The year’s first regular meeting of the Parks Commission, Jan. 19, saw approval of 2020 third and fourth quarter financials, the 2021 budget, and election of new officers.
Commissioner Kevin Ruehle was voted in as Chair, although Ruth Hager remained Chair for the length of the meeting. Scott Bardin was voted as vice-Chair and Dave Hartmann is once again serving as secretary. Christian Super resigned from the commission, as did Sam Dudley.
Ruehle said that revenue was up, even through the pandemic and with tax income being down. Bardin agreed and said that there had been “phenomenal cabin rental growth” that had been so dramatic that they had thought the numbers wrong.
Financials were approved unanimously.
Interim-Director Scott Miskiel presented the 2021 budget with some comments for the commissioners. He said he would move to open a separate checking account for the 1/8 percent sales tax to better track how the money is used. He informed commissioners that even though the budget showed a reserve from 2020, there were more projects down the road than the department has money for.
Ruehle moved to approve the 2021 budget with the amendment suggested by Miskiel with commissioner Carmen Burden seconding. It passed unanimously.
Shuttles’ operations adopted and on paper
Miskiel presented a plan for shuttle operations and regulations, and a Code of Conduct for private shuttle operations in Lake Leatherwood City Park. He said that shuttle vendors would need to have a valid Eureka Springs business license and pay appropriate taxes and fees. He also said that shuttle vendors could not solicit riders in the park and may not promote their business on Parks’ web sites or social media.
Miskiel said that a program for Bike Shuttle Certification was not finalized but that the Code of Conduct was completed. He suggested that the commission approve the Code of Conduct and set a deadline of March 15 for the certification process to be finalized.
The motion to adopt the new shuttle program and code of conduct immediately with the shuttle certification process finalized by March 15 was voted in unanimously.
Other Items
- Scott Miskiel’s term as Interim-Director was extended for 90 days, restriction of duties lifted, and his pay has been increased to $27.50 an hour.
- Sharon Roberts spoke during Public Comments about the various springs on East Mountain, giving commissioners maps with the springs noted. She focused on Cave Springs which has a collapsed wall.
- During Director’s Comments Miskiel said that East Mountain would be receiving more attention from the department and that it was one of the first things David Renko, the new Grounds and Natural Resources Manager, would be focusing on. He also said during Director’s Comments Renko would begin work on Feb. 1 and that Cabin 1 at LLCP was still being renovated.
Minutes for the Dec. 15 regular meeting and the Jan. 5 special meeting