With two new commissioners, the Parks commission handled a short agenda at the Aug. 16 meeting with two items having relation to extra funds in the department’s bank account.
In previous months, commissioners approved partial repair of the wall at Crescent Spring for $30,000, with the discretion for Executive Director Scott Miskiel to approve up to two benches installed into the wall. Miskiel said the contractor was hesitant to only repair half of the wall and was willing to complete the entire wall for $60,000. Miskiel suggested including a single bench underneath the wisteria plant along the sidewalk between Crescent Spring and Carnegie Public Library where the wall runs.
Commissioner Sue Hubbard voiced concern that those sitting on the bench could block the sidewalk with their feet or bags. Chair Ruth Hager said it would be wrong to punish most sitters because one person may put their stuff in other’s way. Miskiel also pointed out that because the bench would be built into the wall, that would assist in its structural integrity.
Commissioners approved the repair of all of Crescent Spring’s wall so the contractor could schedule the repair with final details to be decided in a special meeting before their next workshop on Sept. 6 at Crescent Spring.
Miskiel also suggested the payoff of the two bike shuttle loans, as of July totaling $14,500.75 and $17,307.81, with an interest rate of 2.91 percent. He said the cash in Parks’ bank accounts was $549,546 and while there are large projects that Parks has to handle, those two are the only loans Parks has currently.
The topic came up before the approval of the wall repair at Crescent Spring and commissioner Bren Marshall said he would rather use that cash to fully repair that wall than to pay off the vehicles. Commissioner Charissa Litherland also pointed out that the 2.91 percent interest rate was a low. The topic ended with no motion on the table.
Other Items
- In the Director’s Report, Miskiel said that he had received preliminary site plans from Crafton Tull Engineering for Eureka Springs parks and would be requesting further work to record locations of all utilities within parks’ properties. He also announced his retirement at the first of the new year, and that he was looking forward to still being a part of Parks even if that capacity is through volunteerism.
- The Trails Committee meets on the second Wednesday of the month at 3 p.m. at the Arvest Stage in Harman Park. Hubbard, who is the standing commissioner on the committee, said the next meeting in September may be a site visit and urged more people from the mountain biking community to join the meetings.
- Revisions to the rate sheets at Lake Leatherwood City Park received unanimous approval. There was discussion on how best to gather data on lake amenity use to better set rates in the future.
- This was the first meeting for newly approved commissioners Charissa Litherland and Laurie Crammond.