Latest news with #NickEdwards
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Council member questions adherence to chamber contract
Questions arose at an informal meeting Monday of the Joplin City Council about how closely city officials and the Joplin Area Chamber of Commerce comply with requirements of a contract between the two parties. The discussion started with City Manager Nick Edwards talking about how economic development work is done for the city. He said the city contracts with the chamber for the services. The chamber submits an invoice for the work, the finance department checks the invoice and the chamber is reimbursed monthly for expenses. The contract requires that the invoice be submitted 'with supporting documentation within 15 days from the end of each calendar month describing the services provided and expenses reimbursable by the city incurrent in the prior month.' 'We reimburse for actual expenditures,' the city manager said, adding that 'the rest of the contract lists performance measures and activities the chamber performs.' The contract allows the city to spend up to $252,000 for what is called 'a consulting fee' for services outlined in the agreement. The contract also allows for the council to adjust the amount it will pay annually based on budget appropriations. The city a decade ago paid the chamber an annual payment of $335,000 until a 2015 audit by then-Missouri State Auditor Nicole Galloway criticized Joplin's handling of the payments. That audit specifically criticized the city for not properly monitoring its contract and expenditures paid to the chamber. That is when a written contract was put in place and the city required the chamber to submit more detailed invoices. The city manager said that monthly reports consist of 'the city manager, some city staff, the mayor and mayor pro tem meet(ing) with chamber staff to go over economic development activities for coordination meetings. They share things they are working on, leads they may have, and any changes in the economy.' Council member Doris Carlin said the contract states the chamber is to provide a monthly report to the mayor and council. She said she has never been given a monthly report. The city manager said there is monthly communication but he would not call it a report. There is a quarterly report to the council that provides a running list of 'those items I've presented to you each quarter,' Edwards said. Carlin said the contract specifies that the chamber's monthly report to mayor and council is 'to outline tasks accomplished and include statistics for each performance measure outlined.' Carlin asked the mayor if he has seen that language. Mayor Keenan Cortez said he did see that the contract calls for a monthly report. He said representatives of the MOKAN Partnership, the regional arm of the chamber, 'give us all the leads they're working on and things that are happening. Again that, for me, has been relatively informal to this point. They keep us posted and updated on all that. We do have a loose agenda we follow on all that. I don't know if that information has been disseminated down.' He described those involved as an 'economic development team,' although that description does not appear in the contract. The performance measures required by the contract are enumerated as: • Written report to mayor and council. • Quarterly presentation to council. • Timely updates to mayor and council on potential and ongoing projects as necessary. 'The city recognizes that the overall economy will affect some of the performance measures and success will be outside of the control,' of the chamber, the contract states. It continues by specifying, 'the City expects JACC to show evidence of experience in conducting comparative market and trend analyses and due diligence in amassing the detailed information necessary to support the economic development efforts.' The contract is outdated. The copy used for Monday's discussion was signed on Oct. 30, 2023, and specifies that it will be in effect for a year until Oct. 31, 2024. The discussion came on the heels of the exit of Travis Stephens, chamber president and CEO. The chamber board announced in an email June 11 that he was no longer the president and CEO and that the chamber's vice president, Erin Slifka, would oversee staff and monitor day-to-day activities while the chamber board conducts a search for a new leader. Stephens was placed at the chamber helm in 2022 with 14 years of experience in economic development work. The chamber board has advertised the job and sought submission on applications by July 25. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Hawker quits Exeter City Supporters' Trust role
Nick Hawker has stepped down as chairman of Exeter City Supporters' Trust - the body that owns the League One club. Hawker stood down as chairman of the football club board at Exeter City in June, and his resignation ends his formal ties with the club. Hawker has also stood back from his role as one of the trustees of the body which took over the Grecians in 2003. Vice-chair Nick Edwards is taking on the role as chairman on a short-term basis before an interim chair of the trust is appointed on 11 August. "Nick has played a pivotal role in shaping the direction and values of the club and trust," a statement from the trust read. "His years of service have seen us reach new heights both on and off the pitch, including promotion to League One, the Cliff Hill Training Ground facility, and purchases of the training ground and properties surrounding St James Park. "The Trust Board would like to extend its heartfelt thanks to Nick for his tireless work and dedicated service over the years."
BBC News
7 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
Hawker quits Exeter City Supporters' Trust role
Nick Hawker has stepped down as chairman of Exeter City Supporters' Trust - the body that owns the League One stood down as chairman of the football club board at Exeter City in June, and his resignation ends his formal ties with the has also stood back from his role as one of the trustees of the body which took over the Grecians in 2003. Vice-chair Nick Edwards is taking on the role as chairman on a short-term basis before an interim chair of the trust is appointed on 11 August. "Nick has played a pivotal role in shaping the direction and values of the club and trust," a statement from the trust read."His years of service have seen us reach new heights both on and off the pitch, including promotion to League One, the Cliff Hill Training Ground facility, and purchases of the training ground and properties surrounding St James Park."The Trust Board would like to extend its heartfelt thanks to Nick for his tireless work and dedicated service over the years."
Extra.ie
20-07-2025
- Business
- Extra.ie
Ryan Tubridy: Trips to Limerick and Cork remind me how I enjoy Irish hospitality
One of the great things about spending so much time in London is an enhanced appreciation of and for Irish hospitality. I marvel at the way Irish hotels (especially family concerns) are run with such warmth, passion and customer care. In my experience, this doesn't exist in great abundance in the UK. That isn't to say the British experience isn't polished and professional. It simply lacks warmth, an intangible resource that Irish hospitality has to its fingertips. Ryan Tubridy. Pic: Nick Edwards I landed at the perfectly formed and extraordinarily well-run Shannon Airport on Wednesday evening (after an impeccable flight with Aer Lingus, whose staff remain the best I've ever flown with, bar none) and from the get-go, the warmth I'm talking about was obvious. I bumped into some staff on my way to the car park, and they were beaming with happiness and so professional in the way they carried themselves. I had the loveliest chat with Mike, who took me to my hotel in Limerick. Along the way, we chatted about the landmarks, from Bunratty Castle and Durty Nelly's to the River Shannon and King John's Castle. We covered the current political scene in both Ireland and America before our brief but enjoyable journey came to an end as we landed at the Savoy, a beautiful, central and modern hotel in the heart of the city. Ryan Tubridy. Pic: Instagram/Ryan Tubridy I was greeted by the owners, Ronan and Anne Branigan, whose reputation for being among the best in their business precedes them with great justification. I was pretty late checking in, but found time to pop into O'Mahony's Bookshop, which has been in business for 100 years and is still thriving. I just about made it in time to say hi to the staff, who filled me in on what the big sellers are and how business is going in general (very well, thankfully). I did a radio show from the shop 15 years ago (I think!) so I always have a soft spot for the place, which remains a family-owned business, giving it that wonderful air of book-loving authenticity. Terry Wogan. Pic:From there, I strolled down by the riverside where I paid my respects to the Terry Wogan statue and, not too far away, the Richard Harris statue – two proud sons of Limerick, pictured above right, well remembered by the good people of the city. I also found time to pop into a tattoo parlour. Don't worry, I wasn't 'inked'. A tattooist got in touch with me on my Virgin radio show when he heard I was going to be in Limerick and asked me to pop into his pal if I was passing by, so I did and a selfie was had. (Thanks to Jake, who may still be in shock after he saw me coming through the door.) I asked Instagram followers (God, I hate that word in this context) for suggestions of things to do in Limerick, and I was inundated. I had to write a list and promise to return and spend more time here to properly visit the city. Ryan Tubridy. Pic: Nick Edwards I did manage an early morning run along the three bridges and the city was at its most beautiful and calm. We did the radio show from our sister station, Limerick Live 95, which was a great experience and allowed me to meet the cracking crew who populate that brilliant station. A quick visit to the Richard Harris exhibition at the Hunt Museum and a speedy tour of King John's Castle was all I could fit in but it was well worth the time. I was well looked after before I had to hop in a car and head for Cork city, where I had a very chilled afternoon reconnecting with a city I hadn't been in for years. I checked into the history nerd's favourite hotel, the Imperial, and then to dinner at Jacob's with the Cork 96 and Onic bosses, who filled me in on the comings and goings in the byzantine but never boring world of Irish radio. Pic: Ryan Tubridy/Instagram It was a lovely, convivial gathering and the word 'Sláinte' was heard many times, but I didn't hang around as I was on duty at Cork 96 the next morning, and I had a particularly big job the following night, so it was back to the Imperial with me in good time. The radio show went off without a hitch, and from there, I was on the road again, but this time, bound for beautiful Bantry and the West Cork Literary Festival. I'm a sucker for a book festival so when they asked me to come and interview Graham Norton on Friday night, I didn't put up an argument. We checked into the breathtaking Seaview House, where that welcome I've mentioned a few times in this diary was in evidence at every turn. Another family-run hotel, this time it was the gracious Ronan and Suzanne O'Sullivan who looked after our every need. My one regret was that it was only a one-night stay. After an early and thoroughly enjoyable dinner with friends, it was time to go and interrogate Graham, whom I've interviewed many times over the years and who treated me to a delicious lunch when I first landed in London. The event was sold out a long time ago, the place was packed, and the craic was mighty. Graham was in exceptionally good form, and the crowd lapped him up. Photos, chats and vino followed, and a tremendous night was had by all. Kudos to the festival organisers who pulled together a relaxed, easygoing and intriguing series of events. It's one that will run and run. From Bantry, it was back to Dublin to spend some time with the important women in my life, who I am happy to say are my favourite people in the world. I'll head back to London this evening, safe in the knowledge that family is king (and queen) when it comes to hospitality, hotels and the heart.
South Wales Argus
05-07-2025
- Science
- South Wales Argus
The science behind noctilucent clouds and spaceport progress
Nick Edwards managed to capture the event over Newport, as the sun's rays reaching out from far below the horizon lit up tiny frozen water droplets high up in the Earth's atmosphere, creating the shimmering effect of wispy white clouds tinged with blue. Taken from the Latin for 'night-shining', we can expect further activity throughout the summer. We have a full moon on Thursday, July 10. This particular full moon is often referred to as a 'Buck Moon' because of the emergence of antlers on a deer buck's forehead during this part of the season. In Celtic folklore, terms such as 'Mead' or 'Herb' Moon can be found, with the Anglo-Saxons referring to it as a 'Hay Moon.' Space news and the proposed cuts to NASA's budget by the Trump administration will more than likely impact Europe's ExoMars rover mission which is already behind schedule. With the aim of placing a rover to explore the surface of Mars, it would seem the European Space Agency, (ESA), may have to go it alone. Recently, the Snowdonia Space Centre opened its Space Test and Training Centre, (STTC), with a day of demonstrations including rocket launches and the upward despatching of a high-altitude balloon. In a move to stay competitive with the rest of the UK and indeed Europe, the day signified Wales' intent to be at the forefront of enabling those interested in having their high-tech payloads delivered into space via rockets. It's a bold and innovative concept which is slowly gathering momentum but for those who lived during a Wales that was sustained by the coal industry and in more recent times the steel industry, a stark reminder that the shift in economic focus now lies firmly with the likes of such technology as 'microgravity manufacturing.' Attended by Rebecca Evans, MS, Welsh Government cabinet secretary for economy, energy, and planning, the new centre has received £820,000 of funding from the UK Space Agency with Matt Archer, its launch director, also in attendance. All told, with other financial contributions, £1.3 million has been invested with a view to boost the local economy and employment opportunities. With six other such Spaceports at sites including Argyll in western Scotland and Newquay in Cornwall, there has to be an exercise in caution following the announcement last week that the SaxaVord Spaceport in Lamba Ness, Shetlands Islands, (which appears to be further down the operational line than others), has delayed its first satellite launch from 2025 to 2026. Finally this week, the Earth's rotation during July and August is set to speed up with Wednesday, July 9, expected to be 1.30 milliseconds shorter than the usual length of a day. The speeding up over the two months is down to several factors, including sea levels, bucking the trend that overall rotation of the Earth is slowly down. Send your astrophotography pictures to: thenightsky@
