The Landscape of Backus Street

Is this Springdale's downtown shopping district?  This trendsetting landscape of tick flowers and a shopping cart was reported to Springdale Code Enforcement in April 2011.  Each week I anxiously await new additions such as the antique coffee table.

Mayor Gives Himself a Bonus

I am certainly not surprised that the Springdale City Council voted unanimously to pass the proposed bonuses for full-time employees.

I am also not surprised that "reporter" Steve Caraway failed to even mention the council held a separate vote on whether or not to give the bonus to four elected officials.

In a 7-1 vote (Alderwoman Kathy Jaycox was the only no vote), the city council approved Sprouse's recommendation to give himself, the City Clerk, the City Attorney and the District Judge a bonus.

Gravy Train

The Springdale City Council is meeting tonight and is expected to approve Mayor Doug Sprouse's recommendation of giving a $600 bonus to all full-time city employees.

In his typical fluffy style, Chamber Cheerleader Caraway of the Morning Snooze, tries to make it sound more appealing by saying the money is mostly going to police and firefighters. Who wouldn't want to give our men and women in uniform a bonus or a raise? The reality is the $294,000 bonus money is NOT going mostly to police and firefighters. Attorneys, judges and our beloved code enforcement officers will all be collecting a check too.

Everyone likes to feel appreciated and most people deserve to get a bonus once in a while, but when I look around Springdale, I don't feel quite so generous.

I would urge the hard-working employees of the City of Springdale to start questioning where their pay raise was really spent.

(The back door of Springdale's Code Enforcement)

Just the Good Ol' Boys...Never Meanin' No Harm

It is no secret Springdale is governed by a longstanding good ol' boy buddy system.  But then you already knew that, so it should come as no surprise to read another Caraway fluff piece on Mayor Sprouse sending Springdale employees to a class that will be taught by Bob Arthur.

What Caraway and the Mayor fail to mention are the qualifications required to earn $16,800 for teaching people how to be nice.

As is the norm around here, you can smell the conflict of interest miles away.  Bob Arthur just happens to be Springdale's Planning Commissioner President and claims to be on the Business Network International Leadership Team of the useless Chamber of Commerce. Shocking.

I have also confirmed that a real talent out of Fayetteville offered to teach these classes for FREE, but was turned down. Even more shocking.

Beats all you ever saw, been in trouble with the law since the day they was born...

Code Enforcement 101

This notice was posted on the front door of an unsightly residence in Springdale on May 9, 2011.  I took the picture nearly a month later on June 7. The notice was faded from having been hanging in the sun for so long, but nothing on this property had been cleaned up.

How long does it take Springdale's Code Enforcement officers to follow up?

Get someone out there to clean it up, and send the owners the bill.  If that doesn't work, slap a lien on the property. What are you waiting for? A bonus from the mayor, perhaps?

Stay tuned for a series of photos relating to code violations taken in and around the fine city of Springdale...  for your viewing pleasure.



Springdale Cashes In

Springdale is cashing in on their higher percentage of immigrants and the increased revenue they receive after the 2010 census. Mayor Doug Sprouse knows exactly what he plans to do with the windfall.

Sprouse presented a proposal to the so-called "Finance Committee" (which by the way is just the current city council members), that the money be used to to give city employees a $600 bonus. What possessed Sprouse to hand out bonuses at the same time we are the only city in the area showing decreased sales tax revenues is beyond me.

According to Wyman Morgan, the increased census revenue will total $336,000 and the cost of the proposed bonuses would be about $294,000. No word yet on Sprouse's plans for the remaining $44,000, but I'm sure the Chamber of Commerce has their hands out.

The NWA Regional Planning Commission is currently working on the stretch of trail that will be going through the heart of Springdale. As people travel through our town, they will be hit in the face with the stench of the sewage treatment plant right before they get to the algae cesspool that is currently Lake Springdale. Ron Moore of the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission said the extent of the algae bloom this year is cause for concern and could cause a fish kill. Won't that make a stunning backdrop to your nature walk? They won't be able to jog through this town fast enough.
 
The bonuses the city employees receive will most likely be spent at one of the malls (in Rogers or Fayetteville) or on restaurant row anyway. They might recoup a cent or or two in sales tax revenue from Shave Planet at the top of the hill - if they're lucky.

Springdale needs funding for the animal shelter, Meals on Wheels, Ozark Transit and more code enforcement officers who will follow up and do something about the enormous number of violations. It wouldn't hurt you to give back the funding you cut from the library and Shiloh Museum either.

Beat on the Street

The beat on the street is Springdale Chamber of Commerce President/CEO Perry Webb is taking a month long sabbatical due to the extreme stress level of his job.  We all know how hard it can be constantly traveling to Florida, California, Las Vegas and the like. Webb has been seen lounging at the Springdale Country Club resting himself ... and who can blame him?  Wouldn't you spend your days playing golf and sipping cocktails if someone else was picking up the tab?

What has Webb so stressed out?  Who knows. Maybe it is the unfavorable publicity last week about how every city in the area had increased sales tax revenue EXCEPT for Springdale, which had a decline. The newspaper article has been archived, but the comments were the best part anyway and they go something like this:

Taxpayers of Springdale PAY the Chickenoplis Chamber of Commerce a hefty sum, $200,000 per year. That's a million dollars every 5 yrs. For what? Chamber turned their back on Sam's Wholesale Club. We lost that and the million of tax revenues that went with Sam's Club. Why? So the Chamber could protect one of their own, namely the local liquor store monoply.

Indeed.

Does Springdale have a Chamber of Commerce? What do they do?

They go to China, Las Vegas and Mt. Magazine to have economic discussions for S-dale.

The City decided that of the two cultural destinations that remain Shiloh Museum could have it's funding cut while they heap money on a useless Chamber of Commerce. That shows you the level of foolishness that runs rampant. Scroll through some old posts on Springdale FOI and learn how the good ol boys club works.

http://foiaspringdale.blogspot.com/

Thanks for the shout out, cdawg.  It's good to know someone is paying attention.  Be careful Mr. Madoff Webb, the citizens of this town might be catching on.

NO Competition for the SLA

I thought Representative Jon Woods and his travelling companion, Jim Phillips had been keeping a pretty low profile lately. Apparently, Woods has been very busy working on declaring February 6 "Ronald Reagan Day" so he found someone else to introduce the dirty work.

Rep. Robert Dale has sponsored House Bill 1282 at the request of the Arkansas Beverage Retailers Association. Dale claims the bill is not targeted at Macadoodles, but he believes liquor stores should be locally owned.

Macadoodles had plans to open three more stores in Arkansas, but if Bill 1282, which was set to be heard this morning in a State Senate Committee passes, it will effectively stop Macadoodles from opening Arkansas franchises. However, it conveniently won't affect stores in existence from 1971 to 1993. I wonder who will benefit from that? The House of Representatives approved the bill last week with a 92-3 vote.

The always insightful State Senator Sue Madison said she has not studied the bill, but worries we will end up with a liquor store on every street corner and maybe even drive-through martini bars like they have in Louisiana.

No matter where you stand on liquor sales or consumption, this law is a bad idea. It won't rid the state of liquor sales, only assure the Springdale Liquor Cartel is allowed to continue its monopoly.

The Journey of Ernie

Lottery Director Ernie Passailaigue, who makes more than $324,000 per year, irritated lottery commission members last year when he didn't know that the Legislature passed a bill that rolled money from unclaimed prizes into scholarships instead of the marketing budget. A state audit later detailed thirteen areas in which the lottery's books weren't kept correctly or procedures weren't followed. Who knows why Arkansas thought Passailaigue deserved a salary that is $100,000 more per year than the same job he was doing in South Carolina.

The 2010 Arkansas Million Dollar Raffle is also a bust. The lottery commission keeps running the same television commercial over and over ad nauseam. However, it would explain why Passailaigue was trying to funnel extra money into the marketing budget.

The ten dollar price tag was supposed to be overshadowed by the better odds of winning a million dollar prize.  The lottery website said the drawings could be held as early as September 2010. Even though the website doesn't tell us how many tickets still need to be sold, I have a ticket purchased in June. I assume it will be a while longer.

Last December, the legislative panel that oversees the Arkansas lottery said it is considering a move to reduce scholarship award amounts by ten percent. What an idea, but I have another one. Cut the lottery administrations salary by ten percent and keep the scholarships as promised.

The Morning Snooze

The other night after a long day at the office, I settled in on the couch to watch a movie when my doorbell rang. There, standing in the dark shadows was a large, intimidating man selling subscriptions for the Springdale Morning News.

It is no secret that the Morning News is not really a newspaper about news in Springdale. The front page today is about a lady that moved from Cincinnati to Fayetteville. That's right, Fayetteville. The online edition isn't any better: Houston man relocates to Arkansas. Exciting stuff, no doubt.

I did learn that the city's No Knock Ordinance is as useless as the local paper. According to Ordinance 82-1:

Prior to engaging in the practice of peddling or soliciting at private residences, all persons must first obtain a copy of the list of residents who desire no peddling or soliciting at their private residence. Any peddler or solicitor who contacts any owner or owners, occupant or occupants of said private residences who are on the list, shall be in violation of this section.

After contacting the newspaper and the authorities I quickly found out what the punishment is for violating the ordinance. Section 1-9 claims:

...a person convicted of a violation of this Code shall be punished by a fine not exceeding $1,000.00, or double such sum for each repetition thereof...

There is no punishment for a violation. Not even a slap on the wrist. What I did get was an obnoxious phone call from someone at the Morning News who advised me it is their "constitutional right" to send Guido out to peddle their rag door to door regardless of any list the city clerk keeps. The man told me they partner with the city and the police department and the police are sick of people calling them about this! Besides, he said people move a lot and the new residents probably don't want to be on the no knock list.

Really?

Our local paper is a waste of time and trees unless you can't live without knowing where the Chamber of Commerce and Mayor are traveling this week.

The Fine Art of Hiding

Every year when it is time to approve the budget, Springdale Mayor Doug Sprouse starts acting a little strange.  Last year, he had some form of temporary amnesia and forgot to post the budget meetings on the community calendar. Heaven forbid the commoner show up and ask questions or something.

This year, according to eyewitnesses, Mayor Sprouse and a local attorney engaged in an entertaining verbal sparring session at the most recent city council meeting.  I was anxious to see it on the city's website, but after full five days, it still isn't there.  I wonder if it was a 'tape malfunction' like the last time a city council meeting got heated and made Perry Webb look bad.

The Jones Television Station was contacted to find out if there was a camera malfunction or other reason for the delay.  Jones TV stated that their tapings are directly linked and immediately available on the city's website.

Hmmm

Screwed Again

The taxpayers of Springdale are about to get screwed AGAIN.

Apparently, the Chamber of Commerce membership drive hasn't been going as well as they hoped because yesterday, (11/23/10) Chamber Cheerleader Steve Caraway reported that Mayor Sprouse has included a request in the proposed 2011 budget to bump up the contribution to the chamber organization an additional $50,000.

 In the same article:

"The mayor’s budget estimates general fund income at $27.62 million and expenses at $27.69 million, a shortfall of $60,000."

The Mayor says:

"I regret that we're unable to include compensation increases in my proposed 2011 budget."

It doesn't take a genius or a calculator to see the easiest way to make up the shortfall. Why would we even consider increasing the Chamber's pot to $227,500 a year when they have refused all requests in the past to show us where they are spending our money? Do they need a dictionary to know that a self-appreciating newsletter is not an invoice?

Do you have an opinion on the proposed 2011 budget? Let Mayor Sprouse know. dsprouse@SpringdaleAR.gov
Phone: (479) 750-8114

Who Dares Question Authority?

For those of you who missed the Springdale City Council meeting on November 9, I urge you to suffer through it. Perry Madoff announced that the money the Chamber of Commerce receives from the City, Advertising and Promotion, and Public Facilities will be now be dedicated 100% to a newly created Economic Development Division, which he claims is separate from whatever it is the Chamber does. No longer unemployed, Lance Eads thinks he is in charge of this creative new way to fleece the taxpayers without their knowledge.

During this meeting, Alderwoman Kathy Jaycox asks Madoff if the Chamber will present the invoices some people have been asking for to the council for review. The President/CEO was visibly defensive, condescending, and downright rude to Mrs. Jaycox. No other member of the council said a peep.

Blowin' Smoke

The 2010 Northwest Arkansas State Barbecue Championship was held at the Arvest Ballpark this past weekend. From what I hear, Smoke on the Water Productions typically draws a big crowd to these competitions. Springdale managed to draw 27 teams to compete for the $3500 top prize.

This press release and this article give credit for the event to the Springdale Chamber of Commerce.

Here, credit is given to the Advertising and Promotion Commission. This is still Perry Webb in charge, but with a different title.

Perhaps it was an accident or maybe a misguided attempt to drum up business, but word got out to the locals that this was the place to be for some free BBQ! Who could pass that up? Apparently, some hungry folks ended up meandering through the contestants cooking area and just helped themselves to some finger-licking food - straight off the grills. Mmm Mmm.

I won't dwell on the fact that the carnival came to a brief standstill because they ran out of diesel for the rides or that phone calls were made to some local antique car owners who were offered $50 bucks if they would hurry up and get some cars down there.

To be fair, I did hear that the concert was good - if you overlook the fight the broke out in the middle of it.

Maybe next year, if there is a next year, it will be better. I wouldn't call the event an epic failure, but maybe someday the city leaders will figure out what the common denominator is so that this event doesn't suffer the same fate as Featherfest...

Doubt About Stout?

Six-term Springdale City Council Alderman, Bobby Stout has announced he will run for re-election this fall.

Stout claims he has done a wonderful job for Springdale over the years. He credits himself with building up the funds the city is surviving on in these lean times. He also claims he has been diligently working on implementing a trail system for the past ten years. Funny, I don't recall him mentioning trails before...

Stout was recently quoted as saying, “We need to work closer with people like the Chamber of Commerce to increase the city’s revenue."

If increasing revenue is his goal, why did he side with Jim Phillips' attorney trying to block Macadoodles from getting a liquor permit transfered to Springdale? Stout was the ONLY councilman to vote against the transfer.

Rick Culver, President of the Rodeo of the Ozarks board of directors is said to be running against Stout.

Yee Haw Davis

Lane Adams, Director of Account Services at CJRW Northwest presented a proposal to the Springdale Advertising and Promotion Commission on Tuesday to purchase a list of 1500 names to conduct a telephone survey to increase attendance to the 2011 Rodeo of the Ozarks.

Total cost of this survey? Twelve thousand, three hundred fifty dollars or nine dollars per surveyed caller.

Adams didn't say who they would be purchasing these names and numbers from and when asked who would be conducting the survey, Adams talked in circles about a third-party vendor without ever answering the question.

That leaves it wide open for me to guess the money will either end up back into the lining of Perry's pockets or the traveling Mullikin's.

Lance Eads is the chairman of this commission, but it's clearly Perry's playpen.

I've got to tell you, I was impressed with the guy with the accent. Roger Davis, from the Holiday Inn and Convention Center. He was paying attention. Davis pointed out that the A and P budget will be close to $25,000 in the hole by year end and maybe a survey wouldn't be the best use of said hole.

"It's not advertising and it's not promotion," said Davis.

Thanks to Davis speaking up, the vote was postponed until the next A and P snoozefest allowing him time to do some homework and find out how the rodeo board wants their money spent .

Stay tuned...

The Booze Brothers

Liquor permit denials for two Walgreens stores in Springdale a couple months back produced little more than yawns from the locals. Macadoodles finally opened so I guess nobody noticed at the time.

Representative Jon Woods, R-Springdale, has reportedly been spotted carpooling to Little Rock with none other than Springdale Liquor Association (SLA), Prince Jim Phillips. The purpose of their road trips? To attend ABC Board Meetings and object to liquor permit requests for Springdale businesses like Walgreens and EZ Mart. This isn't the first time these two have been spotted behaving in a suspicious manner.

In an interesting side note, Woods made the Top 20 list of lawmakers pocketing the most per diem, mileage and expense reimbursements in 2009. I guess we know who pays for the gas.

It is apparent that it's not the liquor Woods is fussing about. He doesn't object to permits for restaurants and bars. Maybe he doesn't want to rock the boat at establishments his band may play at one day.  No, it seems pretty obvious he is only objecting to businesses that could be competition for his traveling companion.

ABC Director Michael Langley said almost every Arkansas Walgreens located in a wet county was granted permission to sell beer and small farm wines.

Woods is not working for Springdale. Email him at woodsj@arkleg.state.ar.us and let him know.

Disturbing Discovery

Springdale police arrested William Cannon, 43, after discovering a room full of pictures of children.

The Springdale Fire Marshal found the pictures while inspecting the E-Z Credit Auto. After entering a room at the back of the store, police said he discovered nude images of children on the walls and disturbing posters with sayings like "I eat little boys" and "boy sex."

Police say Cannon had turned his room into a violent and disturbing shrine to little boys. They seized more than a dozen printed or photocopied images of nude or partially nude children from the room. In addition, police said they discovered missing children's posters, toys and even children's underwear.

Cannon told police he considered everything on display in his room to be works of art.

Employees at the store said Cannon worked there as a security guard. They said Cannon kept his room locked at all times and they knew nothing about what was inside.

The Next Best

CNNMoney.com has ranked Rogers, Arkansas number 10 on their list of the 100 best small cities to live in 2010, based in large part to Wal-Mart headquarters, which is actually located in Bentonville.

Last November, Bloomberg Businessweek claimed Springdale was the best place to raise a family and listed Tyson Foods and Arvest Ballpark as the big draw. Of course, the Springdale Chamber of Commerce took out a half-page newspaper ad crediting themselves with the achievement, but that's another story.

Now if JB Hunt gets Lowell named the best of something else, we'll really be onto something.

Graffiti

It is interesting that there were 400 cases of 'graffiti' reported last year in Springdale compared to 133 in Rogers and 28 in Fayetteville. However, I don't think what is being reported as graffiti really is. What I have seen is tagging - you know a name or letters spray painted on something. That's not graffiti.

That being said, to combat the vandalism problem, Springdale recently purchased a power wash graffiti removal system that will cost the city about $50,000 a year to operate. In order to fund it, businesses will pay an extra dollar each month on their water bill.

Springdale is also considering updating their current graffiti ordinance, making it illegal to purchase spray paint if you are under the age of 18. This is a common practice in other places, however, I question how effective it can be without limiting the access to paint also.

In any event, while pondering all of this I came up with a few alternate ways to fund the new power washing program.
 1 ... 2 ... 3

Good Samaritans Stimulate the Economy

Television station KNWA reported police broke up a large, underage drinking party last Thursday at the faith-based Samaritan Community Center Thrift Store in Springdale's Mathias Plaza.
 
A clerk at neighboring business, Take Two Video called police when she noticed numerous people going in and out of the thrift store after hours with the lights turned out.

Times sure have changed. It used to be when police broke up a teenage party, they would just call the parents to come get them. I have been told that every teen present at this party was arrested and charged with minor in possession of alcohol and possession of drug paraphernalia for the hookah.

Springdale may have come up with an efficient new way to stimulate the local economy. Just think of the huge boost to revenue collected from fines, increased business for local attorneys and conserving fuel in the squad cars all at the same time.

The Warehouse District

The June 8 Springdale City Council meeting was about more than the lame excuses for how the Chamber of Commerce spends our tax money. Try debating whether or not putting up metal warehouse buildings in a residential area is good economic development.

Alderman Bobby Stout needs to put down the pipe. Patsy Christy spent fifteen minutes explaining all changes to the Land Use Plan. When she is finished Stout wakes up and says, "Now what all changed?" Seriously.

The Planning Commission recommended they review the area around Wagon Wheel, Silent Grove and Apple Blossom again in two years and hopefully they would have more information about the 412 northern bypass at that time.

Perry Webb took to the podium claiming that companies have been contacting him like crazy. BIG companies with billions...repeat (Webb does) BILLIONS of dollars in potential projects. These mystery big spenders are just begging for this spot of land despite the fact that it will not have an exit for interstate access, does not have city sewer and the Planning Commission has twice recommended to the city NOT to change the land use for this area.

Resident David Gilbert said, "We've heard Mr. Webb tell us about business, business, business...well, we live there."

Springdale Attorney Jeff Slaton who lives in the area that would be affected said it is highly unlikely the northern 412 bypass will be built within the next nine years. Slaton, like others was asking the council to wait and see what develops with the bypass.

Slaton also invited Webb to share the information he has with us about who wants to build there. We will anxiously await his reply.

I've heard the whispers that if the property owners last name were something different, this would not be an issue.

The Fox

After a pledge, prayers, boy scouts and a photo-op, the June 8 Springdale City Council Meeting got underway.

About 6:20 minutes into the video, Mayor Sprouse tells us it is time for citizen comments. As a citizen, the mayor's traveling companion, Perry Webb takes the podium and tells the audience how the mayor had asked him - that very morning - to supply the council and the city with invoices of the chamber of commerce economic development activity for the first five months of the year. Maybe some people had been complaining or something.

The excitement didn't last long. Once again, the city is allowing this elusive and exclusive group to do whatever they want - including nothing - without any accountability. If you find economic development activity anywhere on page one let me know. Don't waste your time looking any further than that because the other months are just a photocopy of the first.

As a steward of the taxpayers' money, the mayor should be ashamed.

Doing the Math

A recent request for documentation showing what a check the Springdale Chamber of Commerce paid to President/CEO Perry Webb's daughter was for leaves more questions than answers.

First, we received the copy of the check back with "answered phones" written on it. Okay, that sounds reasonable enough.

Second, we were provided a weekly time record with somebody's name scribbled out and that of Sarah Gordley written in above it - in two places. Okay, that seems a little weird.

According to my calculator, Ms. Gordley was paid $22.222222222222222222222222222222 per hour for four and a half hours in order to equal the hundred dollar paycheck she received. This doesn't even take into consideration the fact they claim the work performed was in October and the check wasn't written until December.

Another explanation from the local CoC, that just doesn't add up.

Business Intelligence Report

In an effort to look like you're getting something for your money, the Chamber of Commerce is now distributing what they have deemed "The Business Intelligence Report" to their dues-paying members.

President/CEO Perry Webb takes credit for each new business license purchased in Springdale while claiming this new publication is FILLED with quality data gleaned from local research as well as from some of the nation's top business resources.

I'm trying to keep a straight face.

The Iconoclast: The Soul of Springdale - January 9, 2009