Last week, Klamath Chamber of Commerce board member and Treasurer Jean Ficquette-Jones sent out a letter to members the KCC would cease operations immediately.
The announcement was also delivered via a letter sent to the Crescent City-Del Norte Chamber of Commerce. Ficquette-Jones, whose husband David Jones was the past president, signed the letter.
At present, there are 15 remaining dues-paying members of the chamber.
After all the bills had been paid, Jones returned all fees via cashier checks to good-standing 2023 members. The bank account was then closed.
Treasurer Ficquette-Jones attributed the dissolving of the chamber to lack of chamber interest with only one remaining board member. Jones laments it is unfortunate that after 27 years, the Klamath Chamber of Commerce has been dissolved. Per by-laws of the KCC, the remaining funds of $12,700 was distributed to the Humane Society of Del Norte.
Lori Collins tells a different story. Collins states she is the duly elected KCC president and board member and released the following statement to The Triplicate:
“I was elected president of the of the Klamath Chamber December 13, 2022. Election results were approved at the January 10, 2023, board meeting. Treasurer Ficquette-Jones was present at the January meeting.”
At the March 14 meeting, past Chamber President David Jones, husband of treasurer Jean Ficquette-Jones, proclaimed the December elections were invalid and David Jones was still president.
The meeting was adjourned due to the emotional, highly charged and hostile environment.
On April 11, the Chamber met again with a board quorum.
The current Chamber board includes the following:
Lori Collins, president
Sally Rogers. vice-president
Jean Jones, treasurer
Nancy Patton, secretary
Patti Beardon, member-at-large
The Humane Society of Del Norte intends to return the $12,700 cashier check to the current Klamath Chamber of Commerce board president Collins.