Council Seeks Arts Center Request Input
Tax Money Could Also Pay For Regional Park
Kit Williams, standing, city attorney, passes out material to Alan T. Long and other members of the City Council before the start of the council meeting in Fayetteville.
Friday, January 4, 2013
FAYETTEVILLE — The City Council wants more public input before Advertising and Promotion commissioners decide whether to give the Walton Arts Center $8.5 million for a renovation.
Council members unanimously approved Tuesday asking the commission to first partner with them to survey residents on how hotel, motel and restaurant taxes should be spent.
At A Glance
Council Action
Also on Tuesday, Fayettevilles City Council:
Welcomed three new members. Sarah Marsh (Ward 1), Martin Schoppmeyer (Ward 3) and Alan Long (Ward 4) took the oath of office, along with incumbent Alderman Matthew Petty (Ward 2), Mayor Lioneld Jordan and City Clerk Sondra Smith.
w Designated one block of Ila Street between Wilson and Vandeventer avenues as residential permit parking only.
w Allowed the Arkansas Entertainers Walk of Fame to commemorate famous Arkansans with a series of bronze plaques on sidewalks in downtown Fayetteville.
Source: Staff Report
Aldermen Justin Tennant and Matthew Petty, the councils two appointees to the commission, brought the proposal forward.
Personally, I think this is a good use of money, Tennant said, But I want to get as much input as possible.
Petty said tax money thats paying off debt associated with the Fayetteville Town Center could also be used to help develop a regional park in southwest Fayetteville.
Last month, arts center CEO Peter Lane asked commissioners to help build a new lobby, backstage area and expanded Starr Theater on the centers Dickson Street campus. The project is expected to cost $20.6 million. Lane requested $2 million over two years from the commissions annual budget and/or reserve. Up to $6.5 million could come from extending Town Center bonds, which voters approved in 1997.
It would be up to voters to decide whether to extend bonds following commission and council review. The bonds are set to be repaid in 2015.
The citys hotel, motel and restaurant tax is a two percent charge on hotel stays and food purchases in restaurants. Half of the tax feeds into the commissions budget, which was set at $2.5 million for 2013. The other half goes to the citys park development fund, which pays to develop and maintain parks.
Nearly half of the park fund pays employees salaries. Another $563,000 was budgeted for regional park development this year. Plans for a park off Cato Springs Road where the SouthPass development was being developed include soccer, softball and baseball fields; volleyball, tennis and basketball courts; trails, playgrounds and pavilions; and, potentially, an amphitheater.
Mayor Lioneld Jordan said Tuesday he had no immediate plans to ask the commission for regional park money.
We havent discussed that yet, Jordan said.
Petty said he wants to give council members and commissioners a month or two to develop ideas for spending hotel, motel and restaurant tax money if Town Center bonds are to be extended. A survey process would follow, Petty said.
The council agreed in principle to split the cost of the survey with the commission at up to $10,000 apiece.
The commissions next meeting is Jan. 14.