Month: September 2005

In terms of just the four laning of Highway 65, from a pure efficiency point of view, there is little doubt that the project could have been done quicker and cheaper if Highway 65 could have been closed to traffic while the construction was taking place. The reality of the situation was that the Missouri Department of Transportation knew that wasn’t an option and, along with budget and other considerations, had to plan to keep Highway 65 open while the project was under construction.

Does that mean that the project was not constructed efficiently? No, it means that, as is the case with a lot of situations in life, that it was constructed as efficiently as the reality of the situation permitted.

Were the efforts effective, did they have the intended or expected effect of making the highway travel between Branson and Springfield safer and quicker? Most people, who have driven on Highway 65 north of Branson before the four laning project was complete, would probably ask, “That’s a rhetorical question, right?”

What does the building of a highway have to do with whether or not the marketing of Branson is either “efficient” or “effective?” Well, let’s see if there are any parallels.

The remarkable thing about the marketing of Branson is that while trying to attract the new visitors necessary to keep Branson’s tourism industry healthy in the long term it has maintained the level of repeat visitations that it has from its loyal customers. Particularly with the rate of new visitors dropping to a dismal 20 percent, it doesn’t take a Solomon to figure out what would have happened to Branson’s tourism industry if its marketing efforts had ignored the needs of its loyal customers.

In terms of increasing the number of new visitors to Branson, from a pure efficiency point of view, there is little doubt that the rate of decline of the new visitors, necessary for Branson’s long term success, over the last ten years could have been reduced if the need to maintain Branson’s current level of repeat visitors was ignored. The reality of the situation is that those responsible for marketing Branson knew that wasn’t an option and along with budget and other considerations, had to plan to keep marketing to those who had visited Branson before while trying to increase the number of new visitors to Branson.

Does that mean that the marketing of Branson under the control of the City of Branson’s marketing contractor, the Branson Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce and CVB has not been conducted efficiently? No, it means that, as is the case of the four laning of Highway 65, it was conducted as efficiently as the reality of the situation permitted.

Have the marketing efforts to attract the new visitors necessary for Branson’s long term success been effective? Most people who have been watching the decline of Branson’s first time visitor rates over the last ten years to its current dismal rate of about 20 percent would probably ask, “That’s a rhetorical question, right?”

The Highway 65 project had a sufficient budget to keep the road open and to effectively complete the project. Branson’s limited marketing budget does not, and has never had, the funding to effectively maintain the levels of repeat visitors necessary for Branson’s current survival as a viable tourist destination while simultaneously generating the additional new visitors necessary for it’s future success. Just once in his lifetime an Ole Seagull would like to see what would happen to the new visitor rate over a period of five years if there was enough funding to market Branson effectively, just once.

In 1937 Winston Churchill said, “There’s no such thing as a good tax.” Well Sir Winston might just change his mind if he was familiar with the “retail sales tax” that is collected on most retail purchases, made in Branson and the immediate surrounding area.

Why? For two good reasons, the vast majority of the retail sales taxes paid is not paid by those living in Branson and the surrounding area and a large part of the operating budgets for both the city of Branson and Taney County comes from those tax proceeds.

The Ole Seagull is not much on statistics but, based on his understanding, he doesn’t believe that he would be too far off to say that for every dollar of retail sales tax paid by those living in the Branson area at least three dollars is paid by visitors to the area. Now even Sir Winston might smile at that return on an investment.

In public meetings the Taney County Commissioners have estimated that 75 percent or more of Taney County’s operating budget comes from the retail sales tax that is collected in Branson and the immediate surrounding area. That budget includes the salaries, and benefits paid for all Taney County employees, including the Sheriff’s Department, County Commissioners, and administrative personnel as well as funding for county roads and bridges, sewers, and other needed infrastructure such as jails and court houses, etc.

Some might ask the question “Doesn’t our real estate taxes pay for the operational expenses of operating Taney County government?” The answer to that question is as close as the last real estate tax bill that Taney County property owners paid. How much of it went for those purposes? If yours is the same as the Ole Seagulls, the answer will be “zero.”

Is there any reason to believe that the situation is vastly different within the city of Branson itself? Can any reasonable person actually believe that the majority of revenues required to run the city of Branson and service its infrastructure debt come from real estate or other taxes paid by the residents of Branson?

The next logical question is, “If the bulk of the revenue necessary to run local government does not come from the real estate tax and other taxes paid by those living in Branson and the surrounding area where does it come from?” The answer is that it comes from the retail sales tax, the vast majority of which is paid by visitors to our area.

Does the tourism industry have anything to do with visitors coming to our area? That’s really a rhetorical question, of course it does. What happens if visitors, for whatever reason, terrorist attack, gas prices or shortages, hurricanes, competition from other travel destinations, or lack of effective marketing don’t come to the Branson area in the numbers necessary to generate enough revenue from the retail sales tax for local governments to “pay the bills?”

From an Ole Seagulls perspective, he would expect that the local governments would respond by cutting their budgets as much as possible. Then they would have to raise revenues from sources other than the retail sales tax to cover the “short fall.”

At this point some are probably expecting a list of the revenue sources that might be used. However, for two reasons that will not be the case. The revenue sources are limited and obvious and, regardless of the name attached to the source, the actual revenue would come from those living in Branson and the surrounding area.

In the opinion of an Ole Seagull, one of the best and most efficient ways to avoid having to deal with this type of situation is to make sure that Branson’s tourism industry stays healthy. That will require not only maintaining current visitor levels but moving the rate of new visitors from its current anemic rate of around 20 percent up to at least 30 percent. Although it seems trite, six words cover what is necessary for this to happen, “effective marketing,” “effective marketing,” and “effective marketing.”

Recently the Ole Seagull sat in a meeting where the actual plans for the four laning of Highway 65 to the Arkansas State Line were displayed and discussed. That meeting in conjunction with other publicly available information convinces him that that project is in fact underway and will continue as a priority.

Said another way, what should have been the priority in the mid ninety’s has finally become the priority. Oh, that we could go back in time and change some of the decisions that were made but we can’t, either as individuals or as a community. The reality of the situation is what it is.

And the reality is that as of Sep. 11, 2005, Highway 65 is in the process of being four laned, south, to Arkansas State Line and over $60 million has been spent on the Ozarks Mountain Highroad, State Highway 465, to have it dead end at State Highway 76. It doesn’t for one iota change what should have been done in the mid ninety’s or, more appropriately, what shouldn’t have been done, but it is today’s reality.

And what a beautiful scenic reality it is, a four lane highway that, as currently constructed, would be of more value to Branson as a hiking and bike trail or a permanent home for the Branson Area Festival of Lights, than as a traffic relief artery. It currently has exits only at Highways 248 and 76. Both exits are miles away from Branson’s core of activity and its alternate traffic relief routes.

Those taking the Highroad to Highway 248 and exiting back into Branson will be traveling on a dangerous twisty two lane road. Even more ridiculous is the fact that when they have done all that, they will be at the same point they could have gotten to quicker and more safely if they had simply gone to the Highway 248 exit in Branson and headed west, access to Branson’s excellent system of alternate routes at James Epps Road, Gretna Road, or the Shepherd of the Hills Expressway.

Currently, those that don’t exit on Highway 248 are forced to exit it at Highway 76 west of Branson’s strip. They then travel back into Branson on a two lane road that was designed and built decades ago to handle the traffic of that era.

If the Highroad was extended to the junction of Highways 165 and 265 it would enable our community, and the taxpayers of Missouri, to at least gain some benefit from the $60 million plus dollars that have been spent on it thus far. The two additional exits would give Branson’s visitors convenient and efficient entry to, and exit from, Branson through its west side while providing almost immediate access to the west end of Branson’s Yellow and Red alternate traffic relief routes.

On just about any Sunday, during the season, Highway 76 is backed up for miles with people leaving Branson via Highway 65. A Highroad interchange at Highway 376, and to a lesser extent, the junction of Highways 165 and 265, just north of Table Rock Dam, would relieve this congestion by providing an alternate to Highway 76 for the extremely large percentage of Branson’s visitors leaving Branson via Highway 65 to the north.

In view of the fact that at least part of an interchange has been stubbed out at the junction of Highways 165 and 265 it would seem to make sense to extend the Highroad that far. This would provide a direct route to the Dam area of Table Rock Lake, a loop back into Branson via Highway 165 and provide easy access to the Highroad for this relatively densely populated area.

For some time there has been a move to extend the Highroad to its junction with State Highway 376. Given the current reality of the situation, particularly the priority that the state is giving to the four laning of Highway 65 to the Arkansas State Line, the Ole Seagull thinks that it makes sense for the community to support the extension of the Highroad not only to Highway 376 but to the junction of Highway 165 and 265 just north of Table Rock Dam.

The Character Trait for September is” Respect – treating others with courtesy and honor”

For the school year 2005-2006 those people and businesses who care about the future of the children in Branson and Taney County should be in First PLACE, not second place or some other place but First PLACE. For at least one school year, as a community, let’s show our children the courtesy and honor, of demonstrating and reinforcing the character traits they are being taught in school so that they have a better chance to become a permanent part of their lives.

“First PLACE!” stands for “Partners Linking Arms for Character Education.” The First PLACE , program was covered in a column entitled, “Character takes First PLACE within our community,” that was published Aug. 21 in this paper and which can be found on the internet at https://bransoncourier.com/ under “Editorials.”

In an Ole Seagull’s opinion, it is the respect that our community and it’s families show our children regarding their efforts to learn these traits that will determine whether or not they become theirs to use for a lifetime. Will we give our children the courtesy and honor necessary to reinforce the traits being taught in school, overcome the negative influences and pressures that are counterproductive to good character, and encourage them?

Some might ask, “What does treating our children with courtesy and honor have to do with whether these characteristics become a tool that they can use for the rest of their lives?” In terms of what they are being taught, it shows “respect” for their efforts. It also shows that we value and honor the character traits being taught and their efforts to learn them.

One of the definitions of “courtesy” is the “Willingness or generosity in providing something needed.” Especially considering the limited time that our children are in school, it is obvious that our community, in addition to efforts within the home, must be willing to provide the encouragement and reinforcement needed for the learning process to grow to fruition.

That aspect of First PLACE is handled by businesses, churches, and civic organizations that become a “partner” by agreeing to do ONE thing each month that corresponds to the Character Trait of the Month. There are many partners doing just that and then some. There is however, one thing every business can do; they can prominently and publicly display the Character Trait of the Month in and about their businesses. Or can they?

On Sep. 1, the Ole Seagull went into five different businesses where he was conducting business. Only one, “Jersey Mike’s Subs” displayed a sign or other form of public encouragement and support regarding the Character Trait of the month. Jersey Mike’s had the nine Taney County Character Traits displayed on an eight by ten inch sign taped on their window and the same size sign saying “Respect – treating others with courtesy and honor” prominently displayed by the cash register.

As the Ole Seagull drove out Highway 76 he was reminded of a line from “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner,” which says, “Water, water, everywhere, nor any drop to drink.” Oh, there were “Marquees, marquees everywhere, nor any word of respect.” Well almost. From downtown to Highway 165, the only encouragement or support of our children’s efforts the Ole Seagull observed on a marquee was the marquee for the Branson Methodist Church.

Just think of the positive message of encouragement and support that could be sent. Sent to not only our children but to their parents and those working so hard to make the character traits being taught a part of each child’s life, if the majority of our community’s businesses, churches, and organizations showed them the courtesy and honor of prominently displaying the Character Trait of the Month. What message does displaying nothing send?

For assistance in getting free signs or CDs from which you can print your own signs or to become a “partner” call 417-334-6401, ext. 4242, visit the First Place website at www.keetercenter.edu/firstplace. If all fails call the Ole Seagull at 417-294.0404 and leave a message. He will get back to you. The important thing is to do something that will publicly encourage and support our children as they study the character traits which will, one way or the other, shape their futures.

Sure, it will take a little effort but aren’t our children worthy of the courtesy and honor it would show them?