Parks Director Sam Dudley opened the June 18 meeting saying the Bigfoot in the Park event on Memorial Day weekend went over well, however the storm that followed created issues for Parks. More than 100 fallen trees needed clearing, with the Bark Park heavily impacted.
Dudley said that he had borrowed an employee’s personal excavator and cleared out stumps left behind at the Bark Park and arranged for a fencing company to repair damaged areas, which will probably be done by the end of the week.
He suggested making an announcement that the park will then be officially reopened although some citizens have been using the park even in its current state of disrepair. He also shared with the commission some ideas for improvements to the Bark Park that came to him while working on clean-up efforts.
Dudley said he intends to get approval to use part of the large parking lot to expand the park into a flatter terrain to be more accessible to those with mobility issues, and allow people to throw a ball or walk dogs in an area without so much incline. He also purposed putting in a small restroom with a section for men and women.
Dudley thanked Matt and Angie Johnson and Larry Harrison for volunteering to clean and fix up the Bark Park. Dudley also thanked the Trails commission that has funded new t-shirts for Parks and boxes at the parks for the new trail maps.
On the topic of the 4th of July Jamboreeka event at Lake Leatherwood, a group of volunteers from Grassy Knob Fire Department will be helping, and food vendors have been picked. Sauced BBQ, Disco’s, Catered Creations, Red Eye Supply food trucks will all be set up around the park,
Hot Boxx Pizza will have a hotdog cart, and GotaHold Brewing and Eureka Springs Brewing Companies will supply beverages. The Cate Brothers and Sprungbilly will be playing, and Flipping Frogs from Branson will have games. The event is free and will include Opera in the Ozarks performers singing the national anthem, culminating with a huge fireworks display.
Dudley said he would be presenting the quarterly financial report to city council next week, and financially the department is in a good place. He also brought up credit cards used by Parks, the names of those responsible for the cards and who is the administrator of the cards to deal with credit card companies. they had to have the minutes of the regular meeting accepted during a special meeting after voting for these changes. Commissioners voted to make Dudley the administrator and add Nicky Boyette, while removing any former employees from the card.
In new business, the commission will now have two At-Large positions, open to those who live outside of city limits but in Carroll County and the Eureka Springs area, including Holiday Island. Dudley had spoken with Mayoral Assistant Kim Stryker if this would be allowed, and she said yes. The commissioners discussed having the two seats added and agreed to vote on this soon.