El Dorado Springs City Manager Bruce Rogers informed the council at their regular meeting on Monday, July 7, that several demolition permits had been issued for unsafe structures in El Dorado Springs and that demolitions of some of the structures would begin on Tuesday.

Councilmen Jim Luster, Gene Floyd, Jerry Baldwin and Mayor Brad True were present. Councilman Randy Bland was absent.

City Clerk Lisa Allison was also present.

Rogers said that the city had received a thank you note from First Christian Church for the work the city crews had done replacing the side walks in front of the church. The church used the city’s program where the property owner pays for the material and the city crews provide the labor.

Rogers also stated that a thank you was received from the family of Shauna Elliot, Fire Chief Owen Elliot’s wife.

The council voted the hired Rachel Kunkel – Blue Mound Sound, Emily Carver, Rusty Carver and Hervina Wheeler for Picnic Entertainment. They also hired Ron Alumbaugh as announcer for the Picnic, a job Alumbaugh has held for several years. Rogers said that the city was lucky to have Ron act as announcer as he goes above and beyond to entertain the Picnic crowd.

The council passed on the first and second reading an ordinance vacating the right of way in Cruce’s Fourth Addition and retaining a public utility easement to the City of El Dorado Springs. Rogers said that the property is south of the ElDo Youth Center on North Main. As discussed at the last meeting, the ordinance will enable the Youth Center to move forward with grading work, parking and storm sewer improvements on their property. The city will retain a 15 ft. utility easement.

During his City Manager report, Rogers indicated that he will have the ordinance regulating indoor furniture being outdoors at the next meeting. He said that Councilman Bland has been very interested in the ordinance and the City Attorney has been in trials and hasn’t been able to finalize it.

Rogers told the council there is a block grant for storm water improvement work. The city can submit a pre-application through Kaysinger Basin with a deadline of July 15. If approved, the grant would aid in the work needed to be done on the tunnel to help complete the remaining phases of the downtown storm water improvements. The pre-application process will determine which applications are feasible to go forward for possible funding. Rogers had the engineer update the estimate of the remaining phases. The total was $323,000 plus engineering, construction inspection and administration costs. Rogers will propose matching funds from the city in the amount of $25,000 with no in-kind contributions.

Rogers mentioned the Kaysinger Basin Economic Seminar held in El Dorado Springs about three weeks ago. He said the seminar was well attended by approximately 60 people. Rogers proposed bringing in other speakers to discuss a broader look at economic development, focusing on rural communities.

Rogers mentioned that Walt Anderson has done a good job contacting businesses and has acquired 13 new banners for the Picnic and several new banners for the gym.

During the Mayor/Council report, Floyd mentioned again that lawns were being kept up, but the ditches, and fence rows were not being trimmed by property owners.

He also said that the stack of grass clippings in front of the tennis courts had been removed.

Rogers commented that the weed/nuisance ordinance is also part of the review being by the city attorney along with the ban on indoor furniture outdoors ordinance.