The bid closing on city-owned property for sale at 25 Norris St. produced only one bidder, Charles R. Windle of Windle & Associates, with a proposed sale price of $45,750. That bid was rejected at Monday’s city council meeting, and aldermen decided to broaden the advertising scope to areas outside Eureka Springs, as well as issue an email solicitation to area Realtors.
Mayor Butch Berry amended Monday’s agenda evening, deferring several items such as the proposed ordinance change concerning animal laws, as well as the resolution to waive bids for the Eureka Springs Parks Commission shuttle purchase, to the next meeting.
Parks Commissioner Cameron DeNoewer submitted his resignation opening up the position to candidate Scott Bardin. Berry said Bardin is a resident who lives near Basin Park. In his application Bardin wrote that he has “a passion for Eureka Springs Parks and wants to see organized written objectives for continued parks’ development that compliments the tourist experience.” Bardin’s appointment to Parks is expected at the next council meeting.
Parking places for rent on event days
The second reading of Ord. 2280 regarding sidewalk replacement/repair and aggregate surfaces was approved, as was Ord. 2281 to vacate the alley east of Kimberling Alley. The mid-year budget adjustment resolution was approved leaving the travel expense line item in the mayor’s budget, contrary to alderman Bob Thomas’s request to provide council with its own line item for travel expenses.
A new ordinance was read and approved on its first reading to permit the daily rental of the city’s parking lot spaces for $9 per day for events, festivals or city-approved activities authorized by a Special Event Permit. This $9 is the equivalent of what it would cost if the renter were feeding a meter $1 per hour for the nine hours during the day.
The town that water built focuses on leak detection
Public Works Director Dwayne Allen requested the purchase of leak detection services from MatchPoint for a data driven solution pilot trial to help eliminate water leaks in the downtown water grid. Allen explained the process of using flow meters that will monitor data that help correlate usage information to accurately locate water leaks for repair. He said there is higher pressure on pipes lying in the lower zones of downtown that needs to be addressed. Cost of the service is $14,850 and was approved.
New agenda items to be expected at the next meeting are a report on the Auditorium and a report on the street improvement plans.
The next meeting will be Monday, August 26 at 6 p.m. in the Auditorium.