CITY OF EUREKA SPRINGS

CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES

OCTOBER 1ST, 2001

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Mayor Beau Z. Satori called the October 1st , 2001, meeting to order at 7:05 p.m. in the Jury Room of the Carroll County Courthouse.

 

PRESENT:

Mayor Satori, and Aldermen DeVito, Dozier, Simon and Sumpter.

Alderman Harrison was absent.  Alderman Stoppel was late.

 

ALSO PRESENT: Kent Crow, Patricia Corcelli, Gayle Money, Glen Muyskens, Frank Bland, Julie Rogers, Margo Failing-Free, Dan Bennett, Franco Sauls, Mike Johnson, Joe Baldwin, Charles Gay, Mary Jean Sell, Fred Maese, Don Matt, Bill Ames, Kim Dickens, Sherry Wilson, and Clerk Lee.

 

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE:

Mayor Satori led in the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.

 

APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA:

The motion was made and seconded to approve the agenda.  All were in favor, 4/0/0.

 

APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES:

The motion was made and seconded to approve the minutes of September 4th, 2001.  The amendment was noted.  All were in favor, 4/0/0.

 

The motion was made and seconded to approve the minutes of September 17th, 2001.  All were in favor, 4/0/0.

 

Alderman Stoppel arrived.

 

COMMISSION, COMMITTEE: AND AUTHORITY REPORTS AND VACANCIES:

Mayor Satori made two nominations for the Transit Committee.  David Jeffrey and Pat Matsukis resigned.  The nominees were Gayle Money from Thurman Lodge, and Paul Komarek from Forest Hills.

The motion was made and seconded to approve Gayle Money for the Transit Committee.  The vote was 5/0/0.

 

The motion was made and seconded to approve Paul Komarek for the Transit Committee.  The vote was 5/0/0.

 

DEPARTMENT HEAD COMMENTS:

None.

 

 

CITY ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT’S COMMENTS:

Ms. Dickens reported on the condition of the new Police Facility.  She said they were waiting for carpeting tile and trim, and the hope was that they could move in mid-October.

The Wastewater Treatment Plant would soon have a Pre-construction Meeting.

The City is hoping in two or three weeks to be able to go out for bids on the Planer Hill Sidewalk.

Ms. Dickens and Ms. Murphy were still working to get the best deal on financing for the Lake Leatherwood Dam.

The City is coming in $67,000 short on the sewer project and the composting expansion will be on hold until spring,

Ms. Dickens will be in Fayetteville for a court case October 3rd, 4th, and 5th, 2001.

 

UNFINISHED BUSINESS:

Discussion regarding Ordinance No. 1884, levying a tax on all real and personal property, (Second reading):

The motion was made and seconded to suspend the rules and place Ordinance No. 1884 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.

 

Discussion regarding Ordinance No. 1885, Armstrong Street, (Second reading):

The motion was made and seconded to suspend the rules and place Ordinance No. 1885 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.

 

NEW BUSINESS:

Conditional Use appeal  hearing for 12 Echols St., Patty Corcelli:

Ms. Corcelli was represented by her attorney, Kent Crow.  She was asking for a conditional use permit to rent 2 units.  There were several letters in support and one letter against.  Ms. Corcelli stated that she would be willing to plant a hedge between her house and the next door neighbor as a buffer zone.  There is quite a distance between those two houses, also.

The Council agreed that the bottom line was that Ms. Corcelli met the criteria.

The motion was made and seconded to approve her conditional use permit.

The roll call vote was unanimous, 5/0/0.

 

Discussion regarding Ordinance No. 1883, authorizing the issuance of a tax bond for the purpose of financing a portion of the cost of capital improvements to Lake Leatherwood Dam, (All readings):

Ms. Dickens explained that the document still is not ready.  She said she is not satisfied that the City is getting the best deal they can in financing, and until she is sure, the ordinance will not be prepared.  It is postponed until the October 15th, 2001 meeting.

Discussion regarding Ordinance No. 1886, amending Title 2, Section 2-222, Purchases, (First Reading):

This ordinance would raise the amount of money from $10,000 to $20,000 for projects to be done without going out for bids.  This is not for purchases, but for small public improvement jobs.  Now, as it stands, architectural fees, and engineering fees are figured in, raising the price of small projects, because they are expected if they go out for bids.  At the $20,000 amount those costs would be saved.

Alderman Simon said money is saved in the bidding process, and that is what he believes in.

The motion was made and seconded to place Ordinance No. 1886 on its first reading in its entirety.  All were in favor, 5/0/0.

Ms. Dickens read the ordinance in its entirety.

The motion was made and seconded to approve.  After more discussion, the vote was 4/1/0, with Alderman Simon voting no.

 

Sherry Wilson explained to the Council that the State has already passed this.  This would amount to the City being in sinc with the State on this matter.

 

The motion was made and seconded to suspend the rules and place Ordinance No. 1886 on its second reading by title only.  The vote was 4/1/0, with Alderman Simon voting no.

Ms. Dickens read the ordinance by title only.

The motion was made and seconded to approve.  The vote was 4/1/0, with Alderman Simon voting no.

 

COUNCIL COMMENTS:

Alderman Stoppel raised the question whether the helmets being used with mopeds are Department of Safety Helmets.

The motion was made and seconded to put moped helmets on the next agenda. The vote was 5/0/0.

 

MAYOR’S COMMENTS:

Mayor Satori said today was the ground breaking for the new headworks at the wastewater treatment plant.  This will create pressure in other areas of our system.  It will cause there to be more ammonia and will generate a lot more sludge.

Ms. Dickens said that it was incredibly unfortunate that a referendum petition was carried against the original project.  The original project would have taken care of the sewering of the west side and it would have been the answer to many of the problems the City has with this system.  We cannot borrow any more money now until the 20 year loan has been satisfied.  In the meantime, this is just a bandaid to satisfiy the nitrite-nitrate problem, and the requirements of the Federal Government.  This  will not handle any substantial increase in sewage.

 

Mayor Satori said he has received 15 Applications for Transit Directors, which he is studying.  He said Ms. Smole is handling things well.  He has named her interim Transit Director.  The next Transit Committee meeting is October 2, 2001, at 5:30 p.m. at the Transit building.

 

The Mayor said he attended a State wide meeting with the Movie Industry.  They are looking for scenery of interest for movie making.

 

The next budget session will be on Monday October 8th, 2001 at 1 p.m.  It will be for the Fire and Ambulance Budget.

 

The motion was made and seconded to adjourn.  All were in favor, 5/0/0.  The meeting was adjourned at 8:00 p.m.

 

This is the signature sheet for the minutes of October 1st, 2001.

 

APPROVED:

 

                                                                        ____________________________

Mayor Beau Z. Satori          

 

ATTEST:

 

_______________________________

Mary Ann Lee, City Clerk-Treasurer