Battle developing over chamber control

There is a battle brewing for the hearts and minds — as well as for control over — the Island Park Chamber of Commerce.

The first shot in the war of words came last week when Mark Tannenbaum, a resident of Harbor Isle and an activist in that community, who is also the executive vice president of the Long Beach Chamber of Commerce, sent emails to Island Park chamber members stating, “The members of the Island Park chamber of commerce should take their chamber back from Glenn Ingoglia and his Voice Party.”

In his email, Tannenbaum urged members to “make sure there is a meeting scheduled at an appropriate time so that the membership can attend and cast their vote and to make sure that there are absentee ballots distributed for those who may not be able to attend.  He urged members to make the Island Park Chamber an apolitical chamber once again, working for its membership and the community.”

He added, “Glenn Ingoglia, president of the Voice Party, is ruining your Chamber. His presidency and his desire to run for mayor of Island Park is a direct conflict of interest that harms the chamber and its members.”

Ingoglia reacted angrily to Tannenbaum’s charges.

“The statements made by Mr. Tannenbaum over the past several weeks about the Island Park Chamber of Commerce, are not only untrue and fabricated but serve no legitimate purpose but to advance the political objectives of the Unity Party and their supporters,” Ingoglia said this week. 

“The fact that the Unity Party is attempting to take over the Island Park Chamber of Commerce without offering a platform of ideas or objectives is proof positive that they are trying to destroy our chamber for political purposes. 

I have worked hard leading this chamber over the past three years to make it an institution that provides help to our businesses and citizens, in their most trying times. 

I guarantee to all members and interested parties, I will work my hardest to insure this institution is not destroyed by Mr. Tannenbaum and those who have ulterior motives.” 

Ingoglia added that the election meeting would be held at the South Shore Jewish Center, 191 Long Beach Rd. in Island Park at 7 p.m. on Thurs., Dec. 12. All chamber members, he said, are eligible to vote for new officers.

According to an email sent to the Herald by Tannenbaum, the ticket running against the present officers, president Glenn Ingoglia and vice president Doris Gralitzer, are Frank Naudus, Jr. for president and Joe Pontecorvo for 1st vice president. Pontecorvo presently serves as vice president.