Wednesday, June 17, 2009

City Commission meeting,

People have been camping for years at Walnut Park, and Newman Park in Arkansas City. Soon they will have to pay a small fee for staying there, after the city commission passed a new ordinance assessing fees on campers, at its meeting Tuesday.

The ordinance also provides a structure for allowing camping a Parks Park and Carver Park on special occasions with a permit from the city.

Russell Graves, who runs a campground just south of the city, objected to the ordinance, feeling that the city was going to be competing with him.

City Manager Steve Archer said the ordinance is designed to allow the city to recover some of its costs as people are able to use water and electricity there now without paying.

The fee will be $15 for 72 hours at Newman or Walnut parks. The other two parks will have the same fee, and will require approval from the city during special events.

Archer explained that the ordinance is being set up with vendors at festivals in mind, particularly the Renaissance Festival planned for Arkansas City in August. The Last Run Car show, and Arkalalah could also have campers.

Commissioners said they did not believe the move would cause Graves a problem. Commissioner Dotty Smith said if the festival goes as planned, it should create additional business for his operation.

She also told him to come back if he finds that the move creates competition with his operation.


See the rest of the story on the web site

Today's cop notes have also been posted

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31 comments:

  1. JJ -I'm curious. Why do you want to stay in Ark City? I've lived here all my life, and I would think if you weren't from here, there wouldn't be anything to keep you here? Just curious?

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  2. What is going to happen when the people who come and camp during Arkalalah show up to camp at their normal spot not realizing there is a new ordinance that makes them pay?

    Also, doesn't Wal-Mart allow people to park campers in their lot for free?

    I am curious about why you would want to stay here also. I grew up here, and if I weren't tied down by a job and family I would leave a flame trail out of this town like Doc Brown's Delorian. This used to be a great place to live and raise kids, but it's not any more.

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  3. Wal-mart allows peope to park for free but their not using water and electricity, I can't believe anyone hasn't made them pay before. And it is ok if Graves has some competition in camping -- hello, this is America not a monopoly! That sounds kinda silly to me.

    And I agree, if I wasn't tied down here I'd scoot! This just isn't as nice of place as it use to be!

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  4. Basically I like it here.
    I have lived prettier places. My favorite was still the east coast, but if you're not on the beach, summer can be pretty miserable.
    95 degrees, 95 percent humidity, not a cloud in the sky.
    But the reason I am staying is that I see an opportunity here, to make something happen.
    To be part of something.
    Its a vision.

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  5. JJ - Here is a story idea for you, or maybe your buddies at newscow. A year ago at the Country Roundup shindig one of the organizers was arrested for suspected rape. The guys name was Stewart, he is not from around here. What ever happened with the case? It was a big story for a little while about a year ago.

    Thanks!

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  6. Dear Disgruntled

    You family surly is not tying you down and if my job were a burden I would find something else.

    It looks like your real problem is your relationship with what should be most dear to you. It’s just convenient to blame every thing on something else, so sad. You are ending your life early.

    Tell the doctor he is lessening.

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  7. Am I the only one who can't make sense of that? I think the Doctor is self medicating!

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  8. Is the Doctor getting smaller? LMFAO

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  9. No you are not the only one who is blinded by his own hypocrisies, its quit common in any industrialized nation.
    You see they watch too much television and too much Internet. The fact is, you will never have a Ferrari and your wife will never be a super model and you will never be a Pro athlete or racecar driver.
    You most likely have a car and if you are lucky a wife and most likely could get up off your rump and do something. But you have chosen to complain; to bad it’s a grand life if you embrace it. Like the Nike commercials, people out doing things!

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  10. JJ, help me out. I have only lived here 45+ plus years. As stated in your commisson story about park permits. "Where is Parks, park."

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  11. I see a bid for commissioner in JJ's future.

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  12. Dr, Huxtable, If you wish to appear smarter than anyone here, you may want to learn spell and use proper grammar.

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  13. If I said Parks park, I meant Paris Park.
    hmmm byte, was there anything in my story that would make you say that?
    If im still here, ... who knows.
    I am planning on staying, but one has to do what one has to do.
    Im trying to make something happen.
    If it doesnt work out, ... at least I will have given it a good shot.
    Ill sleep well :)

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  14. I am projecting. And that wasn't a no. =)

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  15. byte's giving you a big hint JJ!

    I understand where the poster is coming from about being unhappy here. I suspect because of change. I have known people who have moved and moved right back within a couple years. Sometimes the grass is not always greener somewhere else. AC is not hte only town with city and commission issues, its everywhere.

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  16. Yea, i know Byte is giving me a hint. Several people have.
    If im still here, I will run ok.
    But yall have to support the blog and website so I can eat between now and then.
    Tell people about the blog and site. Tell me what you want to see on here.
    Click on my ads. Go to my electronic store and shop. I thought that was a cool idea, there are page ive set up with links to various companies.
    First was shoes. There are lots of links to shoes.
    On the electronic store, I get a commisson on items sold.

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  17. We have Doty, Mel and Patrick and now you want JJ? Think I'll move.. :)

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  18. I just want to know where they got Robert Gibbs, ok I give you that Obama can give a good speech when he's got his crutch the teleprompter -- but this Gibbs guy is worse than Bush at public speaking!! And do they really brief him before he goes out or does he just forget all of it? Time for a change in press secretaries please...!!

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  19. And this relates to the post how???
    We get it. People in KS do not like anything Democratic. Wait a few years and you'll have another chance to vote red and then complain for 4 more years.
    If you want to know where they got Gibbs, look it up. I believe he used to coach football or drive in circles or something....

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  20. Dear 9-17-09 @ 9:53
    U oddvesly r un a waer of tha fakt that spelling & grammer r knot prerekrezits 2 intellagents. Far instance Benjamin Franklin, Einstein and JHF to name a fu who wer poar spellers.
    So if u dont want 2 look dumber than you r; engage brain before engaging in conversation
    Please, if I can ever help get in touch.

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  21. Overcompensation as a defense mechanism...a doctor at age 13??

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  22. A stupid comment is a cry for attention!
    Maybe I can help you, I will be a challenge.

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  23. Umm do we have a spelling bee challenge? I will be the judge. We can have it before the pie eating contest and but after the "who can catch the greased pig in a circle" game. I love these kinds of challenges. Let me get Roscoe to get my white caddy fired and drive me to the park where this will all go down. Gotta make sure flash rides in back, dam slobber and hair on my suit will look terrible!

    Boss Hog

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  24. That is an interesting idea. We should have a Boss Hog / Dukes of Hazzard days if we are going to have a Renaissance Festival. Now we are talking. How about a Daisy Dukes contest to start things out?

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  25. Anywhere in the US but here! Yuk. Will they be required to have tacky calf tattoos and cigarettes?

    Whose idea was the Ren Fest? Sounds like the Arts Council.

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  26. And it is ok if Graves has some competition in camping -- hello, this is America not a monopoly! That sounds kinda silly to me.


    Competition from a private business is wonderful. I believe the question is, should our businesses be competing with our government? I thought city government should support private local businesses and not create situations to bankrupt them.

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  27. The city is looking to recoop expenses from the campers with this new ordinance. Intereting enough, when asked they could not produce numbers on what those expenses were. Why is that? How can they claim a loss if they do not know what the loss is?

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  28. I would think it would help him. Before they could pay to camp at his place or the city for free...now they have to pay both places -- so how does that hurt his business? I would think now they would prefer a place with more amenities and before they were picking to camp for free? Explain the logic on that?

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  29. @ Dr. Huxtable --

    Mel, are you wearing your black face again silly?

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  30. The camping at Newman Park and Walnut Park was free and the ordinance may actually improve his situation there. However, the addition of Carver and Paris Park camping will kill his business during the car show and Arkalalah. The $5/day fee the city intends to collect for electricity will not be enough to cover their expenses. The AC tax payer will pick up the remaining bill. I thought the point of having events such as these was to bring people and their $ to local businesses. Lodging and dining stand to benefit the most. Now, instead of AC residents making money, we will be shelling it out.

    I think the city commission and residents of this town just look at it like it's "one man". What they do not see is that this "one man" is not a naysayer. He believes in this town and has devoted a lot of time and money to it's success. He has a dream and a positive attitude. If they continue to shut down and turn off his kind, this town will shrivel up and die. His kind is a very slim minority. I think it's in the city's best interest to consider his input and compromise enough to keep him up and running.

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  31. As I understand it, it will be for vendors and other people directly involved in the activity.
    It is not going to be for the general public, and people will have to get approval.
    The city can reject an applcant for any reason, or for no reason.

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