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CITY OF EUREKA SPRINGS

COUNCIL MEETING AGENDA

TUESDAY, JUNE 24th, 1997 9:00 A.M.

CALLTO ORDER

ROLL CALL, ESTABLISHMENT OF QUORUM

PLEDGE OF ALLECIANCE TONE FLAG

APPROVAL OF AGENDA

APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES: Regular Council meetins, May 27th, and June 10th, 1997.

OLD BUSINESS:

1. Annexation of Lake Leatherwood, Mr. Miner.

2. Authorization of New Sign to Historical District at Planer Hill, Report.

3. Approval of Special Events Parades.

NEW BUSINESS:

1. Personnel, Fire Chief, Kurt Jordan.

2. Permission from Council for Chief Jordan and Tim Collins to address some of the problem streets.

3. Resolution ____, to start working on the Iced Tea Grant for Highway Enhancement of Planer Hill and possibly other areas in the City.

MAYOR’S COMMENTS:

ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANTS REPORT:

COMMISSION, COMMITTEE, AND AUTHORITY REPORTS:

1. Auditorium Commission: Position #1 expires August 11, 2000, and Mayor O’Harris has proposed Carroll Heath. Position #3 expires July 11, 1997. and she has proposed Bill Brooks. Position #7 is not certain as of this time.

2. C.A.P.C. Commission

3. Cemetery Commission

4. Historic District Commission

5. Hospital Commission

6. Parking Authority

7. Parks and Recreation Commission

8. Planning Commission

9. Carroll County Solid-Wastes Authority

10. Four-County Solid-Wastes Management District

11. Eureka Springs Solid-Wastes Advisory Committee

12. Tourism Advisory Committee

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

ADJOURNMENT:

CITY OF EUREKA SPRINGS 285

REGULARLY SCHEDULED COUNCIL MEETING

JUNE 24th, 1997

Mayor Barbara O’Harris called the Council Meeting to order at 9 a.m. on

Tuesday, June 24th, 1997, in the Courtroom in the Western District

Courthouse.

PRESENT:

Mayor O’Harris, Alderwomen Dickens and Watson, and Aldermen Jeffrey, Freeland, and Christman. Alderwoman Seratt was absent.

ALSO PRESENT: Earl Hyatt, Kirby Murray, David McNeal, Tom Johnson, David Beauchamp, Don Young, Don Matt, Jay Miner and Clerk Lee.

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG:

Mr. Young led in the Pledge of Allegiance.

APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA:

The motion was made and seconded to approve the agenda. All were in favor, 5/0/0.

APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES:

The motion was made and seconded to approve the City Council minutes from May 27th, 1997. All were in favor, 5/0/0.

The motion was made and seconded to approve the City Council minutes from June 10th, 1997. All were in favor, 5/0/0.

OLD BUSINESS:

1. Annexation of Lake Leatherwood:

Mr. Murray said that McClelland had sent the description of the land to an abstractor, and when it came back, it had some gaps in it, so it was sent back. It is very close to being done.

2. Authorization of New Sign to Historical District at Planer Hill, Report:

Mr. Young said Mr. Shepard and Mr. Runge have come to an agreement, and Mr. Runge will sign an easement for Mr. Shepard. The City will be responsible for maintaining the sign. Mr. Shepard will come back for final approval.

3. Approval of Special Events Parades:

All convertible car parade, on June 21st, at 2 p.m.

All truck show, on July 19th, at 2 p.m.

Scootercade, on August 21st, at noon.

Volkswagon parade, on August 23rd, at 1 p.m.

Antique Car parade, on September 13th, at 11 a.m.

Street Rod and Machine parade, September 27th, 2 p.m.

Corvette Club Parade, October 3 at 11 a.m.

The motion was made and seconded to approve the parades as they were presented. Chief Hyatt had no problem with any of them. The vote in favor was, 5/0/0.

NEW BUSINESS:

1. Personnel, Kurt Jordan.

This was on the agenda erroneously. It will wait for the budget meetings in July.

At this time the Mayor brought up that the Council would need to vote on the 5% given to each Department Head to give raises to City employees. Ms. Watson made the motion to approve the 5% that is in the budget to go to the department heads for raises for personnel.

Mr. Jeffrey said that the agenda needed to be amended before anything was discussed.

Ms. Watson withdrew her motion.

The motion was made and seconded to amend the agenda to include the 5% wage increase for personnel other than Department Heads. The roll call

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JUNE 24th, 1997

vote was 4/1/0, with Mr. Freeland voting against.

Ms. Watson made the motion that, since the money is already in the budget, the Council discuss and approve the 5% raises for personnel only, and not Department Heads. It was seconded. A long discussion ensued.

Mr. Freeland raised the question, about just doing a 5% across the board raise, instead of going line item by line item and granting the departments with more needs, like the Police Department and the Fire/Emt Department, more money.

Mr. Beauchamp explained that money cannot be transferred from one fund into another. For example, Water & Sewer money cannot be used for the Police Department.

Ms. Watson said that the City has good Department Heads and the Council should trust them to do their job. That is why we have them.

Ms. Dickens said it would frighten her if the Department Heads came back and said that they couldn’t use all of the money. That would mean that the quality of employee was not good.

Mr. Freeland asked Chief Hyatt how much it would take over and above the five percent to do what his request asks for.

Mr. Hyatt said his request has nothing to do with the five percent. It has to do with bringing his officers’ hourly wage up, so that other cities can’t recruit his people. He said that it amounts to about $1800.

Ms. Watson called the question, and then withdrew her call of the question. By roll call, the vote was 4/1/0, to approve, with Bill Freeland voting no.

2. Permission from Council for Chief Jordan and Tim Collins to address some of the problem streets:

The Mayor said that Chief Jordan was on duty and she had not discussed the subject with him.

The motion was made and seconded to postpone to the July 8th Council Meeting with discussion at the July 1st Agenda-setting meeting. The roll call vote was 5/0/0.

3. Resolution to start working on the grant for highway enhancement of Planer Hill and possibly other areas in the City.

Mr. Miner said that the City does not need a resolution at this time. A letter of intent would be fine. He said the Council needs to instruct Mayor O’Harris to pursue the grant.

Mr. Young reported that he, Mayor O’Harris, and Kirby Murray met with the Highway Department about applying for the grant that has become available for highway enhancement. They shared their ideas about the Planer Hill sidewalk, and the engineering that has been done. Mr. Almond from the Highway Department was very enthusiastic about the idea. Mr. Murray then shared his idea for a fountain to be placed on the low end of the island at the top of Planer Hill. That property is under the jurisdiction of the State Highway Department. The Department was also receptive to the fountain idea, as long as it was low and wouldn’t obstruct vision.

Ms. Watson said she was confused about the different grants. It was clarified that the ISTEA grant is the same as the one the Preservation Society is talking about. The one the Mayor and City Administrator looked into is a different grant.

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JUNE 24th, 1997

Mr. Jeffrey said that the Council would have to be careful in identification of the grants and in making sure that everything was approved by the Planning Commission and the HDC. He did not see any reason not to go ahead and apply for both.

Mrs. Dickens made the motion to direct the Mayor to proceed with pursuing any moneys available to enhance the City of Eureka Springs. Mr. Christman seconded. The vote to approve was 5/0/0.

MAYORS COMMENTS:

Mayor OHarris asked to set the work session on the Vision Plan. Mr.

Jeffrey asked to set that date at the agenda-setting meeting. The Council

agreed.

Mayor O’Harris asked Mr. Tom Johnson if he had anything on the old police building, and he said he would be prepared for the July 1st agenda-setting meeting. He did say that the rooms used for City Hall need some things done, but they are minimal.

The Mayor had proposed Mr. Carroll Heath for Position #1 on the Auditorium Commission. Mr. Heath’s resume had been given to the Council. The motion was made and seconded to approve Mr. Heath for Position #1. All were in favor, 5/0/0.

Also, Mr. Bill Brooks had been proposed for Position #3. The only question that was asked was if he is a full time resident, and the general consensus was that he is. The motion was made and seconded to approve Mr. Brooks for Position #3. All were in favor, 5/0/0.

As yet, the Mayor has not filled Position #7, but she is working on it.

She asked that the Council approve Mr. King Gladden to fill another term on the Hospital Commission. The vote was 5/0/0, to approve.

The Mayor asked to have Metro-Site placed on the agenda for July 1st, 1997. She asked about it down in Little Rock at Municipal League and quite a few cities are doing it. Metro-Site is an accredited company.

Mr. Freeland gave a short statement in which he felt that he didn’t always have enough information available in order to vote and that the questions he asked should be respected.

The motion was made and seconded to adjourn the meeting. All were in favor. The meeting was adjourned at 9:55 a.m.

APPROVED:

Barbara A. O’Harris, Mayor

ATTEST: