By Rick Harvey
RHarvey@CarrollCoNews.com
The often-controversial Eureka Springs City Advertising and Promotion Commission is officially looking for a new tourism director.
Madison Dawson, who had served as tourism director since August 2021, resigned from the position Jan. 20. Her final day of employment was Thursday, Feb. 2, according to emails obtained by the Lovely County Citizen.
“Kindly accept this email as my formal resignation as Tourism Director for the Eureka Springs City Advertising and Promotion Commission,” Dawson wrote in a Jan. 20 email to CAPC commissioners and city staff, including Mayor Butch Berry and human resources coordinator Jerry King. “My last day with the CAPC will be February 2nd, 2023.”
Dawson went on to write: “I am incredibly grateful for the opportunities I have been given in this position. I would also like to thank the individuals who have supported me in my position and for the growth and development you have provided me during my tenure. I wish Eureka Springs and the CAPC the very best moving forward.”
An email from the Citizen to Dawson on Thursday was not answered.
Dawson’s resignation came as a surprise to at least one CAPC commissioner. Autumn Slane, who is also a city council member, wrote an email to Berry, CAPC commissioners and CAPC staff Wednesday, Feb. 1, questioning many aspects of Dawson’s position and resignation.
“Hello all commissioners!” Slane wrote in an email obtained by the Citizen. “I wanted to reach out about the resignation of our Tourism Director, Madison Dawson. I have requested to see a copy of Madison’s contract.
“These are my concerns by with these changes.
“Contracts/Protection: Did we move this person here? If so, there should be some sort of protection that she stays in allotted amount of time. If we don’t have this type of protection, then we should have it now. Meaning we need a contract if we do not have one.
“We can not move people here, send them on educational trips and have them quit within the year of employment. That is costing our CAPC/City too much money.
“We need to look at the last 3 months of contracts signed. All contracts need to be addressed at the commission table. We need to review them for sustainability and merit. 
“Advertising: We are already behind for the years advertising. This is going to delay us even further. Our businesses are already suffering. We just approved our budget with the intent of someone on the staff doing it. We are officially without staff and no one to take charge. The Paradise contract needs to come back before the commission as well as the budget we just passed.
“All of these things and more are an issue and need to addressed at the next meeting. 
“Who is doing the agenda now?”
Slane’s email drew a “reply-all” response from Berry on Feb. 1, just over two hours after it was sent.
 “To all CAPC Commissioners, I received the following email from Autumn Slane as a group email,” Berry wrote. “The below email is in direct violation of FOIA. This is a form of communication and questions that should only occur at open meetings in front of public. This is an illegal form of communication that the CAPC has been constantly accused of. PLEASE DO NOT GROUP RESPOND TO THIS EMAIL nor respond to Autumn Slane’s email. Any email communication between commissioners can be considered a violation of FOIA and subject to legal action. If you need additional instructions on FOIA please send me an email or Kim Stryker.”
An email from the Citizen to CAPC chair Jeff Carter also was not returned.
When contacted by the Citizen about Dawson’s departure, Slane said she felt it was a positive move.
“Madison turning in her resignation has given us an opportunity to regain composure and get back to a proper advertising schedule,” Slane told the Citizen. “I certainly hope the commission comes together to find a suitable tourism director to lead our A&P into 2023.”
Dawson’s departure means there are only two part-time staff members currently employed by the CAPC — finance director Scott Bardin and Sarai Aleshire, house manager of The Auditorium.
The CAPC, which had its Jan. 25 meeting and rescheduled Jan. 30 meetings postponed because of winter weather, is scheduled to hold a workshop and regular meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 8.