Trash pickup rate hike discussed with city council

A proposal to raise Eureka Springs trash pickup rates 8 percent was given to the city council Monday night where it met immediate opposition.

The rate increase would also affect Berryville and Carroll County subscription customers.

Roger Miner, director of the Carroll County Solid Waste Authority, presented a memo to the council suggesting the increase.

He said the trash pickup rate can be raised each year, based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and through the authority given in the Municipal Code.

The increase, if approved, would mean an additional 79 cents per month for residential pick-up and $8 per month for commercial pickup.

The memo explained that rates have not been raised since August of 2000.

"We have been postponing increases, hoping we could build our operations accounts," he said, "but that isn't happening. We don't have funding to replace equipment as it wears out.

"This increase has not been approve by our board of directors," he said several times. "It is a proposal and they have to act on it before I can bring it back to you (the council) for approval."

Alderman Gayle Money wasted no time in telling Miner she was opposed to the increase and didn't "think a lump sum of 8 percent was fair when it could have been increased 2 or 3 percent per year over three years. This is too much."

The council agreed in January not to raise city water rates, also based on a CPI formula, because water customers took a 30 percent rate increase early in 2003 for the first time in 10 years. The proposed rate increase was 1.4 percent for 2004.

Money and Alderman Earl "Bud" Umland were first to oppose raising the water rates again.

Miner said he would bring recommendation for any increase from his board of directors, made up of representatives from Eureka, Berryville, Green Forest and Carroll County, to the council for a decision.

Capital budget requests

Finance Director Diane Murphy was surprised with approximately $78,000 in capital budget requests during a workshop prior to the council meeting.

She had missed the workshop prior to the Feb. 9 meeting and was unaware of proposals from Mayor Kathy Harrison on behalf of the Parks and Recreation Commission and the city auditorium.

Harrison proposes taking the $75,000 ordinarily set aside in the city's depreciation fund and using $25,000 for the proposed skate park and $10,000 for the proposed spray park, both in Harmon Park.

Harrison wants to give an additional $33,000 to the auditorium to repair and restore a fire fighting system in the stage area.

During the renovation work, a hose connection and piping originally installed for that purpose were discovered by the work crew.

Upon inspection, it has been determined the system could be made to work and provide additional protection to the building.

Asked if the funds for the system could come out of the Saving America's Treasures grant, Harrison said, "Nope. We have committed those funds almost to the last dollar. This is something we didn't know about, but it would help us save money on building insurance if we had it working."

The $33,000 would be in addition to the $32,000 requested for public restroom maintenance.

Barb Deschner Dunnam, director of Eureka Kids, presented a request for $5,000 for a pool table and other furnishings for the community center at Harmon Park.

During discussion Monday evening, she said her program is expanding to the main level of the building and some basic furnishings are needed.

Harrison asked about air conditioning needs and Dunnam said the heater on the lower level isn't working.

The mayor suggested an additional $5,000 for heating and air conditioning in the building.

Fire Chief David Stoppel said he needs $20,196 "tomorrow" to match a FEMA grant to purchase self-contained breathing apparatus, extra oxygen bottles and brush fire gear.

"We have been able to go in with Washington County to bid on these items and we can get a much better deal," he said, "but we need to move on it so we don't lose our window of opportunity."

The council didn't say yes or no to any of the requests, but set another workshop for 5 p.m. Wednesday.

Murphy told them to "be prepared to cut these requests. She had $554,576 in requests on her list, before adding in the $78,000.

She is estimating there will only be $404,932 available for capital expenditures next year.

Land swap

"Moving ahead with deliberate speed" will be the method of operation for settling a land dispute at 44 Owen.

There is a garage built across a platted but unopened street, now held as a Green Zone by the Parks Commission.

There is a city sewer line under a corner of the house with no easement for getting to the line.

A swap of the Green Zone property for an easement to the sewer line has been proposed.

Parks Director Bruce Levine said the Green Zone Committee is recommending swapping 1 foot of land on each side of the garage for the utility easement.

City Attorney Tim Weaver said he had been talking with attorneys at the Municipal League about the situation.

"We have to do this very slowly and carefully," he said. "We could solve this situation, but create havoc later. The Municipal League wants to study the situation before making a recommendation."

Weaver did say the Parks Commission could turn the property back to the city. Then the council would have to pass an ordinance vacating the street.

'Eureka's Best' honors those who labor for us all

Awards for hard work and winning attitudes were made to "Eureka's Best" Friday evening as nearly two dozen names were called from a variety of job categories.

Trash pickup rate hike discussed with city council

A proposal to raise Eureka Springs trash pickup rates 8 percent was given to the city council Monday night where it met immediate opposition.

'Sir Charles' gave his music and love

Arrangements for memorial services for Charles Christian Hammer, 51, longtime Eureka Springs resident, are pending.

HISID approves golf amenity changes on first reading - District to keep recreation activity card and daily use fee

After a long and complex discussion Monday, the Holiday Island Suburban Improvement District (HISID) Board of Commissioners approved amendments to golf amenity fees listed in Reg. 26-2002 on first reading by title only.