Chamber of Commerce board gets two new members

Charbonneau and Balint fill vacancies

Stephanie Charbonneau and Steve Balint were appointed to fill vacant seats on the Pahrump Valley Chamber of Commerce board of directors March 7.

Balint will fill a vacancy left by Mike Mitzner, whose term expires at the end of this year. In one of the brief speeches by the candidates, Balint said he is the manager of Nevada State Bank, landlord of the building where the chamber is located. He coordinated the Harvest Festival entertainment and rodeo in recent years.

"I have been in town almost eight years and have served on various boards but have never had the chance to serve on the chamber board," Balint said.

Charbonneau will fill a vacancy left by the resignation of District Court Judge Robert Lane. His position expires at the end of 2004. Charbonneau said she opened Red Rock Builders in January 1995 along with her husband. Charbonneau said she served on various nonprofit boards in Pahrump.

"I'm very interested in being on the chamber board. It seems like this is where it all starts," Charbonneau said. "My background is in services. I was a concierge at the Rio."

Other candidates who made statements about their qualifications included John Pawlak, director of the Yucca Mountain Science Center for Bechtel/SAIC; Russ Bateman, training director at Precious Properties and a stockbroker; Marci Norman, a United Way volunteer who also helps out at the animal shelter; Pat Watson, a retired Nevada Test Site worker and volunteer for the Tod Canada Memorial Fund, Christmas In April, Nevada Silver Tappers and Pahrump Emergency Services Advisory Board; Bob Yepson, a property manager who formerly served on the Northridge, Calif., Chamber of Commerce and San Fernando Political Action Committee; and Bonnie Wittig, a bookkeeper who has 20 years' experience in nonprofit organizations like the United Way and Big Brothers/Big Sisters.

Other candidates who expressed an interest in the vacant chamber seats included Frederick Chambers, Angie Cochran and Barbara Cleveland.

"I've never seen such a manifestation of people to join the chamber board and I think it's a real compliment," said chamber board member Bill Byrns, who had also planned to resign, but reconsidered.

Speaking of Byrns, a longtime board member, chamber president Paula Elefante said, "This board elected not to accept his (resignation) letter. He left it pending."

Two chamber board members were elected along with Lane last December -- Carole Kloepfel of Desert Stone and Tile and Bob Watson from Air-Internet.com.

Critic David Norman complained about the frequent turnover on the chamber board. "When he have a dysfunctional chamber, it hurts all of us," he said.

Watson asked Norman, "I want constructive criticism on what specifically to change."

Byrns said he had probably 50 people come into his business and complain about the chamber's image. He said people should stop bad-mouthing the chamber and support the chamber executive director Kathy Pallares.

Another audience member, Karen Spalding, said the chamber has been hurt by bad publicity. "You want to keep your image clean," she said.

Chamber board member Mike Reeder said the chamber lost some members because of the slumping economy since Sept. 11.

"I think we have lost a lot of old members and we should launch an effort to bring them back in the fold," Byrns said.

Chamber board members talked about upcoming events this year. They elected not to request a permit from the U.S. Bureau of Land Management that would be needed for the mountain bike races in conjunction with the Fat Tire Festival this fall. Pallares said the Fat Tire Festival won't be offered this year after a two-year stint.

The powwow will be scheduled this year, Thanksgiving weekend, Nov. 22-24, after an absence last year. There was a debate about whether to operate a beer tent to raise money, and chamber board member Mike Reeder was opposed to the idea because of cultural sensitivities.

Laura Rainey, from Smoke Signals Trading Post, said the beer tent will be fenced off and separate from the powwow area. Rainey said it will be a social powwow, which is more informal where people come to have fun, instead of a much more expensive competition powwow, where dancers compete on a circuit.

"We also will have the public invited to dance and dress in their best regalia," Rainey said. "Getting the public involved is very important. You like to watch the dancers and if you can get out there and dance it's so much better."

"I have a problem with the chamber being associated with an event that must sell alcohol to be successful," Norman said.

Kloepfel encouraged people to come up with suggestions for more activities during the upcoming Chili Cookoff May 4-5 at the Pahrump Best Western Motel, like face painting, because there will be a lot of people in town. There will be a Wrangler Junior Rodeo, the Spring Fling and Cinco de Mayo festivities that same weekend.

Patricia Cox said fund-raising is proceeding well for the Senior Fair in November.


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