Since I was named in a political flyer distributed in parts of the city over the weekend, I felt compelled to respond. The flyer was an attack on the Expo Center and me. One of the statements the flyer makes is, “The biggest myth local politicians led by News-Star Editor Mike McCormick and his followers has ever sold the people of Shawnee is that the Expo is a booster for local business without one shred of evidence to back it up.”
The flyer doesn’t say who paid for it, but it supports city commission candidates Will Walker and Candie Swinney.
Among the misinformation is the Expo Center does NOT have 14 full-time employes as the flyer states. If the two candidates had done their homework, they would know that currently the Expo has seven full-time employees, is budgeted for 10, and never in Mike Jackson’s 22 years at the Expo has it had 14 full-time employees. Even though budgeted for 10, it only has seven and Jackson has the authority to make it eight, but not what is budgeted due to cutbacks.
While it’s true the rodeo performances span over six days, do these two realize how long these contestants and their families are here? They begin arriving on Friday before the rodeo starts the following Monday and some are here until the Sunday afterward.
It also takes time for the Expo Center to prepare for events and take them down.
If people want to question the Expo Center’s worth, then they should go to businesses around town and find out for themselves. They should ask us here at the News-Star, they should talk with Frank Oliver at Hardesty’s Grocery, they might want to visit with mall manager Scott Kingrey and some of the restaurants around the mall. Another one to ask is Joe Ford of Shawnee Milling Co.
But most importantly, they should make it a point to question Candie and Will where they are getting their information and who is writing these flyers for them, because we know one of the candidates already has admitted to one of our sources that someone else is writing the flyers.
One way for sure to cut down further on the city’s sales tax revenue is to diminish the capability of the Expo to draw and host events. I don’t care what these candidates and their political guru try to tell people, but the Expo does boost business and help generate sales taxes for our city.
•••
When the board of directors of the Greater Shawnee Area Chamber of Commerce gather this morning, they will hear a brief update on the Community Attitude Survey and consider affirming the appointment of the 2010 nominating committee.
The board will have the opportunity for any further discussion and additional input concerning the survey, which was paid for by the Shawnee Economic Development Foundation and conducted at the request of the city of Shawnee.
The nominating committee to be considered for 2010 consists of Joe Ford, Chairman-elect of the board who will chair the committee, along with members Suzanne Gilbert, Charlotte Barnett, Pam O’Rorke and Jim Smith.
Division reports will be provided by Anne Coker, chair of the Small Business Council; “A Tasty Affair,” the chamber’s annual auction by Margaret Davis, Suzanne Gilbert and Pam O’Rorke; and the Business and Education Committee, Marta Land and Joe Ford.
Several other reports also may be provided. Among them are Gordona Rowell from the CVB; Tim Burg, the SEDF; Denise May, Downtown Shawnee; City Manager Brian McDougal; Mike Jackson, the Civic and Cultural Authority; Gilbert on the Tecumseh chamber; and Jerry Sampler, the Meeker chamber report.
The meeting, open to the public, begins at 9 a.m. in the chamber board room at 131 N. Bell.
•••
Mike Jackson, operations manager at the Heart of Oklahoma Exposition Center, passed along these statistics and comments about last week’s IFYR.
“We had an outstanding week at the IFYR. Our final numbers are listed below:
• 891 contestants
• 1,458 contestants’ entries
• 31 states represented.
$100,354 in ticket sales
Six day cares attended the morning performances with a total of 108 kids
YMCA attended with a total of 35 kids
Salvation Army Boys and Girls Club attended with a total of 42 kids
On Thursday, July 15, the IFYR partnered with the Shawnee Library and signed up 100 people with library cards for free entry to the rodeo.”
•••
The Salvation Army Women’s Auxiliary is hosting the annual bean supper next Thursday evening, July 22, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at First Baptist Church. Proceeds from ticket sales support Back to School Basics — school supplies for needy children in the area — and proceeds from the celebrity auction that evening also help support the Boys and Girls Club, which currently has 62 kids enrolled just for summer programs.
The $5 ticket to the bean supper enables those attending to bid during the auction. For more information and to reserve tickets call 275-2243.
•••
If you have ideas or something of interest for this column, please call me at 214-3922 or e-mail me at michael.mccormick@news-star.com. Please include your name and a phone number for contact purposes.
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Since I was named in a political flyer distributed in parts of the city over the weekend, I felt compelled to respond. The flyer was an attack on the Expo Center and me. One of the statements the flyer makes is, “The biggest myth local politicians led by News-Star Editor Mike McCormick and his followers has ever sold the people of Shawnee is that the Expo is a booster for local business without one shred of evidence to back it up.”
The flyer doesn’t say who paid for it, but it supports city commission candidates Will Walker and Candie Swinney.
Among the misinformation is the Expo Center does NOT have 14 full-time employes as the flyer states. If the two candidates had done their homework, they would know that currently the Expo has seven full-time employees, is budgeted for 10, and never in Mike Jackson’s 22 years at the Expo has it had 14 full-time employees. Even though budgeted for 10, it only has seven and Jackson has the authority to make it eight, but not what is budgeted due to cutbacks.
While it’s true the rodeo performances span over six days, do these two realize how long these contestants and their families are here? They begin arriving on Friday before the rodeo starts the following Monday and some are here until the Sunday afterward.
It also takes time for the Expo Center to prepare for events and take them down.
If people want to question the Expo Center’s worth, then they should go to businesses around town and find out for themselves. They should ask us here at the News-Star, they should talk with Frank Oliver at Hardesty’s Grocery, they might want to visit with mall manager Scott Kingrey and some of the restaurants around the mall. Another one to ask is Joe Ford of Shawnee Milling Co.
But most importantly, they should make it a point to question Candie and Will where they are getting their information and who is writing these flyers for them, because we know one of the candidates already has admitted to one of our sources that someone else is writing the flyers.
One way for sure to cut down further on the city’s sales tax revenue is to diminish the capability of the Expo to draw and host events. I don’t care what these candidates and their political guru try to tell people, but the Expo does boost business and help generate sales taxes for our city.
•••
When the board of directors of the Greater Shawnee Area Chamber of Commerce gather this morning, they will hear a brief update on the Community Attitude Survey and consider affirming the appointment of the 2010 nominating committee.
The board will have the opportunity for any further discussion and additional input concerning the survey, which was paid for by the Shawnee Economic Development Foundation and conducted at the request of the city of Shawnee.
The nominating committee to be considered for 2010 consists of Joe Ford, Chairman-elect of the board who will chair the committee, along with members Suzanne Gilbert, Charlotte Barnett, Pam O’Rorke and Jim Smith.
Division reports will be provided by Anne Coker, chair of the Small Business Council; “A Tasty Affair,” the chamber’s annual auction by Margaret Davis, Suzanne Gilbert and Pam O’Rorke; and the Business and Education Committee, Marta Land and Joe Ford.
Several other reports also may be provided. Among them are Gordona Rowell from the CVB; Tim Burg, the SEDF; Denise May, Downtown Shawnee; City Manager Brian McDougal; Mike Jackson, the Civic and Cultural Authority; Gilbert on the Tecumseh chamber; and Jerry Sampler, the Meeker chamber report.
The meeting, open to the public, begins at 9 a.m. in the chamber board room at 131 N. Bell.
•••
Mike Jackson, operations manager at the Heart of Oklahoma Exposition Center, passed along these statistics and comments about last week’s IFYR.
“We had an outstanding week at the IFYR. Our final numbers are listed below:
• 891 contestants
• 1,458 contestants’ entries
• 31 states represented.
$100,354 in ticket sales
Six day cares attended the morning performances with a total of 108 kids
YMCA attended with a total of 35 kids
Salvation Army Boys and Girls Club attended with a total of 42 kids
On Thursday, July 15, the IFYR partnered with the Shawnee Library and signed up 100 people with library cards for free entry to the rodeo.”
•••
The Salvation Army Women’s Auxiliary is hosting the annual bean supper next Thursday evening, July 22, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at First Baptist Church. Proceeds from ticket sales support Back to School Basics — school supplies for needy children in the area — and proceeds from the celebrity auction that evening also help support the Boys and Girls Club, which currently has 62 kids enrolled just for summer programs.
The $5 ticket to the bean supper enables those attending to bid during the auction. For more information and to reserve tickets call 275-2243.
•••
If you have ideas or something of interest for this column, please call me at 214-3922 or e-mail me at michael.mccormick@news-star.com. Please include your name and a phone number for contact purposes.
