The Dean’s List is a good thing for a college student to be on. As it was presented at the Branson Board of Alderman’s Work Session on Aug. 5, the “Dean’s List” could also be a good thing for Branson, its elected officials, staff, businesses, and citizens.
In presenting the “Dean’s List” to the board for the first time during his administrators report at the work session, Branson City Administrator Dean Kruithof said the list, lightheartedly being called “Dean’s List,” evolved from a request by Alderman Bob McDowell at the recent board retreat.
Kruithof said the request was for something like a “hot list,” an all inclusive list that would list the major projects, issues, and other things the city is working on. It was to provide a convenient tool to be used for both knowing what those items are and to follow-up and monitor the progress of those items. He said the items on the list will be incorporated into his administrator’s reports along with other items.
An examination of the first Dean’s List indicates that the items will become more expansive as they proceed from their initiation to completion. The very first item on the list was entitled “Blasting Regulations.” The only entry for the item was “When blasting for developments in the city, can companies create a more slopping perimeter rather than a straight cliff wall as in TanStone?”
The second item entitled “Landscaping Hwy 65 and 248 and Hwy 65 and 76 entrances to Branson” was more expansive and illustrates how helpful the list can be to monitor progress and follow up on items. The item involves exploring “the probability [possibility] of using a public-private partnership to create and maintain a more attractive appearance on Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) land surrounding entrances to Branson from Highway 65.”
The entries on Dean’s List for this item provide a timeline starting with the presentation of the idea by Judy Hartley at the boards July 22 work session and ending with an August 4 meeting between Hartley and city staff. At that meeting it was decided that the priority will be given to the Highway 65 and Highway 76 interchange and they would like to use a three-pronged approach to mowing and landscaping that area involving MoDOT, city, and volunteer efforts and resources.
Other items making Dean’s List include the selection of a Finance Director with interviews for the position beginning the week of Aug. 15, the city budget for 2009 which is currently under development, the proposed revision to the Liquor Ordinances and the fact that the attorney who developed them will be at the Aug. 11 board meeting, customer service improvements in the City’s Planning/Development Department and sewer and water rates and hookup policies.
Reprinted with permission of the Tri-Lakes Tribune, a free newspaper published and distributed three times weekly, Sunday, Wednesday and Friday. Please call 417-336-NEWS (6397) for classified and display advertising opportunities.
