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Citizens Comment at City Council
INSIDE:
September 22, 2021
Contract to terminate By Jeri Pearson
Bigfoot Festival
Page 11
Photo by Jeri Pearson
Basscats
Approximately 50 people filled Mena City Council’s chamber and overflowed into city hall at the September meeting. Page 12
Ordinance passed by 3/2 vote
What does it mean for entertainment districts? By Jeri Pearson
Student Success
An ordinance passed by Mena City Council at the regularly scheduled September meeting garnered attention from residents and business owners both inside and outside the city limits. Mayor Seth Smith allowed public comments after a motion was made to pass the resolution, however there is no law that requires municipalities to allow citizen comments. Comments submitted to the council echoed those shared at a com-
Page 12
TEETER
MOTOR COMPANY IN MENA, ARKANSAS
See ORDINANCE continued on page 2
A partnership between the Mena-Polk County Chamber of Commerce and the Mena Advertising and Promotion Commission is scheduled to end in two months. AP chairman Rick Chrisman confirmed the two organizations would no longer be partnering. “A&P voted to give the required 60 day notice that we were terminating the contract on November 16,” he said. “We are moving all marketing, except festival marketing, to Pasha[Watson] in order to justify her full time position.” Watson left the director position at the chamber earlier this year. In that role, she was responsible for the duties that AP contracted with the chamber. After Watson left the position, Marrisa Johnson, who was in the role of executive assistant at the chamber, took over responsibilities for the AP under the chamber, while Whitney Horne was hired to be the director of the chamber., Watson was hired by the AP under the umbrella of the City of Mena in a newly created position. “We offered to contract with the chamber for the three events that AP is responsible for,” Chrisman said. “They accepted the termination and didn’t want to execute a new contract. The explanation given was the desire to focus more on the Chamber members.” According to Chrisman, the AP commission has not yet met to discuss this development but may do so in a committee meeting.
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