Hannah Mills (right) and Bob Davis (center)
The Fayetteville Advertising and Promotion Commission will have another unexpected new face in the coming months.
Dickson Street Inn manager Hannah Mills resigned from her position in December after nearly two years of service as a member of the volunteer group. Her resignation took effect following Monday’s regular commission meeting.
“It has been a pleasure serving on the commission and I wish you the best of luck in your efforts to make Fayetteville an even better place to live and visit,” Mills wrote in a letter to commissioners dated Dec. 1.
Mills on Monday cited personal and professional obligations as her reason for stepping down.
Bobby Ferrell (left)
Mills was appointed in March 2011 to replace longtime, outgoing commissioner Neal Crawford. Mills was present for 13 of the 21 regularly scheduled meetings through December 2012. Her term is set to expire April 1, 2015.
This is the second resignation the commission has faced this year. Jammin’ Java owner Brandon Karn resigned in late June, and was replaced in August by Ching Mong, owner of Formosa Chinese Restaurant.
The commission on Monday agreed to seek a replacement member from a group of six remaining applicants who sought to fill Karn’s position.
Maudie Schmitt (right)
Those applicants included Michael Andrews, owner of Fresco Cafe & Pub; Matt Behrend, general manager of Holiday Inn Express/KHG Hotels; Jim Huson, owner of Doe’s Eat Place; Shellie Morrison, co-owner of The Event Group catering company; Hannah Withers, owner of Little Bread Co.; and Denise Youngblood, owner of Mojo’s Pints & Pies.
Marilyn Heifner, the commission’s executive director, said she’d also accept applications from anyone interested in Mills’ position (must be a manager or owner in the hospitality business). A commission application is available at accessfayetteville.org.
The group will also see a few more new faces in 2013.
Alderman Bobby Ferrell’s term ends in Dec. 31. He will be replaced by a mayor-appointed City Council member in January.
Both Maudie Schmitt and Bob Davis’ second and final terms end March 31. Schmitt must be replaced by an owner or manager in the hospitality business. Davis holds the citizen-at-large seat and can be replaced by any Fayetteville resident.
Not knowing anything other than those folks’ associations, I would think Shellie Morrison would make a good appointee as her business should know a thing or two about what actually brings people to Fayetteville. Supposedly all those business would have a good sense of that, but her’s in particular seems like it would.
Because Mills held a “hotel” seat, I would imagine they’ll choose from the applicants who meet that requirement. Seems like they should do another public call, since the last seat they did that for was a “restaurant” seat. There were probably people from the hotel industry who didn’t apply, because Karn’s seat was for restaurant applicants.
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Marilyn Heifner, the commission’s executive director, said she’d also accept applications from anyone interested in Mills’ position (must be a manager or owner in the hospitality business). A commission application is available at accessfayetteville.org.
Hannah Withers! And someone from the food truck community with great business sense who worked hard to reshape the regs…like Angel Clower.
If he’s interested I hope Matthew Petty replaces Bobby Ferrell at the end of the year. He seems to have Fayetteville’s interest at heart.
And who is responsible for choosing the other members? With the power to allocate so much money it would be nice if they were elected positions, or at least if any sort of system for checks and balances existed — seeing as we obviously can’t count on the current system to bring in members that will responsibly spend these tax dollars. Either they are lacking common sense or they don’t care, or they’re being misled, or even worse they are lacking a moral compass. Probably a combination of all of the above.
Anyway, stricter regulations enforcing the absolute necessity of projects to *need* the funds of the A&P with real accountability for members — that would fix everything.
The commissioners appoint replacement members, but the City Council has the final say on who is approved. I wrote a story about that earlier this year. Here’s a link for anyone interested:
“City attorney: Council gives final approval for A&P Commission appointments“
- Fayetteville Flyer, March 15, 2012
Jim Huson, owner of Doe’s Eat Place..is a no nonsense businessman…and he has paid his dues on DICKSON ST..