The Eureka Springs Cemetery Commission was back to normal business after recent controversy at its regular monthly meeting on June 15.

A newly hired sexton, Patrick Lujan, opted out of the position after an audio recording of a special meeting — captured on a recording device that commissioners thought had been turned off — caught commissioners making disparaging comments about Lujan and former sexton/head groundskeeper David Helms.

Lujan asked the commissioners who were present at the June 1 meeting to step down in a letter to the editor published in last week’s Lovely County Citizen.

But no mention of the recording or that special meeting was brought up at the June 15 regular meeting where a number of items were discussed – including the once-again vacant sexton position.

“At this point, again, we made a hire, but that didn’t work out, so now we’re going to be looking to make a hire again,” commissioner Robert Tollett said.

There were three other applicants for the position, commissioners said.

“If we find a candidate that is applicable then we’ll bring them to the commission so that everybody can talk to them,” Tollett said.

In another staffing decision, the commission voted unanimously to hire Joe Barnes as part-time groundskeeper. Barnes has been hired twice recently as a contract worker to help out as needed.

“He’s interested in two days a week,” commission chair L.B. Wilson said. “He has a lawn care business and so this winter, when things slow down, he’s interested and would be available to assist us in any way with any of the things that we need done out there.”

Other approvals by the commission included keeping the sexton and head groundskeeper as separate positions and the purchase of a refrigerator with a freezer for the new office being constructed so workers can have access to ice during the day.

The plan had originally been for a minifridge.

Motions were also approved to purchase T-shirts for the staff at the cemetery and new security cameras for the property.

Topics that will be further discussed in future workshops include the salary for the sexton position.

“The compensation question, just to be honest, from my point of view, we were looking at trying to hire somebody and one of the applicants mentioned to us that they were interested, but they thought that the money was not good enough,” Tollett said.

In the superintendent’s report, commissioner Bruce Wright praised the work of head groundskeeper Ozzy Duarte, who was recently promoted to that role.

“Ozzy has done an excellent job as heads groundskeeper,” Wright said. “He’s a great communicator. He does love his role; he loves the cemetery and is just very observant and communicates well and brings up any issues that might arise.

“He documents records well and has a lot of confidence. And I’ve got a lot of confidence in the upkeep of the cemetery.”

In the finance report, commissioner Judy Holden reported that as of May 31 the commission’s account balance was $55,562.22.