CITY OF EUREKA SPRINGS

CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES

JULY 23, 1996

 

Mayor Barbara O’Harris called the regularly scheduled meeting to order at 9 a. m. on Tuesday, July 23rd, 1996, in the Western District Courthouse.

 

PRESENT:

Mayor O’Harris, Aldermen David Jeffrey, Chris Riker, and Bill Rubley;

Alderwomen Jan Watson, Kim Dickens, and Sheila Seratt.

 

ALSO PRESENT:

Fred Hopkins, Kurt Jordan, Paula Stitz, Jack Holly, John Mitchell, David

McNeal, Don Young, Don Matt and Clerk Lee.

 

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE:

Mr. Young led in the Pledge of Allegiance.

 

APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA:

Alderman Rubley made the motion to approve the agenda. Alderwoman

Watson seconded. The vote was in favor, 6/0/0.

 

APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES:

Alderwoman Seratt made the motion to approve the minutes for the July 9th Council Meeting. Alderwoman Watson seconded. Alderman Jeffrey found an error on page four, remove the word “used” from “Chairman Schrum said he used very conservative figures”. “Used” was in there twice. On page six Alderman Jeffrey said he preferred the words “turn­back” instead of “refund”, speaking of the funds the State returns to us. In the next paragraph, Alderman Riker said the word “to” should be added to the sentence that says that C.A.P.C. tax doesn’t belong “to” the person collecting it.

 

Alderwoman Watson made the motion to accept the minutes as amended. Alderwoman Seratt seconded the motion. All were in favor, 6/0/0.

 

OLD BUSINESS:

1.    Ordinance #1713, for Re-allocation of Parking Revenues; Parking

Commission:

Alderman Rubley made the motion to place Ordinance #1713 on its second

reading. Alderwoman Seratt seconded.

Alderman Jeffrey said that Mr. Miner was going to amend the ordinance. Mr. Miner had a court trial and was unable to attend the Council Meeting, and the general consensus was that he should be present and the amendments should be done before another reading takes place. Alderwoman Watson made the motion to postpone the reading until the August 13th Council meeting, and any changes should be discussed at the next agenda-setting meeting, on August 6th. Alderwoman Dickens seconded the motion. All were in favor to postpone! 6/010.

 

2.    Ordinance #1714, 911 Program, Chief Jordan:

Mr. Jordan said he did not have a lot to report at this time. He said he will

be meeting with Mr. Wells on Thursday to go through the town and discuss

a system for doing the numbering. Mr. Wells is doing the county wide

addressing. He is in the county around Eureka Springs, right now, working.

 

Mr. Jordan said the only changes to the ordinance right now was Section 5, (d) the matter of the $100 fine for not putting up the numbers. He said that Mr. Miner wanted to change that but he wanted to think about it more. Alderman Rubley said that there could just be a flat fee for a penalty. There was some discussion about the difference between digits and numbers, and about buildings that house more than one family and how penalties would be handled.

 

Mayor O’Harris said that she would ask Mr. Miner to be at the next agenda setting meeting.

 

 

 

CITY OF EUREKA SPRINGS

CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES

JULY 23, 1996

 

Mr. Jordan said he had met with Judge Jackson last week, about where they were on addressing the whole county. He said that it looked like they would be finished in February of 1997.

Judge Jackson said that there would be two dispatch areas, one at the Police Department in Eureka Springs, arid one at the Sheriff’s Department in Berryville, because the money just isn’t there to have a centralized dispatch area. If one dispatch area goes down, the other one will back it up. Judge Jackson had no idea when or if the money would be available to have a centralized dispatch area.

The equipment that we will have will be the top of the line. Once this system is on line there shouldn’t be any large problems. Both dispatch areas will have the same kind of equipment which will be a plus. The cities and county will have to kick in some money to keep the dispatch areas going. There isn’t much money available for the 911 program. There will be a director over both areas who will be in charge of education, discipline, hiring and firing, which will be a plus. It will be a good system, once it goes on line.

 

Anyone who calls in with a 253 prefix will be picked up by the area at the Police Department. Those without that prefix will be picked up by the Sheriff’s Office. The computor will say who the person is, the address, and how to get there, and if there is any special hazard. If there is a problem in Green Forest, it will be manually dispatched by phone or radio to Green Forest.

 

Alderman Rubley asked how it would work if there is an equipment failure. Mr. Jordan said it will be like call forwarding. It will be a little bit slow or.

 

Alderman Jeffrey asked about 911 on cellular phones, because it you call 911 it rings in Fayetteville. Mr. Jordan said that it is a problem he doesn’t have an answer for. That is why there is still a number of 8811 in the book on cellular phones.

 

A lot of silent alarms go to Fort Smith and then kick back up here, and also Medical Alert Tags. It takes a lot of time.

 

Mr. Young said that with the cellular phone on ATT service, if you dial 911, you get Eureka Springs. His lather’s phone is on the 981 exchange and it rings here.

 

It was mentioned that businesss addresses will be protected. Street addresses may change. There has to be some kind of uniformity on street addresses. Mr. Jordan said once the addresses have been changed, they should stay the same, unless there is a mistake when they walk it out. Once the City is finished, the addresses should stay the same.

 

Fred Hopkins asked if the properly owners will be notified ahead of time. He voiced a concern that some streets don’t have street signs, and asked also if street signs will be set up.

Mr. Jordan said that the City has about 18 months, and so there will be time for everyone to make the changes. He said that street signs will have to be put up, but some people steal them. It may take Kirby Murray to figure out a way of setting them so they can’t be stolen.

 

There will be a file on computor of old street addresses and new addresses, to be kept for historic reference.

Alderman Rubley said when the new addresses are decided there will be those who will change right away, and those who will take their time.  How will the system find people during that transition period? 

Mr. Jordan said it will be difficult.  If the person can’t talk on the phone, etc., the computor will still be able to tell how to get there.  All of the safeguards that can be done are being done.  It will certainly be an asset to the City.

                       

 

CITY OF EUREKA SPRINGS

CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES

JULY 23, 1996

 

There was no new business for this meeting.

 

Mr. Young did not have an administrative assistant’s report.

 

Alderman Jeffrey mentioned the ordinance that was drawn up to change some of the zoning laws and that Mr. Miner was going to go over it. It was mentioned that also Lamont Richie needed to be present to go over it with them and explain some of the ideas and where they were coming from. This subject will be on the agenda-setting meeting on August 6th.

 

Ordinance #1710, The ordinance regarding animals will be on the August 6th agenda-setting meeting.

 

Alderwoman Watson said that there has not been a good response to the offering of advertising space inside the trolleys. She said it is a good revenue source for the Transit Department, and a very good way to get your name out there.

 

Alderwoman Seratt said the C.A.P.C. meets Thursday, July 25th at 2 p.m.

 

Mayor O1Harris announced that the Auditorium has accepted the 750 seats that were offered as a gift. The seats are being donated by Joy Houck’s Theatres, Inc., of New Orleans. Wal Mart will ship them from Louisiana. Mr. Houck’s son, Joy Houck, Jr. lives here in Eureka Springs. The mayor said that there may be other items that will be donated. The Mayor and Council said thank-you to both Mr. Houck and Mr. Houck, Jr., and to Wal Mart. This is a really good thing to happen for the Auditorium and it is greatly appreciated.

 

The Tourism Advisory Committee will start meeting again in August. Alderman Jeffrey reminded the Mayor that she needs to appoint a new council advisor.

 

The Mayor reminded everyone that the Public Hearing on the vacation of Peerless Avenue, and an un-named alley will start at 7 p.m. on August 6th, just before the agenda-setting meeting.

 

Alderman Riker said he was curious about the article in the Chronicle about an arrest of a street musician, It seemed strange to him. Alderwoman Seratt said that as usual, all of the story was not printed. The Mayor said that it is being investigated, and that is all the information that is available.

The Mayor said that the City is always aware of such situations

 

Alderman Jeffrey made the motion to adjourn. Alderwoman Seratt seconded. All were in favor. The meeting was adjourned at 9:34 a.m.