Nevada City business owners expressed mixed feelings Tuesday whether the newly elected Chamber of Commerce can quell the discord regarding the Business Improvement District that has been simmering for months.

The BID has been a contentious point in Nevada City since its inception a year and a half ago. Businesses are nearly evenly split about whether the fee structure of the BID is fair. The BID operates with a budget granted by the city and uses mandatory yearly dues payed by business owners.



A walk down Broad Street

"It's creating such a division between merchants," said Jamey Bellizzi, who owns Empire Music on Broad Street and doesn't think the chamber will alleviate the city's troubles. He opposed the BID in the beginning, then voted for it.

"They still need more time," said Bellizzi, who finger picked a guitar as he spoke from his music shop. He thinks the kinks in the fee structure need to be ironed out, arguing that the system unfairly taxes small business owners such as himself.

BID's installation of city benches and flower pots is a job for public works, said Bellizzi.

"I would like to see change in the chamber," said Leea Davis, owner of the adjacent shop, The Earth Store, a proponent of the BID who voted for all new people. "We've had people in the chamber for 20 years, and I think we need to make room for new voices," said Davis during a break from her lunch.



New blood

Gary Stollery, owner of Toad Hall Book Store for 18 years, is pleased with the election of three new faces to the chamber: Madelyn Helling, former librarian and long-time resident with interests in local history; gallery owner Shannon Perry; and Jeff Ackerman, publisher of The Union.

"It's a good mix this time," said Stollery. He wonders how much overlap will occur between the two groups. Stollery said he was content with the chamber and didn't see a need to set up a new entity.

"It's always good to have new blood," said Pat Dyer, owner of Utopian Stone and head of the BID. "We think we're going to reduce bickering."

Dyer emphasized that the two entities have never had a problem working together and that the BID can stand on its own to handle any problems.

He said the BID will begin working on reform of the fee structure after the holidays and will begin drafting a reform plan by March, although the fees cannot actually change until 2008.

"We are committed to addressing that," Dyer said. "We know that is the number one thing to fix."



The middle ground

Tom Coleman, the leader of the BID opposition, was re-elected to the board of the Chamber of Commerce, where he has played an active role for 30 years. He says if his independent opposition comes into conflict with his seat on the chamber, he will step down.

"The chamber should stay out of it completely," Coleman said. "I feel the chamber should be neutral."

Coleman said both agencies are working toward a similar goal: to beautify and promote Nevada City.

He did not actively campaign prior to the election but was a visible opponent to the BID, when he went door to door to businesses during the protests.

Returning president and owner of Nevada City Postal Company, Bill Buhlis, said representatives of the two entities will continue to work together with the city during monthly meetings of the Nevada City Economic Enhancement Team.

Buhlis said the chamber has been successful at "smoothing feathers" and he wants to find a solution to make Nevada City "calm again."

"This is a generous town with quite a mix of people. This last year there has been so much discord. I want to work together to eliminate discord," said Buhlis.

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To contact Staff Writer Laura Brown, e-mail laurab@theunion.com or call 477-4230.