Please let it be known that our friend and neighbor, and fine upstanding member of our Eureka Springs community, Eric Scheunemann, is in a struggle against the County Road Commissioner who plans to discontinue maintenance of Spring Valley Rd.
Spring Valley Rd. connects Passion Play Rd. with Mill Hollow Rd. and is the only access to Eric’s driveway, known as Dogwood Lane. Dogwood Lane runs along a ridge between those two well-used roads and houses four dwellings in addition to Eric’s Eureka Metalworks shop.
This is where my husband and I landed and rented a home when we first arrived in Eureka Springs back in 2007. We lived there very happily for two years. At that time there were six adults living on the site and Eric, our landlord, was very conscientious in maintaining both his driveway and our housing. At that time, the county maintained Spring Valley Rd.
If the county stops maintaining Spring Valley Rd., Eric stands to lose everything – his property would be unsalable. Mr. Scheunemann is a skilled metal worker – his sculpture graces the front of the Crescent Hotel, and his work has been invaluable to many of us over the years.
At this time of crisis, when so many people are becoming displaced due to fires and floods all over the land, every dwelling is of value and the neglect that would lead to the loss of any of them can only be viewed as criminal.
Please let us all consider how we can support our neighbor in his time of need.
Melissa Clare