The Sept. 29 City Advertising and Promotion Commission meeting held an additional agenda item of whether to have the commission hold hiring power or the Tourism Director.
Commissioner Steve Holifield asked for the addition, and while not the longest subject on the docket, the debate was spirited. Holifield said he felt that now that the commission was out of staffing crisis mode, it should take over the reins on hiring. He suggested Tourism Director Scott Bardin would find top candidates and bring his thoughts to the commission, which would decide on which candidate would be hired. This process would cover all CAPC positions.
Chair Chris Clifton said that he did not think there was precedent with other commissions, mentioning Bentonville’s advertising commission. Commissioner David Avanzino countered that other commissions in Eureka Springs “don’t actually hire as much staff as we have.” He said he agreed with Holifield and there have been times when previous positions were filled and he did not have information on candidates. He argued that, to be transparent, the commission should see all candidates for a position and narrow it down to the final candidate.
Clifton called the suggestion “micromanagement style” and that he didn’t read in the bylaws the commission is responsible for hiring. Holifield pointed out the bylaws say the commission oversees hiring. Clifton countered that the bylaws have the commission hiring the director but said he didn’t believe it required them to oversee all positions.
Clifton also said that the CAPC may set its own rules on how to operate and the decision at the table would stand either way – “We know that.” He also argued that it felt counterintuitive to “management 101” to have the higher body handle all hirings.
Holifield said he didn’t want to micromanage but that the final approval should be up to the commission. Clifton pointed out that the commission had allowed Bardin to handle the narrowing of candidates and that with the last hire, the auditorium director, he had come to the commission and received their approval.
Clifton said he didn’t understand why the commission should have to meet for every new hire and called it a “giant oil rig of worms.” He said that the executive session had happened and, even if some did not like who was hired, the commission had approved.
Avanzino argued the commission had only been given one option, and Clifton continued saying that it was the director’s staff and “you either trust him or you don’t.” Avanzino said the commission is ultimately responsible for the hires and can be sued.
Commissioner Chris Jones asked what Bardin wanted. Bardin pointed his finger across the table to Avanzino, insisting that he doesn’t “play politics and picks the best people to do the job.” He said that if he’s left alone, he’ll pick people the commission will be proud of, but if you “micromanage” it’ll bring politics into a “business situation.”
Avanzino told Bardin not to point and challenge him, with Bardin saying he will when he feels he should. Avanzino said he had only challenged the hire of the Auditorium Director and that the commission is only trying to be transparent. He said he felt he was being kept in the dark, listing off several issues including not receiving agendas in a timely manner. He said he doesn’t need a day-to-day update but regular updates of what the office is doing would be helpful.
Clifton pointed out that staff are not required to report to individual commission members and that the commission functions as oversight, not as management. The item was tabled since Holifield was attending through a cell-phone call and could not hear all members. Other items on the agenda were tabled as well due to the meeting running nearly two hours.
Tourism VIPs meeting on tourism in tourist town
Crescent Hotel General Manager Jack Moyer gave an update on the State Parks and Tourism coming to Eureka Springs on Oct. 18 and 19. Moyer said there’s plenty of investment around town and provided information about those in attendance and said there would be representation by the state’s advertising agency as well as major tourist cities in state.
Moyer said it’s an opportunity to give an impression of Eureka Springs and help put town on their radar to advertise at the national level. He said that Eureka Springs had not been advertised heavily by the state and that he hoped to change that. He gave a full itinerary to the commission which included going by the work the Opera in the Ozarks construction and Beaver Lake, with a focus on the west side of town.
Avanzino questioned why the choice of Eureka Springs West and Moyer said that they needed to choose a focus to show off town. He said with fall foliage and all the work being done at Opera in the Ozarks it was a good choice. He also said that he wanted to help push that Eureka Springs is not only downtown.
Parks working on parks
Sam Dudley, executive director for Parks, provided commissioners with an estimate of costs for renovation of Basin Park. Dudley said the cost is around $900,000 for renovations that does not include recessing the fountain, although the estimate is rough. Commissioners asked what the next step was, and Dudley said that he wanted to speak with the Parks Commission, as well as the mayor, on what renovations need to be handled first.
Later in the meeting, Clifton pointed out that budgeting for CAPC is coming up and Avanzino agreed, saying that it was in their “purview” to help Parks with how often the CAPC utilizes the parks system. The commission suggested that Dudley make a wish list of what Parks would need to not only in Basin Park, but in other parts of town. Clifton said that the commission would fight over what to fund.
Other Items
- Krewe of Krazo was approved for $5,000 in marketing support for Eureka Mardi Gras.
- The CAPC approved to pay the final, nearly $95,000 to the city for their portion of the Auditorium renovation.