In 2021, your Monterey Peninsula Chamber of Commerce continued its focus to succeed in two stages during the coronavirus threat: (1) response to the immediate threat and (2) economic recovery when the threat diminishes. We saw the immediate threat in Monterey County diminish as the year progressed and regrettably saw a sudden return of the threat at the end of the year.
Throughout the year, your Chamber kept businesses informed about the various federal and state grant and loan programs available for businesses struggling to pay their bills, as a follow-up to the grant program for small businesses that we coordinated with the City of Monterey in 2020. We kept members informed about vaccination schedules and testing locations. We sought government action to restrain absurdly excessive third-party restaurant delivery fees and worked with a successful coalition to ask the Monterey One Water board to implement a less abrupt increase in sewer fees. As part of a coalition, we asked the Monterey County Board of Supervisors to adopt an indoor mask policy that advanced public safety without excessive regulations and restrictions on how businesses serve customers. We opposed a proposal for the county government to punish businesses that purportedly did not rehire employees laid off in 2020 during the most stringent public health orders, even as we were working with those same businesses to help them find employees during a labor shortage that continues today.
During this time, we did not forget our long-term objectives to ensure an adequate supply of water, an adequate supply of housing for employees, a reliable and efficient transportation network, and affordable renewable power. We continued to work with other groups to promote the benefits of our remaining local military bases. Our Government Affairs Committee and Economic Vitality Committees had regular monthly meetings to discuss the latest opportunities and threats.
We assert that Monterey County and its government, business, and community leaders have done an outstanding job in minimizing the regional social and economic impact of COVID-19. For much of the fall of 2021, Monterey County was among the very lowest counties in the entire country for the spread of the virus. No one would have predicted that, but they don’t know our community beyond the beauty of our land and hospitality of our people. With the leadership of the Community Foundation for Monterey County and $5 million in cannabis tax revenue funding from the Monterey County Board of Supervisors, the county's VIDA Project worked on a coordinated campaign to get vulnerable residents vaccinated and tested as needed.
Regarding coronavirus response, we tried to work within a middle ground, considering the appropriate balance between public safety and economic prosperity. We continued to promote sustainable, responsible commerce and held several successful in-person signature and new events: our Annual Awards Dinner, Business Excellence Awards Dinner, Drive the Track, and Golf Tournament, among others.
Ultimately, we serve YOU, our members. Please contact Chamber Interim CEO Monica Lal at (831) 648-5350 or email monica@montereychamber.com if you have any questions or comments about what your Chamber did in 2021. Also, if you have a special interest or passion for public policy or strategic planning for regional economic growth, we encourage you to consider joining our active and informed committees for Government Affairs and/or Economic Vitality.
