Branson board drops policy on protecting city’s name

The policy was adopted last fall to permit the city attorney to send letters to businesses outside of Branson, requesting they get permission to use the word “Branson” in their names. Backlash from businesses and citizens brought the board to reconsider the policy at its May 29 meeting, according to a city news release.

The board voted unanimously to withdraw the policy, effective May 30.

In other board news, aldermen approved on first reading a bill that would expand some board-appointed committees to include nonelected citizens. The personnel, budget and finance, and capital improvements committees would have two appointed citizens in addition to aldermen.

The board also authorized Mayor Raeanne Presley, working with the Taney County Health Department board of trustees, to create a task force to consider the feasibility of merging the city and county health departments.

If the merger is given the go-ahead, the eight environmental health inspectors from the city health department would be absorbed into the county health department with no loss of salary, according to a separate city news release. The purpose would be to eliminate confusion for citizens.

This story originally appeared in SBJ’s May 30 free e-news Daily Update. Click here to register.