Speaker numbers apply only to this recording. Names come from transcript evidence. “Possibly” marks uncertain attribution.
The Texarkana Arkansas Advertising and Promotion (AMP) Commission convened on June 16, 2026, to hear funding requests from numerous local organizations and to discuss the commission's role in tourism promotion. The meeting began with a prayer, roll call (all six commissioners present), and opening remarks from commissioners George and Mills addressing recent controversies about AMP funding and the potential abolition of the commission. The bulk of the meeting consisted of presentations from 20 applicants seeking AMP funds for events and initiatives intended to attract visitors to Texarkana, Arkansas.
All right, we call this meeting to order time now. Just a housekeeping um moment, if you will, silence your cell phones. I just um turn it off or what have you. Um we have uh roll call, please. Mills here. Jewel here, Holmes, here, Scott, here, Brewer. Here. Next we have prayer by Dr. Holmes. Please say. Good evening to all. Most holy and everlasting Father, we come before you to say thank you. Thank you for this day. Father God, thank you for this opportunity. We're here today to make decisions. We ask that we make those decisions with your guidance, your peace, your understanding. Father God, just take care of all of us. We need you this evening. We need you each and every day of our lives. Watch over this AMP commission that we make the right decisions, we be honest, we be transparent, we be what you have called us to be. And not only us, Lord, all that makes up this audience, that everyone be honest, be fair, and be loving. In Jesus' name we do pray. Amen. Please. That's how we'll be governing it today. But um, we have two um two announcements. Um I want to let them go ahead and say something right quick. Neil Schmidt. Uh George, you want to go first? George? Sure, I'll go first. All right. Um I know there's a lot of people that are up to set. A lot of people want A and P to be disbanded and go away. This is what I'll say. The money that's collected through A and P is the only dollars that are collected to promote Texar Canada Arkansas. If those dollars aren't collected and distributed, if it goes away, there's no dollars to promote our half of the city. The goal is heads in beds, and I like to say butts in restaurant seats. That's our goal. And it's basically um to promote Arkansas and to bring people into town from outside of town. You know, you can't say I don't like it, but I don't know, but I don't know what I want to replace it with.