From: Elika Freeman
To: City Clerk
Subject: Public comment on the Idea Cooporative Contract June 29th 2026 Date: Monday, June 29, 2026 10:32:29 AM
I am writing to encourage the City of Fort Bragg to look within. Not in some harsh "how do you sleep at night" manner, but rather to remind you have the opportunity to make greater local impact with this contract if it is spent locally. $180,000 will circulate within our coastal communities and create so much more positive local impact, than spending a huge monthly sum of money on an out of county agency.
Even IF the Idea Cooperative DID'T lean on a soulless, environmentally degrading technology to promote our community's events. Even if they somehow managed to always use actual photos of our beautiful coast, and provide the accurate information, dates, etc. or respond in a timely manner when the whole town calls them out for a very misleading post. They can't possibly be that in touch with the local community AND they spend their paychecks somewhere else.
Our area is full of underemployed creatives. People with lifetimes of learned skills, and natural talents who choose to stay here even if finding employment is difficult. This city would do well to issue contracts to people who live in town, on the coast or at least in the county whenever possible, especially as local promotions seem best suited for someone who has roots here.
Imagine how far that $15,000 monthly would go if it stayed on the coast to pay for groceries, nights out, local sales and property taxes, It would circulate in our community because we know how to, and are forced to keep it local. A lot of that revenue could circulate within the town if you found a local group to take on this job for the city. EVEN if they had to use ai to get the job accomplished, at least there would be measurable financial benefit to the town and coastal area.
Thank you for considering this issue, and all the work you do for our community.
Elika Freeman,
7077343103