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Pismo Beach Chamber clams up over missing funds

September 28, 2010

By KAREN VELIE

The former chief executive officer for the Pismo Beach Chamber of Commerce is under investigation for allegedly embezzling thousands of dollars from the chamber.

Rebecca McMurry left the chamber in May, shortly after the annual Taste of Pismo. There are allegations that cash donations failed to show up in the deposit receipt at a time when the chamber treasurer position had gone unfilled for almost a year.

McMurry did not return requests for comment.

“We don’t know how much money is missing from the event (Taste of Pismo). Our suspicion is a few dollars, ” said chamber interim treasurer Tony Wells.

The allegations have created a divide between those who would like the issue to go away and those who want law enforcement officials to investigate. Some Pismo Beach residents and officials are also in disagreement over the amount of money missing and how the alleged embezzlement should be dealt with.

Some city residents and business owners suspect the amount of funds missing is in the $100,000 range and accuse the chamber of attempting to keep the issue quiet to protect its reputation.

Wells contends the allegations had nothing to do with McMurry’s resignation. He said he investigated the allegations of missing funds and could only verify $13,000 in credit card purchases for personal items.

“If she took just credit cards, our events made up for that,” Wells said. “We don’t want to paint her as a bad person.”

Wells also said that the Pismo Beach Police Department and the San Luis Obispo County District Attorney’s office were investigating the allegations.

However, though someone from the chamber did inform police that there were missing funds, the police have not yet began an investigation or turned their findings over to the district attorney’s office.

“We are trying to get someone from the chamber to get the information over to us,” said Jake Miller, Pismo Beach Police Commander. “We just need them to come forward at this point and provide us with some documentation.”

The chamber is funded through member dues, events and the city’s general fund. Wells noted that the credit cards McMurry used to buy personal items were affiliated with event accounts and not supported by city monies.

However, the city of Pismo Beach provides the chamber a total of $104,754 a year, which breaks down as $67,254 for the Visitor Information Center, 13,500 for the Visitor Information Kiosk, $10,000 for the Fourth of July event, $10,000 for the Clam Festival and $5,000 for band review, according to Susan West-Jones, account manager for the city of Pismo Beach.

“Suellen Iness (chamber president and interim CEO) and I are saying to leave this alone,” Wells said. “I would appreciate it if you would keep your mouth shut.”


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When/where is the next Pismo chamber board meeting?


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I believe that Chamber meetings are for Chamber members. But the next city council meeting is next Tue, I believe it starts at 5:30. That is a good place to voice your concerns.


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Can non-profits, especially those that are supported by, or accept public or municipal funds close their meetings to the public?


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I probably worded that wrong. I believe that Chamber meetings are open to the public. But the place to voice concerns would be the City Council,,,IMO.


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I think EVERYONE is being a little too judgemental about this! Maybe Karen should have let the Chamber really investigate this to get the REAL FACTS together before she decided to make this PUBLIC. Yes the Board Members comments weren’t right but who wants to be called on this when this was still under investigation. Bad call Karen!


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This happened back in May. The rumor has already been circulating. Don’t you think that is enough time to get a handle on this. Come on. It is a total cover up by many in our city an on our city council including our Mayor and Mayor Protem who is campaigning for the Mayor spot. Let’s take our blinders off.


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How do you know that ‘many in our city’, the Mayor and the Mayor Pro. are in on this? Do you have a source that told you this or are you just throwing out blind accusations?


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First of all I am politically connected and have been present during the discussion. Secondly the Mayor Pro Tem and current candidate for Mayor’s husband is on the Chamber Board and the board was made aware of the details of this situation months ago, and it is way beyond the $13,000. for the personal credit card charges. Secondly, when an issue such as this is investigated by the Police Dept. the Chief reports it to the City Manage who then reports it to the Mayor, who is running for a seat on the council herself.

Do we want to vote back into office people who have covered this up and not insisted on an outside audit…I don’t think so . Wake up peoople. Let’s see some new blood get involved with the city council.


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I’ve been to several of the Chamber meetings and although Shelly’s husband is on the board I’ve never seen him there. I don’t believe that he’s really an active member but I haven’t been to all the meetings. If that’s the case then there’s also a lot of others in the chamber that are more present than he is, are they all guilty? You might be 100% right, I’ve also heard that there’s a cover up but it might just be gossip or a smear campaign. Rumors can take on a life of their own. We don’t KNOW if there is a cover up, if there is then I’ll be the first to say ‘throw the book at them’. I never want what we had on that council prior to what we have now, they were horrible. I’d like to see what happens before I decide and I wish everyone else would as well,,,but they won’t.


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Sounds like you may be on the Chamber Board – tell us why you didn’t do anything if you are so politically conncected!!!


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I’m not ‘politically connected’. It’s a small town, I’ve lived here a long time and have also been in business locally for a long time. I wasn’t buddies with Rebecca but I knew her. I hope this is all just a big mix up. If I knew anything wrong was going on I would be the first one to take the proper steps to hold those in question accountable.


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It is not uncommon for non-profits to try to keep these kinds of things from happening. Especially if they are dependent upon donations, public funds and community events. It is devastating to their reputation. However, that does not make it the right thing to do. That being said, McMurry, and McMurry alone should be held accountable for every penny of the stolen funds.


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“a little too judgemental” after five months. How must time do you need down there to clean up and alter the records, hide the evidence, and justify the actions of the wrongdoers. Shame on the City for allowing this to go on so long without stepping in and taking action like maybe a PROFESSIONAL AUDIT. I know they only subsidize the funds but, hello, this does involve government DONATIONS, This type of action must stop and every citizen should go to the next Council Meeting and demand it. “Bad call Karen!” is absolutely ridiculous, how long do you think a reporter should sit back and not report this unlawful crime. Bad call, MeanQueen!


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It’s great that someone from the media is investigating this, we need to hold people accountable and without the media plenty of issues such as this could easily get swept under the carpet. We can’t wait for the Chamber investigate themselves, there needs to be over-site. But there is a way to write an article or report on a story without sounding like judge and jury. This is a huge problem with the news today, it’s very biased. They take a story like this and instead of just reporting the facts they attack like hyenas on a fresh kill. Look at the way the posters are attacking people that possibly might not have any knowledge of this. Terrible things have been said about people because this article is inflammatory without merit. People have a gang type of mentality and in this case Karen is the pack leader.


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REALFACTS® a registered trademark of the Pismo Beach Chamber of Commerce. Try Out REALFACTS® For Yourself Today!


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Suellen is the REASON I wouldn’t vote for Parkinson! I saw her face on some of his things and his on hers and that was IT for me!


I can’t stand that woman!


I sure hope Rebecca didn’t take any money – that event was not cheap.


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Maybe we should take a look at who’s on the chamber board – isn’t the Mayor protem’s husband on the chamber board and aren’t they supporting Ian too!! Of course, the good doctor has his own share of background – pot anyone?


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Boy, these stories really have a life behind them. Maybe we should start a social network chart and follow this to see who’s sister is married or dating someone’s brother or what financier dated some escrow officer, etc. etc. Maybe we could find that all these people are related somehow and that would explain their actions and mentality. Some of these names, or the relatives of the names, keep coming back into play here. Is there a special club we don’t know about?


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It’s called FaceBook


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That’s pretty nasty.


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That’s a bit of a stretch to try to involve political candidates. AS CEO she probably had credit cards in her name, handled the cash, made the deposits, paid the bills, gave the information to the bookkeeper that she wanted to give, wrote and signed the checks and manipulated the financial reports that the Board of Directors reviewed. It’s more probable that the Board had no idea what she was doing. From my experience with McMurry, she was not a nice person.


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“…keep your mouth shut”, Are you kidding me? And the Chamber wants this person to represent them? If the City of Pismo Beach does not step and demand a full audit not another cent should be provided to this Chamber. Hello, you are subsidized by the taxpayer’s dollars and you have a responsible to be transparent in your business dealings and we, the taxpayers, have a right to know what is happening with our tax dollars. Shame on you and you statements. This person would be fired in the private sector if you responded like this to the board of directors or a boss. Be gone!


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While we are on the subject of missing clams, the Chamber and the Pismo City Council have spent fortunes to promote driving over them.


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I don’t feel it’s smart to assume guilt yet. I have seen Karen jump the gun on stories in the past. To anyone that watches Jon Stewart, Karen can be like the dog from the movie ‘Up’,,,’Squirrel!’ This needs to be investigated despite what suellen wants. Personally I will be extremely disappointed if Rebbecca did take funds, she was a hard worker and I really liked her. I hope the police do look into this. One thing that wasn’t brought up is that Rebbecca was dating a cop. I don’t know which cop she was dating, I just remember her telling me that her boyfriend was a cop. If there is a cover-up then that might explain part of it, but I’m not saying that there was a cover-up just something to think about.. If she was taking money I don’t believe that the council knew about it or had anything to do with it. Gosh I hope this doesn’t turn out to be true.


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I have never seen Karen jump the gun. They are also “admitting” that Rebecca racked up a Chamber credit card with 13 grand of personal expenses. They have been trying to sweep that under the table and the way I see it – Sullen is doing the public a great disservice. This is why people who embezzle manage to rip off many other small business people. These day’s it seems to be more about protecting a company reputation rather than warning the public about a thief in sheep’s clothing. Karen simply got the sheers out. Thanks Karen.


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Well there you go then, Rebecca must be guilty. “They” say it and Karen says it so you get the rope and one of the other like minds can find the tree. Sometimes this place has a lynch mob mentality. We don’t need no stinkin trials. You might be right about RM but I’ll wait to hear the facts before declaring her guilt. Karen does a good job in a tabloidish way but not being one of the flock I do believe that she jumps the gun and makes judgements prior to obtaining all the facts. How do you know that those 13 charges were truly for personal expenses? Don’t get me wrong, I feel it’s good to have reporters do some investigative reporting and Karen does do that and I truly appreciate that,,, something truly lacking with the Trib. BTW, who is the ‘I’ in the last paragraph, is it Susan West-Jones? Now I will go hide as to avoid bricks being thrown my way for giving my opinion regarding Karen V. Karen, I know I sound harsh and I don’t mean to. You do a good job IMO. I would just like you to skip the gossip and only state facts.


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Wait just a minute. Maybe you need to dig a little deeper. If the PD knows about it, the Chief knows about it. If the Chief knows about it then the city manager knows about it. If the city manager knows about this I guaranteed that the Mayor and city council know about this.


Just when you think Pismo is cleaning it’s self up, this is uncovered.Thank you Karen. Cortez came in and cleaned up the PD, what’s happened since he left. He never would have let this be swept under the carpet. And what’s up wtih our city manager and council. Seems like we need to vote out what is in there and get some new blood in there so we as residence feel like we are protected from stuff like this.


This is embarrassing and I am again embarrassed to be a resident of Pismo Beach!


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Great story and fantastic job (as usual) by Cal Coast News. Thanks Karen. See, SLO and North County are not the only corrupt ones. It’s infectious and has spread everywhere – Federal, States, Counties, Cities, CSD and then we wonder how Wall Street and the Banks can treat us like this when are own elected and appointed officials think nothing of ethical conducts. Shame on all of you for destroying public trust and then question the tea party advocates (not one, but I get it!).


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