Branson/Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce and Convention & Visitors Bureau
Board of Directors Meeting
March 26, 2014
8:00 a.m.
The Board of Directors of the Branson/Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce and Convention & Visitors
Bureau met Wednesday, March 26, 2014, with Chairman of the Board Steve Critchfield presiding. The
meeting was called to order at 8:00 a.m. Randy Brashers said the opening prayer.
Review of Minutes – A motion was made, seconded and unanimously approved to accept the minutes of
the February 26, 2014 Board of Directors meeting as presented.
Financial Report – Chief Financial Officer Cathy Hubert provided a brief review of the current
financials. We are in-line with the budget. She also stated we are currently undergoing the regular audit.
The non-renewal reserve fund is set at $50,000. The auditors have agreed to reduce it to somewhere
between $10,000 and $15,000. We’ve been trying to get this number reduced since 2009.
Treasurer Tim Connell stated the extended Finance Oversight Committee meeting to go over the budget
amendment for the Chamber side of the organization originally planned for March was postponed to
April. He encouraged all board members to attend the meeting beginning at 8:00 a.m. April 16th.
A motion was made, seconded and unanimously approved to accept the financial report as presented.
President/CEO Report – Ross Summers introduced Dr. Hal Higdon, Chancellor of Ozarks Technical
College (OTC). OTC has established a tremendous presence in our area with the new campus in
Hollister. Dr. Higdon stated that OTC has the distinction of being the fastest growing higher education
campus in Missouri. A 10% enrollment increase was projected, but the actual was 33%. They’ve seen an
increase of students from Branson and Arkansas at their Hollister campus. State law allows them to offer
in-state tuition to counties that touch their district.
OTC is conducting an economic impact study. They have spent $13 million in Taney County the last
three years. The building can hold 2500 students. They have about 700 right now. Dr. Higdon said they
over built the Hollister campus on purpose. There is room on the campus for two more buildings. The 4th
floor of the existing is a large meeting space at this time. They have a lot of space available for growth.
OTC currently offers 13 allied health programs and all of the students get jobs when they graduate. There
is no room in Springfield for any new allied health programs. They would have to come to the Table
Rock campus.
Missouri goes by school district, not cities. That means in-district cost per hour for students residing in
Hollister is considerably less than for those living in Branson because they are out of district. OTC is
looking at expanding the district. The property tax for OTC in Hollister is 15 cents per $100. It’s about
economic development. The future is in technical jobs and OTC could help prepare for those jobs. Right
now if Branson came in to their district OTC would lose about $300,000 in out-of-district fees, but would
gain $700,000 in tax dollars, which would allow them to offer more programs. It was pointed out that
OTC recently joined the Taney County Business Development Partnership.
Upcoming TCED Tax Renewal Vote – Jim Barber - Jim stated he is feeling optimistic about the vote, but
there is still concern among our senior voters. He’s trying to set up another community event for next
Friday to specifically invite seniors.
Sports Task Force – Don Schumacher who is the Executive Director of the National Association of
Sports Commissions was in town two weeks ago and provided a day-long presentation to the task force.
He is impressed by what we have to offer, but unimpressed by our facilities because we do not have
enough baseball/softball fields or indoor courts. He can produce a financial feasibility study for
approximately $5,000. Ross and Chairman Critchfield have talked to Jonas Arjes, Director of the Taney
County Business Development Partnership (TCBDP) about splitting the cost for a new study. The study
the City of Branson commissioned was poor. The costs provided were not accurate, etc. Craig Richards
is a member of the TCBDP and feels the Partnership would be very interested in this. We are far behind
other destinations that are growing this market. It’s clear the payback on this investment is large and it
fits Branson’s long term objectives.
Tim Connell spoke about how manufacturing and sports are rising to the top for Branson. Springfield and
other cities across the country have no place to add manufacturing and sporting facilities. This is a
national problem as the economy is starting to move again. Private developers will build these facilities if
they know someone will move in and use them.
Tim Connell made a motion to authorize staff to work with the consultant that Ross Summers and Steve
Critchfield named and to present a proposal to the Board of Directors at the April meeting as well as to
the Taney County Business Development Partnership. Following considerable discussion and lack of a
second, Tim Connell amended the motion to authorize staff to work with the consultant and approve
expenditure up to $5,000 from the Chamber to move forward on getting this taken care of and have the
proposal ready to share at the next Taney County Business Development Partnership board of directors
meeting. This board can vote electronically if needed. The amended motion was seconded and
unanimously approved. It was noted the Chamber has $21,000 in contingency funds that had previously
been marked for moving the polyhedron on Mt. Branson.
HR Committee Proposal – President/CEO Ross Summers described the recommendations for the online
policy and the telecommuting policy. A motion was made, seconded and unanimously approved to adopt
the following policies and/or policy revisions into the Employee Handbook:
Online Media Policy: This is a new policy to address potential employment and/or legal issues
associated with BLACC/CVB employees’ use of social media and other online resources during the
course of their employment. This policy is modeled after the Walmart social media policy that has
already passed NLRB approval.
Telecommuting Policy: This policy was changed from a temporary arrangement necessitated by the
rising cost of gasoline or an employee’s request for accommodation due to a health or other personal issue
to a standard policy open to any staff member whose job would allow such an arrangement. Employees
may only work from home one day per week and supervisors have approving authority and oversight over
this arrangement. Additionally, all CVB agreements must have the approval of the CMO. The updated
agreement requires the employee and supervisor to sign a formal agreement to acknowledge their
respective responsibilities and to define the specific telecommuting arrangement.
Not all BLACC/CVB positions are eligible for the telecommuting arrangement.
Legislative Issues – The legislature is moving into budget discussions as they returned from recess this
Monday. Ross Summers reported that we have been closely monitoring an effort to change the way the
MO Division of Tourism’s cooperative marketing dollars are distributed. An amendment was recently
made to remove $2.5 million from the cooperative dollars which would have caused the dollars to be
distributed differently. Fortunately, that was withdrawn yesterday. Local Representative Don Phillips
did a great job getting that amendment removed.
Medicaid expansion is still being debated. There is a push for expansion, but no one is feeling positive
about getting it through.
Personnel Changes – Shelly Vorhaben was just promoted to Manager of Marketing and Membership
Programs. Julie Bolton was hired yesterday as the new Manager of Sponsorships and Events. She’s
currently the executive director of the White House, Tennessee Chamber of Commerce and is originally
from this area. We anticipate her to be on staff within a month.
Strategic Planning – Chamber Executive Director Sharon Rosche’ talked about the upcoming Strategic
Planning. She stressed the importance of the pre-sessions. There will be one offered in the afternoon of
April 7 and another that evening. Staff members will not attend the pre-sessions. The facilitator will talk
with members, non-members and some elected officials. Thursday, April 10th will be a full day planning
session with the board of directors and Friday, April 11th will be a morning session, ending at noon. Both
will be held at the Holiday Inn Express located behind Shoney’s on Highway 76. This strategic plan will
set the stage for a lot of things in our future. It will lay the foundation for programs and be critical to us
as we go into our fall membership campaign.
Airport Update - Jeff Bourk with Branson Airport reported they will be forming a committee soon whose
focus is on attracting a new airline for 2015/16. He anticipates it being a seven to eleven member
committee. They’ll go through a lot of details of the type of planning they’ve done and will work on
developing a community-wide incentive program, among many other things. The first meeting of the
committee will be held the week of April 14 and will likely meet every two weeks for several months
then move to monthly meetings.
Chairman’s Report – Chairman Steve Critchfield asked for a show of hands from board members who
have attended a Chamber event outside of Black Tie. He requested each director commit to at least one
event a month. It is important for this board to be visible to our community and our members.
Chairman Critchfield stated we are not getting a quorum at the Membership & Funding Advisory Council
meetings lately. We need to get some new council members who will attend the meetings and be active.
Political Action Committee – We have heard several reasons why we need to develop a PAC. There are a
lot of needs in this community with more coming, including OTC tax, building a sports market, helping
Branson Airport attract airlines, etc. We need to get out and make sure our city and county leaders
understand the importance of such things. That will be a major part of our discussion at the Chamber’s
strategic planning. We need to figure out where we’re headed, how we get there and who is doing it.
Membership Update – Chamber Executive Director Sharon Rosche’ reviewed the report included in the
packet. Craig Richards requested net gain or loss to be included in the update, as it would be helpful. She
then passed around a list of valued members at risk and asked board members to sign up to contact them
and email her the results of the conversation.
Membership Drop List – The list was included in the packet. A motion was made and seconded to
approve the drop list as presented, with the Baldknobbers Jamboree Show removed. Vote taken, all
approved.
Community & Economic Development Advisory Council Report – The report was provided in the
packet.
Small Business Development Advisory Council Report – The report was provided in the packet.
A motion was made, seconded and unanimously approved to accept both the Community & Economic
Development Advisory Council Report and the Small Business Development Advisory Report as
presented.
New Business – Ross Summers congratulated Sight & Sound Theatres on Jonah. Mike Pitman said so far
every show has been sold out since opening.
William Mahoney stated they have seven new doctors coming to Cox in the next 60 to 120 days and
contracts for several more.
Brad Swofford reported Branson Public Schools have hired David Large from Cassville as the new
athletic director. The school is also looking for a new football coach, but they hope to have that wrapped
up in a week or so.
Board members reported briefly how business has been and is looking for them so far in 2014. The
majority stated that February was a bit down, but March is coming around.
Jeff Bourk reported Southwest numbers are really strong, 95% load factors through June (when they leave
BKG).
Tim Connell reported Connell Insurance recently picked up an endorsement for the manufacturing
association for the entire state. They will take that over April 1 for about 80 manufacturers. They’re
based of out Springfield where Connell will open a new location in the next 30 to 60 days.
Craig Richards reported that Ozark Mountain Bank was on the Forbes Best Banks in the country list for
the fifth consecutive year.
A motion was made, seconded and unanimously approved to adjourn this meeting of the Branson/Lakes
Area Chamber of Commerce and Convention & Visitors Bureau. The meeting adjourned at 9:36 a.m.
Present: Jim Barber, Jeff Bourk, Randy Brashers, Danita Brown, Mike Combs, Tim Connell, Steve
Critchfield, Chris Hamon, Ron Jett, William Mahoney, Janet Oller, Mike Pitman, Craig Richards, Steve
Scherer, Scott Skoglund, Angie Smith, David Smith (Legal Counsel) Brad Swofford and Jamie Whiteis.
Absent: Bob Cox, Stephen Marshall, Chris Myer, Patrick Parnell and Craig Wescott.
Guests: Dr. Hal Higdon
BLACC/CVB Staff Present: Leah Chandler, Monica Evinger, Cathy Hubert, Debi Lipper, Sharon
Rosche’ and Ross Summers.