The two boutique phone directories – one for Sandy, the other for the
Mountain community – are still not published, nearly a year after monies were
collected from advertisers.

Jim Jones, owner of Cascade Telecom Development, told The Mountain Times
(July 2009 issue) that his tardy directory would be printed and distributed by
the end of July. He cited a recent bout with cancer as the reason for the
delays.

“I feel most badly for the new advertisers, as they have had to wait for their
ads all this time,” Jones said in the July issue.

July came and went, as has August, and still no phone directory.

Andrea Galusha, owner of Andrea’s Wine Gallery, is one of the new
advertisers who have been waiting for the directory – one that was originally
to be published in November 2008 to replace the 2007-2008 book.

“I’ve had many conversations with them (CTD), and I documented
everything,” Galusha said. “He was always saying he was going to the printer
at the end of the month.”

Frustrated with the delays, Galusha recently altered her tactics.

“The last call was July 1, and I left a voice mail saying I wanted my money
back,” she said. “Of course, I haven’t had a return call. I don’t expect to get
my money back.”

Disgruntled advertisers for the Sandy directory rallied Aug. 15 in Meinig Park
to air their grievances. Jones was invited to the rally but did not show until
the closing stages.

Jones was prodded to the park in a phone call with Debbie Saniti, of Frank
Saniti, Jr. Painting, in which she urged Jones to come and face the advertisers
that had supported him for the past year and a half.

Jones arrived and told the business owners he would try and make it up to
everyone.

“I know my integrity is in the toilet now,” he told the crowd.

At that rally Jones promised the directory to be “on the streets” by mid-
September.

Mary Whitney, of Whitney Signs, asked Jones if he had his check book, and to
give folks their money back.

“It’s not what we really wanted,” Whitney said. “But at least it’s a start.”

Jones proceeded to write refund checks to several advertisers.

Erica Dodson, an advertising sales representative for CTD for more than three
years, was surprised he wrote the checks.

“He’s not been returning phone calls so I didn’t think he would face the
people,” Dodson said.

She is no longer an employee of Jones, but weathered the storm of delays of
the still-unpublished directory.

“He (Jones) was always running behind,” she said. “He would say ‘it should be
going to the printer this week.’ I wish I had a dime for every tim
e I heard the word ‘should.’ The advertisers have been told one excuse after
another.”

Dodson doesn’t buy Jones’ cancer excuse.

“I’ve just heard too many excuses from him,” she said. “The bottom line is the
book isn’t out. I don’t want to sound cold, because I’m not. I’m just tired of
the ‘shoulds.’”
Several Mountain advertisers are in the same boat as Galusha and her wine
gallery.
Sally Schneider, of Weddings and Other Bloomin’ Occasions, paid up front in
2008 for her first ad in the directory to coincide with her opening. She said
the ad cost her between $200 and $300.

“That’s a lot of money for me,” Schneider said. “I’m a new business and it was
really important to me to get the word out.”

Like many others, she has been frustrated by Jones’ failure to communicate.
“I’ve called many times and left messages,” she said, then added with a drip
of sarcasm, “You might say I’m just a tad upset.”

Schneider was quick to point out that former sales rep Dodson has been very
pro-active in trying to assist her.

Kelley Mackenstadt, of Mogul Mountain Pizza, coughed up $345 for her ad.
“I’ve been in the phone book every year,” Mackenstadt said. “You pay for
something, you expect to get what you paid for. It’s important to us. I’ve
been ripped off, and I don’t know what to do.”

Numerous follow-up phone calls to Jones — ironically — went unreturned.