The year in review, western Carroll County - 003 brought national recognition to Eureka Springs amid changes to city's infrastructure

As always, each year brings changes, new enterprises and losses to Eureka Springs and the western side of Carroll County, and 2003 was no different.

The year saw major changes in staff and infrastructure for the city, with impacts that will be felt for a long time to come. The city and some of its general area residents also achieved national recognition in several areas.

Below is a "look back" at the major events of 2003.

January

The Parks and Recreation Commission was given a five-year one-quarter cent sales tax by Eureka Springs voters, but it wasn't enough. Within 24 hours, Director Susan Lourne was talking with the city council for additional help.

Renovation of the City Auditorium started. The existing ceiling was removed and replaced.

A suspect in the burglary of Bill's Pharmacy was arrested in Holiday Island.

February

The Parks and Recreation Commission announced the cabins, bait shop, boat rentals and overnight camping facilities at Lake Leatherwood would be closed to reduce expenses.

Mid-month, Parks Director Susan Lourne announced she was leaving her position to return to school in September.

Another round of tree-lovers versus AEP/SWEPCO was under way as the utility company targeted trees for severe trimming or removal, particularly on Wall and Amity streets.

A major snowfall hit the county, paralyzing traffic and business for several days.

Testing on Lake Leatherwood Dam began as contractors used a high-pressure water drill to see if the method could be used to drill holes for anchors to stabilize the dam.

A $250,000 Save America's Treasures grant from the U.S. Department of the Interior for auditorium renovations was announced by Senator Blanche Lincoln and Congressman John Boozman. To get the grant, the city had to match the amount.

March

City council members were not supportive of Public Works Director Kirby Murray's proposal to use a "force account" and hire a crew to handle a sewer line repair and replacement project.

The City Auditorium reopened with a concert featuring an original composition by Chadwick Martin, music by the Community Band and some "speechifying."

City Advertising and Promotion Commission (CAPC) representatives asked Skate Park officials to vacate the lower level of the City Auditorium by July 1, in anticipation of renovation work.

Crescent Hotel owner Marty Roenigk wanted to cut down trees on Prospect St., past the hotel parking lot, to make additional parking. Homeowners in the area protested the project, to no avail. The Planning Commission eventually gave permission for the parking areas to be built.

The CAPC promised to offer a $25,000 cash incentive and sales tax rebates to tempt a movie company to come to Eureka Springs.

April

The city council voted to rebate the 2.25 percent sales tax collected on production materials and expenses as an incentive to get a movie company to come to town.

Alderman David Wilson resigned his Ward 2 Position 2 seat, saying he had to find full-time employment to support his family.

Building Inspector Don Underwood was fired by Mayor Kathy Harrison.

In the continuing case against former Mayor Beau Satori, 72 more felonies were added to his case, bringing the total to 86 Class D felonies for failure to pay tax and failure to file a return along with 364 Class A misdemeanor charge of conducting a business without a sales tax permit.

The noise created by motorcycles and other vehicles in the downtown area was under hot debate by the city council to find a solution on how to handle the situation.

A local minister chided Mayor Harrison for failing to proclaim "National Day of Prayer" observation in Eureka Springs. The council split on a motion for such a proclamation and failed.

May

Shelby Crawford was one of two top youth Volunteers in Arkansas by the Prudential Spirit of Community Awards program. She was given the award by former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani in a ceremony in the Smithsonian Museum of National History in Washington, D.C.

Shelby had organized a 4-H Petting Zoo as a fundraiser for the Ridin' High 4-H Club.

Robert "Butch" Berry was chosen by the city council to replace David Wilson in the Ward 2 Position 2 council seat. Berry was a member of the Planning Commission/Board of Zoning Adjustment.

The firing of Building Inspector Don Underwood by the mayor was upheld by the council after an executive session which lasted nearly an hour.

The school board adopted a policy of random drug testing in the high school "as a prevention, not a punishment."

The "official" notice that a movie named Chrystal starring Billy Bob Thornton came as a casting call went out in the area for "rural-looking townsfolk."

K.J. Zumwalt was elected chairman of the CAPC although she had only attended one meeting and one commission meeting since the first of the year.

June

Former Parks Commissioner Bruce Levine was named parks director out of a field of 15 applicants for the job.

Eureka Springs Hospital Administrator David Cox told the Hospital Commission the loan application for $11 million to purchase land and construct a new hospital was just about completed.

The city council supported an application to the Arkansas Department of Economic Development (ADED) to become an ACE (Arkansas Community of Excellence).

Former Mayor Beau Zar Satori pleaded guilty to a single felony charge of failure to file a sales tax return while doing business as Satori Arts Temple two days before his trial was to begin. The remaining 56 felony counts of failure to pay sales tax and 334 misdemeanor charges of conducting business without a sales tax permit were dropped.

Music legend Ray Charles played a Father's Day concert in the City Auditorium. His 17-piece band and five Raelettes kept the sold-out audience cheering for more.

Billy Bob Thornton and other well-known actors were in the area for the filming of the movie Chrystal.

The city council approved an ordinance approving a $265,000 loan to match the $250,000 Save America's Treasures grant from the Department of the Interior to renovate and restore the City Auditorium.

CAPC Executive Director Barbara King Dozier and Alderman Gayle Money resigned their respective positions with the CAPC on the same day. Dozier was frustrated by the commission's micromanagement of her staff. Money said she didn't have the time to be an effective commissioner.

Work was under way by the city council to develop a noise ordinance to regulate the loud vehicles in the downtown area.

July

Darrell Michael Heaster, 50, was found on the side of County Road 302 in critical condition after being doused with gasoline and set on fire. He died Aug. 31 in a Tulsa hospital from the burns.

Dr. Vianne France joined the staff at the Eureka Family Medical Center.

August

Police Chief Earl Hyatt asked the council to consider hiring an 11th officer as they put together next year's budget.

Governor Mike Huckabee was guest speaker for the Kiwanis Club's annual Teacher Appreciation Luncheon. He complimented the Eureka Springs School system on being able to do more with less funding than a majority of small schools across Arkansas.

Loan papers were signed by Mayor Kathy Harrison to secure $265,000 to match the $250,000 Save America's Treasures grant to renovate the auditorium.

City Administrative Assistant Kim Dickens was fired by Mayor Harrison, which set off a storm of controversy in the community. The council voted to rescind the mayor's action and the mayor vetoed the vote. The vote to override the veto failed.

Parks and Recreation Executive Director Bruce Levine signed a five-year lease agreement with the Eureka Springs School Board for part of Van Pelt Stadium for use as a skate park. The lease immediately met with opposition from t-ball coaches.

Chamber of Commerce President Ben Carson left his job, saying it had worked into more than a part-time position and he wanted to spend some time traveling. The job had not been filled at the end of the year.

September

The CAPC began discussions of expanding the categories of tax collectors of the 2 percent gross revenue sales tax collected for advertising and promotion of the city.

LeRoy Gorrell, long-time Eureka resident, was hired as the CAPC's executive director.

Deborah James of Bastrop, Texas, was hired as the city's building official. She resigned the post in the first week of October with barely a month on the job. Some of the reasons she gave for leaving were low salary, lack of staff and lack of organization.

City Attorney Tim Weaver notified the mayor that his law firm would no longer "be providing legal representation of a civil nature to the City of Eureka Springs."

A new trolley was brought to town from Wichita, Kan., to make the ninth trolley in the city's transit system.

Corey Lynn Howerton was arrested as he left the Berryville Eastern District Carroll County Courthouse for the murder of Darrell Michael Heaster. Howerton allegedly doused Heaster with gasoline and set him on fire in July. His bond was set at $500,000.

The installation of the lights for the Lake Leatherwood Ball Fields was delayed as the city council first voted to waive competitive bidding then changed its mind and said bids would have to be taken.

October

Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism kicked of its "Destination Arkansas" campaign in preparation for the international tourists expected in 2004 for the opening of President Bill Clinton's Library in November and the opening of the international headquarters for the Heifer Project about the same time. Eureka Springs was one of 17 stops in a six-day whirlwind tour of the state by tourism officials.

The city council voted to take competitive bids on the remaining work of the $1.8 million sewer line repair and replacement project, following protests from residents about the way the project was being run by Kirby Murray of the Public Works Department.

The anticipated ground-breaking Oct. 1 for a new hospital didn't happen. After months of no public meetings or information, this newspaper found out the initial application to the U.S. Department of Agriculture for an $11 million loan had been denied.

The Eureka Springs School Board decided to go ahead and give teachers and staff raises for the coming year in spite of shrinking revenues from the state.

Bobbie Grogan was named Queen of the 56th Annual Ozark Folk Festival. First place runner-up was Becca Wallis and second place runner-up was Addie German. Jessica Taylor was named Miss Congeniality.

The CAPC gave a party for the City Auditorium and wanted city residents to attend and give input about how they would like to see the auditorium used in the future. About two dozen people attended, most of whom worked in the auditorium or were with the CAPC or city.

Members of the Parks and Recreation Commission set a meeting with city youths to discuss the location of a skate park. The youngsters voted to have it in Harmon Park.

The city council finally approved restoring the city attorney's job to a full time position, as an advisor to city officials and as the city's prosecutor. The job had been reduced in September of 2002. Discussions about reinstating the job had been going on since January.

November

Eureka Springs High School Homecoming King was Patrick Deschner and Queen was Jessica Parsons. First runner-up was Jessica Taylor and second runner-up was Lily Bullard.

The Parks and Recreation Commission voted to locate the skate park in Harmon Park, but not necessarily on the site of the original skate park. Chairman Bill Featherstone was to appoint an ad hoc committee to determine the exact location, design, equipment, hours and guidelines for usage. The committee is to report to the commission at its February meeting.

Sixth grade teacher D'Evelyn Willis was honored as one of the top 16 teachers on Arkansas as part of the Teacher of the Year program. Blue Bell Creameries provided an ice cream party for all of the elementary school students and staff.

The $11 million loan for the new Eureka Springs Hospital received USDA approval after the application was first overturned.

December

Randy Mills is hired as the new building official for the city, with the establishment of a building official department.

A coalition group called "Eureka Creative" presents a plan to build an arts/cultural district in Harmon Park to the Community Development Partnership.

Arts and Entertainment Television films Eureka's annual Holiday Parade as number 15 of 20 towns in America featured in its "Ultimate Holiday Towns USA."

The Bank of Eureka Springs completes its large new financial center on East Van Buren in time to open for business in 2003.

Eureka learns it will be the site for the February, 2004, filming of a TV-movie, Mr. Christmas by Arkansas native Beth Brickell. Cast calls go out.

Last minute cast members helped to make Gifts of the Magi a success

While the recent production of "The Gift of the Magi" by Eureka Theatre Company (ETC) is considered a success, it is largely thanks to a couple of last-minute cast members.

Hit and run driver gets two years in penitentiary

A 47-year-old Eureka Springs man was sentenced to two years in the Arkansas Department of Corrections following a probation revocation hearing Monday during Carroll County Circuit Court action in Eureka Springs.

The year in review, western Carroll County - 003 brought national recognition to Eureka Springs amid changes to city's infrastructure

As always, each year brings changes, new enterprises and losses to Eureka Springs and the western side of Carroll County, and 2003 was no different.