Eric Knowles again reminded aldermen Monday night they still were not dealing with creating a water and sewer commission or looking at more appropriate sewer rates. He said he does not have city sewer yet his water bill every month includes an Infrastructure Improvement fee to pay for retirement of s sewer bond. He said water rates are exorbitant and sewer rates too low, plus the tier structure in place makes no sense. He urged council to “correct your errors” by creating a Water and Sewer Commission.
Joyce Knowles explained her research into the heating and air conditioning costs for meetings in the Auditorium, and she claimed previous estimates had been overstated. She also noted council keeps waiting and waiting for city meetings to become compliant with ADA requirements. She stated in years to come, no one will remember her advocacy, but “they’ll remember you for this!”
Bob Jasinski told council weddings are rapidly becoming extinct in Eureka Springs, yet Arkansas was listed as the cheapest state in the union to get married. All the while, Planning is attempting to enact restrictions that would make things more difficult for the wedding business. Jasinski claimed weddings over the years have brought many guests to all kinds of tourist lodgings and nobody noticed because there were no problems. He said there was a crackdown going on where no crackdown was needed.
Other items
- Bob Thomas noticed the proposed budget cleanup resolution was not in the format adopted by council in 2011. Vote was unanimous to defer this.
- Mayor Butch Berry mentioned there were vacancies on Planning, CAPC, Hospital, Cemetery commissions.
- With little fanfare, aldermen voted to approve the 2015 legislative audit.
- Council approved Resolution 714 that authorizes Berry to apply for and, if awarded, accept a 75/25 Community Facility Grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development program for a maximum of $50,000. The city would use the funds “to rehabilitate space for the purpose of moving all city meetings to a fully-accessible facility.” Match from the city would be $16,666 making the total project amount $66,666.
- City Clerk/Treasurer Ann Armstrong presented the city’s second quarter financial documents including check registers, receipts, payroll, debt service reports and bank balances. She invited alderman to visit her office for a stroll through the city’s accounting.
Next meeting will be Monday, August 28, at 6 p.m.