Branson News Guide

City responds to more than 130 calls in 2006

Branson residents are finding the Citizens’ Service Request Line useful in getting action on concerns and questions they have about the city and its operations.

According to Branson Public Information Director Jerry Adams, the number of calls to the 24-hour request line in 2006 totaled 133, up from the 109 calls in 2005.

“Through this request line, we are able to provide information and solutions to problems in a timely manner to citizens on a variety of subjects regarding the city, its departments and policies,” Adams said.

The city instituted the line in 1998 to be more responsive to residents’ concerns. The request line makes it convenient for citizens to make one call to get problems resolved rather than being phone transferred to several departments. Adams said most of the calls concern repairs or improvements that need to be made on city property and violations of the city’s property maintenance codes.

According to Adams, the goal of his department is to respond to all requests within five working days. That doesn’t mean the problem can always be corrected in five days. Sometimes repairs take longer, but the city keeps the caller informed of the progress, and when completed, the city asks the citizen if the resolution meets with his or her satisfaction.

Not only are residents encouraged to use the request line, but the city also asks its employees to phone in concerns and needed improvements that they see while traveling around the city. “Call It In” stickers with the request line phone number have been placed in city vehicles.

“Our employees are out in the community on a daily basis and can see situations that need corrected. Now they can call them into a central location knowing that action will be taken,” said Adams.

The Citizens’ Service Request line number is 337-8502.

“We have been very pleased with the success of the request line because it gives all residents a chance to take an interest in the appearance, health and safety of our city,” said Adams.

New construction in city also sets another record

The success of the 95-acre Branson Landing along Lake Taneycomo has surpassed the expectations of Branson Mayor Lou Schaefer, and he considers it the biggest accomplishment of 2006 as he reflects on another year of record growth.

“The opening of Branson Landing last spring also opened up this city to more economic development, income and visitors,” said Schaefer. “The Board of Aldermen’s decision to utilize Tax Increment Financing or TIFs to develop Branson Landing has spurred other economic development in Branson and made 2006 the best year in history.”

Schaefer pointed to the record sales and tourism tax revenues in 2006. Sales tax revenue totaled $13.1 million, breaking the $12.3 million mark set in 2003 and 2005. The tourism tax brought in $11 million in 2006, topping the $10.4 million in 2005.

The Branson Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce reported that 2006 saw a record 7.3 million visitors to the Branson area.
“The tourism generated by Branson has a major, positive impact for the state of Missouri and the Branson School District,” said Schaefer. “The state received more than $37.6 million in sales tax revenue generated from Branson in 2006. Plus, the increase in property values created by Branson’s economic development efforts, primarily spurred through the city’s use of Tax Increment Financing (TIF) districts, have had a significant and measurable positive impact on producing new revenues for the Branson School District.”

Three stores new to Branson opened in 2006 at Branson Hills Plaza, a 141-acre TIF district created by the city at the northwest corner of U.S. 65 and Bee Creek interchange. They include Target, Home Depot and TJ Maxx. Already under construction in Branson Hills are a Wal-Mart Supercenter and Kohl’s department store, both scheduled to open in 2008.
Two major tourism-related businesses opened in 2006 – Dick Clark’s American Bandstand Theater and Titanic the Legend Continues, both on Highway 76. Schaefer credits the city’s economic development department with playing a major role in attracting these venues to Branson.

Schaefer said Branson Landing and Branson Hills Plaza contributed to a record-breaking year in new construction. The value of new construction in the city in 2006 totaled more than $200 million, breaking the record of $173 million set in 2005.

“But just as important are the millions of dollars in new growth stimulated by Branson Landing and Branson Hills Plaza outside of those two TIF districts like the 2,000 seat Sight and Sound Theater on Shepherd of the Hills Expressway and the 400 acre Branson Commerce Park on Highway 248,” said Schaefer. “TIFs provide the momentum for economic development.”

The Board of Aldermen approved subdivision plans for more than 350 single and multi-family units in Branson during 2006 to provide the housing for workers filling all the new jobs.

Schaefer said another accomplishment in 2006 has been the success of the Branson RecPlex in bringing more sporting events to town, which in turn, boosts tourism. The RecPlex, built in 2005, was designed to accommodate state, regional and national athletic events. In 2006, Branson hosted two national and 15 regional tournaments that brought over 27,000 additional visitors to our city, just in the first year of the Recplex’s operation.

Other projects completed by the city in 2006 include Branson Landing Boulevard with a roundabout and new bridge over Roark Creek; a year-round household chemical collection site at the city’s recycle center; and the first leg of a trail connecting Stockstill Park to Branson Landing. Construction started last month on adding another eastbound lane on Highway 76 between U.S. 65 and Roark Valley Road that also includes improvements to the exit ramps at 65 and 76. The engineering design and land acquisition for the Fall Creek Road extension continues moving forward.

“We continually monitor and address the transportation needs of our city for the safety and convenience of residents and visitors,” Schaefer said.

Looking ahead to 2007, Schaefer excitedly anticipates opening the 220,000 square foot Branson Convention Center and 293 room Hilton Branson Convention Center Hotel in August.

“The city’s first convention center will provide a powerful incentive for associations, groups and companies to visit Branson,” he said. “We’ll be able to reach new and different markets and offer yet another reason to travel to Branson.”

In addition to all the gifts, Christmas time also generates lots of trash in the form of wrapping paper and cardboard boxes. And instead of throwing those items in the trash where they will end up in a landfill, why not take them to the Branson Recycle Center.

The center will be accepting gift-wrapping and boxes left over from the holidays. However, recycle center officials ask that ribbons and bows not be brought to the center, as they cannot be recycled.

The recycle center, located on Compton Drive, will be open during the Christmas and New Year holidays Tuesdays through Fridays from 8 a.m. to 12 noon, and from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Thursdays. The center will be closed Saturday, December 23 and Monday December 25 and Saturday December 30 and Monday January 1.

Beginning its 14th year of operation, the Branson Recycle Center has grown to a regional facility serving the two state area.
“We have people from surrounding counties and even Arkansas who make the extra effort to drive to Branson’s recycle center because they recognize that recycling is an area where one individual can really make a difference,” said Debbie Redford, Branson’s environmental specialist and director of the recycle center.

Redford said studies show that each person generates at least five pounds of trash per day of which 65 percent can be recycled. That’s over 1,800 pounds of material that can be recycled per person each year rather than dumped in a landfill.
Branson established the recycle center as a service to the residents and businesses of the tri-lakes area to preserve our natural environment. Branson took the leadership role as a community to operate a recycling facility. The city’s effort in recycling eliminates hundreds of tons of trash that would otherwise be dumped into landfills that are fast becoming more and more overburdened.

“The city felt it was important to be ecologically responsible, and area residents have responded admirably,” Redford said.

Branson Police Chief Caroll McCullough says that rumors circulating around the city about rapes and attempted rapes occurring at Branson Landing are totally false.

“Since Branson Landing opened in May, there have been no reported rapes or attempted rapes on the Branson Landing property, including the shopping area, parking lots and parking garage,” said McCullough.

Throws support to newcomer Stephen Marshall

Alderwoman Beverly Martin from Ward 3 has announced that she will not seek a third term to the Branson Board of Aldermen in the April municipal elections.

“It has been an honor to serve on the Branson Board of Aldermen and to represent the citizens in Ward 3 during the past four years. We have seen so many accomplishments that have contributed to a strong, healthy and vibrant city,” said Martin. “For the past several months I have been weighing the decision of whether or not to run again due to other outside interests, but when Stephen Marshall from Chateau on the Lake expressed an interest in the Ward 3 seat, that made my decision not to seek re-election a lot easier. With Steve, I know that Ward 3 will be in good hands.”

Martin also expressed confidence in Marshall not only representing Ward 3, but also all citizens of Branson.

“Steve has been very active in the community and chamber of commerce, and he is general manager of a successful business, Chateau on the Lake,” said Martin. ”He knows the issues facing our community, and I believe he wants to see the continued economic growth that has propelled Branson to a new level of prosperity over the past five years. For these reasons, I’m throwing my support behind Stephen Marshall to replace me as the alderperson from Ward 3.”

BOARD APROVES HIGH RISE HOTEL

Branson’s first 25-story building was approved on final reading by the Board of Aldermen on a narrow 4-3 vote. Following two hours and 15 minutes of public comment where 30 people spoke – 16 of them against the high rise –aldermen split 3-3 with Mayor Lou Schaefer casting the deciding vote in favor of the 300-foot resort hotel. The hotel will include condos, upscale retail shops and a restaurant on the top floor. It’s part of “The Point Entertainment Complex that also features a classic car museum and parking garage at the corner of U.S. Highway 65 and Missouri Highway 248.

BOARD APPROVES A NID AND CID FOR NEW BRANSON COMMERCE PARK

Aldermen approved on first reading the establishment of a neighborhood improvement district (NID) at the Commerce Park project on north Highway 248. The city also formed a community improvement district (CID), which is a separate entity and will finance improvements separate from the NID. The NID improvements are public improvements outside the NID boundaries like sewer, water and utilities and roads leading to the district. A CID finances improvements like roads within the property boundaries. Both NID and CID are self-imposed taxes only levied on the property owners within the two improvement districts. Second reading and final passage of this ordinance comes up January 8.

BOARD APPROVES NEW SUBDIVISION WITH 300 LOTS

Aldermen passed a Resolution that gives the go-ahead for a new subdivision known as Ashbrooke located north of the intersection of Shepherd of the Hills Expressway and Expressway Lane. The subdivision includes 166 acres with 300 residential lots that will contribute to easing the housing shortage in Branson.

BOARD GIVES OKAY FOR SIBDIVISION PLAT IN BRANSON HILLS THAT INCLUDES LAND FOR A NEW CITY FIRE STATION

Final approval was given to an ordinance to develop a subdivision in Branson Hills that includes dedicated property for a city fire station. The subdivision is 236 acres and contains 47 residential lots and 14 commercial lots that include a 36,000 square foot area on the west side of Branson Hills Parkway for a future fire station.