Being denied an opportunity to offer comments on an agenda item at a recent Eureka Springs City Advertising and Promotion Commission meeting regarding recent FOIA requests “was extremely frustrating,” commissioner and city council member David Avanzino said.
Avanzino’s exchange with CAPC chair Chris Clifton was brought up at the Eureka Springs City Council’s monthly meeting on Monday, Aug. 28.
“It was extremely frustrating that an item was placed on the agenda, a motion was made, a second was given and I wasn’t allowed to speak,” Avanzino said during council member comments regarding the Aug. 23 CAPC meeting. “There are some things that need to change over there. I know this council and mayor can’t do anything about it because they’re autonomous.
“I’m just reporting back to you as what I need to do.”
Avanzino had requested that an agenda item listed as “recent FOIA & strategy moving forward” be added to the Aug. 23 CAPC agenda.
The addition of the agenda item came after the Eureka Springs Times-Echo reported recently on the CAPC’s hiring of Bikes, Blue and BBQ director Tommy Sisemore as director of The Auditorium and plans to reserve motorcycle- only parking downtown during the Bike Fest event next month. The Times-Echo obtained information for those reports through an open-records request pursuant to the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act.
Among the information requested by the Times-Echo were copies of resumes and applications for The Auditorium director position, emails and text messages regarding Sisemore’s hiring and communications about the CAPC’s dealings with Bikes, Blues & BBQ.
Information received by the Times-Echo showed there were 20 applicants for The Aud director position over the course of several months.
When commissioners reached the agenda item added at Avanzino’s request for the Aug. 23 meeting, Clifton said: “I think we should seek legal advice before we … I don’t know where that’s going.”
Avanzino said he would like all commissioners to be supplied with copies of responses to the recent FOIA requests to “so that each commissioner on this table has a complete picture of what caused the articles in the local newspaper.”
“This is a very sensitive issue for lots of reasons,” Clifton said. “I do not feel comfortable making decisions around this topic. I don’t.”
Avanzino then indicated that he wanted to read a statement and made a motion to do so. Commissioner Steve Holifield, also a city council member, seconded Avanzino’s motion but Clifton voted no and announced that the motion had failed.
Avanzino went on to say that the newspaper reports “shed the CAPC in a dark light for reasons that …” At that point, Clifton interjected.
“We had a motion and it failed,” he said. “And that’s where we’re at.”
Moments later, Clifton said: “There are important laws that we don’t understand. There are personal liabilities involved … I am not going to expose myself to whatever is going on with that.”
Avanzino did get to voice some of his concerns during commissioner comments at the end of the meeting.
“I just want to say I hear and understand the public’s frustration,” he said. “I share your frustrations and I’m equally concerned about recent developments. It is evident that some of you are advocating for the abolishment of the CAPC and the A&P tax driven by understandable anger and disappointment. While I respect your perspective, I implore you to consider the broader implications of such a decision. If the CAPC and A&P tax is abolished, it can never be resurrected. It can never be brought back. This prospect leaves us with no avenue for funding advertising efforts, a move that could severely harm our only industry, which is tourism, and in turn impact jobs for local residents, families and small businesses.
“Without advertising, we risk deterring visitors from exploring the charm and beauty of Eureka Springs. What I ask of our community is not to dismantle the CAPC and the A&P tax, but rather allow us the opportunity to redirect our efforts towards creating a strategy that addresses the concerns that have arisen. Let us channel our frustration into building a stronger foundation for the future. I firmly, firmly believe that through thoughtful deliberation and decisive action, we can rectify the issues that plague us and emerge stronger than ever. It is my unwavering commitment to represent both sides of the fence, our residents and our businesses.”
Avanzino continued by saying one point he wanted to bring up in the proposed agenda item was the need for the CAPC to meet weekly for a period of time.
“My suggestion was that we convene weekly meetings until a comprehensive strategy is developed and executed,” he said. “This approach requires the unyielding commitment of all commissioners. If weekly meetings prove challenging for any member, it is prudent to reassess your suitability for this. This commission for the future of Eureka Springs is at stake.”
The CAPC currently is short three members and how new commissioners and staff are selected needs to be examined, Avanzino said.
“We need to establish clear guidelines for hiring practices within the CAPC and its staff,” he said. “The selection process for commissioners needs to be re-evaluated, eliminating any and all traces of favoritism. All commissioners should have access to all applications, and vacancies should be filled from our pool of previous applicants, with an emphasis on ensuring diversity and reputation within our commission.
“I also believe that our staff needs to provide, build and present a comprehensive three-, six- and 12-month roadmap and strategy for the CAPC and success of Eureka Springs. Once the short-term strategies are operational meetings could transition to twice a month.”
‘COME AFTER ME’
The Aug 23 meeting started with comments from Clifton who said if anyone in the community is upset about recent happenings at the CAPC, they should blame him, not anyone else. He mentioned director Scott Bardin and Sisemore.
“There’s been a lot of passion, let’s say passion, lately about things, and I want to offer myself as if we’re looking to go after someone, if we’re looking to make someone pay, if we’re looking to punish someone, I think you should come after me and not Scott or Tommy or whoever,” Clifton said.
“But as a commission, we have asked Scott to do a job. We’ve laid parameters. I believe he’s done a lot of those parameters, followed a lot of those things. And from taking our lead as chair and asked to be marketing liaison, we work together a lot. And part of that marketing strategy … I make a lot of suggestions and I’m persuasive, I suppose. I understand Bikes, Blues & BBQ this year whether we like it or not is bit of a lightning rod at the moment and I’ll take the blame.”
Clifton indicated that many of the ideas being planned for the weekend of BB&B and Bike Fest were from him.
“I wanted to help organize things hopefully to make it better for the community and for our businesses and tourism and tourists,” he told the large crowd at the CAPC meeting. “And so that’s where my motive, where I’m coming from.”
Clifton went on to explain that it was Bardin working with BB&B as plans were being made for concerts to be held in conjunction with the event at The Aud when a working relationship was developed with Sisemore.
“We had tasked the director with hiring staff and we’ve really pushed for auditorium director, for him to hire somebody,” he said. “And one of our things was we allowed him to hire, but we wanted to make sure that he ran that person by us. So, and being transparent again, that’s where that is.
“And I apologize if I’ve caused angst. If you’re upset with someone, be upset with me. And if you would like me to not be on the commission, I respect that completely. Again, my motives are true. I really want to promote Eureka. I want to hear everyone out. I think there’s some real merit behind what people are saying. I’ve reached out to quite a few people … and we’ve talked about building bridges and reparing relationships. You know betrayals are one of the worst things that can happen to people, to you in a relationship. So there’s a relationship probably with this town and maybe CAPC and maybe there’s some betrayal in there from the past. I don’t know. But I’m very much interested in trying to heal, trying to help, try to hear what you’re saying and work with you.”
COUNCIL TO DECIDE ON PARKING?
During a discussion of CAPC finances, Avanzino inquired about expenditures regarding reserving city-owned spaces for bike-only parking during BB&B and Bike Fest.
“I’m going to ask it only because I know it’s going to be brought up,” Avanzino said. “… The question has been brought up to me personally several times. Was it even legal for us to do that?”
Clifton asked what would make it illegal.
“It’s just been brought up to me many times,” Avanzino said. “The co-mingling of funds between the commission and the city, which we are supposed to be autonomous from them. I just wanted to bring it up because I know it’s going to be brought up and it’s been brought up before. That’s why I’m asking.”
Clifton asked Bardin the legality of the CAPC purchasing parking from the city.
“I don’t know the answer to that,” Bardin said. “I’ve wondered about that.”
Clifton responded: “Sounds like a good question for the city.”
“In my opinion it’s going to come down to what the city council decides to do,” Bardin said. “But I’ll ask about it for sure.”
The city council did not address the issue at its Aug. 28 meeting.
PUBLIC COMMENTS
Many people spoke during public comments, mostly with various opinions about the CAPC’s involvement in BB&B.
While many were critical, Damon Henke, a lodging owner and former commissioner who frequently attends CAPC meetings, praised Clifton.
“Chris, I appreciate you sticking your hand up and taking responsibility for the things,” Henke said. “I think you’re doing an excellent job with the knowledge that you had. I wish that we could have had the stakeholders at the table a little faster, and I think we could have directed some things in the right direction. But at this point, dominoes have fallen and I think we’re all willing to catch your back and try to support the best we can and come out the other side with a great festival and a better Eureka. I appreciate your ears and willing to listen to everyone’s input is there.”
Andy Boyum, owner of SwitchBack Bar on Highway 23 North, said he created Bike Fest three years ago when BB&B canceled for a year because of COVID-19.
“Motorcycle people generally have money,” Boyum said. “… They travel, they do things. We should embrace this community. They have always supported Eureka Springs as much as any other community, probably more.”
Boyum said everyone should be working together for such an event and should help support businesses that benefit from the tourism.
“Scott took this event and made it look like it belongs to the city of Eureka,” he said. “This is my event. I made it. I grew it. And I didn’t say, ‘come camp out at my bar for three or four days.’ I said, ‘come to Eureka, ride the road, go to dinner. Here’s a whole list of restaurants. Here’s a whole list of hotels.’ … All of us need to get on the same page, make sure we are supporting Eureka for everything Eureka has to offer …” Others who spoke said they are worried the city won’t be prepared for an increased number of motorcycles.
“I’m not a big motorcycle fan, to be honest, but to each his own,” resident John Rankine said. “… I hate the noise basically. I think a lot of people here just have a lot of concerns about this aggressive marketing campaign that’s going to draw even more motorcycles to this town and a lot of us are wondering about the infrastructure of the town. How is this going to affect the quality of life here?”
Rankine later said that he doesn’t think “Eureka Springs is prepared for all these bikes.”
“I mean, it’s a serious concern,” he said. “… How are we going to manage traffic, the accidents that are going to happen. I think we were pretty good with Bikes, Blues & BBQ when we got the runoff …” OTHER CAPC BUSINESS While much of the meeting involved subjects high on the tension list, the commission did approve regular items at the Aug. 23 meeting.
Bardin reported that as of July 31, the CAPC bank balance was $1,962,922.55.
Tourism collections for July included $97,330 for food and beverage and $92,608 for lodging. Both numbers were less than what was budgeted but Bardin pointed out that he had not received tax payments from approximately 25 businesses before closing the books for the month.
“If those vendors had filed by the time I closed the books, I’m quite sure there would not have been a decrease,” he told commissioners.
— Eureka Springs CAPC chair Chris Clifton, on an agenda item at the commission’s Aug. 23 meeting regarding recent Freedom of Information requests
