Eureka Springs Parks and Recreation Director Scott Miskiel has announced he is stepping down at the end of the year to spend more time with family.

Miskiel, who was first named interim director in October 2020, made the announcement at the Aug. 16 regular meeting of the parks commission at The Auditorium.

Wanting more free time and not having a job that requires such a demanding schedule are the sole reasons for the planned change, Miskiel said.

“I’m going to be retiring as of the first of the year or late December,” Miskiel told commissioners. “It’s all amicable. … I had retired from a very busy, active profession and really just took a job with parks initially as a part-time seasonal sort of thing. And it’s burgeoned into much more. And with … one [grandchild] and another one on the way soon, we just want to be able to have a little bit more freedom than the current position gives me.

“I am hoping to possibly do something else in parks, something just a little less of a life investment. Not that I wouldn’t be invested in any job that I have, but I need to be able to have some family time. And that is why I’m making the announcement now.”

Miskiel said he had informed the commission and Mayor Butch Berry of his decision before the Aug. 16 meeting.

“It gives us plenty of time to find an appropriate candidate,” he said. “And then I can take as much, or as little time as is necessary … to help train that person.”

“It should not be a real steep learning curve, but I will be available as long as it takes to help train that person even as a volunteer afterwards. As I said, I’d like to continue to be involved in parks just in a position or even if it’s volunteer, doing things that are a little less time-consuming and stressful.”

Before finishing his remarks announcing his resignation, Miskiel wanted to make sure that it was known that his decision was strictly based on wanting more family time.

“I’ll leave it at that and just say for those who are wondering … every bit of this is amicable,” he said. “I’ve chatted with [commission chair] Ruth [Hager] about it a time or two just so the timing could be right.

“And so, don’t read anything into this other than I’ve got grandkids I want to see.”

PARK FEES CHANGES

In commission business, a revision to some of the prices at Lake Leatherwood Park was unanimously approved and immediately went into effect.

Standard cabin rentals (two people) have increased from $95 to $105 per night, the cottage cabin (two people) increased from $109 to $120 per night, camping cabins went from $54 to $60 per night and the family house (four people) increased from $139 to $153 per night.

RV sites with electric, water and sewer hook-ups increased from $32 to $35 per night, tent sites with electric went from $19.50 to $21.50 a night, tent sites without electric went from $14.50 to $16 a night and group campsite are now $60, increasing from $55.

Kayak rentals increased from $10 to $12.50 per hour and canoes are now $15 per hour, an increase from $12. Paddleboard rentals are now $10 per hour after previously being $15.

Nightcrawlers, previously sold for $2.79 per dozen, are now $3.66.

CRESCENT SPRING WALL

The commission also voted 5-0 to give Miskiel approval for a complete repair of the wall at Crescent Spring Park.

The commission had previously approved completing half of the wall repair for $30,000, but Miskiel suggested going ahead and repairing the entire wall at a bid of $60,000.

“The wall at Crescent Spring is something that is going to come down if it’s not redone,” Miskiel told the commission. “And sure, we can do half of that as a stopgap measure and do the rest. But then we’re closing that area down, we’re closing the street down, we’re closing the sidewalk down twice instead of once.”

Miskiel said a study of the budget convinced him the department has enough funds to go ahead with the full project.

“We have $549,546 in the bank,” he said “So, we have enough to do the whole thing.”

Miskiel said the wall can include built-in benches at a cost of $5,000 each. Despite approving the measure to move forward with the repair of the entire wall, the commission will have a site visit at the wall before its next workshop on Sept. 6 and decide on adding the benches.

“I do not want to not do the benches, because whatever we do right now is going to be what people here live with for the next 50 years at least,” commissioner Mark Ingram said. “So, let’s not be scrimping about it now because it’s $5,000 when this is going to last our lifetimes at least.”