The results are in ...

The Northest Arkansas Council Competitive Assessment report was released yesterday by Market Street Services in Atlanta, Georgia.

According to the results, the top five greatest challenges to attracting and retaining residents in Northwest Arkansas in descending order are:

Creating more quality jobs; transportation and infrastructure; cost of living and doing business; quality development and planning; and Pre-K-12 capacity, financing, and quality.

For the most part, the Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers metro is lumped together.

In a few cases, Springdale was separated from the group. For example, more than one-third of Springdale's school population is classified as an English Language Learner (ELL) which may or may not be the reason Springdale was ranked the lowest performing school district in 2008. Although Springdale is listed as having the lowest graduation rate of the region, it is still several points above the statewide average.

The report states "compared to best-practice regions for economic development, Northwest Arkansas has comparatively limited resources for workforce development. Furthermore, available workforce services for incumbent workers and existing or prospective businesses are not featured prominently on any of the regional chamber of commerce websites and the regional WIA website contains only limited information and links to partner websites."

The complete report here.

The Puddin'

It has been nagging at me that the citizens of Springdale were promised monthly invoices for the use of the tax dollars the city hands over to the Chamber of Commerce. Here is the proof that we have been lied to.

In October 2009, the Board of Directors Meeting Minutes state that the chamber will provide monthly invoices for money - taxpayer money - put into a holding account and used by the chamber.

In November 2009 as the city passed the budget without even considering whether the money handed over to the chamber is a worthwhile expenditure the newspaper said "the chamber will segregate the city funds from its other funds, Webb said, using invoices to make payments from city funds.

Also in November 2009, the Executive Committee Meeting Minutes refer to Webb invoicing an economic development account.

And as previously noted, in December 2009 "The chamber plans to continue quarterly reports to the City Council said Perry Webb, chamber chief executive officer and president. The reports will include invoices to show the money spent from public funds. Webb said."

Where are the invoices???!!!

Shakin' in My Shoes

The US Geological Society confirmed a magnitude 2.5 earthquake occurred at about 11 AM this morning in Centerton - approximately twenty miles north of Springdale.

According to Haydar Al-Shukri, director of the Arkansas Earthquake Center at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, a previously unknown fault in eastern Arkansas could trigger a magnitude 7 earthquake with an epicenter near a major natural gas pipeline. This fault, likely created in the last 5,000 years, has sparked at least one magnitude 7 earthquake in its history.

The fault is separate from the New Madrid fault responsible for a series of quakes in 1811-12 that caused the Mississippi River to flow backward.

Al-Shukri predicts this fault "...is going to be a major disaster."

2010 Best of Arkansas Survey

Click here to take the 2010 Arkansas Times Best of Arkansas survey.

Springdale Coach Arrested

The Springdale School District denies Brett Foster was an official volunteer coach for Har-Ber High School since he has been arrested on first degree sexual assault charges for having sex with an underage girl. However, he was allowed to ride with students on the bus and attend track meets.

The fact that the school didn't finish processing the paperwork doesn't negate the fact that he was put in a position of authority over the students he was given access to.

More Fluff & Stuff

The April 2010 Economic Development Report will be presented to the Springdale City Council tonight by the Chamber of Commerce.

This slick little newsletter or flier or whatever you want to call it - and you can call it anything but a report - is a pretty little fluff piece and virtually useless.

The local newspaper reported, "The chamber plans to continue quarterly reports to the city council, said Perry Webb, chamber chief executive officer and president. The reports will include invoices to show the money spent from public funds, Webb said."

I want to see the promised invoices and the City Council should demand to see them too. Especially the ones from their annual trip to Washington DC April 13-15 to pay off, I mean update John Boozman, Mark Pryor and Blanche Lincoln of the future plans for the Don Tyson Parkway.

Toast on the Coast

One of our fine readers has asked on more than one occasion if we have been able to determine who was invited to enjoy cocktails on the coast in San Francisco last September.

Even though we requested copies of all travel itineraries and travel agent statements from the Chamber of Commerce (which I cannot say were entirely provided) we are still unable to name names other than Rhonda Hughes, who signed the tab for the cocktail party.

Hughes turned in a reimbursement request form that Perry Webb approved. On this form it states the reason for travel is "TRC - San Francisco". But just how did she get to San Francisco without any airfare, lodging or car rental receipts? Is it even possible we just haven't found them yet?

I find it interesting that under the TRC codes of the CoC general ledger, the Hughes reimbursement is not listed, but I find it coded under 60200 (General Reimbursements). Relevant GL pages here.

Write Me A Check

Here are three more checks that we asked to see receipts or invoices showing their purpose.

What did the Chamber provide as evidence? See for yourself here.

Smoked Glass & Mirrors

For several years the Chamber of Commerce has written multiple checks in the amount of $1500.00 to Dotson's Glass & Mirror. Being naturally curious, we asked to see the receipts or invoices for what these checks were actually for.

Here is what we were provided. That certainly clears it up. I wish I had known all I had to do to get a check was make some scribbles on a note pad.

How's My Driving?

The sticker on the back of the O'Reilly Auto Parts delivery truck that crashed through the front of the Pontiac Coffee House in Springdale yesterday reads, "How's My Driving?" while the "OPEN" sign blinks above the blown-out window.

Photo by Sarah Bentham

How the Big Dogs Mooch

The Springdale City Council passed a new animal ordinance requiring all animals in the city to be registered and micro chipped.

The Morning News quotes Alderman Jeff Watson as saying at this meeting, "I don't think the city has any business telling me if I can breed my animal."

Is he kidding? First of all, they aren't telling you not to breed your animal. They're telling you there is a fee for doing so. This ordinance was intended to protect legitimate, ethical breeders while deterring unqualified individuals from breeding animals that could ultimately end up being euthanized at the shelter.

So is the city telling him what to do really the issue or is Watson just being a crybaby and a tightwad?

Compared to other cities with similar ordinances, $50 is a very reasonable fee for a litter license and the money would have gone into a fund for the spay and neuter program potentially deterring people that are tossing animals out their car windows or putting them in a dumpster.

This is a much more worthwhile cause than shall we say Watson's health insurance premiums that are conveniently (for him anyway) paid by the taxpayer's.

Secs. 14-38. Litter License; Dog Breeders License
(a) Litter license. Any person who resides in the city limits who owns, keeps or harbors a dog or cat that gives birth to a litter is hereby required to obtain a litter license for the litter from the Springdale Animal Shelter no later than seven days after the puppies or kittens are born. The cost of a litter license shall be $50.00 per litter. Any person who does not obtain a litter license as required by this section shall be issued a citation for failure to obtain a litter license.

(1) All funds generated from the city's dog breeder and litter licenses pursuant to section 14-38 shall be deposited into a fund established for the city's low cost spay and neuter efforts.

Public Facilities Board

How many residents can explain what the Springdale Public Facilities Board really does? I know they control the industrial park and the baseball stadium and meet on the 3rd Wednesday of each month, but beyond that I wasn't sure.

I went to the city's website to learn more, but all I really found out is that four of the five board members' terms are expired.
It appears to be yet another group much like the Advertising and Promotion Commission that just hands over taxpayer money to the Chamber of Commerce. As a matter of fact, the meetings that were once held at City Hall, are now held at the Chamber's office. And to prove my point, just try to contact them yourself.

Ballpark District Still Empty

The NWA Naturals' season opener was last night at Arvest Ballpark. A tired-looking Mayor Sprouse stated he has been trying to recruit new business and we just need to continue to be patient.

Sprouse blames the economy for the lack of any new businesses three years after the ballpark opened and states he is confident the area will be fully developed in five to twenty years. He is jetting off to Sin City in a few days in another attempt to lure new business our way.

Be patient for another twenty years?

PETA to Visit Springdale

People for Ethical Treatment of Animals was in Little Rock yesterday dressed in what is intended to look like pink and blue condoms to promote spaying and neutering your pets.

PETA has planned a similar demonstration today in downtown Springdale on Emma Avenue in near the Hirsch Law Office.

PETA caused quite a media buzz recently for a billboard referencing well-known Springdale residents JimBob and Michelle Duggar. The Duggar family stars in the TLC reality television show, 19 Kids and Counting.

http://www.4029tv.com/slideshow/23103766/detail.html?taf=fts

Buffer or Royal Shield?

Local area Chambers of Commerce are again in the news. This time managing to make the front page of the Sunday edition of the NWA Democrat Gazette.

Robert Smith's article credits Springdale resident Anita Davis for raising awareness last year when she accused the chamber leaders of misspending the city's tax dollars on lavish trips, dining and more.
The Democrat Gazette decided to question nearly forty other cities to compare how they spend money on economic development.

Perry Webb, president of the Springdale Chamber of Commerce admits he pats himself on the back for everything in the community because he really doesn't know what business, if any, the chamber actually brought to town.

Webb also defended the practice of awarding exotic trips in exchange for fundraising. Webb changed the chamber's accounting system in 2010 to avoid having their future spending habits become public knowledge under the Freedom of Information Act.

Attorney General Dustin McDaniel is quoted as saying it is unlawful under Arkansas Constitution Article 12, Section 5, for funds of a “county, city, town or other municipal corporation” to be given to a private, nonprofit entity. It bars public money from being donated to a chamber of commerce, McDaniel said.

If the Attorney General believes it is unlawful to give taxpayer money to the chamber then why do we continue to do so?

UPDATE: Apparently Webb called in all the favors he saved up at the newspaper for running those full page ads about the Chamber's trips to China. We have been ordered to remove the newspaper article that put them in the unfavorable light they deserved. It's okay. Most of the town has already read it and those who didn't, feel free to email me and I'll let you look at the copy we paid for. Or better yet, maybe we'll just start passing out copies in parking lots.

Money Go Round

During a recent City Council meeting, local businessman Mark Henry was elected to the Springdale Advertising & Promotion Commission (A&P) replacing Belinda Cole who resigned the position.

A.C.A. 26-75-605 and Ordinance No. 3293 provides that appointments for these positions will be made by the remaining members of the A&P Commission, subject to approval of the City Council.

Perry Webb submitted a letter to Mayor Doug Sprouse in the capacity of Director of the A&P Commission stating they had unanimously voted to recommend Henry, owner of Catering Unlimited.

The problem isn't with Henry, although he seems to have benefited nicely from the CoC's love of fine dining, but rather the continuing conflicts of interest in Springdale.

The Director of the Advertising and Promotion Commission is in fact the same person as the President and CEO of the Chamber of Commerce (CoC). Why in the world would we need both since the A&P gives taxpayer money to the CoC on an annual basis and the CoC decides who gets what's left of A&P money? Confused yet? If you want to request funding from the A&P, you have to contact the CoC.

This is a similar conflict of interest as our Mayor sitting on the chamber's board of directors while he is directly involved in giving them taxpayer's money.

We have a handful of people with handfuls of taxpayer money, but it all seems to get shuffled to the same pot?

Local Principal Arrested for DWI

61 year-old Springdale resident and Huntsville High School Principal, Michael Gray was arrested Saturday, April 3, for suspected DWI. Gray was apparently driving up Dickson Street around midnight without turning on his headlights.

According to KNWA, Gray failed three sobriety checks and blew .12 on the breathalyzer test.

Donations Needed for Meals on Wheels Program

KNWA is reporting that our senior citizens are being placed on a waiting list to receive hot meals from the Meals on Wheels program.

Only about 49% of the cost of each meal is paid by government sources. The remaining 51% must be raised locally.

This is a very worthwhile program so please try and donate $5 to the center if you can so they can start accepting new seniors again.

The Senior Center is located at 203 Park Street in Springdale.

Does Springdale Need a Facelift?

Gars are a relic from a large group of primitive fishes. They are long, slender with toothy mouths and hard, diamond-shaped scales.

Gars are most common in a warm, sluggish economy and feed primarily on other fish.

Gars are generally considered a nuisance and their eggs (roe) and gonads are extremely toxic if eaten.

Top Shelf at Fisherman's Wharf

In September 2009, the apparently recession-immune Springdale Chamber of Commerce treated a select few to dinner and drinks in San Francisco.

The evening began at the Top of the Mark Intercontinental Hotel. This bar is famous for its amazing views of the city below. The total bill for nine cocktails was a lofty $156.07.

The following day the group headed over to Fisherman's Wharf for a fabulous seafood meal and of course more cocktails. The final tab for this development of Springdale's economy? A mere $791.54.

Oh, and just in case someone tries to say this was for the Regional Government Affairs Conference the US Chamber of Commerce sponsored...that was in November.

Lobbying Top Spenders 1998-2009

Lobbying Top Spenders (1998-2009)

US Chamber of Commerce $606,758,180
American Medical Assn $220,832,500
General Electric $196,410,000
AARP $175,702,064
American Hospital Assn $174,890,431

Pharmaceutical Rsrch & Mfrs of America $173,403,920
AT&T Inc $150,471,757
Northrop Grumman $143,005,253
Exxon Mobil $138,886,942
National Assn of Realtors $138,417,380
Blue Cross/Blue Shield $136,317,077
Business Roundtable $134,030,000
Edison Electric Institute $133,995,999
Verizon Communications $132,534,841
Lockheed Martin $122,340,423
Boeing Co $121,528,310
General Motors $106,914,483
Southern Co $104,620,694
Freddie Mac $96,194,048
Altria Group $93,650,000

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source: www.opensecrets.org

Lobbying Top 10 Spenders 2009

Top Spenders 2009 Lobbying Client Total.

Notice the large difference between first and second place.

US Chamber of Commerce $144,496,000
Exxon Mobil Corporation $27,430,000
Pharmaceutical Research & Manufacturers of America $26,150,520
General Electric $25,520,000
Blue Cross/Blue Shield $22,715,439
Pfizer Inc $21,930,000
AARP $21,010,000
American Medical Association $20,830,000
Chevron Corp $20,815,000
National Association of Realtors $19,477,000
American Beverage Association $18,850,000
American Hospital Association $18,347,176
ConocoPhillips $18,069,858
Verizon Communications $17,820,000
The Boeing Company $16,850,000
FedEx Corp $16,370,000
BP $15,990,000
National Cable & Telecommunications Assn $15,980,000
Northrop Grumman $15,180,000
AT&T Inc $14,729,673

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source: http://www.opensecrets.org/

Slick Advertising

According to Wikipedia: the United States Chamber of Commerce (USCC) is the world's largest not-for-profit lobbying group, representing many businesses and associations across the US.

The Chamber is staffed with policy specialists, lobbyists and lawyers and is known for spending more money than any other lobbying organization on a yearly basis.
Max Brantley shares a press release from Arkansas members of Americans for Financial Reform urging Congress to pass strong legislation to overhaul the financial system. The statement also urges Arkansans to be skeptical of the slick television ads sponsored by the USCC. The ads were part of a $3 million campaign by the Chamber to oppose a Consumer Financial Protection Board.

Small business owners from the Main Street Alliance network responded with their support for a strong, independent consumer agency and question the backing for the Chamber’s new ads.

Los Angeles Times article by Tom Hamburger reports how a swelling tide of money could put the Chamber in an even better position to sway elections.

3rd Congressional District Forum

Citizens for a Future Springdale held a forum for republican candidates of Arkansas' 3rd Congressional District last week at the Pontiac Coffee House.

All eight republican candidates attended the event, but little was learned to separate one from the other.

Steve Womack, Rogers Mayor

Bernard Skoch, retired Air Force

Steve Lowry, former DEA special agent

Mike Moore, Boone County Judge

Kurt Maddox, Gravette businessman

Cecile Bledsoe, State Senator

Gunner DeLay, former legislator

Doug Matayo, former legislator

See all of the recent tweets from Arkansas' third congressional district candidates at one place plus links to the latest news on the race here.

Double Solitaire

Snopes.com/photos/politics/solitaire.asp confirms the authenticity of this photograph making the rounds on the Internet.

House Minority Leader Lawrence F. Cafero Jr., R-Norwalk, pictured standing, far right, speaking while colleagues Rep. Barbara Lambert, D-Milford and Rep. Jack F. Hennessy, D-Bridgeport, play solitaire.

The guy sitting in the row in front of these two is on Facebook, and the guy behind Hennessy is checking out baseball scores.

Photograph by Jessica Hill