MEDICINE PARK – The Medicine Park Board of Trustees has established an advisory committee to help promote tourism in the town.
The trustees voted unanimously May 22 to create the committee, which will consist of five people appointed by Mayor John Branch.
Town officials have discussed establishing a committee to work on tourism- related issues before, Branch said.
“I’ve been for this all along, and we’ve just sort of dragged our feet on it,” he said.
The committee will have the authority to communicate with organizations and government agencies that promote tourism in Oklahoma, subject to a majority vote. However, the committee will not have any spending authority.
The committee will meet at least four times a year and submit a report on its work to the trustees. If the committee has not had four meetings or has fewer than three members by July 1, the board will be disbanded – but the trustees could vote to revive it.
The trustees need someone to guide them on tourism-related issues, said Dianne Chadwick, owner of Mrs. Chadwick’s Bakery. She said the town is not currently active in the state tourism system, so it is missing out on trade shows and other events.
“If we got active in those things, then other opportunities would come to us,” Chadwick said.
She said she would work with Branch on finding people who are interested in serving on the committee.