Thanks to the good journalistic work of the Fayetteville Flyer, we now know which local groups have applied for this round of funding from the Fayetteville Advertising and Promotion Commission. Thirteen groups requested $260,869 for projects ranging from $1,000 for Puppets in the Park to a whopping $62,000 for the 540 Film Festival.
Too bad that the Commission blew most of their cash wad last fall, because they have only $31,000 left for this round, and the film festival wants twice that much. Poor budgeting at best, but all of Allyson's insider deals were at the trough last fall and had to be fed first. The Walton Arts Center, never shy, is back again asking for $25,000 for Beauty and the Beast, and TheatreSquared is again wanting another $15,000 on top of their previous funding. Now, I like TheatreSquared productions, but I have seen no evidence that their productions draw many tourist dollars to Fayetteville.
The most reader comment at the Fayetteville Flyer has been a raging back and forth about the $10,000 request by All OUT June for some kind of GLBT parade and festival. Some don't think it is appropriate to fund such a celebration, as opposed to, say, $20,000 for Babes and Bling Bikers. The worst application, in my opinion, is $36,612 for the Washington County Fair. Someone should take a look and see how many overnight guests booked rooms in town for the county fair last year and how much sales tax the carnival rides and cotton candy vendors paid to the city.
The Commissioners need to get control of the A&P staff and start being more cognizant that there are two funding cycles. They should also be more sensitive to the conflicts of interests that abound when A&P employees are on boards of groups that seem to get full funding while everyone else gets a rain check. They did take one baby step for mankind when they adopted a policy that commissioners had to bid on insider contracts; they should have been prohibited outright, but that would be asking too much of Bob Davis who continues to milk the goose.
It is very strange the main focus was on AOJ when they were among the few who asked for the least amount of funds. People are quick to open their mouths and not their minds.
ReplyDeleteI don't find the anti-AOJ remarks any more intolerant or any more persuasive than the anti-Biker Babes comments during the last funding cycle. I think both should get some money for advertising, because both reflect the diversity that is Fayetteville. Those who oppose either need to get the control freak bug out of their butt and learn to appreciate the cultural chaos.
ReplyDeleteMr. Dooley, I believe the primary concern with the Biker Babe rally was that we already have a Bike rally in NWA.....What in GOD's name would the reason be for a second one?? And yes, there are no shortage of people who believe that the second biker rally would be perhaps a little too promiscuous (babe contests, etc...).
ReplyDeleteBut who am I to judge? I certainly don't think there should be two biker rally's in this area.
Mr. Dooley--
ReplyDeleteIgnoring the bad timing of the festival, objections to Bikes Babes and Bling were based in part on the fact that its promoters have an inside track to funding, and that it essentially replicates an existing festival. It does nothing more to reflect Fayetteville's diversity than Bikes, Blues and BBQ already does. Some will further argue that the diversity that BB&BBQ represents is imported rather than Fayetteville's.
Objecting to educational and cultural events that highlight the way people are is, in fact, more intolerant than objecting to more of the same elective bad behavior from a bunch of interlopers. And said objections, at least as stated in the Fayetteville Flyer thread thus far, are not at all persuasive.
I agree. No Fayetteville funds to subsidize blue ribbons for goats and canned cucumbers from Prairie Grove. Let Sonny pass his own damned tax.
ReplyDeleteBob Davis is an embarrassment to our city, but he has no shame. By looking to make money on his no bid contracts with the A&P, he gives a bad name to citizens who volunteer to serve on boards and to honest businesses in town. His continued presence on the commission taints the other members and everything that A&P does. The Chamber has been strangely silent on the matter.
ReplyDeleteYes, Bob Davis should be tarred and feathered, but the A & P/Town Center staff needs a changing too. Marilyn Johnson Snap Dash Heifer or whatever name she's going by this week has been on the City teat for decades, and doesn't do anything but collect pay. Good money too.
ReplyDeleteGood point. Does anyone have a list of how many employees are on the A&P payroll and how much they are being paid? I heard that Bob Davis recently made a motion to raise Marilyn Heifer's salary, but the salaries and minutes are not online.
ReplyDeleteYou guys need to lay off the A&P Commission, they have Fayetteville’s best interest in mind every decision that they make. You may not agree every time they hand out the money on where it goes and I don’t either, but always in life you have to prioritize things. Just because you personally don’t agree where the money goes and how much doesn’t make you right, it’s about tax dollars.
ReplyDeleteAs far as salaries are concerned if you did a wage survey in other cities with similar size and infrastructure and then subtracted about 25% from them then you would find out where Fayetteville is at. I’m sure everyone would love for you to that so the city could see that they need a raise and a big bonus for having to listen to naysayers such as you guys.