STATE PARKS, RECREATION AND TRAVEL COMMISSION Ozark Folk Center State Park Mountain View, Arkansas August 18, 2011 Commissioners Present Bob Knight, Chairman Debbie Haak Bill Barnes Barbara Harvel Jay Bunyard Billy Lindsey LeRoy Dangeau Mike Mills Danny Ford Ness Sechrest Jim Gaston Jim Shamburger John Gill Cindy Smith Commissioners Absent Darin Gray, Vice-Chairman Steve Arrison Montine McNulty Department Staff Present Richard W. Davies, Executive Director Gloria Robins, Executive Assistant Cynthia Dunlap, Director of Administration Greg Butts, Director, Arkansas State Parks Joe David Rice, Tourism Director Nancy Clark, Assistant Tourism Director Jon Brown, Operations Manager Stan Graves, Parks Planning & Development Manager Joe Jacobs, Marketing & Revenue Manager Joanne Hinson, Research & Information Services Manager Dena Woerner, Communications Manager Renee Robison, Group Travel Manager Tony Perrin, Region II Supervisor Marcel Hanzlik, Region III Supervisor Dottie Boyles, Administrative Specialist Kris Richardson, Administrative Specialist Aristotle Marla Johnson Norris Jonathan Eudy Dina Pruitt SPRTC Minutes August 18, 2011 Page 2 CJRW Wayne Woods Karen Mullikin Brandi Childress Amy Frazier Guests Senator Missy Thomas Irvin, District 10, Mountain View Grady Spann, Superintendent, Ozark Folk Center State Park Tracy King, Superintendent, Bull Shoals White River State Park Dave Jackson, Superintendent, Mammoth Spring State Park Gretchen Hall, Director, Little Rock Convention and Visitors Bureau Connie Adkins, Administrative Specialist, Region II Kathy Holt, Governor’s Office Cathy Drew, Ozark Gateway Tourist Council Adam Davis, Mammoth Spring Welcome Center Norma Sims, Harrison James Crowell, Master Bladesmith, Mountain View Roll Call Chairman Bob Knight called the meeting to order at 8:30 a.m. on Thursday, August 18, 2011. Gloria Robins called the roll. Approval of the Agenda Danny Ford moved to accept the Agenda as presented. Mike Mills seconded and the motion carried. Presentation of Minutes from Previous Meeting Billy Lindsey moved to accept the Minutes from the July 2011 meeting. Jim Shamburger seconded and the motion carried. SPRTC Minutes August 18, 2011 Page 3 Welcome to Guests Grady Spann, Superintendent for the Ozark Folk Center State Park (OFC), welcomed the Commission. Mr. Spann explained the mission of the OFC is to perpetuate, present and promote the Ozark way of life in an educational and enjoyable manner through craft demonstrations, musical programs, the Heritage Herb Gardens, workshops and other special events. The OFC opened to the public in 1973 and consists of 89 buildings on 637 acres. FINANCIAL REPORT Cynthia Dunlap presented the year-to-date financial report for the period ended July 31, 2011. The expenditures were: Parks Division, $6,795,011 including construction and grants; Tourism Division, $559,740; Keep Arkansas Beautiful, $22,884; Administration Division, $373,974; and History Commission, $231,011. Expenditures for the Department totaled $7,982,620, an increase of .50% over the same period FY11. The year-to-date operating revenue Parks Division totaled 3,026,053, a decrease of 7.0% over the same period FY11; 1/8% Cent Tax $2,324,870, a decrease of 2.70% over the same period FY11; and 2% Tax $1,084,537, a increase of .3% over the same period FY11. Ness Sechrest moved to approve the financial report. Mike Mills seconded and the motion carried. Ms. Dunlap reported the Arkansas Development Finance Authority (ADFA), who handles the bond issue for Mount Magazine has elected to transfer Trusteeship of the bonds from Metropolitan National Bank to Regions Bank. As a result of the transfer, Regions Bank is requesting the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism make any necessary updates to the paperwork, including signatures and designees to act as authorized Commission Representatives. A motion was requested based on Section 4 of the resolution issued in November 2003. Mike Mills made a motion for the Commission to authorize Richard Davies to designate the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism staff to act as Authorized Commission Representatives for the Trusteeship in regards to the Mount Magazine Bond Issue. Bill Barnes seconded and the motion carried. SPRTC Minutes August 18, 2011 Page 4 EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S REPORT April 2012 joint meeting with Arkansas Economic Development Commission and Arkansas Highway and Transportation Commission. Executive Director Richard Davies reported a joint meeting with the Arkansas Economic Development Commission, the Arkansas Highway and Transportation Commission, and the Arkansas State Parks, Recreation and Travel Commission is planned for April 12, 2012 at the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville. Miscellaneous Mr. Davies announced that Dale Leggett, Chief, Natural Resource Management Branch, with the Little Rock District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, is retiring after 32 years of service. Mr. Davies requested a Certificate of Appreciation for his support of Arkansas Tourism. Billy Lindsey moved the Commission issue a Certificate of Appreciation for Dale Leggett, Chief, Natural Resource Management Branch, with the Little Rock District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, for his many years of service to the Corps and support of Arkansas tourism. Cindy Smith seconded and the motion carried. Commissioner Bill Barnes has been selected for induction into the 2011 Arkansas Outdoor Hall of Fame. Commissioner Barnes is being recognized for his many years of service promoting outdoor recreation and tourism in Arkansas. The Hall of Fame Banquet will be held September 9, 2011, at the State House Convention Center in Little Rock. TOURISM DIVISION Johnny Cash Benefit Concert: Report Commissioner Danny Ford reported on the Johnny Cash Music Festival, held August 4, at the Arkansas State University Convocation Center in Jonesboro. Former Rector native and Arkansas State University (ASU) alumnus Bill Carter helped organize the event with ASU and Dr. Ruth Hawkins, ASU Director of Heritage Sites. The purpose of the event was to raise money to benefit the Johnny Cash Boyhood Home project. Mr. Carter helped get entertainers together for the event which included Rosanne Cash, John Carter and Laura Cash, Tommy Cash, Rodney Crowell, Kris Kristofferson, and George Jones. The concert, which lasted 3 ½ hours, was sold out with over 7,000 people from 30 states in attendance. Tuesday, August 2, Commissioner Ford and his wife Gail were asked to provide transportation for Kris Kristofferson from the airport to SPRTC Minutes August 18, 2011 Page 5 the hotel. Friday morning, after the concert, they drove him back to the airport. Commissioner Ford stated that Mr. Kristofferson could not have been nicer and it was a pleasure to have hosted him. Over $300,000.00 was raised towards the restoration of the Cash home. The concert was filmed and will be aired on Public Broadcast Television at a date to be announced later. 2013 and 2014 Arkansas Governor’s Conferences on Tourism Bids Tourism Director Joe David Rice reminded the Commission that bids for the 2013 and 2014 Arkansas Governor’s Conferences on Tourism will be presented at the October meeting in Murfreesboro. Letters were mailed to Bentonville, Hot Springs, Fayetteville, Pine Bluff, Springdale, Jonesboro, and Rogers. GPS Situation: Update At the July Commission meeting, Commissioner Mike Mills stated that the Buffalo Outdoor Center (BOC), located in the Arkansas Ozarks, had a growing problem. Global Positioning System (GPS) databases were sending people to the wrong location several miles away. The problem was traced to factory installed GPS systems in motor vehicles. Joe David Rice contacted several companies such as Garmin and NAVTEQ about the problem. He wrote letters to the technology editors of Popular Science and Popular Mechanics, as well as customer service representatives at Ford Jeep, and General Motors Corporations (GMC). A representative from GMC reported that NAVTEQ is continually updating information. However after the warranty on the vehicle expires after two or three years, many people wind up driving around with outdated information on their systems depending upon how long they own their vehicle. Research and Information Services Section The Research and Information Services Section processed 8,178 requests for travel information during July 2011, a decrease of 23.2% from July 2010. Year-to-date inquires for 2011 are 80,445, a decrease of 16.2% over 2010. They received 733 requests for retirement and relocation information in July, up 7% from July 2010. Year-to-date requests for 2011 are 5,459, down 13.2% over 2010. Arkansas Welcome Centers received 117,612 visitors during July 2011, down 4.8% compared to July 2010. January – July visitation is 496,611, down 7.5% over 2010. Joanne Hinson announced that preparations are being made for the 2011 Fall Familiarization Tour taking place in the Arkansas Delta Byways/Arkansas’ Land of Legends Regions, September 26-30. SPRTC Minutes August 18, 2011 Page 6 Tourism Development Section Joe David Rice reported that applications for the Tourism Attraction Feasibility Study Grant were mailed out in July. Five incorporated cities have submitted applications to the Tourism Division. Requests are from Batesville for the Polk Bayou development; Camden for a multi-purpose center; DeValls Bluff for a White River research study; Osceola for a Mississippi River floating pier; and West Memphis for the creation of a KWEM Radio destination. Tourism Attraction Feasibility Study Grant