Sherman Oaks : Chamber Chief Denies Need for New Group

A new Sherman Oaks business group may be on a collision course with the Greater Sherman Oaks Chamber of Commerce.

On Tuesday, Jeff Brain, a former City Council candidate, and Matt Epstein, a community activist who helped lead the anti-Community Redevelopment Agency campaign in Sherman Oaks, announced that they have formed the Sherman Oaks Community Merchants Assn. They said the group would work toward solving problems that face merchants, such as parking shortages, traffic and crime.

However, the president of the chamber, Barry Wegman, said Wednesday that the new group could conflict with the chamber, which he said has essentially the same goals.

“It does sound like he is attempting to create a second chamber,” Wegman said, referring to Brain. “This is an attempt to get recognition throughout the city for another planned attempt for a City Council position.” Wegman said that a reporter’s call was the first word he had received of the group’s formation.

The new group will be the first of several community merchant associations that Brain would like to help neighborhood leaders launch throughout Los Angeles, he said.

Brain is a former chamber leader, having been president in 1991 and 1993, and a board director from 1986 to 1994.

Brain said that he does not want the merchants association to compete with the chamber, which he characterized as a business networking group with members who hail mostly from the service and professional sector. The merchants association will focus on problem-solving and target the issues affecting merchants, restaurants and community residents, Brain said.

“My record of contribution to the community is quite solid, so for him to question my intentions . . . I’m sorry that he feels that way,” Brain said of Wegman’s comments. “I think, though, that this organization that I’m creating fills a need that the chamber is not meeting.”

Brain unsuccessfully ran against Michael Feuer earlier this year to succeed outgoing City Councilman Zev Yaroslavsky. Brain said he left the chamber last year due to a “gentlemanly disagreement” on what the philosophy of the chamber should be.