CITY
OF EUREKA SPRINGS
CITY
COUNCIL MEETING
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Mayor Beau Satori called the meeting
to order at.7 p.m. on
PRESENT
Mayor Satori and Alderpersons
Jeffrey, Stoppel,
ALSO
PRESENT
Kim Dickens, Bob McVey, Don Matt, Kirby Murray, Ginger Shiras, Roger Mullis, Kate Allen, Sandra C.H. Smith, David White, Frank Green, Tom Laub and Clerk Lee.
PLEDGE
OF ALLEGIANCE
Mayor Satori led in the Pledge of Allegiance
APPROVAL
OF AGENDA:
Mayor Satori asked to amend the agenda to include discussion of abolishing the Auditorium Department , and place it under the care of the CAPC. He suggested the subject be placed under New Business.
The motion was made and seconded to amend the agenda to reflect the discussion of the Auditorium and place it under New Business. All were in favor, 6/0/0.
The motion was made and seconded to approve the agenda as amended. All were in favor, 6/0/0.
APPROVAL
OF THE MINUTES:
The motion was made and seconded to
approve the City Council Meeting Minutes of
The motion was made and seconded to
approve the Minutes of
DEPARTMENT
HEAD COMMENTS:
Fire Chief Robert McVey reported that the membership in the Rural Membership is growing. In the meeting, held the night before, the members agreed to purchase a tanker truck for use in the rural area. It will be a 2500 gallon tanker, with a 500 gallon pump line and a porta-pond. The truck should be here in March of the year 2000. Once the tanker is here, the Fire Department will form an automatic aid agreement with Berryville, and Inspiration Point. That means an immediate response from everyone, and may cause the City’s ISO insurance rating to go down.
Chief McVey said the City has a great hydrant system. He said the Peabody House fire took one hour and twenty minutes to get under control and out and it used 500 gallons of water per minute. He said for our terrain, a hook and ladder truck is not what we need. We need an extension truck similar to a “cherry picker” to be effective.
CITY
ADMINISTRATOR’S REPORT:
The 911 system is complete. The company is making maps. The meter readers will mark the maps. The job should be finished by the end of January.
UNFINISHED BUSINESS:
Ordinance No 1824-A, an ordinance allowing the Elna M. Smith Foundation to collect CAPC tax, (Second reading):
The
motion was made and seconded to suspend the rules and place Ordinance No.
1824-A on its second reading by title only.
All were in favor, 6/0/0.
Ms.
Dickens read the ordinance by title only.
The
motion was made and seconded to approve.
There
was quite a lot of discussion over the controversy that has been raised over
this issue.
Alderman
Schrader said that an individual had promised to carry a referendum petition if
this ordinance passed.
Alderman
Freeland made the point that if there is so much opposition to this ordinance,
why aren’t people at the meetings to voice their opinions instead of making
veiled threats.
Alderwoman
Taylor said she was told that CJRW, a former advertising agency for the CAPC,
had suggested that the Foundation collect the tax for the City.
Alderman
Jeffrey said that their inference is that this was done secretly. He said it was not a secret. It was passed as Act 1313, and the
information about it started showing up in the
The
vote on the second reading was 5 /1/0, with Alderman Schrader voting no.
Discussion on making
There was quite a lot of discussion
about making
Discussion on private sewer line repair, (Ernst Schrader):
Alderman
Schrader had presented the Council and the Mayor’s office with a proposal to
work with private citizens to help find a plumbing contractor who would do the
work for everyone, and to help those who simply don’t have the funds to do the
work.
Ms.
Dickens said she had called Municipal League and the City Attorney. She said she was told that there were
significant legal issues that would arise if the City did work on private property.
There
was a lot of discussion. Alderman
Schrader said the work is generally expensive and money could be saved by one
contractor doing all of the work. He
said if several jobs were in progress at the same time, machinery could be used
to the best advantage. It would cause a savings all the way around. It seems to be a problem to find anyone to do
the work.
Roger
Mullis, the Building Inspector, said that plumbers must be specially qualified
to do underground work. He said that
some of the work has been finished but there still are quite a few who still have
problems.
The
Mayor said the fact remains that we are telling home owners that they must take
care of the problem and they cannot find anyone to do the work.
The
building inspector agreed to contact the
The
motion was made and seconded to have the Wastewater Task Force look into the
situation and perhaps come up with some solutions. All were in favor, 6/0/0.
It
was mentioned that grant money might be available from an environmental agency
for this purpose.
Discussion on
Mr.
Murray said that basically what he needed was the go ahead on finishing
The
motion was made and seconded to approve finishing the
NEW
BUSINESS:
Discussion on abolishing the Auditorium Department,
The idea is to have the CAPC take over the running of the Auditorium. The only thing they couldn’t do is to do major renovation work without coming to the Council.
The motion was made and seconded to approve and to ask the City Attorney draw up an ordinance as needed. The vote was 6/0/0.
CITY COUNCIL COMMENTS:
Alderman Schrader reminded the Mayor that he promised to have more town meetings.
Alderman Freeland said the need is great for a facilitator/project manager for projects related to the Larc Study. The Walton Family Trust may have a grant for matching funds that might help with that need. He said the CAPC certainly could use a project manager, so that areas and ideas could be brought into focus and acted upon.
The motion was made and seconded to adjourn. All were in favor, 6/0/0. The meeting was adjourned at 9:07 p.m.
APPROVED:
____________________________
Beau Satori, Mayor
ATTEST:
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Mary Ann Lee, City Clerk