump, is one of three founding directors of the new Vero Beach Chamber for Commerce.

Earlier this morning, I wrote that I would be interested in publishing a list of the businesses that have joined Wilson’s new “chamber of commerce.”  Someone soon explained to me that all I had to do was to go to the Vero Beach Chamber for Commerce website, and there I would find a list of member businesses.

Interestingly, I first searched “verobeachchamberofcommerce.com” and then “verobeachchamber.com.” In both instances, I was directed to the website for the Indian River County Chamber of Commerce, formerly the Vero Beach/Indian River County Chamber of Commerce.  Eventually, I discovered the web address of Wilson’s new chamber: verochamber.com.

There I found a “Membership Directory” tab on the left-hand side of the home pages. Clicking on the “Membership Directory” took me to a business directory on the VeroBeach.com website.  (See: Member Directory) Presented there is a short listing of businesses, including Marine Bank and Trust, supposedly an 8-year member of a chamber that has only been in existence a few months.  In fact, Marine Bank has not joined Wilson’s latest brain-storm of an idea.

Late this afternoon, I received a “shame-on-you” email from Wilson, president of the Vero Beach Chamber of Commerce, who claimed the current interface between the new chamber’s website and VeroBeach.com is not intended to create the impression that businesses listed under “Member Directory” are actually members.  “Our contractor is currently building the membership directory.  At this time the membership directory is in testing.  There is no connection to Mr. Cox and especially to First Marine Bank (sic).  Neither are currently members.  When the construction is complete we will let you know.  In the meantime we have a co-op agreement with InsideVero.com, (sic)” Wilson wrote in an email.

“If you have any questions please contact Mr. Vocelle,” Wilson added.

Just for kicks, I decided to check out the Vero Beach “Chamber of Commerce” calendar of events.  To my great surprise, Vero Beach is a mighty slow town, for there is absolutely nothing happening in Vero Beach, at least not according to the calendar of events offered by Wilson’s new “chamber.”  (See: Calendar of Events)

Contrary to the false impression one will get visiting the website of a new “chamber” that was supposedly established to “Think Vero First,” there is a lot happening in Vero Beach. For events calendars that actually have listings, see:  Cultural Connection; Vero Beach Flash; 32963 Calendar; or Inside Vero Calendar.