1 EL PASO COUNTY COMMISSIONERS Report on The
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EL PASO COUNTY COMMISSIONERS Report on the Use of Hotel Occupancy Tax Funds January 1, 2010 -March 31, 2010 2 nd Quarter 2009 - 2010) Name of Organization : Concordia Heritage Association, Inc. (non -profit 501 c 3) President : Patricia Bevel Kiddney Address and Telephone of President : 10024 Eastridge, El Paso, Texas 79925; 915 519 -2326. e -mail [email protected] Address of Organization : P. O. Box 3153, El Paso, Texas 79923. Name of Activity : Preservation, restoration a nd beautify historic Concordia Cemetery as tourism site. Dates of Activities/events : Preservation efforts of removing 52 acres of weeds and grass in partnership with West Texas Corrections and Community Supervision Dept’s County Probationers/Community Service. January 2, 2010 – Paso Del Norte Paranormal Society /CHA Ghost Tours at Cemetery – 30 attendees. January 11, 2010 - El Paso County Historical Commission - 20 attendees. January 15, 2010 - El Paso Corral of Westerners, 35 attendees. January 13, 2010 - El Paso Genealogical Society , 13 attendees January 18, 2010 - Gadsden Association of Retirees, Anthony, New Mexico - 15 attendees. January 21, 2010 - Concordia Heritage Association Board meeting - 9 attendees. January 28, 2010 - Club Friendship at St. Paul’s Methodist Church - 25 attendees February 1 2010 - Clint Association of Education Retirees - 15 attendees February 4, 2010 - El Paso Military Widows, 74 attendees February 6, 2010 - Paso Del Norte Paranormal Society/CHA Ghost Tour at Cemetery - 48 attendees February 8, 2010 - El Paso County Historical Commission - 25 attendees February 10, 2010 - Greater El Paso Chamber of Women - 24 attendees February 11, 2010 - El Paso Genealogical Society, 13 attendees February 13, 2010 - KTSM Radio Leon Metz /Jackson Polk - reaches Silver City, Timberon, Deming, New Mexico, plus Van Horn, Texas (Concordia projects) February 15, 2010 - Gadsden Association of Retirees, Anthony, New Mexico - 15 attendees. February 18, 2010 - Concordia Heritage Association Board Meeting - 13 attendees February 19, 2010 - Mayors Conference of Women, 1,000 attendees 1 February 23, Buffalo Soldier Memorial Monument Team Meeting - 9 attendees February 24, 2010 - Westside Garden Club , 18 attendees. February 25, 2010 - Fort Bliss, Falco n Security , Cemetery tour - 10 attendees February 28, 2010 - Red Hats , 20 attendees March 6, 2010 - Camp Furlong Days and Cabalgata Trail ride, Columbus, New Mexico 2,000 attendees. March 6, 2010 - Paso del Norte Paranormal Society/CHA Ghost Tour at Ceme tery, 48 attendees March 7, 2010 - Radio interviews with Clear Channel’s 99.9 FM, KHEY 96.3 FM , KPRR 102.1 FM, 1380 AM, 690 AM March 8 , 2010 - El Paso County Historical Commission 25 attendees March 8, 2010 - St. Paul’s Methodist Men, 20 attendees Mar ch 8 -9, 2010 - El Paso Community College Transmountain and Mission del Paso campuses, 100 attendees March 10, 2010 - El Paso Chamber of Commerce Woman‘s Dept. 40 attendees. March 11, 2010 - American Association of University Women, 20 attendees . March 11, 2010 - El Paso Genealogy Society, 13 attendees March 13 -14, 2010 - Cowboy Days at Farm & Ranch Museum, Las Cruces, New Mexico. 2,000 attendees. March 18, 2010 - Concordia Heritage Association Board Meeting 15 attendees March 23, 2010 - Club Friendship a t St. Paul Methodist Church, 40 attendees March 25, 2010 - Cemetery tour - visitors from Spain - three March 27, 2010 - Kids Palooza at El Paso Transportation History Museum and Union Depot - 500 attendees March 27, 2010 - Sons of Confederacy Dedication o f Confederate grave in Masonic Section of Cemetery - 25 attendees .March 27, 2010 - Border Tours for visitors with National Women’s Bowling Championship - five attendees from Connecticut March 27, 2010 - tour for visitors from Elgin, Texas - three attendee s Hotel Occupancy Tax Funds Requested : $93,450. Hotel Occupancy Tax Funds reimbursed : $46,624.07 Activity outcome/scope of work : Cleared weeds, debris, trimmed trees and shrubs. Repaired internal roads . Repaired damaged and vandalized headstones. Cleared weeds from Chinese Cemetery. Security - security patrol service for Cemetery daily, 8 a.m. - 5 p.m., random 2 patrol at night, includes closure of five (5) gates (Yandell, Boone, Buffalo Soldier, Masonic and Oddfellow). Closed Gateway West gate fo r traffic to deter vandalism, illegal activities, excessive speeding. Security service reported numerous activities, filed Police Reports when necessary . Examples include: cult and voodoo items left at various spots in Cemetery; excessive speeding throu ghout Cemetery by teenagers off roads and over graves; alcohol and drug use; trespassers after hours through Cemetery; loitering, graffiti, damage to Gateway West Gate. Continued coordination of signage. Initiated efforts to locate underground leak from Yandell meter.. Secured donations through performances, presentations, reports, tours. Publicity and advertising through website, local radio, newspaper and television, plus international magazine. Continued dialog for completion of Grave locator signs in all areas of Cemetery. Trimmed wind -damaged trees. Discussed proposed Pagoda in Chinese Cemetery with Chinese Benevolent Society Used heavy drag to smooth out ruts in internal roads. Continued facilitation of Buffalo Soldier Memorial Monument project with Buffalo Soldiers Motorcycle Club, Fort Bliss, West Texas Community Supervisors and Corrections Department, G & H Monument, Donnie W. Brown Chapter of Buffalo Soldiers, El Paso Ground Radar, El Paso County Historical Commission, Texas Historical Commis sion . Outside perimeter on Stevens, Yandell, Boone and Gateway West were swept and cleaned twice weekly; trash cans inside cemetery were emptied, bags replaced. Removed several hundreds of pounds of trash and weeds from Cemetery area. Relocated excess d irt and screening to area behind Chinese Cemetery. Filled in sunken graves resulting from heavy rains with sand, leveled same. Trimmed 125 agave plants. Opened communication with various tour groups to find ways to measure tours, visitors, activities to the Cemetery.. Provided CHA brochures to all visitors during day (Security assisted). .Repaired damaged Time Capsule headers with concrete. Identified and marked entrance from Buffalo Soldier Gate to parking area for future chains and pedestals. Locked ve hicular traffic gate at Masonic/Concordia entrance Installed pedestrian gate at Masonic/Concordia entrance. Description of impact of advertising plan and how it was measured : Tourism programs promoting the Cemetery to schools, civic and community 3 organiz ations, regional living history functions to approximately January 1 - March 31, 2010 : 6,131 . Cemetery tours to visitors, schools, and out of town tourists: 147 .. Researched approximately 15 inquiries for burials location in the cemetery from loca l, regional, out -of -state inquiries (California, Texas, Mexico, New Mexico, Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Kentucky, Oklahoma, Nebraska). Responded to genealogy requests. Published and mailed monthly Grave Concerns Newsletter January, February and March, 2010 to local and out of area members averaging 130 monthly.. Secured donations through programs, performances, cemetery tours, dues, research, ghost tours, Buffalo Soldier Memorial Monument .January 1 - March 31, 2010 : $2,898.00 . Provided interviews to regional media . Promoted Concordia Cemetery and El Paso history this quarter to 6,278 individuals January 1 - March 31, 2010. Secured advertising in True West Magazine March, 2010 with circulation of 40,000 . Number or location of hotel nights activ ity or event generate – Sons of Confederacy dedication of Confederate Veteran (March 26, 27) two nights 3 individuals from East Texas. How were hotel bookings calculated and verified : Via conversation with visitors. Activity or event partners : We st Texas County Probationers contributed technical support, planning and expertise plus labor hours working two days a week/four hours a day - January 1 - March 31, 2010, Approximately 75 -150 each work period ., total hours 17, 174 ,calculated at rate of $7.25/hr , in kind value of $124,511.50. True West Magazine advertising circulation - approximately 40,000 subscribers, plus rack sales each month of March 2010, Community partners: Leon Metz, Border Group, El Paso Saddlery, Classic Old West, Bowen Ranch, Flynn & Associates, Shady Lady Storytellers, Six Guns & Shady Ladies, El Paso County Historical Commission, San Elizario Desperados, Victory Warriors Drill and Dance Team, Zoomer Roberts & Buddy Winston, Mark Best’s Texas Fiddlers, Cliff Seam on’s Cowboy Church Band, Fort Bliss Museum, El Paso County Historical Society, Museum of History, Border Patrol Museum, Magoffin House, Museum of Archeology, 4 El Paso Community College students, Lincoln Middle School students, Girl Scout Troop #363, El Paso County Sheriff’s Posse, El Paso Independent School District, Bob Soltis’ Flags Over America, Pan American Round Table, Society of Military Widows, Pioneer Association, El Paso Jr. Women’s Club, L & J Restaurant, Discover El Paso, Sorelle’s, Mesa Roffle r, Around & About Tours, Savage Oil, Desert Hills Garden Club, Preceptor Omega, El Paso Saddleblanket, Niland Company, Your Image Boutique, Amigo Restaurant, Capstone Productions, C. Kitchen’s Mary Kay, Cobweb Mercantile, Debbie’s Bloomers, Del Norte Che mical, Roncalli Four, L&J Café, Su Casa Restaurant, McRae Auto Care, Sunset Grocery, Collectibles, Cabootz, Specialty Salons, plus individuals Fry family, Mattersdorff family, Mayfield family, G. Amparan, C. Boone,