The Rimbey Chamber of Commerce has given the green light to TNC Publications to print a full-page ad in a business and community profile magazine promoting Rimbey.
Earlier, chamber president Jackie Stratton had notified the magazine representatives stating that all Rimbey businesses including the Chamber who had put money up front for advertising in the publication should have their money refunded. She cited reasons for wanting a refund as a smaller than expected publication and the fact the publication was far behind the promised deadline of June.
However, she said TNC representatives have since notified her they do not plan to refund the money, although they have agreed to expand the Chamber’s small advertisement which cost approximately $250 to a full page.
She said the Chamber board has discussed the issue and finally agreed to tell TNC to go ahead with the publication.
Stratton said the misunderstanding came from lack of communication between TNC and the business owners. The publication did not meet the publishing deadline, but representatives from the company said the delay was because editorial content had not been received.
“We just need to fix it and move on. This way it is not a total loss to the Chamber or the local businesses. It’s a tool we can use to promote the town even though it did not turn out the way we had anticipated.”
However, Rimbey town council is not so forgiving and still wants the $1,395 it paid to TNC in November of last year.
“Our position has not changed,” said CAO Lucien Cloutier. “We have sent them an invoice and we want our money back.”
Earlier, TNC approached Cloutier, who had just begun his new job, asking for an additional $1,400 so the magazine could be bumped from eight to 12 pages.
TNC Publications representatives attended a council meeting in August, but made no promises to return the money to council.
Correction: The caption ‘Chamber gives go ahead to TNC Publications to print advertisements’ is misleading. The chamber supplied editorial copy to TNC as they were informed by the company they planned to print the magazine, regardless of the negative feedback received. “We gave them no permission to go ahead, they were going to do it regardless with only four pages of straight advertising in the publication, so we supplied the editorial content to give the magazine more value for the businesses that had put money into it,” said chamber president Jackie Stratton.