FVA, BCTF seek compromise

Talk about it

The Frontier Village Association and Buffalo City Tourism Foundation are working toward a compromise after a conflict between the two organizations regarding the FVA’s manager position.

The compromise would allow the position to be funded for four months — May, June, July and August — rather than the eight months requested by the FVA. It would also allow the FVA to go back to the BCTF to request more funding for the position at a later time.

“We’re willing to compromise. We’re willing to give you folks a chance to show that things are going to change, things are going to get better,” said Alden Kollman, president-elect of the BCTF, during a meeting of the Frontier Village Association Thursday.

The Frontier Village Association requested the compromise be put in writing so it can be voted on at an as-yet-unscheduled special meeting.

The BCTF voted not to fund the FVA’s manager position at its meeting April 20, citing a lack of confidence in the FVA and concerns about its manager.

Kollman said some of the issues between the two boards were misunderstandings, some were oversights and some of it may have been stubbornness.

“What we want to do is move on and make it better in the future, and we’re hoping that this will show that we are in good faith, giving you folks a chance to make things the way they should be,” Kollman said.

In addition, to foster a more positive relationship with the FVA, Kollman said representatives of the BCTF will attend FVA meetings in the future, and invited FVA members to attend the BCTF meetings as well.

“I think what they’re getting at is, they want us to show we are going to improve the relationship,” said Gerald Rudnick, an FVA board member.

Tina Busche, the current manager of Frontier Village, said she was aware that Frontier Village does not have the money to continue to pay her, and said she will continue working — at least until the Frontier Village Association’s appeal for funding goes before the Jamestown City Council during a special meeting at 4 p.m. Wednesday.

At an April 25 meeting of the city’s Finance and Legal Committee, Charlie Tanata, president of the Frontier Village Association, asked the committee to restore funding for the manager position, but committee members were not sure if they had the authority to act on the issue. Mayor Katie Andersen asked Ken Dalsted, city attorney, to look into the issue and determine the extent of the city’s authority in the matter.

Previously, at a Jan. 24 meeting of the Finance and Legal Committee, the BCTF presented a vote of no confidence in the FVA to the committee and requested the city take action, but the committee declined, stating then that it did not have the authority.

“We only have so many weeks (before tourism season) to get started. I will continue unpaid until this goes to the City Council,” Busche said.

Frontier Village opens for the tourism season on May 24.

Sun reporter Kari Lucin can be reached at 701-952-8453 or by email at klucin@jamestownsun.com

Tags: local news, news, tourism