Van Buren A&P approves ‘flat’ budget; raises director’s salary

story by Marla Cantrell
[email protected]

The Van Buren Advertising and Promotions Commission approved its 2011 budget of $454,000 at Wednesday’s (Dec. 15) regular meeting, a $31,000 increase over the 2010 actual budget.

Maryl Koeth, executive director of the Van Buren Advertising and Promotions Commission, said she sees a glimmer of hope that next year’s revenue will increase; however, she’s not certain enough to increase the budget drastically.

“As you can see, I’ve budgeted flat for tax revenue next year,” Koeth said. “It was $398,917 for this year and next. I dropped the interest income down because I expect less reserve than what we’ve normally been carrying. This commission voted to keep no less than $75,000 as an emergency reserve but we’ve kept more than that. We have some projects, like the Veteran’s Park, that will start next year.”

The 2011 budget has several projects including:
• $20,000 for the Drennen-Scott House project (tentatively scheduled to open in March, 2011);
• $9,000 for planters along Main Street that will be maintained throughout the year;
• $5,000 for Music in the Park;
• $4,000 for Tales of the Crypt at Fairview Cemetery (A new twilight tour will be added.);
• $3,000 for costumed tours of Main Street and the King Opera House; and,
• $10,000 for a new heating and air unit at the Frisco Depot, which is the headquarters for the Van Buren A&P.

After discussing the budget, the commission went into executive session. Once the meeting reconvened, the commission awarded Koeth a 3% raise, which will take effect Jan. 1. Her current salary is $45,273.

Koeth said she continues to see signs business is improving. October tax receipts were $32,150, 1.3% above the October, 2009 total of $31,747. She also cited The City Wire’s Compass Report concerning the future of hotels in the city.

“I read another report as well and it looks as if the need for rooms is projected to increase in 2011 and 2012, so that’s a good sign that they’ll continue their rebound,” Koeth said. “Overdue accounts are down from $3,235 at the end of last month to $1,775 as of today. That’s encouraging.”

The commission also believes the opening of the renovated historic Drennen-Scott House, built in the 1830s, will bring significant traffic to the downtown area. The University of Arkansas at Fort Smith bought the house in 2005. More than $5 million in grants has been secured for the project, which will be a tourist attraction and a classroom for the university’s historic interpretation students. Koeth said the house should open sometime in March.

“We do know the tourism side of it will be a real learning curve for the (university), and they will turn to us for support in that because that’s what we know, and we know how to do it,” Koeth said.

The commission is also banking on the state’s sesquicentennial celebration, set to begin mid-year, as another opportunity to bring visitors, and tourism dollars, to the area.