Eureka Springs City Advertising and Promotion Commission met for a workshop last Wednesday to discuss hiring new staff, including a newly created part-time position, Auditorium Manager, previously performed by the Finance Director. The job was described at $15 per hour.
Responsibilities will be to manage the facility, event staff, equipment, event schedules, concessions, and ticket booth. Commissioner Susan Harman said she believed these duties should be performed by the already contracted Events Coordinator Tracy Johnson. Harman said Johnson is one of the better paid employees who is estimated at earning $42,000 per year and should absorb these responsibilities.
Staff stated that Johnson is under contract through 2020 and indicated that changes could not be made until then. The new position will be posted for public applications on The Auditorium FaceBook page.
The other position was for an administrative assistant at the CAPC office. Interim-Director Gina Rambo said that she has interviewed viable candidates from earlier open positions who she feels would still be interested in employment. This position was estimated at least $15 per hour depending on qualifications of the candidate. Rambo was tasked with compiling the appropriate duties of the job and beginning the search for a quality candidate.
Leadership is ‘very confusing’
The role of Executive Director was briefly discussed as Lacey Ekberg’s 90-day contract is approaching maturity. The current executive director job responsibilities were discussed as to the possibility of a reduction of scope of duties.
Commissioner Terry McClung said, “I think that position needs to be redefined.” Harman agreed stating that if Paradise Marketing is performing key elements of the director duties, “then that job description is not accurate.”
Harman said the current leadership situation is “very confusing” as it seems the tourism office has two directors. She said she “does not know how that has worked out” but believes after the maturity of the Ekberg contract the commission needs to move on.
Commissioners discussed keeping Rambo on as a Creative Director and hiring an Office Manager/Director to handle the administrative duties in the office. “I think that is a distinct possibility,” McClung said. “I think the commission needs to review that job description for the director,” said Harman. No decision was made as it was a workshop only, but further consideration is expected to occur at future meetings.
The next CAPC meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, March 25, at 6 p.m. in the Auditorium.