For the first time in many months, the Eureka Springs City Advertising and Promotion Commission is close to being at full capacity.
At its Sept. 28 regular meeting — the first regular meeting the commission has held since June — new commissioners were voted in to replace two members whose terms expired June 30.
Kyle Christopher was approved by a 4-1 vote to fill the seat formerly held by James DeVito and Chris Clifton was approved 4-1 to fill the at-large seat held by Carol Wright.
Commissioner Autumn Slane was the dissenting vote in both decisions, which came after she nominated David Avanzino to fill the seat most recently held by DeVito.
“I think that he has been to pretty much every meeting,” Slane said of Avanzino, before being cut off by CAPC chair Jeff Carter.
“Let’s get a second before we get to discussion,” Carter said. “We have a first from Autumn. Do we have a second?”
No one seconded Slane’s motion to nominate Avanzino. Vice chair Patrick Burnett then nominated Christopher, and his motion was quickly seconded and approved.
“My background is really in tech and real estate, but I know some things about marketing, running budgets and things like that as well, too” said Christopher, who told commissioners he’s lived in Eureka Springs “for about two years.”
Carter then nominated Clifton to the at-large position held by Wright, who also applied to maintain her seat on the commission. Burnett seconded.
“[Chris] lives in the county,” Carter told commissioners. “He couldn’t be here because he had a death in the family, but if you’ve looked at his resume, he’s very qualified. He’s actually run hotels. He actually has been a manager of hotels.
“And he has an actual letter from Kalene Griffith, who is the president and CEO of Visit Bentonville….”
Burnett responded regarding Clifton: “We spoke at length, and I enjoyed talking with him.”
Clifton will fill the lone at-large role most recently held by Wright, who cast a vote for her replacement, despite submitting her own application for the role.
“I just want to say thanks to Carol for her service to our community and the commission,” Carter said during his commissioner comments. “Obviously, this is her last meeting. I wish you well in all you do.”
The Eureka Springs City Council will vote to approve the CAPC selections. The next council meeting is scheduled for Oct. 10.
EIGHT (OR NINE) TO CHOOSE FROM?
Commissioners had at least eight candidates who submitted applications to serve on the CAPC.
Tourism director Madison Dawson sent out an email to commissioners on Sept. 15 which had applications, resumes and other information for eight applicants attached.
“Please see the attached current applications for the CAPC Commission,” Dawson wrote in the email, which was obtained by the Lovely County Citizen. “Please feel free to reach out to these individuals.”
The applicants attached to the email, and the date of their application, were:
■Clifton (Sept. 2)
■Colleen Ivie (Aug. 19)
■Christopher (Aug. 8)
■Ann Tandy-Sallee (Aug. 2)
■Wright (July 1)
■Heather Wilson, (May 9)
■Andrea Evans (Feb. 9)
■Heather Reed (Jan. 19)
The application for Avanzino was not included in the email sent out by Dawson to commissioners.
The Citizen emailed Dawson on Sept. 29 asking about the omission of Avanzino’s application but did not receive a response.
While Ivie introduced herself and gave a synopsis of her background during the public comments portion of the Sept. 28 meeting, only Avanzino, Clifton and Christopher were mentioned during the meeting.
Only Clifton and Christopher were discussed at any length.
$2 MILLION IN SIGHT
During his presentation, Scott Bardin, CAPC finance director, said projections show the CAPC budget could break records and hit the $2 million mark before the years is over with.
“For the remainder of the year to see where we possibly could end up and based on my conservative projections for collections for October, November, and December … we’re going to be just under $2 million in collections for food and lodging.
“And I told [CAPC staff] this. I said, ‘we will exceed the $2 million in collection because of the success of TheAuditorium concessions and the amount of money for rentals for the auditorium.’
“Those will push us over the $2 million revenue. And I was proud to see that numbe.r”
Carter asked Wright, who was a longtime member of the CAPC, if that would be a record.
“Carol, have we ever hit $2 million,” Carter asked.
“No, not since I’ve been here,” Wright responded.
In reports of July and August collections, Bardin said the CAPC brought in $213,624 in lodging and food and beverage for July, $33,624 over budget. InAugust, the CAPC collected $212,781 which was $6,781 over what was budgeted.
NEW WEBSITE DOMAIN
At the end of Dawson’s marketing report to commissioners, Carter announced that the city’s main marketing website will soon be changing domains.
“For those of you that don’t know, we’re moving,” Carter said. “We’re keeping the dot org site, but we are moving to a dot com.
The current website is eurekasprings.org. In the near future, the site VisitEurekaSprings. com will also be running, Carter said.
The Sept. 28 meeting was the first meeting where such a website change has been discussed.
VOCAL AUDIENCE
Laci Moffitt, with Heart of Eureka and an organizer of the Jeep Jam event that was recently held downtown, was one of nine residents — mostly business owners — who attended and spoke during public comments section of the meeting.
Residents spoke about their disapproval of St. Petersburg, Fla.-based Paradise Marketing Firm, the lack of Christmas-themed events and decorations, their support of Moffitt, and the efforts to request CAPC funding for holiday events. Many comments during the meeting drew applause from those in attendance.
Moffitt told commissioners that Heart of Eureka has partnered with the Chamber of Commerce, Eureka Springs Parks and Recreation Department and a number of downtown businesses to discuss ideas for the Christmas season, including revamping lights and activities.
Moffitt said she emailed and presented a budget modification proposal to Dawson in August in hopes of getting $25,000 from the CAPC budget to help with these events.
The August meeting, however, was cancelled.
“I sent an email back [to Dawson] and asked, “have you talked to the board about the budget modification?’,” Moffitt told commissioners. “And she responded and sent back the funding request forms and the guidelines for funding requests forms.
“So, it wasn’t really talked about, you know, the budget modification that we asked about.”
Moffitt had previously submitted marketing requests for events that were set to be voted on at the July meeting that never happened but said those requests could be withdrawn if the CAPC approved the $25,000 budget modification.
“So, this is the first that we’ve heard anything about any of this, right?” said Carter, who encouraged Moffitt to let those submitted requests to be voted on due to timing.
Carter also indicated that the CAPC might have to confer with the Municipal League to see if monies not specifically used for marketing and promotion of an event could be given by the commission.
“I would recommend, based on our time factor, you keep this on the table and let us vote on it,” Carter said of the events that funding requests had previously been submitted. “…Some of this stuff will need to be vetted through the Municipal League on whether or not we can or can’t even spend money in those areas. We would have to go through a process in order to be able to approve that.
“Anyway, I would recommend you get your marketing support, and you start marketing your events, but it’s really up to you.”
“I would prefer to get the whole group of December events,” Moffitt replied.
“But that can’t happen today,” Carter responded.
Moffitt opted to keep the original requests on the table and the commission did vote and approve $2,000 to be used for three holiday events — “Ugly Sweater,” “Living Windows” and “Shop Small.”
Moffitt also had $1,000 approved in funding for a “Jeep Jinglin” parade event.
