Parks commissioners met on Tuesday, Dec. 3 at the Harmon Park office with a special meeting to discuss the choice between accounting firms Stone Financial and Windle & Associates.
Over the past week Chair Bill Featherstone, and commissioners Dave Hartmann and Scott Bardin, had met with representatives of the firms to discuss Parks’ needs. Featherstone said that there would was little difference in cost for Parks to make the transition. He said that it would cost around $2,000 – $3,000 to recodify their financials and then $150-$250 per month going forward. He also said that each firm was confident they could have everything operational by the first of the year.
Bardin and Featherstone said they were equally impressed with the two firms, with Bardin saying that the only advantage with Windle & Associates was that they could provide a financial audit, which would be useful for future grants.
Commissioner Steven Foster asked if it was normal accounting process to have a third party perform an audit and Hartmann replied yes. Foster also asked whether Parks would still have access to paper records and Director Justin Huss answered that Parks was required to hold paper records.
Hartmann, Bardin, and Featherstone agreed that a third party audit would be useful and Hartmann made the motion to engage Windle & Associates to provide accounting services for 2020 and an audit for 2019. Foster seconded.
During discussion Featherstone brought up that the cost was not currently budgeted and that the $500 available in “professional services” of Parks’ budget would not be enough. Bardin mentioned that payroll was under budget around $10,000 and asked Huss if there would be an issue in its use. Huss said no.
Featherstone noted that they would need a motion to shift the budget. It was determined that they could perform the motion after this first one. The motion carried unanimously. Featherstone asked how they would address funding and Foster said that he’d like to defer shuffling funds until Parks’ general meeting on Dec. 17.
Surveying the survey
Parks moved to their scheduled workshop with an update on the Master Plan Survey. Commissioner Christian Super said the survey had 368 total responses with 150 self-identifying as locals. This meant that the survey had reached 8.3 percent of the adult population of Eureka Springs with 10 percent being the goal. He clarified that this was only online and that the paper surveys he had distributed had not been collected.
Super said the breakdown of results was changing with the survey’s second round and that it was possible to budget for advertising in each local newspaper. Commissioners were receptive to the idea.
Foster asked if sending surveys through the post had been considered. Super said he would look into it after suggestions of getting a mailing list from the state was given.
A discussion on working with a professional Master Planner, but nothing could be decided without a budget workshop.
Commissioners also discussed updating the Parks policy manual with commissioner Ruth Hager saying it would cost thousands of dollars. Huss brought up that a draft was given to commissioners in the past but never followed up on and Featherstone gave an upbeat response saying he thought that the cost would not be so high using a draft already written.
Featherstone stated his want to hire a professional for the policy manual. Hager said she would continue to research for Parks’ budget workshop.