At City Council’s Oct. 11 meeting, resident David Avanzino spoke during Public Comments saying that City Advertising and Promotion Commission’s Jeff Carter’s AirBnB Facebook Page had been named Visit Eureka Springs prior to the announcement of the CAPC’s new website visiteurekasprings.com on Sept. 28. Avanzino said that the name of the page had been changed on Sept. 29 to Stay Eureka Springs after it was brought up. He said the name of the page should have been announced to the commission as a possible conflict of interest. Carter, Chair of the CAPC, accused those of exposing it as “passing on” false information.
Avanzino also said that it seemed that those chosen to the commission are based on friendships with the board rather than qualifications. “Let me remind you the C in CAPC means City not Carter” and that “it’s no wonder” people have given up trying to work with the CAPC.
The Stay Eureka Springs page history does show the name being changed to Visit Eureka Springs on Sept. 13, 2020, then changed to Stay Eureka Springs on Sept. 29, 2022, a day after the announcement of the CAPC’s new website name.
When asked for comment by phone, Carter said that he had not viewed the council meeting and was also unavailable for questions right then. Questions were emailed regarding the possible conflict of interest and no response was received before press time.
Other concerns of the CAPC came from Megan Morris, owner of Peabody House B&B, who asked the city to dissolve the CAPC, and thanked alderman Autumn Slane for her work. Beau Satori spoke out against the nomination of Chris Clifton to the CAPC, saying that Carter had nominated him when it is customary for the Chair to ask for nominations.
Satori also said that commissioner Carol Wright should not have voted on her own seat and that just because the position is “at-large” does not mean there is a need to put someone from outside the city or county in the position. He mentioned that more than 200 retailers who want a voice on the board.
Chris Clifton was approved by council to fill Wright’s seat on the CAPC 4-1 with Slane voting No, but the nomination of Kyle Christopher was tabled.
Other Items
- Resolution 827 to fund $12,500 for holiday decorations passed 4-1 with alderman Terry McClung voting No.
- Resolution 826 for Eureka Springs to pay a share for the district court judgeship salary equal to $8,378.57 for the fiscal year of 2023 passed unanimously. The resolution is an annual resolution with no change from the previous year.
- An ordinance for a parking district on Spring Street was deferred back to Planning as there were items added by the City Attorney not originally suggested by Planning. Planning invited City Attorney Forrest Jacobi to attend.