From Page 293

 

 

CITY OF EUREKA SPRINGS

REGULARLY SCHEDULED COUNCIL MEETING

JULY 22, 1997

 

Mayor Barbara O’Harris called the Council Meeting to order at 10:15 a.m. on

Tuesday, July 22nd, 1997, in the Courtroom in the Western District

Courthouse.

 

PRESENT:

Mayor O’Harris, Alderwomen Dickens, Seratt, and Watson, and Aldermen

Jeffrey, and Freeland. Alderman Christman was absent.

 

ALSO PRESENT: Earl Hyatt, Kirby Murray, David McNeal, David Beauchamp, Kurt Jordan, Steve Beachum, 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.

 

CITY OF EUREKA SPRINGS

REGULARLY SCHEDULED COUNCIL MEETING

JULY 22, 1997

 

APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES:       

The City Council Minutes of July 8th were amended on page 4 & page 5, and the motion was made and seconded to approve as amended. All were in favor, 5/0/0.

 

OLD BUSINESS:

1. Authorization for signage to Historical District at 23 N. and Planer Hill, Committee Reports and lease agreements.

The discussion started with Alderwoman Watson suggesting that the Council rent the two bottom sides of the billboard at the top of Planer Hill. She said that if the City is going to have a Historic District sign on the top, why not make sure that the signs underneath point visitors to something else about the City. The east side of the sign is $125 monthly, and the west side is $200 monthly.

There was discussion about the lease and whether, if the property sells, our lease would be honored.

The motion was made and seconded to lease the sign at the top of the hill for five years.

 

Alderman Freeland made the motion to postpone more discussion until

August 12th, and discuss it at the Agenda-setting Meeting on August 5th.

Alderwoman Seratt seconded. All were in favor, 5/0/0.

 

2. Annexation of Lake Leatherwood:

The subject is still at the County level.

 

3. Ordinance #1760, relating to sending out notices by City Hall Secretary (Second reading):

The motion was made and seconded to suspend the rules and place Ordinance #1760 on its second reading, by title only. By roll call, all were in favor, 5/0/0.

Mr. Young read the ordinance by title only.

The motion was made and seconded to approve. By roll call, all were in favor, 5/0/0.

 

The motion was made and seconded to further suspend the rules and place Ordinance #1760 on its third and final reading by title only. By roll call, all were in favor, 5/0/0.

Mr. Young read the ordinance by title only.

The motion was made and seconded to approve. By roll call, all were in

favor, 5/0/0.       

 

NEW BUSINESS:

1. Ordinance #1763, amending the parking ordinance:

The motion was made and seconded to place Ordinance #1763 on its first

reading in its entirety. The vote in favor was unanimous, 5/0/0.

Mr. Young read the ordinance in its entirety.

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

 

The motion was made and seconded to suspend the rules and place

Ordinance #1763 on its second reading by title only. By roll call, the vote

was 5/0/0.

Mr. Young read the ordinance by title only.

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

 

The motion was made and seconded to suspend the rules further and place

Ordinance #1763 on its third and final reading by title only.

Mr. Young read the ordinance by title only.

The motion was made and seconded to approve. By roll call, the Council

 

CITY OF EUREKA SPRINGS

REGULARLY SCHEDULED COUNCIL MEETING

JULY 22, 1997

 

voted in favor, 5/0/0.

The motion was made and seconded to read the. emergency clause. The roll call vote was 5/0/0. Mr. Young read the emergency clause. The motion was made and seconded to approve, and the roll call vote approved the emergency clause, 5/0/0.

 

2.      Police Department, Adopting pay/grade steps, Chief Hyatt:

The beginning discussion was whether or not the subject should be adopted by ordinance or whether it should just be approved. The Chief said it was in two parts, changing the Police Department Policy Manual, and the entry level wages, and it made no difference to him. Mr. Miner said that it could just be approved. Alderwoman Dickens made the motion to approve the pay grade steps for the Police Department. Alderwoman Seratt seconded.

There was some discussion as to doing this City-wide. Mr. Miner said if the City wanted to pursue that, the Council should form a committee with a Council person, David Beauchamp, the Administrative Assistant, and a Department Head. Mayor O’Harris said that she would want Kirby to be the Department Head, because he directs the most employees.

 

Alderman Freeland suggested that employees from each department make up a committee. Mr. Miner said that it sounds like a good idea, but if things don’t go the way the employees want; they get a bad taste in their mouths about it and it will affect their participation. He said the larger you make it, the harder it is.

 

Alderman Jeffrey said that one of the reasons for this request by the Po!ice Department is because of the risk and responsibility associated with these employees. They all have special training and the department cannot afford to have a great deal of turnover in these specialized jobs. With no further discussion, the roll call vote to approve, was 5/0/0.

 

3.   Ordinance #1761, amending the personnel policy manual(first reading):

The motion was made and seconded to postpone until August 12th, to be discussed at the August 5th agenda-meeting. All were in favor, 5/0/0.

 

4.   Amending the 1997 Budget, Ordinance #1764:

The motion was made and seconded to place Ordinance #1764 on its first reading in its entirety. The vote to approve was 5/0/0.

Mr. Young read the ordinance in its entirety.

The motion was made and seconded to approve the first reading. By roll call, it was approved, 5/0/0.

 

One of the Council members asked about Ordinance #1762, the tree ordinance. It will be on the agenda August 12th, with discussion on August 5th.

 

MAYOR’S COMMENTS:

Mayor O’Harris said that the State Highway Department has agreed to

provide the funds and let us provide the man-power to fix the highways.

That is the good news.

 

The bad news is that the sewer line that runs right down the middle of the highway is going to have to be replaced with larger size line. As we increase the amount of sewer lines in the unsewered areas and new construction, the lines that are there just are not large enough. The cost has been estimated at about $600,000. This will postpone the highway project for an undetermined time. This will be discussed in more detail at the agenda-setting meeting, because more information will be available then.

 

 

296    CITY OF EUREKA SPRINGS REGULARLY SCHEDULED COUNCIL MEETING

JULY 22, 1997

 

The Mayor mentioned that she would be unable to attend the workshop and Alderwoman Watson said she couldn’t either. The Council set a new date for the Workshop for the Vision Plan. It was July 29th at 7 p.m.

 

ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT’S REPORT:

Mr. Young thanked the people who donated for the Birthday Celebration for the City, Jack Moyer and his staff at the Basin Park Hotel, who helped set up in the park, and Mouritsen’s Danish Bakery for the lovely cake they donated.

When Channel 12 from Joplin was here, Charlie Brown at the Swiss Village Inn, Sandy Latimer at the Inn at Rose Hall, Sheila Morris at Southern Country Inn, provided lodging for the crew.

Also, the City Officials took some gifts to Municipal League that were donated by Diane Herman of D.J.’s Creations, and Pam & Richard of Quicksilver, donated a painting, and with framing at Spring Gallery by Roger Shoffit.

The City appreciated these services, and also they thanked David McNeal for his coverage. Everyone did a good job.

 

David Beauchamp asked about the pay raises, if they are all in line with

June 26th, and the answer was yes.

 

Alderman Jeffrey complimented the Auditorium Commission for the good

job that they did on the proposal for the Arkansas Hall of Fame.

 

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

The meeting was adjourned at 11:08 a.m.

 

APPRQVED:

 

 

Barbara A. O’Harris, Mayor

ATTEST: