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1/8/18 – If things go as planned, Banning will soon have a new Chamber of Commerce, one that will be lead by actual business people, in stark contrast to the current entity which caters to failed politicians, vain socialites and even outright thugs.

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“LONG OVERDUE”

For countless reasons, the current Chamber has failed to serve the business community. As a matter of fact, for the past 40 years, Banning did not have a “Chamber of Commerce”. Instead there was only the “Banning, San Gorgonio Pass Area Chamber of Commerce”.

The organization has long suffered a declining membership, with now less than 25% of Banning’s licensed businesses being members. 

Spearheaded by councilman Don Peterson, the concept of a new, business oriented “Chamber of Commerce” was created. In December of 2017 Peterson, who runs a successful Security business, registered the “Banning Chamber of Commerce” with the Secretary of State. This means that from hereon out, the previous organization will no longer be able to operate as the “Banning Chamber of Commerce”.

With this move, Peterson has delivered a potentially deadly blow against an entity which many people believe is at the heart of Banning’s corruption problems.

The new organization is not open for business quite yet, but Peterson feels that there will be overwhelming support for what he considers a “long overdue change”.

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HERE’S WHO RUNS THE OLD CHAMBER 

For about a year, the old Banning Chamber of Commerce has been run by Morongo tribal member Onoalyse Lyons, who serves as the President of the organization. To our knowledge, Lyons has never run or owned a business in Banning – or anywhere else.

As a Board member of Carol’s Kitchen, Lyons was overseeing that organization during a time when over $300,000 went missing, according to a forensic audit (view document). The Attorney General investigated this theft and Onoalyse Lyons was one of Carol’s Kitchen Board members who entered into a settlement with the AG (view document).

In the settlement, Lyons does not admit to any wrongdoing, however, public record shows that she involved herself in founding a competing organization, “Table of Plenty”.

At the newly founded “Table of Plenty”, Lyons then appointed the very Executive Director who was found to have embezzled over $ 300,000 from Carol’s Kitchen. The forensic auditors further determined that this Executive Director also stole Carol’s Kitchen’s donor list, for the purpose of using it for “Table of Plenty”. Under the direction of Onoalyse Lyons, this list was subsequently used to raise funds.

As a member of a Sovereign Nation, nobody should expect that Lyons’ loyalty can only be with the people of Banning, nor should we ever assume that the interests of Banning and those of the Morongo Tribe are identical or even compatible.

A look at the old Chamber website (screenshot) confirms this concern. Right on their main page, and on the top of their agenda, is the announcement of an upcoming posthumous honoring of Maurice Lyons, scheduled for January 20th. For the record, Maurice Lyons is a former Morongo Tribal leader – and none other than the father of Onoalyse Lyons.

How exactly does this serve Banning business owners ? Does anyone know? The term “nepotism” comes to mind.

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As another example of the degenerate state of affairs at the old Chamber, we have to look no further than their published online membership application (view). 

The application does not even mention the name of the Banning Chamber of Commerce anywhere. Instead, it is marked in bold lettering with “The Morongo Band of Mission Indians, A Sovereign Nation”. Could it get more clear what is going on? We rest our case.

If there was ever any doubt on who’s behalf the old Banning Chamber is now operating, this certainly provides clarity. All indications are that the old Chamber has essentially been taken over by a foreign government. Welcome to the “Morongo Chamber of Commerce”.

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CULTURE OF CORRUPTION, BACKDOOR DEALINGS AND INCOMPETENCE AT THE OLD CHAMBER

No name is tied more to corruption and thuggery in Banning than that of good-ole boy councilmember Art Welch. As an example, Welch is linked to the thuggery involving the use of Carol’s Kitchen’s donor list to the benefit of Table of Plenty, where he serves as a Board Member.

Welch has never owned or operated a business in Banning, but nevertheless has been associated with the old Chamber continuously for over two decades. During this time, Welch involved himself either as the old Chamber’s President, Vice President, Director, Board Member and even as its Agent for Service of Process.

It also was Welch who turned the Chamber into a recycling center for failed politicians, as well as into a good-ole boy social club. For example, after former Mayor Don Robinson was ousted by the voters in 2012, Welch made sure Robinson immediately became the Chamber’s paid Executive Director.

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Today, among the nine Board members at the old Chamber, there is only one (!) business owner. But he is also an elected official, i.e. politician, so go figure.

Instead of business owners, the Board is filled with several non-profit operators, a teacher and even a pastor. A true social club indeed. How does this serve Banning businesses? In short, it doesn’t.

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GRAND JURY INVESTIGATION

In 2016, the Riverside County Grand Jury faulted the City of Banning for allowing the old Chamber to receive free utilities worth over $ 30,000 (see report). In particular, the Grand Jury pointed to the incestuous relationship between the Chamber and the City, i.e. Art Welch protecting the Chamber’s interests while overseeing Banning’s utilities.

The Grand Jury also demanded that then Executive Director James C. Smith be removed from his position at the Chamber, largely because the City of Banning held an unsatisfied judgment against Smith in excess of $100,000. At the time, Welch is believed to have used his elected office to protect Smith from collection of the City’s judgment.

Smith was recently forced by the Attorney General to repay $12,150 he previously had swindled from Carol’s Kitchen (see AG settlement, pg. 5). There are also multiple judgements outstanding against con-artist Smith, not to mention liens by the IRS and the State Board of Equalization.

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$212,000 GO MISSING – WITHOUT A TRACE

During Welch’s and James C. Smith “leadership” at the old Banning Chamber, $212,616 went missing without a trace. The money constituted a prepaid rent payment made by the Gas Company to the Chamber in 2006.

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To this day, the Banning Chamber cannot account for the money. Was it embezzled? What we know for certain is that Art Welch and James C. Smith were the ones in control of the funds at the time.

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CONCLUSION

There is every indication that Banning’s business community has lost control over it’s own Chamber of Commerce. And there is ample evidence that a culture of thuggery, corruption and good-ole boy dealings has damaged the old Chamber beyond repair. It is time for a new beginning.

May the new “Banning Chamber of Commerce” rise up in its new found glory.

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