Six residents voiced concerns to city council Monday evening, including Joyce Knowles, who read a lengthy prepared statement in which she considered Mayor Butch Berry and city council guilty of nonfeasance in office for blatant disregard of ADA requirements which has lead to unfair discrimination of people with disabilities. She included Berry’s supervision of Public Works and its inattention to compliant sidewalks. She urged council to take another look at ADA requirements.
Eric Knowles contended that Ord. 2255 which raised sewer rates poses “an escalating and probably illegal burden” in that one-fourth of water users “must pay for a service you will not let them have.” He cited unreasonably high water rates, which he termed “usury rates,” and described the rate structure as inadequately planned. He urged council to keep this its agenda until a water and sewer committee is formed.
Bob Jasinski disagreed with Planning’s proposed new definition of a Bed & Breakfast. He advised the definition should be left alone asking who can adequately define what a breakfast is, and changes lead to unforeseen consequences. He also disagreed with what Planning intends to require of a B&B owner or manager. In addition, he reiterated his concern that an irony of City Code regarding weekly rentals rewards some who operate legally yet punishes others operating legally.
James DeVito expressed his concern about who Eureka Springs is as a community. He insisted the town’s identity is being threatened by a lack of housing, and urged council to cap the number of tourist lodgings and B&Bs in residential zones because granting a CUP for a B&B in a residential zone amounts to spot-zoning. This makes it difficult for families to find homes in town, which has a negative effect on enrollment in our schools. He claimed the city is in peril because workers cannot find housing, which leads to an inability for the city to grow. He stated capping B&Bs and tourist lodgings would be a simple solution to a difficult problem, and implored council to look into this problem.
Kimberly Clark agreed housing is a concern, but her primary point was what visitors see when they get here. “It is embarrassing what goes on here.” She urged aldermen “to give real thought to the pebble you put in the water and where all the ripples go out.” She suggested they learn non-violent communication skills, noting that Bentonville seems to have figured all this out, “but it is not happening here.”
Susan Porter agreed that the proliferation of B&Bs was a problem and they should be kept in commercial zones. She also urged the city to move its meetings to the Aud. She said if the Aud were a city employee it would be fired because it is a huge space, not producing, and draining city finances. She exhorted council to hire a space planner to figure out compliance issues and move meetings to the Aud.
Wrap Up
- During Agenda Setting, alderman David Mitchell moved to drop the item “Code of Conduct as it relates individually to Council member Mickey Schneider and associated behavior of City Clerk Ann Armstrong.” He said he would see how things go for the next few meetings.
- Council approved the 2016 budget clean-up resolution that showed year-end excess revenues over appropriations of $599,578. Berry told aldermen not to get too excited because that was a Jan. 1, 2017, figure which had a list of demands waiting for it on Jan. 2.
- LB Wilson was approved to one of two vacancies on the Cemetery Commission
- There is also a vacancy on the Hospital Commission.
Next meeting will be Monday, August 14, at 6 p.m. There will be a mid-year budget review Thursday, July 27, at 10 a.m., in the Auditorium lobby.