A&p Commission - Regular Meeting

74865 like call this meeting uh the advertising promotion committee commission to session Mr. Brown here Mr. Hans here Mr. Gosh here Mr. here.

Take a look at the minutes from last meeting.

I make a motion to approve. Motion second. Second. All in favor of the financial status. That say what?

Yeah, I didn't hear the the start date. You said I was like

they over the week before Thanksgiving.

Okay. What's the time? I think that's just when they got the check because she said some actually have came in. Okay.

They may not be posted on 28th. I don't Yeah, it's one of those but um But 24 I think missed in October also.

Yes. make sure that I receive I'll go center points. Do you know on 17 they had a gap and then October they hit again? Do you think they just are kind of

behind? Oh my gosh. Right. But could be they just might be behind like 24. The other ones are Yeah. They just need to get

check had shown up yet. It's in the mail. I'm thinking correctly. I don't know. Get a motion to approve the financials. I make a motion we approve.

Second. I'll second. All in favor request county. We not was was Tom gonna give us an update or huh? decision.

Yeah. that came in actually 16,000 What really actual physical cash was 14,000 compared to a normal 16ers and one of the things that's going to happen to all of the vendors that basically penalties. We're not going after any courtesy calls to them about one week away from having to remit Make sure you get that. And we're also going to talk about the

as the months go on a report involving so you see that these three months that are positive August September October there was a lot of generous September, September, October 31% but you're down 5.49% that far is concerned for how this is late in 2024. What you see in this advertising trend over right here. This represents the last months. What you'll notice is that you want to reverse something like this. You guys know better than anybody going as far as your historical trend.

This historical trend shows basically the 11 months for all of the years 2018 and then the totals for the 11 month period comparatively year over previous year. So this is a 12% increase 10% increase 12% increase after 9.3% growth for 11 months now. but now we're down2 for whether you're going to make budgeting $37,000 in your account that much money that's passed through but that would mean everybody would have toatch You have to have a robust month because your average right now for that remaining month,000 11 month average the 11 month average is 18700. Odds are you're going to end up below As far as the current

monies that have been received today, available but you have to be considered. And I do have numbers for next year, but we'll talk about that question. So that no one can say

that's right. It's not the past.

Do you think you'll be able to get bite from some of these um buildings with wheels as well as brick and mortar or you think because they're not producing a lot, but they're they're the ones that have the most when you look at this, that's the most yellow is in those type of businesses right now. that all most cases you're not dealing on taxes and they all sudden that's what probably we won't see Right.

Good. Special County Fair 2026. All right. The date's not on there. It is scheduled for 4:25. Um, given the financial state and the economy, I understand the financial burden. So, uh, we don't want to see this tradition die in Greenwood just like Trail Light. So, we will do whatever we have to do with whatever you give us and we'll work with the rest. Is it still at the square or is it Yes. Okay. It won't move from the square. We don't have enough pavement.

Correct. Especially that time of year. Now, if it was in the summer, right, they might always know there's a good turnout for that, you know, and and uh it's a it's a big draw and we hope Pizza Barn will be open again because they really appreciated that last year. Walking distance. Yeah, it's not much farther to walk to the other places, I'll say, but you know, that's okay. I think it was the only Saturday he was open. Yeah, because he wasn't open the previous year for it.

Well, I'll make a motion of 4,800 for now. Um, you're free to come back next month if you want to be on the top of the list and we can see if we have anything more we can give you then or in two months at our next meeting. Okay. Um, I think that's that's my motion. I I'll second that. Motion to second. All in favor? Appreciate it. Thank you. Would you like to be back on? February, I guess. Yeah. February.

South Sebastian County Historical Society 2026 of the quil.

You will notice I'm not Ed Wilkinson. It's our president, but he couldn't be here today. He has been a little bit under the weather. Well, your numbers are sobering and I come to you with great respect and thanks for whatever you can do for us. Can I approach you? request promotion material for catalog money on that first credit. These are the flyers that we put out across the state. We know we are the only produces a cat like this. because there's

absolutely

in addition to the advertising materials uh we're seeking pardon me for the tents that we use for uh our expansion and a scissor lift that we get from CAM rentals. This is printed by a local vendor Calbert McBride. That's as local as we could get before that Jane's nephew, Jane Rogers nephew, Drilla Hugard's nephew

and they really worked with us. Um the person that develops our catalog for us has a extended family health emergency and um they have agreed to edit that catalog at minimal cost to us since we have her input. And this is actually four different locations in town on the same day.

It's three different locations. Uh it's over three days. It's a Thursday, Friday, Saturday in early May. Um we're at the museum grounds, uh focusing on the cabin because we're talking about quilts. So, we show vintage quilts there, uh and also in the schoolhouse in the barn. We're up at the Ed Wilkinson Pavilion and one of our favorite, one of the visitors favorite locations is at Good Shepard Presbyterian Church. We show vintage quilts there, some of them well over 150 years old and the people love that. It's such a beautiful setting with the stained glass and the pews.

Where do y'all set up the tents at? On the west side of the pavilion. on the concrete area on the west side of Wilson pavilion. Yes. Okay. Trolley take people around. We do. We do have a trolley that take people around. That worked out perfect.

Yeah. And they love that too. They flirt with the driver. It's a big hit. Well, I I mean I think it's a great event. I think it's something we need to do. Unfortunately, right now our finances are tight, but we are having another meeting in February. Would you be able to you're okay if we put you on that and see if we can't work out something for you then? Certainly, I would appreciate that. So, it's definitely something we want to support and right now it's just you kind of heard the numbers. were a little little low, but it's definitely something we want to try to

I will come back. Will you need a new submission or can we just recycle this one? Very good. We need a vote to table. I'll make a motion that we table it till next. Thank you. Thank you very much. We appreciate that. Thank you. Uh Greenwood Chamber of Commerce, Western Arkansas Frontier ad.

As you all know, this is your ad that you do every year in the Western Mountain Arkansas Mountain Frontier magazine. This is the state sponsored tourism magazine, the parks and tourism and the other state agencies distribute. I guess it's the only real printed advertisement that we do each year and we've handled that for you all. I think the price stayed the same again this year. Uh we we re redid the ad this year over the last couple of years. So, I think it's pretty pretty good ad. They're going to print the back page. Yeah, the inside back page. Back cover.

Yeah, which is a premium position. I think it's extra couple hundred dollar for that positioning. You have the car show, the crawfish special, the area of the quilts. All of that is listed on Yeah. You know, that's that's the one thing that we have that gets out in the traveling public's hands and they're mainly distributed through the welcome centers on the borders to the state that merch and tourism operates. So, that's where that's main distribution. We distribute some of them here and anybody that contacts them in Little Rock and asks about Western Arkansas, that's what they get. U page 40 of the book, there's the Greenwood and it lists some stuff that's going on. Do you have do you put this content in it or do they do it themselves or?

Well, they ask us and we give them we give them we give them content. We most of the time they send it to us before it's printed so we can proof it and make sure we occasionally miss a date or they occasionally run last year's date for something, but we we have we don't have control, but we have input on it. Okay. They try to make it fair. They try to print editorial stories about each of the cities in the region and do a little they'll feature others more than one more than this year than last year, but they try to do it as fairly as they can. And the board is local. The board is all, you know, business people and representatives from the the five counties here.

Wonder where we put some of the photos of Greenwood. M your photography photographer here, Miss Derry provides a lot of those. And they also take some the state photographers as they go around and take photographs of different things in the state so they use theirs as well. Be nice if we could substitute every now and then for a photo maybe a picture of our trail system so people kind of had an idea where the trail is. You mean it's the map? Yeah.

Yeah. But we can do that. Yeah, we can do that. You got it in here as outdoor fun trails, you know, multi-use lighted trails, circuit community, maybe a trails map showing. I I think we could probably we could either do it on our page that we own or we can we can I could ask them if they've got a place to do it within the the editorial content of the magazine. It's just a thought. Yeah, it was a good idea. But just let people know again what's parking commissioners back there and so is the trails committee commissioner. So and send is back there. Yeah. So

see the Yeah, we we've done the math. It probably would have to be fairly small, but yeah, I noticed a couple of the other towns have QR codes too for some of their stuff. Do we could we look at putting that in there too or is that going to make the ad too busy? We could, you know, a QR code. The thing about a QR code is you have to create the web page that the QR code leads you to, right? So that's where your cost comes in is creating a web page and and and hosting it, but I don't think it's very expensive. U I think it's a few hundred dollars.

I think we have one for restaurants, but we don't have one. We have one for restaurants, but we don't have one for I will check into it and see if I don't think it's very expensive. I think we can get David Jamal to do it for us and create a QR code. And I When do you put this together? I'm sorry. When do you put it together? January, mid January. So, how about this? Could you just go to the parks commission meeting and show them what you got and see what they want in there? Because you're featuring a lot of parks. Yeah, because that's what that's what we have to feature mostly. So, if they wanted a QR code of where you could scan it and you get the trail system or a QR code of where the neighborhood parks are, I think they would have the best sure

ideas for the rep what they want to represent. We can do that. And like I say, I know we can do it on on that page that we own, but I think we can probably if if we provide stuff editorially, they'll they're always happy to get extra things. Um, I'll make a motion we approve the grant for 2592. Seconded. All in favor? When do you all meet?

Two weeks. Okay. Well, Charlotte sends me the notification. So, if it's all right, I'll just I'll show the inclusive I'll go ahead and take my zero. Um, but I also want to tell you guys that we applied for the state park outdoor recreation grant and we received notice yesterday morning that they've granted us $494,000 in a matching grant. So,

um, that gets us there. That it's a 50-50 matching grant, so we'd have close to a million dollars to build an inclusive park. That's fantastic, excellent work. Thank you. Yeah, we can scratch you off permanently because you you've been this recurring deal. Right. I'm talking about the inclusive part, not parks. So, discussion of revenues to the parks department.

I know we've tabled it a couple times. I don't think we can table it again, but without Mike here, it's I I think we got to table without Mike being here. I mean, I He's been a very vocal Yeah. advocate on this. And I I think trying to make a vote on that without Mike being here is

he did call me and say, "I wish y'all would get that off the books." she had to work late. And he said, I could pass on what he he said. You know, he you know, my feelings were that I I would like, you know, they're going into budget and being able to kind of budget for certain what they know that they probably will get. It makes things a lot easier for planning because you're always having to plan. And if they don't really know what they may get, they may not can budget for it. But like Mike had asked me to relay, he said, "There's two things I want y'all to get it off our deal, make a decision." And uh he said, "And I wish that uh they would be more uh uh what's the word? More accountable." He said they don't seem to want to be accountable, but just as long as they're accountable. and he said, "I'm fine with whatever y'all decide." So,

what are right now? Our two choices are leave it like it is or go back to the way it was request by request only except for Freedom Fest and Fall Festival. Is that right? No. Ask for money. The other thing would be

change. Set aside. account. Well, I know I mean Mike and I have talked many times. I'm sure you guys have too, with Freedom Fest and the Fall Festival, something we have to insist on continuing.

So, if we had to fund that monthly to make sure it happens and just have it an auto withdrawal every month to make sure that happens. And then the other option would be anything other than that they would have to come and request it. if it's a boy scout project or a movie in the park or whatever it might be, they have to come and ask and not just have the money out there.

Well, I I that's where I was just disappointed in the the Freedom Fest, you know, uh them knocking out the uh stuff during the day because I look at the Freedom Fest was, you know, an all day festival. It kind of kicked off with the uh the the run and the uh pancake breakfast at the Masonic Lodge, you know, and then transitioned into the uh to the festival there on the square all day. Uh and uh you know, to me, you know, having that break in between the um uh the run, you know, and then say, "Oh, we're going to pick up around 3:00 or four o'clock." You know, it just you know, that just didn't sit well with me, you know, and then uh and it was kind of odd that uh you know, Casey said, "Well, you got a lot of feedback saying people saying that's too hot during that time of frame." And I'm thinking, you know, uh but then right after that, they presented a another grant for uh things up there at Bell Park for a summer activity during that time frame, like from the 10 to 10 to three slot. I thought, well, that's is that's kind of odd there that you're, you know, you're saying you're getting feedback, but then you're wanting to pres, you know, do another thing activity during that same time period. And I thought that that that was odd there. And that's where I really look at the festival being an all day thing there. And uh you know I'd like to get you know either you know a commitment you know we're doing a commitment saying we're going to give you know them so much percentage that we get a commitment from the park saying that we are going to try to make this you know return back to an all day festival because that's what it was to me designed to be. That's what it had been up until last year.

What's that? Can I

So I'd just like to address a couple comments. Um, so yes, we did do the recreation camp from 9 to 3. That really was to, you know, it's it was for kids and that's the time you do for kids, summer camps. Um, we had indoor facilities so where we could cool off and the kids got breaks and they were in the shade and um, we did the water park, you know, the splash pad. So, that was that was really, you know, a way to do that for the kids. So, I don't think it's really fair to relate the two. Um, you know, we did get a lot of feedback saying that having that that break, there were people that said, you know, we missed the full day event, you know, why has this changed? You know, we like coming down, we couldn't do lunch there, you know, or something. But the most feedback we got was people were fine with it. Um there's so many I think especially local people that might do the run in the morning and then leave. And so if if you look back the previous years at the numbers during those few hours, you know, say from 10 to 2, it's not a huge amount of people. So picking back up at 3 4:00 was how we could save a little money. um where we didn't think there was going to be a big impact. Now, could we maybe address, you know, picking up at 2 o'clock versus the four o'clock slot? Yes, I I think so. But another concern that, you know, Casey has is that it's his staff that's working on July 4th and they don't have that time with their families. And, you know, everybody wants the whole thing done, but nobody's willing to step up and volunteer. So I think if maybe we can come to an understanding of, you know, that we're going to have a

committee that supports the Freedom Fest and they're willing to take on that 10 to2 slot and they're going to volunteer so that Casey's staff can, you know, spend some time with their families, maybe we could do that. I mean, and so I think I think there's a compromise there. But thanks. Well, I think that's what I looked at one aspect of the of the parks department is to to you know rely on a volunteer staff. I mean they they have they have you you know you volunteered for the the the kids activity there at Bell Park and stuff and I thinking you know that we somehow we and I don't know exactly where it started whether it started with uh Robert McKenna or or or later but there was all a sudden a movement away from saying oh we're not going to go out there and solicit volunteers like we like we used to and try to just do it all with with paid staff and sure that's going to push everybody to the extreme you know and up and I think that we had uh adequate volunteers but but to be that was one thing that the U Freedom Fest community did was to go out and solicit the volunteers and to make this a big event. I don't know what any other kind of festival, you know, that's around that where they don't solicit a good volunteer base, you know, to do that. You know, there's and to me there's to me there's all sorts of groups, you know, but I think that is one aspect of the parks director is to, you know, uh his predecessors, I mean, well, I guess our mayor did a very good job of going out there, you know, and working with the volunteers and uh making it, you know, an all day thing. And uh and I I I don't know why we have gone away from that, you know, uh and trying to, you know, uh solicit volunteers and go out there and and try to, you know, get groups to come here and help, you know, with it, you know, and truly make it, you know, an all day uh affair.

I think that Casey inherited Casey didn't inherit Casey inherited volunteers to give him ideas, but he didn't really inherit workers. Correct me if I'm wrong, but that's my observation. You didn't inherit a bunch of guys on committee, hey, we'll be out there that stopped before Casey's volunteers. one of them, you know, but we'll have ours early. We know we can get volunteers. dress up.

I mean, but I think I mean, I understand what you guys are saying, but our discussion isn't just about the Freedom Fest. It should be about money we're giving to the parks department. And for me, it bothers me when other people need money that we can't give them. And then we're giving a guaranteed amount to the parks department that maybe they should come and ask just like all the other citizens do

for things that they want to do in they have funding from other places, not just us. So, if we went back to we're going to set aside $20,000 for the Freedom Fest. And although I understand what you're saying, AC, if we give him $20,000, it's for him to do it however he wants unless we want to go sit on that committee and talk to them about what we think or volunteer on that. That's my opinion on it. Um, but if we give them the $20,000 a year and then the rest of it they have to come and ask for. They don't get a blanket check to do with what they want. I think that was the big problem for a lot of us was we were notified by email that we're cutting this for funding. That was what the that's what the post said to save money. Not we're lacking volunteers, not that we need time for our family. Was we're saving money and we're sitting there thinking we gave you all the money we always gave you. But you didn't. There was no notification to us as to why. And that's what kind of set a lot of me and Mike and I think others apart is you didn't even tell us. I mean, we we still gave you the same amount of money, but somehow last year the Freedom Fest was and I I don't know what numbers you're talking about, but I was there and there was very few people. No vendors. There were what, 10, 12 vendors. We used to have the I mean, look at the picture in the magazine. We had the square full.

Yeah. What what happened? Why did we lose all these people? It had to be something was done that people didn't want to come. So the low numbers were because we didn't invite people to come and people didn't come to see them or I mean what did we think people were going to do when they were here if there weren't vendors or we didn't ask

again I'm not on your committee so I can't comment on that part, but I think that's where a lot of us got kind of discouraged that the money would Yeah, please. Brandon Tate, uh, 149 Clown Lane. Do I need to tell you that kind of stuff? No. Okay. Chair, I am the chair of the parks committee and some of the things that I'm concerned about if is last year we had a budget. You gave us so much money and we lived within that budget. Mr. Sam, it Sammy Sammy

he at our last at your last meeting even said that the revenues that are coming in may even be lower this year possibly and the cost will go up. We have to live within our budget. Y'all give us so much money. We have to live within our budget. And one of the reasons that we chose to do that, the committee chose to do that is to live within our budget. We don't have unlimited funds and unfortunately y'all don't have unlimited funds either. So if we came back and said, "Hey, um we need another $40,000 because we wanted you want an all day affair. You know, we just don't have you don't have those resources. We don't have those resources either." Um I don't know where I'm going with all of this, but what I'm just saying is that we're living within our budget. You gave us a budget to live within and that's what we did. We lived within it. If you wanted to give us an unlimited budget where we can have an all day affair and pay for everything, even the costs are going to go up. Your side has even said your costs are going up. I've talked to my brother and he used to be in the industry with you guys. He was daunted in everything and he just says that the cost of go of food going up and people are just not going out as much and is noticing that and so there's not as much money coming into your your program. So we have to live within our budget.

Well, that's indicative of what we see right up there and Tom sees it. We we see it on these reports. So you you've got a very valid point right there. And I know that we want to have an all day affair. That's tradition. Okay. And that's fine. Tradition is great, but we have to pay for it. Why? Why do we have to pay for it? Yeah. Because I said, why why why can't you try to uh go out and get a a volunteer base? But I but I'm saying yes or sponsorships, too. So if we sent

it for a free event is costing the city's taxpayers. That's the money that being used for this anywhere from 15 to 180 to 180,000 to put on an all day event what it was. Now your contribution to that highest was you're contributing now what 51 51 55,000 55,000 comes from you the rest comes from the city and to the extent that the parks commission parks commission and parks department can cover its use for what you don't because they have other commitments for that money that was granted to them through the parks 45% use it. And by the way, remember they're not accountable to you for it. If they do it, they're doing it as a courtesy. When you give them that money, as said many times proponent of this parks in brings people to the city. That's what your promotion is designed to do. So any money you give to parks is monies that are going back to the city in return. for the amenities that they are providing. That's just the nature of the every city has that mindset.

And I will I will tell you though that the monies that are being returned back to the city farewell because the parks are open 365 days a year and people come here and grab a bite on their way out. You know, we can't measure that, but I can tell you That's why the law was designed the way it was and why the city council passed the baton back to them saying that money that you give to them is money well spent. I will also tell you that it's up to them to spend it responsibly. We at this juncture cannot have rhetoric out there that you don't trust the parks with their money especially in this time when we're out there trying to promote extension of the tax. you have to trust them. They're doing exactly what they need to do in order to provide a good quality event, but in essence, no one says that's a parks event. They say it's a city and it is a city. So, if they don't handle it, it's going to be handled by the city. Has to be part of the city's conference, the unrest to the extent that you can help some of that expense right the fireworks are all on him and all the sales out of that expense. So I mean what are we doing? You know I don't understand this is we should have ended this discussion months

this should never be to the position that we're in right now. And also I'd like to point out our budget is open to you at any time. We are not hiding anything. You can look at our budget. Tom keeps an eye on our budget for us. He can show it to you. He can tell you how we are spending our money. I can tell you that we're having a I don't know if it's going to come out of AMP money or not, but we have a boy scout who wants to build a trail and they would use I don't know if we're using AMP money, but they would use rock. You know, he's going to buy $90 worth of rock, something like $900 worth of rock

and everything. And that would be a trail that could bring people into our city to use. Our budget is not we're not hiding anything. You have access to that. Tom can show it to you. And I think Tom was going to show it to you and show it to Casey and everything. I mean, I got copies of it already. Yeah. So, we are not we are not trying secretive. We are not hiding anything from But I also think I just I just want you to know at all that the parks department is hiding anything. Yeah,

I think it comes down to the intent of where we wanted that funding to go. You know, it was it was always the big part of what we did for the parks department had always been freedom fest, but now it's getting diverted to, you know, a kids. Do we have the numbers? Do we have the numbers on that? Is it going is that not okay? So, no. by tuition and by

and in the but I mean there's $10,000 in Boy Scout projects in 2024 according to this. Now I'm not saying that the Boy Scouts don't need 10,000 but part of the Boy Scout should why can't the Boy Scout come here ask for the money and and learn a little something out of how the government works rather than just go to the parks department and say here's your money do it. And that's where I'm just thinking I think some of this money could be kept here and still given to the parks department but upon request from certain people not just give it to them. That's I I just think the amount should be less than 45%.

I know that's just that's but I just want you to know we are trying to live within our my my thing is we are living within our budget and if you ever we're not trying to hide anything or anything. y'all have access to that at any time to see how we are spending parks or am money. So that's what that's where I'm coming from and we're trying to with live within our budget

and if we know that volunteers we can go out but also let me just ask this question at some point do our community businesses get tired of as a lot of money if you're if your if your money's tight too you don't have enough to give out to other things. So you just I'm just saying things are getting more expensive and we're trying to live within our budget and be good stewards of what is given to us and it may not always fit everybody's agenda or anything. It may changes I'm afraid

moving your cheese. I don't know if y'all ever read that book. Who moved my cheese? Yes. Okay. It is hard. It's a great book. It is. So that's my that's my uh point

and and I'm not I'm not speaking thank you very much for that a lot of great points. I'm not speaking for anybody else. I think the perception from my from my limited knowledge is that some of the projects that are being funded on a we'll just fund it. I think some of the people on this board would like to see more come come and ask for instead of a blank check. If an Eagle Scout needs $2500 to get his, you know, Super Eagle badge, which I'm not a Boy Scout person, so, you know, don't beat me up on that. But instead of that being funded just with a blank check, I think people would rather say, "Hey, let's look at this and see if this is a A&P funded project or if this needs to be an individually funded project. Little Johnny needs to go to Gino's Pizza and ask for $200 and needs to go to Kentucky Fried Chicken and ask for $200 instead of it just being a blank check and then somebody going, "Why did we spend 2500 so that little Johnny could get a, you know, superstar badge? Why is that?"

Well, what he's doing is benefiting the city. I mean, they're not just going out there. They're going something back to the city on a trail. Think about what they're doing.

100% agree. All I'm saying is I just think the perception is that they would some people would rather have would rather give permission for that money to be spent instead of uh forgiveness. That that's my impression. I'm not speaking for anybody else. I just feel like that's that's the that's part of the gap between if we give the 45 and then people don't feel like they're getting that some of that 45 was given.

Look up at the screen. What you see up at the screen, you get this every single December. You know exactly what parks commission has already in their park safety grant budget and they are driven by what projected revenues are there. I'm going to show you how that projection comes about. So in the past year they had projected $106,000 in revenues that were supposed to come in based on what you guys told me was the increase. You're the experts. Easy. Easy. Now, you're budgeting for your own entities. That's why

I'll take a disclaimer on the export part.

But anyway, this $96,000 right now. Whatever we got this year, it's going over to next year and they run a month behind because the dollar amount you collect in December, well that's on your books for 25% allocation in 26 January for them. So that would be their first payment for January. So any money that is not paid that should have been paid for and earlier that gets put into robbed them of the 45% they could have had towards their budget which hurts them in what they had budgeted as their expenses. You get a detail of exactly how much money from that $96,000 which would have been their 26 they plan on spending neutral to the extent.

There's that mouse again. I know. Looks like temperature gonna rise on.

So what you have there is the public relations. They're saying fest they're going to dedicate of that $63,000 because that's the money you give them. All they're doing is taking the 45% and they're aortioning it out. They don't know exactly how many balloons blow up they're going to have in freedom. for the festival. It depends on how much money they have available as to what they can afford to put there and how long they can run the event and how much the city's willing to kick back in because they have to consider what their financial stress is on their other revenue streams that they control their other budgets. So they put 51,000 in there for Freedom Fest and they have this grant project for Bell Park. I can't speak

that's the trail thing and then the scout project was $6,000. So you see exactly what they put there. They can't get into the minutia detail because that's going to depend on number one how much revenue comes in and it also depends on what the committees are deciding that they need but they have to live within that budget. That's that's you see it it's as transparent as they can get right now. So you can't say you didn't know and they're not telling you. They are telling you it's right there. No, I think that they they uh up until last year or this year, you know, it was always uh Freedom Fest was always an all day.

That has nothing to do with them and the money. That has to do with something that's easily fixable in the future. But to say we're going to withhold your money because we don't think you're appropriately using it is an unfair and unreasonable argument to this. That's what I'm saying. Well, we we ask every other group that comes up here to us to to give us a a detailed thing.

And they'll say, "We're not doing these events. It's a city event. The city wants to do it. They can come to you for asking every that's fine. I don't care. That's the way it can go. But there's nothing that says they have to do this." So, what you would lose would be those three those three programs speak up here. I've had many conversations with them. That's their settlement. As far as doing this, they're at risk financially in order to make up any shortfalls. And if you want to make it to where it's an all day event, then get on that committee and make it happen. It can happen. But if you don't fund all and the law says the law that you guys and the state of Arkansas put out there through that ordinance says that when you give that money to them that's as transparent as it has to be. You're trusting them to do what they do best in that commission and that is spend that money for the betterment of the parks and recreations here in the city to bring people to the city of Greenland and to enjoy theities that you guys Simple as that. We have $31,450 right now.

So, so I think we have three options and I wish we pick an option and I agree and going. So, option one would be just leave things the way they are. Let 45% let them go on. I don't know if that's appealing to y'all. An option two would be maybe reduce it to 25%, give them some money and let them go on and come back with the extras to us. And option three would be let's just treat them like everybody else. They just come with a grant for the things they want to do and you say yes or no and you can hold them accountable for that. Wish I would pick one of the three options and let's move on.

I vote for option one. That's leaving it the same. Leaving it just the way it is. If Casey could be a little bit more, you know, hey little Johnny, I know we want to give you $500, but I'm going to give you $200. I want you to go before the AMP commission and I want you to ask for the other 300 and I think that will help make

that's just going to take more money from what's left of the 45% that we want to give to other people. So I mean I understand what you're saying, but I kind of feel like if we're going to leave it option one, all I would ask for is does it hurt for you guys to come every once in a while and tell us what you're doing? Have a Boy Scout come and explain his project and just let us know, hey, this is what we did. Thanks for the money. Not that we need the things, but then we kind of have an idea of what what is a $6,000 Boy Scout project look like? I I didn't walk down the trail, so I don't know what it looks like, but it'd be neat for them to come and show us their work, and it would teach them some skills of getting up in front of people and having to talk. That goes back to what I was just saying, a little bit, just a little bit more transparency. Yeah. But they can't ask for more money because I mean,

it would just be for them to tell us about it. Sorry. I I just had a question. So 45% Does that include another $20,000 service? That was a separate request. So what does that actually bring to that?

No, I understand. But what would that look like? 20,000,000,000.

So it% it'd be getting a couple percent higher, but maybe not 50. Probably around 48 or 49. Yeah, because we're probably about 48 or 49. You're not helping the parks argument, but

and and it's little things we've done that have kind of stressed this group. because we've added added that debt service. Then you got declining revenues and then when you come in, we don't have enough money to do what you want done and you're facing this group and we're wanting to do what you want done and we're scraping and clawing trying to claw money and saying we're going to give you a piece here, come back

and then they're wondering what's the parks doing? I mean, what are they doing at that 45%. They're doing things we don't want them to do. And that's what's causing stress with these guys. Uh and and it the declining revenues have exacerbated it. And and and you're correct. The exacerbations also that we did give them another grant. We're servicing debt on the splash pad. So it is correct.

Can you vote on this or you have to be Well, the easy thing is to second his 45 and just let it go. But

at this point, you can say projects in there because that's fine. You can tell them Well, but that doesn't that get into the I gave you money and now I can't I can't dictate to you what you do with the money. If you want to let the scouts do it, that's fine. I mean, you know, I and I'm not picking on the scouts. I'm I I was from Trip 54 in Greenwood. I I'm not against the scouts. I'm just I just you know but then you can also say though if we're still doing the 45% and we're saying exclude X Y and Z and have them come to us then you're not only giving the parts the 45% you're taking more

additional from someone else to come in you could say 45% right I think Rod said it best it's just frustrating for us not to be able to give I mean when we used to we didn't want we don't want money. We don't want a budget or, you know, we don't want any money left in the bank after every month. But now it's getting to where we don't have money to give people. And then I feel like we're not getting communication from the parks department as to what they are doing with their 45%. They're just taking it and saying go and I I I feel like they could be a little more open about what they're doing.

So we could calculate what their percentage is based on this budget right now. They're budgeting those events. They're buding those events based on what

we can say what would a full day freedom run,000. So then you have to look at Christmas in the park. So you're going to have to be able to say for us to do what you're asking us to do, we need the funds. And if we can't get it all from you, then we have to get from somebody else or we look at sponsorships, we look at volunteers, we look at another way, but don't be mad. Don't

I'm not there's ways around that. That's what I'm saying. There's ways to solve that problem and it doesn't have to be through punishment and it have to be through negative rhetoric that we get out there on our ability to get this thing passed. If we don't get this thing passed, there is no park. What's the best in the best interest of the citizens as far as parks is related as far as where your money gets the best return? You need to look at what kind of return you give out to these people that are coming in here for grants and say, "Well, we're going to give you the money because you're first up there, but everybody else we're going to have to postpone." You should be money based on the economic value added. What's your biggest return on that money? Is it a one day event? Is it a six day event? Is it five day event? Is it a three-day event? What's going to bring more to the city? And that's where your money needs to be spent. What gives you the biggest return on that? And and I think that's where you know some of the issue comes into is is so you know they the fairgrounds come to us for you know car show and they do something that we don't like and the numbers aren't there. We can we can take and look at that that grant when he comes back the next year and say, "Hey, you know, we know we've always given you x amount." It's like, but it was down a little bit this year kind of what were the reasons behind that? Did you do anything different? Is it just an off year? What's the deal? And we can make a decision to to fund that at the requested level or not. Whereas with the the way we're set up right now, it's a blanket 45% without them coming back to us going, "Hey, you know, last year's Freedom Fest, we we tried something different. The numbers weren't there. Uh we want to give it another shot. What you know, so

we're going to come to y'all for, you know, $50,000 instead of, you know, 60,000 and see if we can see if we can get those numbers up. See if we can, you know, make this work on the half day that we did." We have that ability to to do that as you know and our job is to be stewards of of the taxpayers's dollars and make sure that we get that return on investment. Make sure you do that stewardship.

Yeah. And and I and I think for the most part we we do we have those conversations up here with the grantee with with the grant requesters as they come in on an individual grant basis like hey you know uh you know in the quilts we come in every year um they ask for the same thing and if if if they have an off year if things aren't kind of what we think they should be you know we we have those discussions and we can change the grand amount on that. Right. That's the that's I think that's the

Yeah, that's that's that's the intent of it. And when you give that that that blank 45% kind of it was it was kind of done in in the the name of convenience. So So they wouldn't come. So we wouldn't see Casey or we wouldn't see Doug or we we wouldn't see um whoever else, you know, Tammy, whoever else was running the parks department at that time three or four times a meeting,

you know. I've got uh So, I'm I'm here for Freedom Fest today, but also need to talk to you about Fall Fest. Then we've got some scout projects. So, we just decided at the time it's like in in the name of convenience, let's just do a one time thing, knock it out, and and they've got this money to do it. So, that's not how that argument actually when he was here because he kept coming to plan to get the money for you guys to be able to hand it out because you were in the process of still doing the whole argument that this is in ineffective inefficient method of doing it and the discussion was not we should be that was the biggest and so wanted to settled on That number is not set in stone.

Was it was it always I don't remember what the original was it always has it always been 45?

See I think I don't have a problem with 45. I mean if I'm Casey I'm thinking this is a get out of jail free card for me. I can tell people that hey I want you to go before the board before we grant this. I want everybody to be on the same page. The board gets to see some of the questionable projects, and I say questionable in quotation marks there, just because you also then give some of these younger people an opportunity to see how it all works. Because for me, when these young people come up, man, that's gold. These these kids are learning. Okay, that that kid that comes up and asks for the money for the candy that that's they're never going to forget being in front of this committee. It's great great learning opportunity. So, I don't know. I may be in the minority. I haven't been on this board as long as the rest of them, but like I said, I don't have a problem with 45. I just think that more transparency the better. So anyway, that I make a motion that we keep it at 45 and go from there.

Second.

What? We're happy to take% of of but see that's this is the rhetoric that's causing the problems that you're so I'm not trying to I mean but you are that's a kind of take your ball and go home I mean but you are let let one of the AMP people deal with it I'll just take my money and go I mean the response to that would go to zero and do that on any capital projects and then come in as well.

I mean, all all we're saying I mean what I all we're saying is when you got would it hurt for you to come once a quarter and tell us, hey, this is what we've done with your money and present it to us. I've done that for the past two years. You had line item I haven't seen a scout come in here once. Oh, I know we have it on paper. And I I apologize for that mistake. No, I don't think it's a mistake. Well, I think that's just kind of the idea we're talking about. No, I mean just we're asking for that for the next year.

The scouts would come to commission and explain what the project was just I don't have problem at all. Hey, I I'm listening to you three because y'all collect and remit the taxes and see what the taxes do. Me and AC, we're just here because of state law, you know, where you have to have two people for governing body. I think y'all are the meat and potatoes of the group. So, I'm not, you know, I would like to quickly second your motion, Sammy, but I'm trying to wait on these two guys. But it does seem like it keeps there's this recurring deal of the scouts. So if

not just the scouts what's up there 6,000 bucks if that $6,000 is this huge sticking point out of the $99,000. Let's let's eliminate that. Lower it to 40%. let them budget that 40% without that 6,000 and they can just turn those guys back to us like they always kind of have if they didn't have the money just way back in the conversation we're like you know these guys are always coming to us and they go to the parks first because they're having to do it through parks then they come to us just let parks handle it just let them have their thousand bucks for gravel and their $2,500 for 2x4s and paint and paint brushes and all that and

and they're doing things that are improving the community that are longlasting. I mean, if you look, you know, this is the first year, I think, and I didn't look, there's pictures that are in here are usually scout projects, pavilions, uh, trails, all that. That's what they're using to attract people to it. So, Sammy, maybe you could amend it to 40%. and let let them focus on let them take the scout projects out of that out of that 2026 budget and they'll just send them straight to us if that's the sticking point.

Well, no, I don't think that's the sticking point. I think it's that even when the scouts projects come and they present them, they have a detailed of what they're going to do with that project with the money, you know, they said, "Yeah, this much is for gravel. This much is for 2x4s. we're building a bridge over, you know, this creek and stuff. It's all detailed. And I think that's just kind of what, you know, uh, last year, you know, we were we were on the basis of, you know, saying yes, you have up there it says fall festival 6,000, Christmas in the park 6,800, Freedom Fest 51,000. And we were under the impression when it said Freedom Fest 51,000 last year or whatever the amount was that it was a all day festival like it has been every year prior to that.

We would get the when they when it would come in as an individual grant request it would have you know bounce it from

9 to seven or whenever from this time to this time. These are the m this is who's doing the music from this time to this time to this time. So, we had that more drilled down into this is what that 51,000 is being spent and this is how long you're going to get out of that. If it if it you know, not to get hung up on on last year, but you know, had had it come in as a grant last year, you could have seen on the front end, you know, when they came to us in January or February, whenever to start requesting that money like, "Hey, we're expecting you know, stuff to be more expensive. We're expecting our budget to not be stretched as far. So, we're looking at doing the bounce houses from this time to to this time to cut back. We're looking at, you know, not having music. We're not renting t because we don't want to invite vendors. Um, we can have those conversations. Well, hey, uh, you know, with bumping the amount, you know, is there anything that we can do or is this just the way it's going to have to be this year? And so we have some kind of preparation and expectation going into it of what the money we set aside what they're able to get and we can evaluate is it possible to do more or is this just going to be the way that it is. You know I think that's the benefit and the value added in having them come before us with with the the individual grant request on some of these even even the big ticket ones so we can see where that money is going make sure that it's going to to those things that And just go on the record, I don't think anyone's picking one and see the scouts. It's just it's just one of the the things that that that's up there. I mean, it could be, you know, it could be anything that, you know, when you could, you know, swap the $6,000 out for the the fall fest. It's like, well, do we get as many people coming into town for Fall Fest as we would if that $6,000 had been spent,

you know, you know, $57,000 for Freedom Fest? we have more people in town with that as and and just drop the fall fest all together. So, I don't think it's picking on specifically the scouts in general. You know, I don't I don't think anyone has a problem with that and I don't think there's anyone up here that would would discount anything that that they've done and contributed to this community in the different parks or anything like that. I think you made a motion, but I never heard a second. Did we need to that second or No, I think we're still discussing. made the motion. I'll make a motion of 40%. That's what I'm addressing. Let me have a motion to

So, we don't have a second on the 45%. So, I'll make a motion at 40%. 40%. I'll second on that. All

favor. Easy 2026 budget discussion. your actual fund is still the number that's why that's up there. It's just a placeholder. So given that you come close to that projection, you would be about 21,000. I anticipate this number being a little higher because what we know today, but we're not I am noting growing it flat. That is solely up to you. I always say you tell me are you expecting growth? Are you not? What's your appetite for this?

Well, unfortunately, we're always projecting growth. Otherwise, we're not in business. So, um the the new restaurant that's coming to town, that's going to add to it, but it's also taking out of the same pool. Yeah, it's going to stay from the same pool, but it'll but the grow the growth number, the big number is not going to change that much. It's just going to be the pie is going to get divvied up even more. New restaurant doesn't create any more meals. doesn't create any more people. Drastically different. The pizza stays the same size. You're just slicing. Absolutely. I agree 100%.

So you rather under project and overd deliver. Absolutely. Casey on that and we kind of talked about that after the last meeting when we set like 45% y'all are looking at not 45% of what we actually but like 45% of what our budget going into that next year is. So if we're down so if we're at 40% for next year what y'all are looking at for y'all's planning purposes is 40% of whatever number we say right here. Okay.

So I'll show you that. You're so you're okay with zero. You don't want to do a decrease or any of that. We decreased from 24. Is that correct? Not I mean not based on what I know there's what our budget was. We thought it would be this but we're down 5%. So we're down 5% year to date. 5.93. You are down 9% from what we

I mean I don't I'm fine with flat. I don't I don't know another decree. I hope another decrease doesn't hit. I mean I I think you go I think you go with flat and say a prayer.

Okay. So then this is what happens on the side of its parts. in the same month they get based on the previous month. So December's number whatever this number ends up and that would be what is used to calculate now and this becomes the number that they're going to have in their budget and then they will reassess how they want to look at div. So that's how that works. This these numbers fall in one month later. which is why that's not a true number based on nonse you have the money. So that's how that works. I wanted to show you how that is your budget that's just a placeholder and then what will happen to the transfer park that number will increase. Interestingly enough, this will always

end up being zero because what you say and you said it today your goal is the money you get in.

So that's why it's always 58 start,000 you're at 28. This was before we adjusted the commit. We didn't have this number,000. So if I were to adjust that number one,000 Whatever you got.

So, what do you have in your Yeah, it's our pulled out Well, okay. That's what I didn't know. my financials. It's not listed there. So, I was making sure that there's not 12,000 still. asked about so we put it in a different

is it just not the right I think it was that way.

So

there's your And so while we we did run a $30,000 deficit, it's really because we were really trying to decrease the balance because we really shouldn't be carrying a substantial balance. over.

Yeah, they should. I'll make a motion to approve it. Second. I'll second. All in favor? Uh, adoption of 26 meeting calendar.

I make a motion we approve it. Second. Second. I did.

All in favor. Motion carries. Commission comments. If you guys parks department, if you have stuff that comes up that you can't budget because of the change, by all means, you can send them here. We can visit with them and if it's something we can do, then we can do that. I don't want anything to not happen that we need to happen. I sure don't want the Boy Scouts not to be able to do a project because of our decision. But I don't think it would hurt for them to stand up here and ask for the money and see what we can do to help. So, if you guys are okay with that, I think that would be helpful. So, comments.

I've got a comment. Y'all really kind of bashed the scouts and and really you're paying for paint brushes, concrete sacks, and two befores. You're you're attacking a volunteer system if you continually attack a volunteer system and make it so ownorous to help. I'm not attacking. Absolutely not. I am not attacking the scouts for the record. I mean, one of the three things that was up on I don't know anything about it. It was one of the things that people commented we got $99,000 they were budgeting in 26,000 was to support scout projects.

So the rest of that $93,000 half of it we pull up in the square on July 4th and throw a match to it. We watch $50,000 burn up in like 15 minutes. But you're attacking volunteers that build things that last for years and attract people to our town. I'm not attacking I'm not attacking anybody. I I I have the utmost envy for those kids that go out and try to do whatever they can to earn different levels of merit and and grow and do things that me personally I could never do. So,

we had a lady that's running for state senate last night. She come and sat here, Stacy Smith, and she had three kids in our scout troop. And she used to volunteer over here at the recycling center. She volunteered for years every Saturday. She had three kids in scout troop 54 and they did projects out on the trail. They did projects up in Bell Park. And they've extended our trail immensely. They've improved Bell Park. And I said, "I can they have logged officially logged hundreds if not thousands of hours of volunteer work." Yeah.

And all their projects were paid for by the AMP commission and it is noted on their plaques. And that is a really really good use of our money. I agree. Because all you're doing is paying for just paint brushes, h nails, screws, 2x4s. That is a great use of our money. It's a great use of the parks money. Totally agree.

And and I support the parks. I think the parks commission, he said committee, but it's a commission. They do an excellent job with what money they have. Now, what we've given them, we've reduced them by 5%. So, if you're unhappy that the Freedom Fest was smaller, it's probably going to be about 5% smaller than it was because that's what we've given them to work with. But I do appreciate that we are continually to fund them so they have the ability to budget because we are now going into budget and if we took that away from they're going to scrap it which meant the first and if we went back to the grant system the first meeting in January they're going to show up with a grant for $51,000 and what are we going to do with that grant for $51,000? we're going to have to spread it all out,

push them, going to have to push them back two months and say, "Come back." And turns right back into the conversation of let's just give them a percentage and that way we get them away from us. So I do I think I some of you some of these frustrations conversations

I I pro I'm probably responsible because I did push and push for the debt service on the splash pad so we'd be part of it and I think that put us in to a bad position with fairs and everybody else that's coming that we're having to kind of cut back in the quilts and it's put us in a bad position with them. And hey, that you know, the quilt festival's been going on since the inception of the AMP and it's an awesome deal and that is my neighbor and I really wish she would have left tonight with all of her money and so I am part of that frustration. U I like her chances of getting it.

I like her chances of getting it too. So, I think having him help with finances and going to get them will help us a little bit more, too. But, yeah, that to me is just the frustrating part. I have no problem with the parks department. I mean, I I don't volunteer. I probably should volunteer, but I I don't I do come. I enjoy being there and I appreciate those who are there volunteering. I understand that, but um I just wish we had more money for other people. It just seems like everything is going to the parks department. And it's like when I talk to people, I want to be able to say, "Yeah, we do more than just the parks department, but we can." And some of their costs are expensive. I mean, the fair came to us wanting

a crazy amount. We had to cut it almost in half. And he quickly said, "I'll take less to give it to another group." They they want to help out. And I just think 5% I know that'll hurt you guys, but that gives us 5% more to maybe try to give somebody else. And I hope two Boy Scouts come up here and want to do a project and we can give them the money because There'll be one pretty there'll be one pretty quick. That's fine. Don't just after the quilts. There's not a single person on on the the commission up here that doesn't want to say yes to every person. Absolutely. 100% even if there are a scout uh you know that's you know we even if

Yeah. Even if we we want to say yes to everyone and like said that's that's where you get into for the record that was Chris that said and stuff like you you want to say yes and and you know the the downturn in the economy has put some stressors on a lot of that and our ability to do that

and I don't think that is a a permanent steady trend. I think it's you know it's going to be a you know maybe a one year you know and things are going to you know turn around and and go back up. we've gone through slow times before and stuff and uh and I'm thankful that you know the AMP tax was passed just one year like prior to a big downturn in the economy because a lot of things got accomplished uh because of that am tax that would have not happened because everybody said oh budgets crisis you know things are you know we can't spend money and stuff like that but we had that money coming in from the the AM tax and so it is very very beneficial to the town and and I think it is a very important uh uh and beneficial tax, you know, and I'm thankful that we that you know our town has it because a lot of things have gotten accomplished because of of the AMP tax and you fell here on the AM commission. Appreciate y'all.

Any more comments? We have a motion to adjourn. I'll make a motion to adjourn. I will second the last

it stop. No.