Eureka Springs City Council met January 8 and before the meeting discussed the sewer facilities with Project Manager Zane Lewis of McClelland Consulting Engineers, Inc. asking for a maximum budget of $6,000,000 and applying for federal funding. They also voted on three CAPC positions for David Avanzino, Steve Holifield, and Brian Wyman and put out a call to fill vacancies in Parks and the Historic District Commission.
Public Works Director Simon Wiley reported that current wastewater monitors don’t track overflow so they’re installing floats that will inform Public Works when this occurs. New meters have been installed but IT needs to hook up the reading equipment so laptops in city trucks can read the meters by downloading data while driving by. Concerning water leaks in town, November water loss had dropped by 20 percent and a leak was located at the Water-tower near Wanderoo and engineers will come to fix it.
The next item on the agenda was which rules of procedure would be used during meeting, Alderman Melissa Greene asked to use the Municipal League’s Procedural Rules so the council had greater access to speak directly with the mayor. It was unanimously adopted. City Council meeting times will be kept to current schedule of every second and fourth Monday of the month with exceptions for holidays. Greene also recommended alderman Terry McClung for Pro Tem mayor and all agreed.
Finance Director Michael Akins presented the budget for 2024, the only changes being an item about adding police dash cams to the body cam budget, including the software and keeping old body cams in reserve for a total of $112,000. McClung asked about the $6,500 for IT services for the new website, which Akins explained was for a new website module that will expedite submitting building plans and recording data for city planning.
Alderman Harry Meyer asked about the money being put aside for the Basin Park bandshell repairs because Parks hadn’t put any money into the project. Avanzino replied that the CAPC gave monies that will address immediate structural issues. As for the sewer issues, those were not addressed in the budget because there still needs to be applications for federal loans and grants. A water rights analysis is being done due to the state Water Act, the council will inform the public when and where water fee changes will be.
Holifield interjected that he doesn’t want the budget to focus only on “crisis mode” items, as an example bringing up the recent inspection of the Auditorium. He wanted to know who was responsible for fixing a water leak and termite damage at the foundation. Akins and Mayor Butch Berry explained that the building does belong to the city but they pass responsibility for repairs to the CAPC. It will be a matter of getting a plumber down there and fixing the termite damage which will require price quotes, Berry said. Meyer said that the CAPC can spend money on the Auditorium from their funding.
Council then discussed access to municipal water due to a controversy over Kettle Campground, which has operated on its own water for thirty years but sends wastewater to the treatment facility. The current policy for private wells is to put a water meter on the well and then charge sewage fees based on water used. Avanzino had reservations on this based on owner rights. A vote was made to visit the site and install a meter with only Avanzino voting No.
Alderman Autumn Slane presented Ordinance 2348 concerning solid waste disposal. Several aldermen voiced concerns about switching from the yellow bag to the two 35-gallon bags and extra bags requiring a $1.75 tag, or the use of a Carroll County Solid Waste Authority bins policy. Ordinance 2348 passed first reading 4-2.
A motion for a resolution for the mayor to be signatory for sewer funds was put forward and a special meeting will be held in two weeks.