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This week’s Independent thinkers Protesters from across the United States have made it clear to their elected officials in Washington that having secret meetings to devise an incomplete and user-hostile healthcare plan is not in the best interest of citizens. Nor is repealing current What the health are you talking about? affordable healthcare benefits. About 50 people started arriving at 10 a.m. last Friday to drop off letters and speak with Rep. Steve Womack’s two field Many protesters have been arrested. workers at his mobile office in the Eureka Springs Chamber Office. Repeal and replacement of the Affordable Care Act stalled But residents of Gate City, Va., raised awareness out Monday night when Republicans couldn’t deliver the votes to even debate it. Pictured (l.-r.) are Peg Adamson, Edwige creatively by making a paper chain link for every child Denyszyn and Carolyn Amrit Knaus waiting in line with their designated numbers. PHOTO BY JAY VRECENAK and older citizen in Southwest Virginia who would lose health care if the Affordable Care Act were repealed. The chain was taken to Radford, Va., and added to 9th District names until there were 62,000 links in the 3-mile long paper chain so people could see with their own eyes Call for council peer review delayed how big a problem it is when a wealthy nation decides NICKY BOYETTE “At approximately 9:30 a.m. July 6, 2017, I walked into my its citizens are dispensable, or at least not worth helping Eureka Springs City Council convened a special office with Michele and Steve Schneider demanding me to when they get hurt or sick. meeting July 12 to discuss “Code of Conduct as it relates shut down my State Voter Registration computer and not individually to council person Mickey Schneider and allow for any voter information be given out. Michele raised associated behavior of City Clerk Ann Armstrong.” her voice and kept pointing her finger at me telling me I Inside the ESI Alderman David Mitchell had first proposed this would be sued. Both used very foul language while present at Monday’s regular council meeting, but Schneider, in the County Clerk’s office.” CAPC 3 Armstrong and alderman Peg Adamson had already walked She said she called to speak with Mayor Butch Berry CAPC – Jackrabbit 4 out of the meeting, and remaining aldermen decided to defer after the incident, but he was not in, so she recounted the Planning; Pot Bust 5 discussion until everyone involved was present. event to City Clerk Ann Armstrong. Correia said Armstrong Planning – Rezoning Debacle; Weddings 6 Mitchell had distributed statements from four staff looked up the point of law regarding how Schneider had Mayor’s Task Force 7 members of the County Clerk’s office detailing an encounter unregistered herself, and was therefore ineligible to be an Task Force – Connect; Independent Mail 8 in which Schneider and her husband, Steve, wanted to elected official. Armstrong told Correia she would speak Independent Guestatorial 9 remove themselves from the voter rolls. The statement with Schneider, “and then Ann asked me if she [Schneider] Constables on Patrol 10 from Election Coordinator Sherry Cochrane described the chose to re-register would this be okay, I said absolutely and Independent Commentary; DC Arrests 11 Schneiders as being “rude and belligerent.” Ann thanked me.” Quorum Court; Free Parking; Departure 12 Cochrane also mentioned, “This is the second time I Schneider told the Independent she went to the Eureka School Board 13 have witnessed her obnoxious and bullying performances Springs County Clerk’s office the following day and re- Hospital 15 in a County Clerk’s office. She is not only rude and out registered. Astrology 18 of control but an embarrassment to the City of Eureka At the meeting Indy Soul 20 Springs.” Cochrane removed both Schneiders from voter At the special meeting, Mitchell stated that earlier in Dropping A Line; Crossword 21 registration rolls. the year council had adopted a Code of Conduct which says Classified Materials 22 The statement from County Clerk Jamie Correia said, COUNCIL continued on page 2 National Stick Out Your Tongue Day. Lick your bowl. COUNCIL continued from page 1 duty or obligation. To avoid dealing with “City Council serves as a model of leadership this incident with councilman Schneider and civility.” It also states aldermen “will and City Clerk Ann Armstrong could be a be respectful of other members of the city dereliction of duty on the part of council.” council, staff and public by refraining from Alderman Peg Adamson remarked, abusive conduct, personal charges or verbal “I have several objections to the way this attacks,” and that aldermen “do not engage meeting is taking place.” First she pointed in personal attacks of any kind under any out City Attorney Tim Weaver was not circumstances.” present. In addition, “I do not like having Mitchell stated his focus was not the this stuff aired this way. The purpose is not fact that Schneider removed herself from informative; it’s not helping anything.” being a registered voter and therefore voided She moved to table discussion until her seat on city council, but that, “The issue Weaver would be present, and alderman tonight is simply conduct unbecoming of Bob Thomas seconded. a city councilperson and in the case of the Schneider said if the topic were to City Clerk willfully and knowingly failing, be discussed later, the people who wrote refusing or neglecting to execute, or cause the four statements should be present. She to be executed, an Arkansas law by not claimed they had four totally different disclosing to the appropriate councilman or descriptions of what had happened, and she mayor at the time. alderman over the past several months. “I after Schneider removed herself from being wanted them present to make things clear. “When alderman Mickey acted in the have been, and now since this outburst, a registered voter, at no time did Armstrong Berry reminded Schneider a council manner at the County Clerk’s office that concerned enough with councilman notify the mayor or any aldermen. meeting is not a court of law, and Mitchell is contained in the written statements and Schneider and her abusive conduct and According to Mitchell, Armstrong, when pointed out there was a very specific focus communicated to me in person, she was verbal attacks that take place to say enough asked if there was anything she needed to for the discussion. The topic was conduct viewed as a councilperson representing is enough.” discuss with the mayor, told the mayor’s and behavior, not voter law. Eureka Springs. Her actions, language and Mitchell requested that council assistant, “I’ve handled it,” and to his Thomas wanted to know more about demeanor were inappropriate and totally in conduct a peer review of her “aberrant knowledge Armstrong never did speak to the Code of Conduct as it applies outside disregard to the code of conduct we as a conduct” and that she consider apologizing the mayor about it. of meetings. council agreed to.” to the staff at the County Clerk’s office, to Mitchell concluded Armstrong’s Council voted to approve Adamson’s He also mentioned the several the other aldermen, and to the citizens of actions amounted to nonfeasance in amended motion to defer the discussion to outbursts by Schneider that have occurred Eureka Springs. office based on the definition as “the the next regular meeting, Monday, July 24, at the council table toward another Regarding Armstrong, Mitchell said intentional failure to perform a required at 6 p.m. 2 | ES Independent | July 19, 2017 | eureka.news INDEPENDENTNews Plan B for parking pitched NICKY BOYETTE parking area at the top of Planer Hill. She Northwest Arkansas. He pointed out the I-49 At the July 12 City Advertising and called it “a prime area to explore” because a corridor is growing at a blistering pace, and Promotion Commission meeting, Finance visitor could park, get information and a ride newcomers probably do not know about Director Rick Bright reported he met with downtown. Eureka Springs, so he charged the digital city Finance Director Lonnie Clark about the “It would solve the problem I hear partners to help him strategize. CAPC pursuing a bond to finance a parking about every day,” she said. He said they will target higher garage downtown. Clark said Code allows Commissioner Terry McClung populated areas such as Little Rock and the CAPC to put up a parking garage, but commented he saw at least 40 vehicles in thereby pick up Conway, and this push is the city would ultimately be responsible that lot on a busy Saturday, so visitors use it. with digital marketing so it is flexible and for covering the bond, and he doubted city Foster again mentioned a location off he can, for example, add Kansas City to council would approve it right now. “There’s Water Street the city already owns which has the campaign. He also intends to geofence only a slim chance we would be able to pull “dozens of spaces… it would be fabulous.” Eureka Springs whenever there is a concert it off,” Bright said. McClung said he would follow up on the at the Auditorium so that everyone in town Commissioner Bobbie Foster quickly Water Street site and chair Susan Harman who uses a mobile device will know about said she wanted to know what it would said she would take these suggestions the show. cost to develop alternate sites such as the to Planning Commission discussions of He announced that the CAPC will have parking.

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