COUNCIL MEETING
MINUTES
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Mayor Beau Satori
called the
PRESENT:
Mayor Satori,and Aldermen Stoppel, Sumpter, Simon,
ALSO PRESENT:
Judy and Robert
Echenrode, Guy Czajka, Karen Gross, Barbara Harmony, Robert Miller, Carol
Brown, Mike Sutton, Pat Costner, Dr. Jan Quint, Dr. Lyn Maudin, Dr. Ken
Covington, Ray Dilfield, Sherry Wilson, Kim Dickens, Don Matt, Rhonda Tauton,
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, 6/0/0.
APPROVAL OF THE
MINUTES:
The motion was made and seconded to approve the December 7th,
2000, Council Meeting minutes. The vote was 6/0/0, to approve.
The motion was made and seconded to approve the minutes of
December 22nd, 2000, Council Meeting. The
vote was 6/0/0.
The motion was made and seconded to approve the minutes of
the January 22nd, 2001, Council Meeting minutes. The amendments were
noted. The vote on the minutes as
amended was 6/0/0.
COMMISSION, COMMITTEE
AND AUTHORITY REPORTS AND VACANCIES:
Mayor Satori
nominated Mike Drennon for Position No. 2 of the Parks Commission, which
expires May 31, 2003.
The Mayor said that
Ken Fugate was willing to serve for another term on the Cemetery Commission in
Position 3. His term will expire on
February 15th, 2001.
The motion was made and seconded to approve Mr. Raymond
Dilfield to Position 4, on the Historic district Commission. All were in favor, 6/0/0.
The motion was made and seconded to approve Karen Brawley to
the Parks Commission, Position 5. All were in favor, 6/0/0.
Since Mr. Fugate is a current member of the Cemetery
Commission, Position 3, the motion was made and seconded to approve him for
another term. All were in favor, 6/0/0.
DEPARTMENT HEAD COMMENTS:
None.
CITY ADMINISTRATIVE
ASSISTANT’S REPORT:
Ms. Dickens reported
on the Chamber of Commerce’s Survival Party, held a couple of Saturdays
ago. Through a voting process, four of
our City employees were chosen. Diane
Murphy was awarded Municipal Employee of the Year.
David Stoppel
received Paramedic of the Year. Jimmy
Kelley received Firefighter of the Year.
Paul Base received Police Officer of the Year.
Ms. Dickens received
an attorney’s opinion on the hospital regarding the idea of having the legislature
create a Western District tax. It is
unconstitutional, and cannot be done.
She asked when the
Council would like to hold the next Council Meeting since Monday, February 19th,
2001, is a holiday. The Council agreed
to hold the meeting on Tuesday, February 20th, 2001, at 7 p.m.
Ms. Dickens reported
that the Planer Hill Sidewalk project is going forward. An ordinance will be presented at the next
City Council Meeting, regarding the maintenance of the sidewalk. The City will assume responsibility for the
maintenance of the Planer Hill Sidewalk.
The sidewalk ordinance will have to be amended to comply with State
Regulations in order to receive the grant.
The construction
documents are being signed for the new Police Facility and excavation will be
started within the next four weeks.
The plans for Lake
Leatherwood Dam are compiled and are being examined by Arkansas Soil and
Water. As soon as they are approved it
will go out for bid.
The sewer repair
should begin on February 6th, 2001.
There will be more signage to help keep people from the closed
areas. The City is waiting for final
approval from the ADEQ on the treatment plant improvements and as soon as that
comes in, it will go out for bid.
UNFINISHED BUSINESS:
Discussion of Resolution No. 481, Water District
Fluoridation:
Several of the Alderpersons reported that they had gotten negative responses to Carroll Boone’s proposal to fluoridated the water that would be coming into Eureka Springs. Berryville, Green Forest, and Harrison have all agreed to fluordiation. Several people addressed the Council opposing fluoridation. Guy Czajka, Karen Gross, Barbara Harmony, Robert Miller, Carol Brown, Mike Sutton, Pat Costner, and Dr. Jan Quint spoke against it. Many had done considerable research and gave handouts to the Council.
Dr. Lyn Maudin, State
Dental Director, refuted the claims that fluoride cannot be filtered from the
water and it is dangerous, etc. He said
it can be filtered from the water with a filter that costs about $60, and that
is such a minute amount to be put in the water that it is not dangerous. He said that fluoride can actually reverse
tiny new cavities. He said this is the
most thoroughly researched public health measure in the 20th
Century. He said that his job and the
job of the Council is to protect the citizens, and that includes protecting
their teeth. Medicaid spends large amounts of money to correct the problems
caused by lack of fluoridation. The
doctor said that for every argument of research against fluoride in the water,
he has documented evidence for it.
Mr. And Mrs.
Echenrode and Dr. Ken Covington spoke in favor of fluoridation.
Alderman DeVito
suggested that the City could get a good cross section of opinion by asking
people to respond on the back of the water bills. He was not in favor of going to the expense
of an election.
The motion was made and seconded to table Resolution No. 481
until the poll was taken of the community through the water bill. All
were in favor, 6/0/0.
Alderman DeVito said
he hoped that the news media would present a fair and balanced report on the
subject of fluoridation.
NEW BUSINESS:
Discussion of request for funds from the library:
Jean Elderwind, Librarian of the Carnegie Library of Eureka Springs, and Administrator of the Carroll and Madison Library System, said that it had come to light that the agreement they thought they had in the budget meetings in December was contrary to the Arkansas State Constitution. Berryville gives their Library an annual stipend. After checking with the Attorney General’s Office, the Library drew up a contract for the Council’s consideration, so that the transaction would be done legally.
Mlayor Satori
mentioned that an ordinance could possibly be needed, and there was some
discussion of ways an annual stipend could be done.
Several members of
the Council mentioned looking at the budget in July to see if the money could
be found.
Lynn Larsen spoke for
the Library Board, and told the Council that the Library is desparately short
funded. She said that the people in
Arkansas have no idea what it takes to fund a good library. She said the library receives 1/3 of one mil
in annual taxes.
The motion was made and seconded to look over the budget for
the funds and bring it up at the May 20th, 2001 meeting. The
vote was 4/2/0, with Aldermen Simon and Sumpter voting no.
Discussion regarding Ordinance No., 1861, amending one way street, Armstrong Street, (first Reading):
The motion was made and seconded to place Ordinance No. 1861
on its first reading in its entirety. All were in favor, 6/0/0.
Ms. Dickens read the ordinance in its entirety.
The motion was made and seconded to approve. All were in favor,
6/0/0.
The question was
raised as to why Armstrong should come downhill instead of going up.
Ann Armstrong said
she sees people take chances in crossing in front of downhill traffic to go up
Armstrong.
The discussion ranged
from the danger of coming down a grade that steep, to opening Peerless Street
and to use one street to feed up from South Main St. and the other to feed down
onto South Main Street, to alleviate the traffic at the top of Planer Hill.
Mayor Satori said
that during busy and heavy traffic times there should be a traffic controller
at the top of Planer Hill.
COUNCIL COMMENTS:
Alderman Simon gave
the Mayor recommendations for commission positions.
Alderman Stoppel
reported that the Fire Department received a $5,000 grant to buy equipment for
the Buck Mountain Fire Station. The
grant was from the Rural Fire Protection Program in Roland, Arkansas.
MAYOR’S COMMENTS:
Mayor Satori said
many requests have come in to have the Hospital Commission meet here at City
Hall and broadcast the meetings, or at least record them and re-broadcast them
so the citizens can be kept aware of what is being done. The question came up about who would be
available to work the cameras. Don Matt
said that Rhonda has been hired to work 20 hours a week and money has been
budgeted for 20 hours per week.
The motion was made and seconded to have the Hospital Commission meet here, so that they can be televised.
The vote was 6/0/0.
The motion was made and seconded to adjourn. All were in favor, 6/0/0. The meeting was adjourned at 9:10 p.m.
This is the signature sheet for the minutes of February 5, 2001.
APPROVED:
__________________________
Mayor Beau Satori
ATTEST:
_____________________________
Mary Ann Lee, City Clerk-Treasurer