Director Justin Huss told commissioners at last Tuesday’s Parks meeting that staff transitions are taking place with Scott Miskiel as a new grounds maintenance employee who has, “Already proved himself ambitious and energetic.” Andrew Arnold is a new lake attendant, and Huss said applications will be accepted for more seasonal lake and mowing staff in the coming weeks.
Basin Park trail behind the bandshell has been cleared to allow police officers better visibility for the season, as there has been vandalism in the park. Lake Leatherwood marina and bathhouse roofs are fully framed and repair is almost completed from the 2018 storm damage.
Lake Leatherwood bike trails shuttles have been busy with 132 riders last weekend alone. Huss said the Community Center greenhouse has contractually partnered with the Parks to share space for plants, and should produce enough for giveaways and sales in the upcoming season.
Shifting to budget review, overall income is $501 over projections and Huss said, “We’re right on where we’re expected to be for conservative estimates.” Commissioner Steven Foster requested more detailed financials and the commission discussed and approved the reallocation of funds due to the ball LED light project being postponed due to excessive costs.
Huss and Foster said the Lake Leatherwood City Park committee met with volunteers to discuss preservation-related resources such as assets, foundations, rockwork, and historic farmsteads. “It highlighted the need to develop a clearer inventory of our preservation resources that need to be inventoried,” Foster said.
Commissioner Cameron DeNoewer announced that there is a community member who has offered to provide and install regulation horseshoe pits at their expense when the commission is ready. DeNoewer stated he would have more details on this donation later, and he’s happy to see “Our community rising up to meet the need.” More volunteer opportunities are available at the Parks website at eurekaparks.com. Commissioner Christian Super was thanked for his creation and administration of the Parks website and social media maintenance.
Chris Fischer provided the Mitigation Project update and detailed a variety of plantings arriving in the next couple weeks for five locations throughout the area. Fischer stated that this would be a great opportunity for master naturalist volunteers, “to come out and help us get this plant material in the ground.” He reviewed the progress of the weekly Wednesday Walks and encouraged anyone to attend.
Foster, who frequently attends the Wednesday Walks, commented on the variety and age of trees in the area, saying “So it really raises my interest and concern about making sure the City Tree Ordinance is right.” Foster said the sheer diameter of a tree trunk should not be the determining factor of whether or not the tree can be chopped down without approval by the city Planning Commission.
“Evaluating trees relative to their size is species specific,” Foster said, remarking that a very old dogwood or sassafras may only have a trunk that is eight to twelve inches in diameter. “So as a community we just have to be more aware of our woody plant resources.” Foster said he is planning to serve as a resource to the Planning Commission for further tree ordinance improvements.
Commissioners discussed the importance of signage in the Parks and on the trails with concerns of visitors leaving the trails and encroaching private property. DeNoewer does not encourage hikers to veer off of the trails saying, “We don’t endorse that.”
DeNoewer brought an agenda item to the table about the unauthorized use of herbicides and pesticides in the parks. He said it has been reported that some park visitors have used Monsanto’s Roundup® in the park to control what they believe is a noxious weed. Referring to the lawsuits related to Roundup® and its dangerous effects to the parks’ organisms, DeNoewer stressed, “That is pretty scary.”
Basic standard policy was discussed in conjunction with improvements to signs and websites to prevent the use of pesticides and herbicides in Eureka Springs Parks. DeNoewer said to the public, “If you have a problem with a specific plant that you feel is invasive or in the way, that’s where you contact the Parks department.”
At the end of the meeting, Huss announced the Lake Leatherwood Downhill Gravity Trails were published in the Arkansas Cycling Guide with the headline, “Trails built to shred!” It offers a map of the trails, arranged by level of difficulty and includes a list of rider responsibilities to observe such as knowing your limitations and staying in control.
The next regularly scheduled Parks meeting will be Tuesday, April 16 at 6 p.m. in the Auditorium.