At the November 25th meeting of the Branson Board of Aldermen (BOA), they voted to give the Branson Airport the Christmas gift that keeps giving. That would be paying hundreds of thousands of dollars on an alleged 2006 “contract” based on a “Pay for Performance Agreement (PfP).” The PfP was made by the “pre 2007 election city administrator and the loyal band of elected “munchkins,” whoops sorry forgot it was Christmas, “elves,” with the Branson Airport. (more…)

“Glory be another miracle!” Given the political pressure of the community and in spite of months of study, work and preparation, City staff has gone back into the allegedly “bare bones budget” they originally submitted and found a way to save about $295,000. Now, dear citizen, don’t get your hopes up thinking that money might be used to subsidize your water or sewer rates, buy needed equipment for the city or pay for any of the other operational aspects of the city etc. (more…)

As the Ole Seagull said in a previous column, “The issue is not about the Branson Airport whether its good or bad, should have been build or not etc. It’s about a Pay for Performance contract (PfP) that has the potential to cost the taxpayers of the city of Branson up to $2 million dollars per year for 30 years.” He went on to point out that in his opinion it is so one-sided and unconscionable on its face that most objective people looking at it would say, “Wow, what a gift for the airport, how can I get the same type of deal simply for running my business?”

(more…)

In examining the opinion piece appearing in the October 23 edition of the Branson Tri-Lakes News by James Strahan, Taney County Assessor (Strahan) entitled, “Assessor’s office should remain” the Ole Seagull was reminded of an Abraham Lincoln quote. The quote says, “I believe it is an established maxim in morals that he who makes an assertion without knowing whether it is true or false, is guilty of falsehood; and the accidental truth of the assertion, does not justify or excuse him.” (more…)

Although it’s more involved than this, the Ole Seagull’s initial answer to the question “Why are some shows and attractions successful and others not?” is at least simple. That answer would be, “Successful shows and attractions have enough paying customers purchasing tickets to their shows or attractions so that they can pay their bills, keep operating and make a profit consistently.” (more…)

Missouri voters going to the polls in the November election will have to vote “Yes” for “No” and “No for “Yes” on two important issues relating to their pocket books. Remember always the Ole Seagull’s warning, “We promise that if you vote for this we will do that.” “What the heck does that mean?” “By itself nothing, but when you add up the total number of times you have voted for ‘this’ and they actually did ‘that,’ or a variation involving less than what was promised the significance of the warning becomes clear.”
(more…)

It was, at the same time, one of the most courageous things the Ole Seagull has ever seen and one of the saddest. It was courageous, as a trembling, terrified recovering victim of intense physical abuse entered the Branson Municipal Court and defended herself against a different kind of abuse, the city’s abusive use of “a corrupt practice or custom.” It was sad because she was put in the position to have to defend herself in the first place. (more…)

An Ole Seagull’s prayer would be that if you remember nothing else from this column that you would ask yourself what you would do if you were the teacher in the following scenario. It’s Monday morning, you look up from your desk into the distressed eyes of one of your first grade students who says, “My mommy forgot to cook for us this weekend.”
(more…)

In a 2005 column entitled, “‘Free at last,’ a new Freeus County formed from the western portion of Taney County?” the Ole Seagull wrote, “Ok, let’s get to the nubbin of it, eastern and western Taney County live in two different worlds. An outsider watching what has been transpiring recently would sense the same thing that the Ole Seagull sensed when he moved to Taney County just about twenty years ago; that eastern Taney County and the Taney County Commissioners treat the economic generator of the vast majority of (more…)

It’s the expectation of morality not slime that makes Branson so special

A visitor to Branson wrote, ” I came to this small town in Southwestern Missouri to indulge myself in the way things used to be….This is the town that slime forgot. That’s why increasing numbers come here for … wholesome entertainment.”
(more…)

August 21 was just another Saturday night in Branson with people attending shows, going to attractions and sharing in the fun and excitement that Branson has to offer. “Whoa, now Seagull, wasn’t Saturday night, August 21,2010, special because ‘Nelly’ did a concert in Branson?” (more…)

In the opinion of an Ole Seagull, those working in Branson’s many retail shops, restaurants, hotels and lodging establishments should do only one thing when someone comes into their place of employment to steal either money or merchandise. That one thing is to do is absolutely nothing that will place yourself between them and what they want, nothing, zero, nada!

The objective from the employee’s perspective should be their personal safety. Give the “bad guys” exactly what they want with as little interaction with them as possible. Do or say nothing that could aggravate or upset them or keep them from leaving the establishment as soon as possible. (more…)

If you are an employee for any business within the City of Branson read the next sentence if you read nothing else! In spite of being devoid of common sense and compassion, it is the city of Branson’s current position that a mere employee can be charged with a violation of the Branson Municipal Code if the person they are working for doesn’t have the proper City of Branson business license and is not available when the inspector comes in to the business establishment. Under Section 1-11 of the Branson Municipal Code, suc (more…)

The simple answer is, “The taxpaying citizen and businesses of Branson hereinafter called DDO for “the Doodooed on,” are paying for each.” How is it possible that the DDO got (more…)

The U.S. Conference of Mayors is meeting in Oklahoma City. On Monday, June 14 they will be voting on their Resolution 41 opposing Arizona’s Illegal Alien Law SB 1070. (more…)

The Friday edition of this paper contained a Letter to the Editor from Steven P. Servis who, to put it mildly, expressed some concerns about the Ole Seagull’s writings regarding illegal aliens and other things. (more…)

How important are Mothers? Without them natural life as we know it could not even begin and the course of most people’s lives, after that beginning, is dramatically influenced by the person they call “Mom” or “Mother.” (more…)

Who owns the land Branson Landing is on?

That’s really a rhetorical question because, according to a January 19, 2010 judgment, Douglas L. Coverdell and Coverdell Enterprises Inc,. owns, what is according to some people, a sizable portion of the land upon which Branson Landing is built. How sizable? From news accounts on the judgment, big enough for (more…)

The Ole Seagull owes an apology to all those children born in Stone and Taney County since 2000 for failing to grasp the significance of a wonderful program called “Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library.” It is a program started by Dolly Parton in 2000 that gives a free book to every child in Stone and Taney County, every month between birth and age five. (more…)

It was a bad night last night and the Ole Seagull must have had one of his “dreams.” In the dream it’s a quiet night at the Branson Board of Alderman’s meeting as a middle aged professional woman, dressed in a business suit, approached the podium to address them during the “Public Comment” portion of the meeting. (more…)