Minutes

Public Awareness Committee, Inc.

Fort Smith Public Library Community Room

September 30, 2004

 

Dick Gordon called the meeting to order.  The Colors were presented and Chuck Larson led the Pledge of Allegiance.  Gene McVay led the prayer.  Dick Gordon presented the minutes from the March 25, 2004, meeting.  The minutes were approved as written with a motion by Gene McVay and a second by Claude Legris. Dick Gordon noted that the minutes of the Public Awareness Committee are now available on Gary Campbell’s website at http://www.citydirector.org. 

 

The Treasurer’s Report was presented and approved.  Beginning balance was $1835.74.  Interest was $1.86.  There were no expenses. Balance on hand is $1837.60.  Dick Gordon noted that the signature card for the Public Awareness Committee’s checking account at Bancorp South is being updated.  Larry Larson has retired and moved to Heber Springs.  Jennifer Goodson and Chuck Larson will be on the new signature card.

 

The next scheduled meetings are:

 

The following are on file:

 

Dick Gordon noted that at the December meeting Kelly Mulvihill will have a display on the Nature Center and Lynn Pincumbe will have a display including an agent in uniform.

 

Dick Gordon expressed appreciation to Paul Leggett and Pam Choate for helping sign people in today.  He also thanked Bill Vines for bringing Gov. Huckabee to Fort Smith recently.  While he was here, Governor Huckabee was asked to appoint a representative from the Fort Smith area to the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission.  Dick noted that the 188th treated everyone very well during the governor’s visit and said he couldn’t say enough good words about them. 

 

Short Reports: 

 

Dick noted that Byron Tate from the Southwest Times Record was unable to attend today’s meeting but will be joining us from now on to give a report.  Judge Bud Harper and Dr. Joan Harper will also be giving reports from now on.  Frankie Hamilton, Sgt. Jarrard Copeland, and Jack Arnold are out today due to illness and send their regrets.

 

Gene McVay, American Legion Post 31, announced the Fort Smith Free Veterans Fair to be held October 29 and 30 at the Fort Smith Convention Center.  Information will be available to veterans and their families on topics including health care, the GI Bill, small business loans, home loans, the national cemetery, and more.  Flyers are available on the back table.  He asked assistance getting the word out to veterans in the area about the event.

 

Jennifer Goodson, Fort Smith Public Library, welcomed Public Awareness Committee members to the Fort Smith Public Library.  She said the libraries are busier than ever.  In August, 33,889 people visited the libraries, up over 5% from the same time last year.  Over 42,000 books, videos, DVDs, CDs, and cassettes were checked out in August, up 4% over last year.  Also during August 485 Fort Smith residents got their first library card and 49 families living outside the city limits of Fort Smith paid $35 for a Fort Smith Public Library card.  She said the Fort Smith Public Library and St. Edward Mercy Medical Center were recently awarded a $40,000 federal grant from the National Library of Medicine.  The grant will fund the installation of wireless Internet access at all three FSPL branches and throughout the Main Library along with the purchase of 14 wireless-enabled notebook computers.  The library will use the technology to teach the public how to find and use reliable medical information on the Internet.

 

Kelly Mulvihill, Nature Center, reported that the bids for construction of the Nature Center are out now.  They will be opened on October 5.  The Commission will then have 60 days to choose the bids to accept.  They are hoping for groundbreaking in the last part of October or early part of November.  Kelly also introduced the Nature Center’s new information education coordinator, Diana Angelo.

 

Dean Kruithof, City of Fort Smith, updated the group on three items:

1.      All of the capital improvement projects are still underway including Phoenix Avenue, Kelly Highway, and the dam.  All are on schedule.  The next project will be the widening of Jenny Lind.  There will be an election in 2005 to continue the sales tax for capital improvements.

2.      Work with the Fort Chaffee Redevelopment Authority is going very well. He encouraged everyone to go out and look at what is going on at Fort Chaffee, especially on Chad Colley Boulevard.  Graphics Packaging is expanding from 150-300 jobs.  The annual impact of that expansion on Fort Smith will be about $11 million.  Fort Smith is offering about $850,000 in capital improvements at the site.  There is still room there for at least six other properties the same size as Graphics Packaging.

3.      The City continues to work hard to revitalize and improve the older areas of Fort Smith.  One example is the adoption of the International Property Maintenance Code in Fort Smith.  The City is trying to work with property owners cooperatively.

 

Kathy Watson, Congressman Boozman’s office, reported that Congress is currently in session and will be for at least one more week.  There are a number of important items on the agenda including a 6-month extension of the highway bill and the federal marriage amendment.  Kathy noted that Congressman Boozman’s office has moved from the Federal Building to the Old Greenwood Road Business Park near the Social Security Office.  It is a good location, convenient to I-540.  Kathy said she is still spending a lot of time locally working on the U.S. Marshal Museum project.  The selection process is moving along and the committee hopes to select a location by the end of the year.  Fort Smith still looks favorable at this point.  Descendents Day drew about 450 people including 73 actual descendents of U.S. Marshals.  Dick Gordon expressed appreciation to Kathy for the work that she and Congressman Boozman do.  He asked her to invite the Congressman to the Public Awareness Committee’s December 2 meeting.

 

Crawford County Judge Jerry Williams updated the group on a number of events and issues in Crawford County including:

·        The Babe Ruth baseball tournament was very successful

·        Alma passed a school millage in the last election

·        He is still working on the Crawford County Jail situation

·        The Crawford County fair just ended and although the numbers aren’t all in yet, it appears to have been successful

·        The Concord Water Association will meet in about two weeks and he anticipates that getting sewer lines out on Highway 64 will finally become a reality.

·        The restoration of the historic clock tower is about 30 days away from completion

·        The sales tax in Crawford County was up over last year.  This is a good indicator of the economy in Crawford County.

 

Becky Murphy, Fort Smith Convention Center, said the Convention Center is up $70,000 over last year so far this year.  The Arkansas realtors had record-breaking attendance at their conference last week.  Upcoming events include the Fort Smith Symphony this weekend, Willie Nelson (finally!) next week, Ronnie Millsap on October 16, Larry the Cable Guy, Junior League Holiday Market, and a Bridal Fest.  The Convention Center will be transformed into an ice rink when the Holiday Spectacular comes on December 2.  She said that Frankie Hamilton is doing a lot of physical therapy and is doing well. 

 

Claude Legris, Ft. Smith Convention and Visitors Bureau, delivered the following report. 

 

Following a sluggish spring travel season, traffic has picked up substantially for the summer of 2004.  Collections in July reflected a 17% increase over the same month the previous year.  It seems this trend is continuing and we are looking for a solid fall travel season which will allow us to meet our budget target for the year. 

 

Research has shown that statewide in 2003 the number of travelers was up but expenditures were down, reflecting what is known as “day trippers.”  The key will now be to get people to stay longer in Arkansas and spend more money and that is the air behind the proposed 2005 marketing campaign.

 

The new Howard Johnson Inn of Fort Smith is open in the former Trade Winds spot.  Congratulations to Woody Anderson for his complete renovation.  Patronize Woody’s Restaurant at the Howard Johnson Inn.

 

The CVB’s main brochure, The Frontier Spirit, has been updated.  Copies are available.  The updated graphics and information includes the addition of Classic Carriage Tours and the Janet Huckabee Arkansas River Valley Nature Center.

 

Through the assistance of the Fort Smith Regional Airport and Nolan Manus, shop instructor at Northside High School, the promotional display cases for the CVB have been updated and are now displayed at the inside front entrances of the Fort Smith airport.

 

Fort Smith and Van Buren hosted the Arkansas Parks, Recreation and Travel Commission’s monthly meeting last summer and have tentative plans to host again in April 2005.  That meeting will be highlighted by the ribbon cutting of the newly renovated Tourist Information Center on I-40 in Dora.

 

Kathy Watson’s report included an update on the efforts to locate the U.S. Marshal Service Museum in Fort Smith.  We’ve been told that Fort Smith continues to be a very strong contender.

 

Mark your calendars for the Frontier Fest October 23 and 24.  Formerly known as “The Valley of the Arkansas Gathering,” this free event will be a weekend of living history at the River Park and the National Historic Site.  More information will be forthcoming.

 

Harriet Howser, Area Agency on Aging, said flu shot clinics will be held soon at area senior centers.  They will also be giving flu shots to homebound patients.  Medicare covers flu shots.  The Area Agency on Aging asks for a $1 donation for each shot at the flu shot clinics as a fundraiser.  Everyone over 65 years of age should get a flu shot.  The shots will be available in October. 

 

Mike Richards, Fort Smith Fire Department, said the FSFD is very active in pursuing training and resources to deal with hazardous materials and weapons of mass destruction.  The FSFD currently has two individuals attending training to become certified bomb technicians and will have its own bomb squad as of November 5, although additional funding for the bomb squad is needed.  The FSFD has obtained HazMat equipment through Homeland Security funds including a new heavy rescue HazMat vehicle.  They now have the ability to test in the field for substances such as plague, ricin, and anthrax.

 

Johnny Owen, Fort Smith Public Schools, announced that he has a new grandson, born yesterday.  In official business, the number of school districts in Arkansas has been reduced from 310 to 257.  The school millage election last week passed, keeping the millage the same.  The FSPS has shifted some money for debt service so they will be able to undertake some building projects in the future.  The school board elections are complete.  Barbara Hathcock will return to the board for another term and David Hunton will join the board as a new member.  Other information shared included:

·        Current enrollment in the FSPS is 12,911 – an increase of 40 over last year

·        There is a new preschool at Howard Elementary School.

·        160 area businesses are involved in the Partners in Education program

·        Violence prevention initiatives are in place continually in the FSPS.  A new safety and security officer has been hired – Eric Huber, formerly with the Barling Police Department.

·        6 tornado shelters (safe rooms) have been completed and another FEMA grant will fund the construction of six more (located at Euper, Pike, Trusty, Sutton, and Spradling, among others)

·        The Arkansas Legislature will begin a regular session in January 2005.  The big issue this session will be finding money to fund school facilities in Arkansas.  Fort Smith doesn’t expect to get huge amounts of this money.

·        The Northside football team is doing very well, ranked in the top 10.  Both high school volleyball teams are doing very well.

 

Dr. Kay Johnson, South Sebastian County Schools, thanked Dick Gordon for inviting her to be a part of the group.  She is the Superintendent of Schools at Greenwood and is a former student of Dr. Chuck Larson.  She gave an overview of the Greenwood Schools.  They are a 4A school in size.  They have 3250 students in K-12 and have five schools in the district.  The school district covers 172 square miles and includes 33 bus routes.  Last spring they completed a new Performing Arts Center.  They are planning a new high school cafeteria.  They are adding onto Wells Junior High and have plans to add onto the elementary schools and the middle school.

 

Judge Bud Harper, Arkansas Tech University, noted that he serves on the Arkansas Tech University Board of Trustees.  He said it is a wonderful institution that has undergone tremendous growth in the last several years.  ATU has 6483 students on two campuses:  Russellville and Ozark.  They have 300 students in Ozark.  The average ATU student ACT score is 22, compared with the state average of 20.4 and the national average of 20.9.  They have 220 full-time faculty and have collected $20 million in private donations since 1995 to assist with building projects.  Harper said he can’t say enough good things about ATU President Dr. Robert Brown.  He is very student-interested and appreciates the value of 1-on-1 student contact.  Judge Harper thanked Dick Gordon for his hard work for the Public Awareness Committee and the community.

 

Paul Martin, Fort Smith National Cemetery, reported that there were 397 interments in the last fiscal year, a 23% increase.  There are 1666 casket sites available and 43 cremation sites available.  They are still in the process of obtaining the warranty deed for the Andrews ball field land.  The cemetery will get nine additional acres from that land for cremation and casket burials.  They anticipate beginning the design phase in January 2006.  The National Cemetery administration is working to open 11 new national cemeteries nationally.  Their goal is to have a national cemetery within 75 miles of every veteran.  These new additions will bring that goal to 89%.

 

Col. Reeves, Fort Chaffee, told Dick Gordon that he is an inspiration, a mentor, and a leader to all of us.  He said he wanted to echo Bud Harper in telling Dick that he does a tremendous job.  Col. Reeves noted that FY 2004 was a successful year for Fort Chaffee.  They are moving steadily toward the vision of what Fort Chaffee will be.  They are providing training facilities and ranges to help combat terrorism.  The convoy live fire range is getting well known around the region.  He noted that FY2005 will begin October 1.  They receive $5-6 million for normal operations.  They are working on a multi-rifle machine gun range and a new ammunitions supply point.  They still have several soldiers deployed to Afghanistan or Iraq.  They hope to see them in late March of 2005.  He said they appreciate everyone’s support and prayers and the opportunity to serve.

 

The following reports were submitted in writing and not delivered in person.

 

Dr. Chuck Larson, Arkansas Oklahoma Astronomical Society AOAS, gave the following report. 

 

The Arkansas Oklahoma Astronomical Society (AOAS) is a registered non-profit organization, open to anyone interested in astronomy.  The mission of the organization has been:

·        To promote the science of astronomy

·        To help people of all ages see and learn about the universe we live in

·        To encourage and coordinate the activities of amateur astronomers

·        To foster observations and research work and craftsmanship in the various fields of astronomy

·        To share research material with colleges and universities

 

The organization has recently completed construction on two roll-off roof buildings to house some of the society’s research telescopes.  One of these buildings includes a motorized roof for easy access to viewing the sky.  Plans are currently underway to establish computerized remote use of one of the larger telescopes.  This will allow one to work in another facility while controlling the telescope and downloading all the data gathered onto a remote computer.

 

AOAS recently purchased a powerful, 20 x 100 Apogee Astro-Vue pair of binoculars with built in Nebula filters.  These are being used with our free telescope observing programs for the public, Stars in the Park, as part of the Fort Smith parks system that AOAS has partnered with.

 

AOAS has also been the recipient of a substantial donation of astronomical equipment from Dr. Kent Alexander, M.D. (retired), who is also an avid amateur astronomer.  The Arkansas Oklahoma Astronomical Society has bestowed the title of Honorary Life Member on Dr. Alexander.

 

At the August 2004 meeting of AOAS, we hosted a guest lecturer, Ken Marts, editor of the Astronomical League professional journal, The Reflector.

 

The AOAS is open to all persons interested in astronomy.  For further information about the organization, its programs, and general information about astronomy, you may go to their website at www.aoas.org or contact the AOAS Coleman Observatory at (479) 474-4740.

 

Suzy Hestand-Laird, Fort Smith Museum of History, sent the following report. 

 

Fort Smith has always been a crossroads for people of many faiths and cultures.  In celebration of the city’s rich ethnic history, the Fort Smith Museum of History is organizing a community-wide celebration of holiday traditions for 2004.  The Museum has extended an invitation to all ethnic groups to create a display portraying how the seasonal holidays are celebrated in their various homelands.  The holiday festival is a great opportunity for these groups to share their heritage with the larger Fort Smith community.  So far we have commitments from the Laotian, Vietnamese, Peruvian, San Saldvaran, African-American, and Puerto Rican communities.  We would love to include German, Greek, Scottish, or other heritages.  The “Celebrate Tradition!” holiday display is scheduled to open to the public on Friday, November 26, 2004, and will include a traditional American Christmas display.

 

We will repeat the wildly successful “Murder and Mayhem Trolley” this year.  The rubber-tired trolley will depart the Fort Smith Museum of History each Thursday in October at 7, 8, and 9 p.m.  Victorian parlor games, Ouija board, and other traditional Halloween activities will be conducted in the lobby by costumed members of the Belle Grove Heritage Foundation.  Trolley riders will thrill to tales of hauntings, murders, and all kinds of mayhem as the trolley rolls through the streets of the Historic District.  All proceeds go to the Fort Smith Museum of History.

 

Meeting adjourned at 4:30 p.m.