Van Buren A&P continues struggle with tight budget

story by Marla Cantrell
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Flowers or advertising: that’s what it came down to at the Wednesday (July 14) meeting of the Van Buren Advertising and Commission.

The agency is now working with a budget so tight every daisy makes a difference. In May, tax receipts were $33,094, down almost 5% from the same time last year, when the A&P brought in $34,748. It’s a trend the commission has been seeing throughout the year.

Hospitality tax collections for the first five months of 2010 total $156,556, down 3.49% compared to the $162,234 collected in the same period of 2009. Van Buren collects a 1% tax on lodging and a 1% tax on restaurants.

Commissioner Donna Parker raised the option of reinstalling the baskets of flowers that once hung on lamp posts at regular intervals throughout the historic downtown area. The City of Van Buren had used its watering truck and manpower to maintain the plants, which were so high above the sidewalks the shopkeepers couldn’t reach them. But the city is also working with an every-penny-counts budget and can’t afford the maintenance to spruce up the downtown streets.

Maryl Koeth, executive director of the A&P, agreed the flowers improved the look of the downtown area and will look into what it would cost to bring back the planters. However, she did emphasize that the effort will likely take a back seat to advertising.

“It’s important that Main Street look nice,” Koeth said, “but at what cost for what we do. Our job is to bring business into Van Buren. … I’m spending every available dollar on advertising to bring more people in.”

While downtown didn’t get its flower baskets back, a $2,000 twelve-month contract with Van Buren company, J.B. Lawn and Landscape, was approved. The money will be used to do year-round maintenance on the park directly behind the Frisco Depot, which is the headquarters of the A&P and the terminal used by the excursion train bringing visitors in from Northwest Arkansas, and to take Van Buren tourists on trips through the Boston Mountains.

The city will continue mowing and weeding the site; J.B. Lawn and Landscape will maintain the flower beds, and perform seasonal maintenance.

Chairman Debbie Foliart also discussed the downtown area, saying her business, Spencer’s Candlery, sees mostly tourists coming through its doors. She estimates that 75% to 80% are out-of-town customers. The downtown businesses appear to be an untapped market for locals.

“We have some repeat customers, but unfortunately when we see most of the local people is when the holidays come around and they bring their families around to show them what Van Buren has to offer,” Foliart said.

Koeth does see some signs that tourism dollars are picking up.

“Both Western Sizzlin’ and Burger King came in above revenue for the same time last year, which is the first time this has happened,” Koeth said. “I think it’s a good sign of things to come.”

The commission also approved the yearly audit by Hubbs, Lyon and Company.