The Fayetteville Advertising and Promotion Commission held its ninth meeting of 2011 at 2 p.m. Monday inside the Town Center on the downtown square.
Below is a roundup of highlights from the group’s monthly meeting for September 2011.
For highlights and news from previous meetings, see our archive of A&P Commission-related posts.
Roll Call
Present: Director Marilyn Heifner, Bob Davis, Lioneld Jordan, Bill Lyle, Hannah Mills, commission chair Maudie Schmitt and Justin Tennant
Absent: Brandon Karn
Monthly HMR collections up
HMR tax collections were up $9,098 (5 percent) from the same month last year. Total collections reported in August 2011 were $189,839.
Overall 2011 collections are now at $1,483,777, a 4.67 percent increase on the year.
(See the chart and table below for a four-year comparison of HMR collections in Fayetteville.)
Overdue HMR tax collections
According to City Attorney Kit Williams, the City Prosecutor’s Office collected $343.18 in overdue HMR taxes in August, bringing the year-to-date total to $29,136.
Two of the city’s 16 cases were closed with full payment of the overdue HMR taxes.
Clinton House Museum visits up again
457 people visited the Clinton House Museum last month, marking the largest number of visitors in a single month since the facility opened in 2005.
President Clinton’s 65th birthday celebration on August 19 brought in 303 visitors when the museum offered free admission all day and extended hours to host a birthday party. Clinton’s favorite snacks — moon pies, peanuts, and RC cola — were served in addition to two birthday cakes. The Arkansas Winds Sax Quartet performed and guests signed the former president’s birthday card.
Visitors Center sales still up
Sales in the Visitors Center on the Fayetteville square saw another major jump in sales over the same month last year.
Total sales for the month were $9,650, a 171 percent increase over August 2010.
Visits to the center were also up for the month with 1,457 total visitors, a nearly 12 percent increase over August 2010.
No movement on the bond extension proposal
The commission did not resume discussion of Mayor Jordan’s proposal to use HMR tax proceeds to help finance the Walton Arts Center’s planned 600-seat theater in downtown Fayetteville.
The bonds, which would generate over $6.7 million, would be repaid using the commission’s annual tax revenue, but would require approval from Fayetteville voters before being extended.
Commissioners in July requested to delay their vote until more information is available. Particularly, the group wants to see reports the arts center recently commissioned which detail the expected cost, revenues, and use of a new theater.
The reports from Schuler Shook, Webb Management Services, and Venue are expected to be complete in the next few months.
Commission grants $500,000 for Arkansas Music Pavilion
The commission voted unanimously to commit $500,000 in reserves to help fund a renovation of the Walton Arts Center’s newly purchased Arkansas Music Pavilion (AMP). Read the full story.
Four-year HMR collection numbers
Below is a graph and table representing four years of HMR tax collections in Fayetteville.
Full agenda packet
