CITY COUNCIL
REGULAR
MEETING
Mayor Kathy Harrison called the
regular City Council meeting to order at
PRESENT: Mayor Kathy Harrison,
Aldermen Penny Carroll, Karen Lindblad, Gayle Money, Bill Ott and Earl “Bud”
Umland, City Administrative Assistant Kim Dickens, and City Clerk Mary Jean
Sell. Alderman Robert “Butch” Berry was absent.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE
FLAG: Mayor
Harrison led the Pledge of Allegiance.
APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA: Ms. Carroll moved to adopt
the agenda. Mr. Ott seconded.
Ms. Money asked if a discussion of
amending the noise ordinance could be made #4 under new business.
Mayor Harrison said Jack Moyer of
the Western Carroll County Community Development Partnership (CDP) had asked to
present a resolution on an alternate route for the
Mayor Harrison added “and
transportation” to item #3, discussion of the Blues Festival.”
Ms. Money moved to adopt the agenda
as amended. Ms. Lindblad seconded. All voted aye.
Motion passed 5/0/0
APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES:
Ms. Money moved to postpone reading
of the May 12 minutes to the next meeting. Ms. Lindblad seconded. All voted
aye. Motion passed 5/0/0
COMMISSION, COMMITTEE, AND
AUTHORITY REPORTS AND VACANCIES:
Planning Commission – Position 7 –
Expires
Mayor Harrison announced Bruce
Levine had resigned from Position #1 on the Parks and Recreation Commission to
become director of Parks and Recreation. She nominated Diane Wilkerson as his
replacement on the commission.
Mayor Harrison announced a vacancy
on the Hospital Commission due to the resignation of Dr. Ken Covington.
DEPARTMENT HEAD COMMENTS: There were none.
CITY ADMINISTRATIVE
ASSISTANT’S REPORT:
Ms. Dickens said the drilling on
Lake Leatherwood Dam for the stabilization project should be finished this
week. The cables should be installed by the end of June and the project
completed.
She said Supplement 4 for the
Municipal Code books has arrived and she would put them into aldermen’s books
if they will bring them to her office.
Mr. Ott reminded her that May 31 is
the deadline for the completion of the sidewalk on Planer Hill/South Main and
asked if she knew whether or not the work would be done. She said she had not
seen approval of a change order from the
UNFINISHED BUSINESS:
1.
Discussion regarding Ordinance 1915,
an ordinance amending the City Attorney duties. (Ott/Lindblad) (1st
reading)
Ms. Money moved to put Ordinance
1915 on its first reading. Ms. Carroll seconded.
Ms. Dickens read the entire
ordinance aloud.
Ms. Money moved to approve Ordinance
1915 on its first reading. Ms. Carroll seconded.
Mr. Ott moved to table the ordinance
so an ad hoc committee could be formed to do further research into making the
ordinance more comprehensive for the attorney’s duties. Ms. Lindblad seconded.
She explained the ordinance doesn’t “give the coverage and accessibility to the
attorney” she wanted and she was not satisfied with the ordinance in its presentation.
On the motion to table the ordinance
on its first reading, three members voted aye, Ms. Money and Ms. Carroll voted
nay. To table the ordinance, Mayor Harrison voted aye. Motion passed
Mayor Harrison appointed Ms.
Lindblad and Mr. Ott to the ad hoc committee. She said she would attend the
meetings as well. Ms. Money asked to be appointed as an opposing voice. Mayor
Harrison agreed.
2.
Discussion regarding Ordinance 1918, an ordinance concerning animal drawn
vehicles. (1st reading)
Ms. Dickens said the ordinance has
been sent to the Municipal League for preparation and it has not been
completed.
3.
Discussion regarding Ordinance 1917, an ordinance rezoning 15 Pivot Rock road
from R-2 Contemporary Residential to R-3, Multiple Family Residential. (2nd
reading)
Ms. Money moved to suspend the rules
and read Ordinance 1917 by title only. Mr. Ott seconded. By roll call, Money,
Umland, Ott, Carroll, Lindblad voted aye.
Ms. Dickens read the title aloud.
Ms. Money moved to approve Ordinance
1917 on its second reading. Ms. Lindblad seconded. All voted aye. Motion passed
5/0/0
NEW BUSINESS:
1. Discussion regarding Ordinance 1916, an ordinance
establishing a
Moratorium on all fill and
excavation projects. (1st reading)
Ms. Money moved to put Ordinance
1916 on its first reading. Mr. Ott seconded. All voted aye.
Ms. Dickens read the entire
ordinance aloud.
Mr. Umland asked why this ordinance
was necessary. Clerk Sell explained the Planning Commission has recommended
this ordinance because of safety issues regarding excavation and fill not
currently addressed within the Municipal Code.
All voted aye to approve the
ordinance on it’s first reading. Motion passed 5/0/0
2. Discussion regarding tree cut at 135 N.
Public Works Director Kirby Murray had asked for
permission to cut the large tree at the edge of
A resident nearby had protested the
cutting of the tree.
Ms. Money moved to put a hold on
cutting the tree for six months. Ms. Lindblad seconded.
Ms. Dickens explained the staff has
no intention, now, of cutting the tree.
Ms. Money asked that the Public
Works Department staff monitor the tree for any possible safety issues within
the next six months and that the item be put back on the council’s agenda at
that time.
Ms. Dickens said she would put the
item on the agenda for one of the November meetings.
All voted aye on the motion to put a
hold on cutting the tree. Motion passed 5/0/0
3.
Discussion regarding closing Spring Street for Blues Festival and
transportation.
Mayor Harrison said she had a
request from Blues Festival Promoter Sally Thackery to close Spring Street
(from Spring and Main to Mountain St.) to vehicular traffic Friday, May 30, at
4 p.m. and on Saturday, May 31, at 1 p.m.
Mr. Ott moved to accept the
recommendation. Mr. Umland seconded.
Ms. Lindblad said she would prefer
this type of request be brought to the council for consideration more than four
days ahead of an event.
Four aldermen voted aye on the
motion to close Spring Street, Ms. Lindblad voted nay. Motion passed 4/1/0
Mayor Harrison said she had met with
Transit Director Lamont Richie, Police Chief Earl Hyatt and taxi company owner
David “Fuzzy” White to discuss transportation in the downtown area for Blues
Festival participants. An agreement had been reached with Razorback
Transportation in Fayetteville, but she said the company had decided not to be
involved with Eureka Springs.
White had located a transportation
company in Springdale, Holiday Tours, willing to provide two buses from 8 p.m.
to 3 a.m. Friday and Saturday. Mayor Harrison said expenses expected to total
$5,920.
Ms. Money moved for the city to
accept half of the expenses, approximately $3,000, for transportation during
the Blues Festival. Ms. Carroll seconded.
There was considerable discussion
about selling tickets for rides on the buses to help recoup some of the city’s
cost.
All voted in favor of the motion.
Motion passed 5/0/0
4.
Discussion regarding the noise ordinance.
Ms. Money moved to include a section
on the unnecessary revving of engines in the city’s current noise ordinance.
Ms. Lindblad seconded.
Ms. Lindblad moved to table the
discussion so further research could be done. Mr. Ott seconded.
Three voted aye, Ms. Carroll and Ms.
Money opposed. Motion passed 3/2/0
5.
Discussion regarding a resolution for an alternate route to bypass the Beaver
Bridge.
Jack Moyer, chairman of the CDP,
presented a resolution approved in a recent CDP meeting which offers a route
connecting Highways 62 and 23 without going through the town of Beaver and
would save the Beaver Bridge, the last suspension bridge in Arkansas still in
use. The resolution is to be presented to the city council of Beaver and the
Carroll County Quorum Court for support before it is sent to AHTD.
In brief, the resolution asks AHTD
to consider building “a new connecting highway between State Highways 187 and
23 and State Highway 62 in the area south of the White River and North of Lake
Leatherwood.”
Ms. Carroll was concerned that no
highway construction be done through any part of the Lake Leatherwood Park
property.
Ms. Lindblad was concerned that the
CDP does not represent the citizens of Eureka Springs, but private and/or
business interests.
Mr. Umland moved to pass/support the
resolution. Ms. Money seconded.
Mr. Ott called for the question to
end discussion. By roll call vote, Mr. Umland, Mr. Ott and Ms. Money voted to
close discussion. Ms. Carroll and Ms. Lindblad were opposed. Motion to end
discussion passed 3/2/0
On the motion to support the
resolution, Mr. Ott, Mr. Umland, Ms. Money voted aye. Ms. Lindblad and Ms.
Carroll voted nay. Mayor Harrison voted aye to pass the motion. Motion passed
4/2/0
COUNCIL COMMENTS:
Mr. Ott thanked citizens for
attending the public hearing on how to handle the downtown noise situation and
explained the ad hoc committee would be gathering noise ordinances from other
communities for study.
Ms. Lindblad expressed her hopes for
a safe and relatively quiet (Blues) weekend. She said she hopes a noise
ordinance can be developed that will work for the citizens.
MAYOR’S COMMENTS:
Mayor Harrison also thanked the citizens who attended the public
hearing.
She reminded the council of the budget workshop at 6
p.m. Monday, June 20, Mr. Umland’s birthday, and of the regular council meeting
at 5 p.m. Monday, June 23, with the public forum at 6 p.m.
ADJOURNMENT:
Ms. Money moved to adjourn at 8 p.m. Ms. Lindblad
seconded. All voted aye. Motion passed 5/0/0
This is the signature page for the minutes of the
May 28, 2003, regular City Council meeting.
______________________________
Mayor
Kathy Harrison
_____________________________
City Clerk Mary Jean Sell