Traditional Christmas.

Downtown merchants and tourist interests failed to rally enough support from Council members Tuesday night to get City Christmas lights turned on before Thanksgiving.

The Council voted to have the lights turned on November 26 this year, two weeks later than requested by the Chamber of Commerce. Council members Bill Johnson, Jackie Boyer, and Nolan Henry were the only supporters of the early date. Council member Art Dunaway was absent.

About a dozen supporters of the early date were in the audience but the motion to approve the Special Services Committee recommendation for the November 14 date was made by Committee Chair Jackie Boyer during her committee report. This came before the citizens participation period where some of the supporters were expected to plea their case.

Council member Johnson called the debate a "power struggle." Henry said the City would be "left in the dark" by ignoring the business community’s wishes. Boyer argued that the City spends thousands of dollars promoting the community and should take advantage of every opportunity to attract tourists.

Council member Donna Harlan made the motion for the November 26 date after the motion by Boyer failed 3-6. Harlan said merchants don’t stay open in the evenings and therefor saw no sales tax advantage in having the lights on. Lujene Clark, who has led the movement to a later lighting, restated her feeling that an early lighting dilutes the celebration of Thanksgiving and traditional values.

Member Mike Harris told the Council that everyone in his ward he had spoken with wanted the City to wait until after Thanksgiving.

During the Citizens Participation period, Chamber Director Heather Kelly expressed her disappointment with the Council’s decision.

In other action, the Council approved the continuation of the Farmer’s Market. Shop owner Brent Erwin told the Council he appreciated the consideration given to his request to have the Market locate on alternating sides of the Square. Erwin had taken his concerns of traffic congestion to the Public Safety Committee and that resulted Main Street Carthage, the sponsor of the event, setting up a rotating schedule. The Market will still be on the Square on Wednesday and Saturday mornings, but will shift to the north, south, east, and west on a prescribed schedule. Erwin was pleased with that arrangement.

Membership Drive Announced

Release by Carthage Chamber Commerce

"Catch the Fever" is the theme of the first major Carthage Chamber membership campaign in a nearly a decade. The membership drive, chaired by Business Consultant Dan Corp, consists of seven teams of six members that will canvass the Carthage/Joplin trade area in search of expanding the Chamber's membership and financial service base.

"As the membership grows," according to Membership Committee Co-Chairperson Edie Swingle Neil, "so does the Chamber's ability to expand the efforts of Chamber mission, to improve the overall business climate for the member through sponsorship of programs that stimulate growth, promote civic development, and enhance political action."

The drive officially begins with a Kickoff Breakfast, 7:30 a.m., Wednesday, April 1, at the First United Methodist Church, 701 S. Main Street. The teams will recruit new members through Friday, May 22. A special "10th Inning" awards breakfast at 7:30 a.m. Thursday, May 28 will honor all of the teams for their dedicated efforts.

Team Captains for the drive include Bev Baker, UMB Bank Southwest; Bob Copeland, McCune-Brooks Hospital; Cathy Christensen Corp, Shoe Wearhouse; Donna Frieson, Econolodge and Super 8 Motels; Bill Johnson, Shoe Wearhouse; and Edie Swingle Neil, Jasper County Recorder.

Just Jake Talkin'
Mornin',

There is a movement to change the procedure of evaluating City department heads. In the recent past, the entire Council would meet in closed session and discuss, with the particular personnel present, concerns or praise of last year’s performance.

The proposed change would be that a smaller number of Council members be involved in the questioning with other members able to submit written comments or concerns.

Council member Charlie Bastin took exception to the new proposal at Tuesday’s Council meetin’. He says he feels it is each members duty to be involved directly in the process. He feels the idea is to keep certain members from bein’ in the loop.

Although assured that that was not the reason for the proposed change, according to City Administrator Tom Short, only one department head had a problem with the past evaluations.

The Council voted to look at a format for change but will withhold judgement until later.

This is some fact, but mostly, Just Jake Talkin’.

by

Metcalf Auto Supply

Click and Clack Talk Cars

Dear Tom and Ray;

Here's a story I think most people should know about. I went to the doctor's office the other day. I parked my '91 Jeep Cherokee on the street. When I got done, the car would crank but it wouldn't start. The gas-gauge needle had dropped off the dial, and the "low fuel" light was on.

I noticed that there were four or five homeless-looking people on the block. One of them came up and offered to help me. Figuring why not, I let the guy try a few things. I was nervous, because the neighborhood wasn't great, and I was having trouble understanding his accent. After playing with several different things under the car, he got the car started.

Next came his pitch: "If you took this to the dealer, they'd want to replace your computer and charge you lots of dough. But I'd be happy with $35 for helping out." The smallest bill I had was a $5, which I gave him. I told him he'd volunteered to help and couldn't expect to be paid. I think this was a scam. My question is, without having access to the interior or the engine compartment, how did he disable my car so he could "help me" start it again? - Ted

RAY: Geez, Ted. You've got some very clever homeless people in your town.

TOM: I'll tell you exactly what he did. He crawled under the car, and unplugged the electrical harness that powers the fuel pump.

RAY: And by unplugging it, he killed the electric fuel pump, which prevented the car from starting, And since that same harness powers the gas gauge sending unit, your gas gauge also registered empty.

TOM: Then, when he saw you cranking away, he crawled back under the car, plugged the harness back in, and voila! Everything was fine again.

RAY: So it is a scam. And a lot of cars have external harnesses and are vulnerable to this kind of thing.

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