Ethics, airport business close year for A&P panel

The Pine Bluff Advertising and Promotion Commission approved $50,000 for the Airport Commission to purchase a courtesy vehicle that will be wrapped with the Pine Bluff Advertising and Promotion and Grider Field logos. 
(Pine Bluff Commercial/Eplunus Colvin)
The Pine Bluff Advertising and Promotion Commission approved $50,000 for the Airport Commission to purchase a courtesy vehicle that will be wrapped with the Pine Bluff Advertising and Promotion and Grider Field logos. (Pine Bluff Commercial/Eplunus Colvin)

The Pine Bluff Advertising and Promotion Commission wrapped up 2021 with its last meeting of the year in hopes to resolve some old business.

Vice chair Berinda Eugene filled in for chairwoman Rosie Pettigrew in her absence during Wednesday's meeting.

Old business included work environment, ethics and bylaws amendments to include conflict of interest. Though no details were provided, Director Sheri Storie said she made the commission aware of an issue in July that had not yet resolved itself.

Storie said she reached out to assistant city attorney Joe Childress to see if the city's human resource department could conduct an internal investigation.

"I'm hoping this situation resolves itself," Storie said.

Storie did agree to sit down and talk with the individual in question but said a previous meeting resulted in no response.

"I would like to see both parties meet and discuss the issues that are occurring," said Brown.

Eugene agreed and said the internal investigation could be put on hold until then.

Another old business from the summer was addressed during Wednesday's meeting.

During the July 26 meeting, commission member William Moss said about $13,500 was recently spent on the Merrill High School reunion. He then said Pettigrew, who is chairwoman of both the Advertising and Promotion Commission and Merrill High School reunion, signed a check from the commission to be deposited into the Merrill High School reunion fund. Pettigrew then signed and deposited two checks written to RJ's for $3,048, and $346.50 to herself for tablecloth rental.

Moss requested that the commission ask an attorney to write an amendment to the commission bylaws to state that the commission would no longer fund any organization for which a commission member had a managerial position, either as chairperson or board member. Secretary Glen Brown Jr. and member Lelan Stice were in agreement with the recommendation but it was tabled.

At the meeting in August, Pettigrew apologized to the commission for the expenditures of the Merrill High School Reunion.

"It's not in the guidelines," Pettigrew said during that August meeting. "It didn't say that, but at the same time I am extending my apologies for having done that because I didn't know."

Moss said the conflict-of-interest bylaws that were tabled would now clarify some of the questions that people had.

"The people involved said they were not aware that this would be a problem," Moss said. He added the amendment came out of the Finance Committee with a "do pass" recommendation.

"This puts it in the bylaws that if you're on this commission you're supposed to be familiar with our bylaws so that it won't happen or they come back later and say well I didn't know."

The conflict-of-interest bylaws state a commission member or appointed committee member shall not be interested, directly or indirectly, in the profits of any contract for furnishing supplies, equipment, or services to the Commission. For this purpose "... interested, directly or indirectly..." is to be construed in terms of Arkansas Code Annotated § 21-8-304(a) and the common law prohibition against conflicts of interests.

In other business, the commission voted to fund $50,000 to the airport commission to purchase a courtesy vehicle that will be wrapped with the Pine Bluff Advertising and Promotion and Grider Field logos.

Currently, the commercial airport courtesy vehicle is more than 20 years old.

Eugene questioned if this was a normal funding expense of the commission, to which Glen Brown Jr. replied the airport has very minimal income.

According to Brown, the purchase would either come from the general fund, but on the last occasion, it was donated by someone who was affiliated with the commission over 20 years ago.

"When he [airport director Doug Hale] submitted the budget he was instructed to submit the budget the same way it was presented the year before, which meant he couldn't add the purchase," said Brown. "Most of their funding comes directly from federal or the general fund."

It was also noted in the meeting that most of the airport's traffic is determined if they have a courtesy vehicle available.

"The advertising on the vehicle will serve its purpose as a rolling advertisement," said Brown.

"It's promoting the city and it's promoting the airport. Anything that will make the airport more appealing I feel like that would be something that would fall into our purpose."

In the director's report, Storie noted a significant increase in October's taxes collected from last year's. For 2021, October taxes collected were $156,826.

She also announced a first-place recognition in the National Association of Interpretation Digital Media Awards that included the Civil Rights Trail and Delta cinema world and would release more details in a news release.

A&P is a destination marketing agency overseen by a seven-person commission. Funded through prepared-food sales and occupancy taxes, the A&P Commission markets Pine Bluff as a year-round destination for leisure, business, group and individual travel. In addition to raising a majority of operating funds for the Pine Bluff Convention Center, the commission provides funding assistance to many Pine Bluff attractions, festivals, sporting events and special events.

A&P meets the fourth Wednesday of every month at 4 p.m. at 623 S. Main St.

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