CITY OF EUREKA SPRINGS

COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES

May 4, 2000

 

The May 4, 2000 meeting was called to order at 7:05 p.m. by Mayor Beau Satori.  It was held in the courtroom of the Western District Courthouse.

 

PRESENT: Mayor Satori, and Alderpersons Jeffrey, Schrader, Stoppel, Freeland and Sumpter.  Alderwoman Taylor was absent.

 

ALSO PRESENT:  Reck Wallis, Bruce Crabtree, Carolyn Green, Lisa Liggett,Cheryl Cardinale, Rebecca Pope, Jack Muzio, Winthrop Osborne, Nicholas Samac, Sue Ellen Adrian, Cynthia Hudson, Jack Dozier, David Anderson, Ed Leswig, Jack Van Caulil, Joe  Zickmund, David White, John Mitchell,  Diane Murphy, Kirby Murray, Earl Hyatt, David White, Sherry Wilson, Don Matt, Kim Dickens, and Clerk Lee.

 

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE:  Mayor Satori  led in the Pledge of Allegiance.

 

APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA: The Proclamation for Emergency Medical Services Week was placed as No. 1 under New Business.  Then came school late payment penalty, No. 2, and Benton Street Parking, No. 3.  Jack Muzio asked that the downtown parking for the Basin Park Hotel item be postponed until the June 1st meeting.  The agenda was approved as amended, 5/0/0.

 

APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES:  The motion was made and seconded to approve the minutes from the March 16, 2000 meeting.  An amendment was noted and the vote to approve was 5/0/0.

 

The motion was made and seconded to approve the minutes from the April 20th, 2000, meeting.  The amendments were noted and the vote to approve as amended was 5/0/0.

 

The ordinance for loading zones was not ready to be read.

 

COMMISSION, COMMITTEE AND AUTHORITY REPORTS AND VACANCIES:

Planning Commission, Position 7- Expires January 1, 2003.  There was no nomination.

 

DEPARTMENT HEAD COMMENTS:

There were none.

 

CITY ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT’S REPORT:

Banners bought and paid for by McBride Distributing, were approved at staff level, to hang on the New Orleans Hotel and the Basin Park Hotel for the weekend of the parade.

Cynthia Hudson objected.

 

UNFINISHED BUSINESS:

Discussion regarding the Courtesy Shuttle:

David White said he would be servicing the City for the weekend.  At that time he had not been authorized to do so.

Lisa Liggett said that the green route for the trolleys goes to the places he has been servicing, every day, seven days a week.  She said the system had a $10,000 deficit as a result of last year's shuttle.  The potential is there for a $45,000 deficit for the year,  2000, if the shuttle runs as it did last year.

Alderman Schrader said the shuttle can be discussed at the May 16th Transportation meeting.

Alderman Jeffrey said that the City should guard against hurting our own transportation system. 

Several people from the audience spoke in favor of having the shuttle.

 

Discussion regarding Ordinance No. 1838, Repair of Leatherwood Dam, to be placed on the ballot:

The motion was made and seconded to suspend the rules and place Ordinance No. 1838 on its second reading by title only.  All were in favor, 5/0/0.

Ms. Dickens 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 further suspend the rules and place Ordinance No. 1838 on its third and final reading by title only.  All were in favor, 5/0/0.

Ms. Dickens read the ordinance by title only.

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

 

NEW BUSINESS:

Proclamation, Emergency Medical Services Week, May 14-20, 2000.

Ms. Dickens read the proclamation for Emergency Medical Services Week.  Mayor Beau Satori signed it and then presented it to Paramedic Nick Samac.

 

Discussion regarding the school late payment penalty:

Reck Wallis, principal of the Eureka Springs Middle School, came to ask the Council to forgive the penalty for a water bill.  The payment was mailed on April 7th, and the bill was processed in City Hall on April 16th.  There was a discussion on the poor mail service this City receives.  The motion was made and seconded to waive the late payment penalty.

 

Diane Murphy, Finance Director, said the Council had a right to do that but that it was very hard to tell customers the late fee cannot be waived when the Council does it.

Joe Zickmund said that to avoid late fees, make payments by draft.

 

The Vote to approve waiving the fee was 5/0/0.

 

Discussion regarding Ordinance No. 1839, designating a portion of Benton Street, one-way, with parking on the other side of the street:

Ed Leswig, Chairman of the Planning Commission, again explained that there is room for 56 parking places between the two foul weather gates on Benton Street.  There were many objections from the citizens.

Denise Stitz McVey asked Kim to speak  against is for her since she could not be present.

Also against were Jack Muzio, Becky Pope, Cheryl Cardinale, Glen Osborne, Sue Ellen Adrian, David White, John Mitchell, Cynthia Hudson, David Anderson, and Carolyn Green.

Joe Zickmund spoke for the idea.

 

A petition asking that Benton Street be open to two-way traffic with 43 signatures was presented to Mayor Satori.

 

Alderman Freeland said he would like the Council to put on the next agenda that the Council discusses a strategy of implementing a comprehensive parking and traffic plan. Does the City need to open some roads, and look at where the stresses are?

Alderman Schrader said he agreed but he felt the Planning Commission could do it.

He said if that were a motion he would second it.

 

Mr. Leswig said the problem should be turned over to the Parking Authority, since that is their province.  If the Council feels this needs a long dedicated study, the Parking Authority  should do it.  Alderman Jeffrey said the Parking Authority is dedicated to off-street parking.

 

Alderman Freeland  withdrew his motion and asked that the subject of a comprehensive parking and traffic plan be put on the agenda for the May 18th meeting.

 

Mayor Satori said that at some time, Sandi Bass might be interested in trading the Planer Hill Parking lot property for property that the City owns along with some money.

 

 

The motion was made and seconded to take a 10-minute recess.  All were in favor, 5/0/0.

The recess began at 8:40 p.m. and the meeting was reconvened at 8:55 p.m.

 

 

Mayor Satori said he would instruct that the one-way signs be removed on Benton St..

 

Discussion regarding the water disconnect policy:

The motion was made and seconded to approve the water disconnect policy. The vote to approve was 5/0/0.

There was some discussion, and the last sentence of the beginning paragraph was amended to read: If the 19th or 20th of the month falls on a holiday Monday, the shut-off date will be the following Wednesday.  A motion was made and seconded to approve the amendment.  All were in favor, 5/0/0.

 

Discussion regarding the waste water increase:

After some discussion, the motion was made and seconded to gather more information and place this subject on the May 18th, 2000 agenda.  All were in favor, 5/0/0.

 

Discussion regarding the water rate increase:

Ms. Dickens reminded that Council that it has been 8 to 10 years since there was a water rate increase.  After some discussion, the motion was made and seconded to instruct staff to gather numbers on water rates, and put it on the next agenda.  All were in favor, 5/0/0.

 

Requesting permission for sale of beer and wine at Blues and Folk Festival:

The request has been made by Sally Riker Thackery for both festivals.  The motion was made and seconded to approve.

Jack Muzio spoke against doing it.  He said his sales for beer and wine went down 50% during the time that the shows were going on at the Auditorium.  He also said the City should check and see how much of the profit from these sales should be paid to the Auditorium according to the Alcoholic Beverage Control rules.

 

The point was made in discussion that anytime the Auditorium is open, it competes with somebody’s business and that the hours are minimal that they are open.

 

The vote was 4/1/0, with Alderman Schrader voting no.

 

Discussion regarding Resolution No. 479, e-Commerce Equity:

It was decided to put the Resolution on the internet, and then put this on the June 1st meeting agenda.

 

Proclamation, National Historic Preservation Week, May 14-20, 2000.

Mayor Beau Satori read the Proclamation.

 

COUNCIL COMMENTS:

Alderman Schrader asked that information reviewing the cost of the sign law suit be put on the agenda for the May 18th meeting.  He felt that the Council should know how much it cost before an appeal is filed.

He also asked that a standard intake or input form for citizen requests for information or service and a related record system to insure responsiveness and accountability.  A simple data base could be set up.  Ms. Dickens said the idea is a good one.  The problem is they are calling Mr. Schrader  instead of calling City Hall.  We get hundreds of nasty phone calls in a week, and many times the problem is already solved. 

Mayor Satori is constantly telling people to write down their suggestions and complaints.

 

Alderman Sumpter said he had talked to Earl Hyatt  and they have agreed as to what they would like to see done about the animal control and licensing changes and they have discussed with some of the county’s veterinarians about licensing.

 

CAPC Commissioner Jack Van Caulil commented that now that the sign ordinance has been set aside, the enforcement needs to be reinstated.  Mayor Satori said that there had been a recent meeting with the Police Chief on enforcing the ordinance that is now in effect.

 

MAYOR’S COMMENTS:

Mayor Satori publicly applauded the heroism of James Williams in his rescue of Mike Hatcher, who was on fire.  He rescued the man and took him to the emergency room.

Mayor Satori said, “Thank you, James Williams”.

 

The motion was made and seconded to adjourn.  All were in favor, 5/0/0.  The meeting was adjourned at 10 p.m.                                                                 

                                                                          APPROVED:

 

 

                                                                        ______________________

                                                                        Beau Zar Satori, Mayor

 

ATTEST:

 

 

____________________________

Mary Ann Lee, City Clerk-Treasurer