The vice chair of the Eureka Springs City Advertising and Promotion Commission resigned from his seat on the commission after being accused of “flipping off” and mouthing an obscenity at the husband of a city council and fellow CAPC member.
“I regret to inform you both that I will no longer be able to serve on the CAPC, effective immediately,” commissioner Patrick Burnett writes in an Oct. 26 email to CAPC chair Jeff Carter and tourism director Madison Dawson. “I will not be attending any more meetings, please take advantage of the next votable meeting to vacate my seat.”
Burnett’s resignation email was sent the night of the most recent CAPC meeting and the same day of an alleged exchange with Rodney Slane, who owns a number of businesses in Eureka Springs and is the husband of city council member and CAPC commissioner Autumn Slane.
“I was outside The Filling Station cleaning up and replacing Autumn’s re-election signs,” Slane wrote to a reporter after being asked for his account of the exchange. “I was out on 62 Highway and Mr. Burnett was turning out of the Pizza Hut parking lot.
“Once he got even up with me, he mouthed ‘fu** you’ and flipped me off. I raised my hammer to him.”
Video footage shows someone kneeling in front of the business along the street next to a possible yard sign. As a small to mid-size dark SUV drives by, a hand raises in the air. The video isn’t clear enough to see exactly what kind of car, who is driving, or what actually takes place during the exchange. Messages left for Burnett were not returned.
However, in an email provided by the city in response to an open-records request shows that Burnett resigned his seat shortly after the Oct. 26 CAPC meeting.
In the email announcing his resignation, Burnett writes that he has been “persecuted.” Burnett is among several defendants in an ongoing civil lawsuit filed by several former CAPC officials, employees, and contractors.
“The duties of being a CAPC Commissioner have been weighing on me heavily since I’ve joined – being sued, constant barrage of insults and lies and now publicly persecuted with more lies, it is affecting my mental health and my well-being keeping me from enjoying my life, friends and family, and doing the very things I moved to here to do — to enjoy Eureka Springs and to run a successful business entertaining and helping guests to our wonderful town have a great time while they’re here,” Burnett’s email says.
The exchange between Burnett and Slane was brought up during public comments at the Oct. 26 meeting by Beau Satori, a former mayor and frequent critic of members of the CAPC. Satori was one of four mayoral candidates on the Nov. 8 general election ballot. Each citizen is allowed three minutes to address the commission.
“This morning I was told about an incident where commissioner Slane’s husband was out in front of his restaurant, The Filling Station, picking up litter and taking care of stuff and commissioner Patrick Burnett drove by and that morning slowed down and flipped off Mr. Slane and screamed ‘f-you’,” Satori said. “And if you need any evidence, there is a video.”
Before Satori could finish his comments, Burnett interrupted, saying “That is a lie.”
“It’s on video,” Satori said, before again being cut off by Burnett, who said again, “that is a lie.”
“Show me the video,” Burnett said.
“You can see it,” Satori said. “It’s a lie,” Burnett said. “But that took place this morning,” Satori said.
Burnett responded: “He waved, I waved.”
“Don’t be cutting into my time,” Satori said.
“He waved, I waved,” Burnett said again.
“You can take your three minutes later,” Satori continued. “And so, beyond that, I encourage the new commissioners to be very careful with who you associate on here …”
As Satori wrapped up, Burnett interrupted him two more times, saying “liar” and “don’t believe that.”
As soon as Satori wrapped up his comments, Burnett sighed and said “liar” one final time.
Rodney Slane said despite what Burnett said at the CAPC meeting, the two don’t typically acknowledge each other in passing.
“Patrick and I are not friends. He does not wave to me or Autumn as he said he did,” Slane said. “He flipped me off and he knows it.”
Burnett’s resignation leaves five commissioners remaining on the CAPC, with two open seats.
The CAPC was scheduled to have a workshop on Wednesday, Nov. 9. The next regular meeting is scheduled for Nov. 23, but there has been some talk of possibly rescheduling it because of the Thanksgiving holiday.
