Multiple items were discussed and approved during the monthly Magnolia Advertising & Promotion (A&P) Commission meeting Monday afternoon in the Magnolia-Columbia County Chamber of Commerce building on West Main Street.
Jana Walker representing the community organization Leadership Magnolia began the meeting by presenting a funding request of $9,500 to go toward two city beautification projects.
The group's first project is illuminating a currently unlit portion of Southern Arkansas University's walking trail from the campus Welcome Center near U.S. Highway 82 to East University Street near SAU's Village Apartments. The installation of fourteen new light poles and 28 new LED lights was just completed last week.
“It hasn’t been completely paid for yet, but the work has been done," said Walker. "I encourage everyone to go by and just take a look – especially at night. It’s really bright, and it’s much safer now.”
Leadership Magnolia’s second project includes lighting the Magnolia Square. Currently, downtown Magnolia contains 35 globed street lamps. The organization would like to replace all of the dim, mismatched, outdated lights with bright white, long-lasting, energy-efficient LED lights.
“At the bare minimum, we would like to replace all 35 globes," said Walker. "At a maximum, if we can get enough funding, we would like to install and convert them all to new LED bulbs and repair the ones that are broken. Obviously for night-time events and festivals it would make the square look much better, and it would be much safer for our community.”
The full $9,500 request was later unanimously approved by the A&P Commission.
After Walker’s presentation, Ellie Baker, on behalf of the Magnolia Blossom Festival, presented an advertising request for $8,000. According to Baker, the capital would be used to fund both local and regional radio, web, print, billboard, and digital advertisements during the weeks leading up to Magnolia Blossom Festival scheduled for May 19 and 20.
“We’re trying to grow the festival,” Baker said. “Every year we hope to get bigger and better. We’re trying to hit Pandora [internet radio] and advertise more in Northwest Arkansas and Central Arkansas.”
The Commission later unanimously approved the $8,000 advertising request.
A third funding request for the Arkansas Blaze traveling basketball team was also scheduled, but it was tabled for a vote by the Commissioners due to a variety of factors. No representative for the team was present at the meeting, plus the tournament is scheduled for Blossom Festival weekend leaving A&P Commission members to wonder if enough hotel space would even be available for the multiple team tournament.
To close the meeting, the previously tabled $5,000 Magnolia High School 50-plus year reunion funding request was discussed. The Commission, on advice from legal officials, unaimousely denied the funding request. According to A&P Commissioners, funding for a class reunion could potentially be seen as a private event by auditors. A&P is funded by tax revenue, meaning only public events, projects, advertising, etc., may be granted capital.
The meeting was then adjourned. The next Magnolia A&P Commission meeting is scheduled for Monday, April 24 at noon.