Commissions, television focus of city study session

Political humorist and author P.J. O’Rourke once noted that the three branches of government are money, television and bulls***.

At the Tuesday (Jan. 13) study session of the Fort Smith Board of Directors, the three topics were money, television and bread stuff.

MONEY
Ed Devero, a Fort Smith Convention Center commissioner, proposed to the board a 5% commission for the two convention center sales agents. The quarterly commission would be only for gains on revenue from the previous quarter. For example, if an agent exceeded their sales revenue by $10,000 over the previous quarter, then the 5% commission would be applied to the $10,000 only.

“Having an incentive to sell is a great motivator,” Devero told the board. “Our goal with this is to get new business and retain it.”

The convention center generates about $680,000 in revenue a year.

It was also noted in the discussion that Little Rock, Hot Springs, Fayetteville and many other cities competing for convention center business have commission plans for their sales agents.

Devero said the commission plan would be revenue neutral, with commissions paid quarterly and the plan placed under review after the first year. Frankie Hamilton, the convention center director, supported the commission plan.

The board voted to consider an amendment to the salary ordinance at its Jan. 20 voting meeting.

TELEVISION
The board agreed to commence with a $17,000 plan that would eventually provide live broadcasts of city board meetings and make available the broadcasts for television and Internet replay.

City Administrator Dennis Kelly said it would take 4-6 months to get the operation going.

“That will give us time to get our new wardrobe,” joked Mayor Ray Baker,

City Director Gary Campbell said televised meetings will require the board to better regulate the time allowed for discussion because some people will take advantage of the television time to talk longer than they would have prior to television.

Expect more discussions about equipment, costs, method of broadcasts, how the broadcasts are edited and other issues before this plan goes live.

BREAD STUFF
Flowers Foods has closed its Fort Smith baking plant in downtown Fort Smith across the street from the Fort Smith Convention Center. The move eliminated about 80 jobs.

The bakery closed in December 2006, but was reopened in February 2008. The bakery was opened in 1921 by brothers Harry Shipley and Garvin Shipley and owned and operated by the Shipley family until its sale in 1996 to Flowers Foods.

Mayor Baker has expressed at previous city board meetings that the city should investigate buying the bakery property to provide more parking space or provide other uses for the city and convention center.

The Mayor reiterated Tuesday that the board should begin the process of investigating buying the property. Kelly said he would prepare appraisal and legal matters to discuss at the city’s Jan. 27 study session.