Independent CVB Recommended.

The ad-hoc committee appointed by Mayor Johnson to explore the effective use of Lodging Tax funds voted unanimously yesterday morning to recommend that an independent Convention and visitors Bureau be established. The Bureau would then contract with the City to administer a program of enticing tourists for overnight stays. With the recommendation, the Committee in all likelihood will disband, having fulfilled its charge.

The recommended proposal was submitted jointly by the Chamber of Commerce and Main Street Carthage. Both organizations stated that they would not expect contractual funding from the Lodging Tax fund in the future, although both would be able to apply for special projects out of a "community enhancement" fund that would be established.

The only disagreement discussed before the vote involved how a Board of Directors for the CVB would be selected. The recommended structure was two members each from Main Street and the Chamber, and three others with ties to the tourism industry.

David Thorn, president of Victorian Carthage, said he the Tourism/Lodging Tax Committee had been "weighted" in favor of the Chamber from the beginning. He felt the CVB Board should also include members from Victorian Carthage and the Carthage Historic Preservation Commission. The Committee agreed that would be appropriate, but failed to specifically list entities other than the Chamber and Main Street in the proposal.

The recommended proposal is expected to be presented to the Council, but no action by the City will be of consequence until the CVB has obtained a 501(c)3 status. Since the organization will operate entirely independent of the City, the Council has little influence on how the entity is structured.

Funding of the organization with approximately $130,000 in Lodging Tax revenues will be controlled by the City and a contract spelling out criteria and accountability expected by the City could influence some of the general policies in the recommended proposal.

The proposal calls for $48,000 in administration and office expenses, with approximately $70,000 going for actual promotions.

Main Street Director Carol Green, who is on the Tourism/Lodging Tax Committee, stated during yesterday’s meeting that she would be applying for the position of Director of the CVB.

A motion by City Administrator Tom Short to adopt a proposal that would utilize existing City personnel was defeated 1-9.

Induction Ceremony Held For Greene County Medical Society.

news release

On January 25, 2002, the Greene County Medical Society held its annual Induction ceremony for officers. Alan D. Clark, M.D., a member of the Greene County Medical Society and a resident of Carthage, Missouri was sworn in a the President-elect for the Society for the upcoming year 2003.

Dr. Clark is active in the Society, chairing several committees and is a regular contributor to the Greene County Medical Society Journal. He has also been involved in the creation and maintenance of the Society’s web site at http://www.gcmsonline.com.

Dr. Clark is also a member of Springfield’s Violence Free Families coalition and locally in Carthage Caring Communities’ Drug and Alcohol Task Force. He is the medical director of the Carthage Community Clinic, providing free medical care to those without insurance or adequate finances. Dr. Clark’s positions in Springfield include Medical Director of Southwest Missouri State University’s Physician Assistant Program and Medical Director of Springfield’s St. Johns Regional Health Center web site (http://www.StJohns.com) where he has written an extensive array of health related articles for the public. He is currently a contributing editor for Missouri Medicine: The Journal of the Missouri State Medical Association and on the Missouri State Commission for Continuing Medical Education Accreditation. Dr. Clark’s wife, Lujene is active in the community as well and their son, Devon, age 6, attends Mark Twain elementary school.

The Greene County Medical Society, established in 1874 now has over 400 members and has expanded its borders to include physicians from neighboring counties in Southwest Missouri. Among the Society’s missions are advocacy for patients in matters of health care, including community and public health, promotion of continuing medical education for physician members, and assurance of the ethical practice of medicine by members of the Society.

NASCAR to the Max

Testing at Daytona International Speedway ended with mixed results. The top 5, and 11 of the 15, fastest speeds occurred during week one of the two-week test. 20 of the 25 slowest times occurred in week two. Week two reportedly was the more damp and cool of the two weeks. Damp, cool conditions will result in less traction, more aerodynamic drag, and slower speeds. The top 20 fastest cars were comprised of 13 Chevrolets, 4 Dodges, 1 Pontiac and 2 Fords. The highest placing Ford was only 15th fastest. In an attempt to keep one make from dominating, or being dominated, NASCAR is known, if not liked, for its efforts to make the playing field as equal as possible among all of the makes.

NASCAR had two basic choices to try to achieve parity. They could either add spoiler height or width to the Chevrolets to add wind resistance and thereby slow them down or reduce spoiler height or width to the Fords to reduce drag and speed them up. NASCAR opted to allow Ford to reduce their rear spoiler height by ¼ inch. Pontiac could see similar allowances in an attempt to gain speed.

Rookie Jimmie Johnson had the quickest speed of the two-week test at 183.816. 2001 NASCAR Champ and Johnson’s team owner, Jeff Gordon, recorded a top speed of 183.262 placing him 5th fastest.

Ricky Rudd has 644 consecutive starts in Winston Cup Competition. That leaves him only 12 starts shy of breaking Terry Labonte’s all-time consecutive starts record of 655.

Bobby Hamilton has been running at the end of 38 consecutive races, the circuit’s longest active streak.

Rusty Wallace has won at least one event for 16 consecutive years. The all-time record for at least one win per year in consecutive years is Richard Petty with 18.

With his win in last year’s Daytona 500, Michael Waltrip broke his streak of 462 starts without a win. The current longest streak of starts without a win is Rick Mast with 355.

Dave Marcis has run 482 races since his last win in 1982.

The idea of havin’ a City operated CVB didn’t get much support from the Lodgin’ Tax Committee. Some on the panel seemed concerned about the cumbersome process of movin’ decisions through the political process. That assessment has some merit.

On the other hand, the discussion so far has been almost entirely centered on a logical business type approach and posturing in some instances.

The City Council will no doubt approach the situation from another perspective. Accountability and performance should in the end be their main criteria, but there is always the possibility of some political ear bending when it comes to allocatin’ the money. No matter how independent, an organization workin’ with tax revenue is a political creature.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’.

by

Metcalf Auto Supply

Click & Clack
TALK CARS

by Tom & Ray Magliozzi

Dear Tom and Ray:

I am looking to you to validate or refute a family myth. My father-in-law and mother-in-law believe in the phenomenon of sludge at the bottom of the gas tank. The family myth goes that you should never allow your tank to go below one-quarter full or all the sludge will get sucked up into the engine and destroy it.

I always thought this was a myth designed by parents who didn’t want their kids to run out of gas, and I dismissed it completely. But recently, my older sister revealed that our dad had told her the same thing! Is it true, or did two sets of parents on opposite coasts come up with the same urban myth? - Sharon.

Ray: While there usually is some condensed water at the bottom of the tank, that small amount of water doesn’t do any harm in the engine. And while there are often flakes of rust because of that water, there’s a filter that prevents them from getting sucked into the engine and ruining it. So it is a myth.

Tom: Plus, the thing that most people don’t realize is that you’re ALWAYS sucking gas from near the bottom of the tank. Why? Because that’s where the pickup sits.

Ray: It has to sit there. If the gasoline pickup was at the top of the tank, it would only work when the tank was completely full, right? Think about it.