PR group to increase communications
When it met June 8 at Jorgenson's in Helena, the consensus of the Montana Tavern Association Public Relations Committee was that more work needs to be done to communicate the accomplishments and successes of the MTA in protecting the interests of licensed business owners.
Chairman Bobby Lincoln of Lakeside said as he has approached other local tavern operators to become MTA members or to sell tickets for the MTA's $50,000 raffle, he is still hearing negative feedback on the four-year-old smoking ban, for which MTA won a four-year implementation moratorium for taverns, whereas in other jurisdictions the bans have been implemented immediately and with overwhelming public majorities.
Further, Lincoln said it was his view that some local tavern associations may be falling dormant or out of contact with the parent state-wide organization.
Cal McOmber of Corvallis said, "Those who are crying about the smoking ban weren't paying attention, weren't participating. They don't know about the threatened lawsuits and initiatives. It was a national wave, international.
"And now with all this new DUI and other restrictive legislation coming at us, they want someone else to do the work and pay the costs."
MTA Executive Director Bob Anderson said, "Trying to get some of them past the smoking ban can be tough. But that's the past, and we need to look to the future because there is a lot of legislation coming."
Sandy Jones of Missoula said, "Those who think the smoking ban hurt, wait until they see the new DUI law proposals! They better wake up. Montana may have been too lax on DUI, but now they may be ready to go way overboard."
McOmber added, "Only 15 percent of those convicted of first-time DUI ever reoffend. It's the multiple offenders, those with a severe drinking problem, who need to be dealt with. In Ravalli County, (the local tavern association) has provided free non-alcoholic beverages to over 1,000 designated drivers, and registered them for our monthly and annual prizes. It's a good program and other local groups can do it, too."
Mary Jane Heisler of Great Falls said, "We (Cascade County Tavern Association – CCTA) got a $7,500 grant from the DUI Task Force for our Home Safe program" which offers free rides for patrons who may be nearing legal limits. "We have to provide documentation, but we're giving 70 to 80 rides per month."
John Hayes, also representing the CCTA, said, "We also need to build our relationships with our local legislators. That happens when we work one-on-one with our local licensed members."
The committee decided MTA needed to increase its communications and recruitment efforts with non-members, first by determining why they won't join or renew, then getting the word out on MTA's long list of achievements, especially preservation of the state license system and maintaining the 15 percent gross revenue tax on machine gaming.
Hayes then asked if the PR Committee would recommend to the full MTA Executive Board later in the day endorsement of a Shriners fundraiser aimed at supporting the East-West Shrine football game.
"MTA has done this in the past," Hayes explained. "The promotion involves selling the football placards in our bars."
The committee agreed to make the recommendation and later the full board approved the campaign.