JAPC under review

The Jasper Advertising and Promotion Commission (JAPC) was authorized by the city council in 2020 with a stipulation - that after five years the council would examine and evaluate the commission's work and weigh the program's benefits to the city's economy.
It's time to see if the JAPC is self-sustaining and if the commission is reaching the goals that were set out for itself, said Mayor Michael Thomas during the council's regular meeting Thursday, April 17.
When the JAPC was initiated it was done without the support of a local sales tax levied on the sale of prepared food and lodging to fund tourism and local development. Referred to as a "hamburger tax," this tax is in addition to regular state and local sales taxes.
The JAPC would raise advertising and promotion dollars by holding public events and attracting donations through the non-profit Jasper Arkansas Foundation that was formed in 2023. No other city revenues can be contributed to the JAPC.
The JAPC, comprised by a majority of individuals representing the city's business community along with some representation from the city council, met recently and accepted the resignation of its paid director Lisa Duet. Duet was the third JAPC director in five years. Thomas said with the position currently vacant, now would be an ideal time for the council to conduct its mandated review of the JAPC.

In order to do so, he called for a temporary suspension of the JAPC halting further activities at this time. The council members would be allowed to take their time to conduct interviews, review JAPC records and finances and make a recommendation to either dissolve the commission, allow it to proceed as it has been doing, or to go forward with some changes being implemented.
Commission Chair Walter "Bubba" Lloyd, Jr., was present at Thursday's council meeting and suggested an interview with the commissioners be held at the next council meeting in May. He also spoke privately with some of the council members after the meeting.
Council members Darrell Davis, Leslie Murphy and Bobby Keeton (member Todd Parker was absent) voted in favor of the temporary suspension, noting that the commission will continue to pay its outstanding bills and follow through with a previously scheduled event in July.
Thomas said he would ask the sitting commission members to continue to serve as committee members during the review process.