CITY COUNCIL
REGULAR
MEETING MONDAY
FEBRUARY 10, 2003
Mayor Kathy Harrison called the
regular city council meeting of Monday, Feb. 10, 2003, to order at 5 p.m.
PRESENT: Mayor Kathy Harrison,
Aldermen Penny Carroll, Karen Lindblad, Gayle Money, Earl “Bud” Umland, Bill
Ott and David Wilson, Administrative Assistant Kim Dickens, City
Clerk-Treasurer Mary Jean Sell.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: Mayor Harrison led the
Pledge of Allegiance.
APPROVAL OF AGENDA: Ms. Money moved to approve
the agenda as presented. Ms. Lindblad seconded. All voted aye. Motion passed 6/0/0
APPROVAL OF MINUTES: Ms. Money moved to approve
the minutes of the Jan. 27, 2003, regular city council meeting as presented.
Ms. Lindblad seconded. All voted aye.
Motion
passed 6/0/0
COMMISSION, COMMITTEE,
AUTHORITY REPORTS AND VACANCIES:
Mayor Harrison asked for discussion
of the nomination of June Westphal to Position #1 on the Cemetery Commission
which expires 12/31/05. Ms. Money moved to approve her appointment. Mr. Ott
seconded. All voted aye. Motion passed 6/0/0
Mayor Harrison asked for discussion
of the nomination of Dani Wilson to Position #2 on the Planning Commission
which expires 1/1/05. Mr. Ott moved to approve her appointment. Ms. Carroll
seconded. Five voted aye. Mr. Wilson abstained because he is her husband.
Motion passed 5/0/1.
Mayor Harrison said the
consideration of the nomination of Craig Monarch for Position #6 on the
Planning Commission which expires 1/1/06 will be postponed until the regular meeting
Feb. 24.
Mayor Harrison nominated Steve
Roberson for Position #1 on the City Advertising and Promotion Commission
(CAPC). He is a former co-owner of a bed and breakfast and current co-owner of
Quicksilver Gallery.
Ms. Dickens announced Terry McClung
had withdrawn his name from consideration for Position #7 on the Planning
Commission which expires 1/1/06. She said he wanted to be considered for
Position #1 on the CAPC.
DEPARTMENT HEAD COMMENTS: There were no department
head comments.
ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT’S
REPORT:
Ms. Dickens said there would be a
pre-construction conference at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 18, with herself, the
contractor and Public Works Director Kirby Murray for the stabilization work on
Lake Leatherwood Dam.
She announced a one-day workshop
“Our Springs: A Watershed Education Program” for Thursday, Feb. 20. The morning
sessions will be at the Basin Park Hotel Ballroom. Afternoon sessions will
start at the Crescent Hotel and moved to spring areas in town.
UNFINISHED BUSINESS:
1.
Discussion regarding Ordinance 1902, an ordinance adopting the International
building Code. (2nd reading)
Mr. Ott moved to suspend the rules
and read Ordinance 1902 by title only. Ms. Money seconded. All voted aye.
Motion passed 6/0/0.
Ms. Dickens read the title of the
ordinance.
Mr. Ott moved to approve the
ordinance on its second reading. Ms. Money seconded. All voted aye. Motion
passed 6/0/0
2.
Discussion regarding reading and approval of minutes at Council meetings.
(Money)
Mayor Harrison explained Ms. Money
had requested the reading aloud of council minutes during meetings so that
persons attending the meetings or listing to a tape recording or broadcast
might understand continuing discussions.
Ms. Lindblad suggested the minutes
might be put on the city’s internet website, after they have been approved, so
citizens might read them.
Ms. Money moved to have the minutes
put on-line after approval. Mr. Umland seconded. All voted aye. Motion passed
6/0/0
NEW BUSINESS:
1. Discussion regarding fuel bids for 2003.
Ms. Dickens explained the fuel bids are for the
city’s vehicles, both gasoline and diesel fueled. Two bids were submitted:
Darrell Bunch of Bunch’s Quik-Chek Inc., 134 E. Van Buren, and Lonnie Graham of
Tad’s Quickstop, 226 W. Van Buren. Graham bid a 23.5 percent discount from the
pump price for gasoline. Bunch bid 23.4 percent discount from the pump price
for diesel fuel. Mr. Ott moved to accept Bunch’s price for gasoline and
Graham’s bid for diesel fuel. Ms Money seconded. All voted aye. Motion passed
6/0/0
2. Discussion regarding city Attorney responsibilities.
(Ott/Lindblad)
Mr.
Ott moved to open the discussion. Ms. Lindblad seconded. All voted aye. Motion
passed 6/0/0
Mr. Ott and Ms. Lindblad said they
would like to have the city attorney present during council meetings in an
advisory capacity. Mr. Ott wants to discussion the situation with current City
Attorney Tim Weaver with the rest of the council.
Ms. Carroll, Mr. Umland and Ms.
Money were opposed to the idea. They believe the city attorney would not be
well versed in Municipal Law. They believe it would be more efficient and
cost-effective to use attorneys provided by the Arkansas Municipal League.
Ms. Dickens said the attorney would
have to be paid and a budget amendment would have to be approved to have the
attorney present.
Mr. Ott moved to ask Mr. Weaver to
attend the Feb. 24 council meeting. Ms. Lindblad seconded. Four voted aye. Ms.
Carroll and Ms. Money voted nay. Motion passed 4/2/0
3. Discussion regarding policies where City Council
meetings are held.
Mr.Ott
moved to open the discussion. Ms. Lindblad seconded. All vote aye. Motion
passed 6/0/0
Ms. Dickens said she had figures
from Don Matt with an estimate of approximately $7,000 in costs incurred to
move the meetings outside of the Western District Courthouse. Costs would
include purchase of new video tape and/or recording equipment, installation of
cable charges, etc.
Mr. Matt said it takes approximately
three hours to set up the recording equipment in the courtroom on the third
floor of the courthouse and to take it down.
Mr. Ott said he had information from
the court calendar that the courtroom would be free enough to have at least one
meeting per month upstairs.
Mr. Umland said he thought “we
should be filling the chairs in this room before we move upstairs.”
Ms. Money suggested having the capability of having
an additional television and chairs in the hallway if the room was too crowded
to accommodate all visitors.
Mayor Harrison said she has talked with mayors in
other cities who allow some time during council meetings for citizen input. She
wants residents to be able to attend the meetings and participate.
At the conclusion of the discussion, Ms. Dickens
summarized: at the last meeting on the last Monday of the quarter, the meeting
will be held in the courtroom. Meetings will begin at 5 p.m., the regular time,
will suspend at 6 p.m. for citizen comments, meeting will resume at 6:30 p.m.
Citizens must sign in to be recognized. They will be given two minutes to
speak. If they wish to elaborate on their comments, the council may vote to
extend more time or written information may be presented.
Mr. Ott moved to approve this format. Mr. Wilson
seconded. All voted aye. Motion passed 6/0/0
The format will be tried during the
regular meeting of Monday, March 24.
COUNCIL COMMENTS:
Mr. Umland asked council members to
remember in the consideration of allocation of funds that “we are not spending
our money, but everybody’s money.”
Mr. Ott announced the Arkansas
Hospitality Association was going to have a day of conferences and meetings
with members of the Arkansas Legislature. He encouraged everyone involved in
the tourism business to attend.
He reminded everyone of the annual
Governor’s Conference in Ft. Smith March 16-18.
He read the following letter from
U.S. Senator Mark Pryor to Ms. Montine McNulty, executive director of the
Arkansas Hospitality Association:
“Dear Montine,
Thanks so much for your
recent letter of congratulations. Having lived up here before has made it easier
for me, but the children have been homesick. This is an exciting time and I’m
sure the family will enjoy the experience.
I have always had great
trips to Eureka Springs and you can rest assured that I’ll do everything
possible to assist in the funding process for the auditorium.
It’s great to hear from you
and be sure and let my office know when you get additional information on the
project.”
MAYOR’S COMMENTS:
Mayor Harrison said she will be
forming two committees to work with the council:
1. Citizens Advisory Committee of seven (7) to nine (9)
members who live in and out of the city. They will work with the city planner
to review the city’s vision plan and to decide what projects need to be worked
on. They will investigate grant and other funding sources available to the
city. They will bring ideas to the council for voting.
2. Improvements in Basin Park – This group will be
comprised of representatives from the Parks, Planning and Historic District
commissions and citizen volunteers.
voted
aye. Motion passed. 6/0/0
This is the signature page for the Jan. 27, 2003,
City Council minutes.
APPROVED:
___________________________________
Mayor Kathy Harrison
ATTEST:
_______________________________
City Clerk Mary Jean Sell