City doesn’t foresee fee information campaign
Posted on Friday, March 30, 2007
URL: http://www.nwanews.com/nwat/News/51598/
The city of Fayetteville is not planning an education campaign on the road impact fee election, as was done for the sales tax election, because its officials believe people aren’t interested.
“ If there was a demand I’m sure that we would respond, ” said Susan Thomas, public information / policy advisor for the city.
Thomas said she has not received any calls from residents about the impact fee election, unlike the sales tax election, when there was a steady stream of requests for presentations to various groups, such as ward meetings, neighborhood associations and the Fayetteville Chamber of Commerce.
The sales tax election was a complicated issue with multiple components that dealt with $ 110 million in bonds, Thomas said. That $ 110 million included $ 42 million needed to cover the excess cost of the $ 183 million Wastewater System Improvement Project, which was divided into two ballot questions. The other questions covered $ 65. 9 million for street projects and $ 2. 1 million for Scull Creek Trail.
Thomas said that while organizationally she reports to Mayor Dan Coody, she, like all city staff, do work for aldermen as well. As for the education campaign on the sales tax, Thomas said that was a team effort in response to requests from the public.
“ We did that because it clearly needed to be done, because people were confused, ” she said.
She said that as in the case with the recent annexation election, there was not an education campaign because their was no demand. If asked, city staff will make information available, she said, as was done by Tim Conklin, director of planning and development management, who put information on the city’s Web site.
The idea of education on demand rankles one of the impact fees supporters, who believes there would be more demand if the city made an effort to inform people about the election.
“ I don’t buy that. I think that’s a ridiculous argument, ” said Jim Bemis, a member of Vote For Fayetteville, an organization supporting the impact fees.
Many residents don’t even know about the election, Bemis said, because there has been no effort by the city, but then “ why the hell would the city want to inform the people ?”
Bemis said it took a request by residents gathered for a Ward 4 meeting to get any information on the city’s Web site. The city hasn’t made any effort to educate the public about the impact fees, but it spent considerable amounts of time, energy and money on the sales tax campaign, he said.
“ They did a complete apple polishing job on the sales tax, including very, very egregious violations on city government channel use, ” Bemis said.
Bemis said Vote For Fayetteville has had similar difficulties getting the city to announce a forum on the election, which will feature representatives on both sides of the issue.
Ward 4 Alderman Lioneld Jordan, the foremost proponent of the impact fees, said he has not asked for any kind of education campaign from the city, but left it up to the administration.
Jordan said he has had numerous calls asking where the various aldermen stand on the issue, which is why he has proposed a resolution of support to be considered Tuesday by the City Council. He said at this point there is only a grass roots campaign pushing the impact fees, but he will likely ask Thomas to put information together.
In addition to the city’s education campaign, the sales tax election saw the creation of Citizens 4 Fayetteville, which supported the sales tax. It has now reunited to oppose the impact fees.
Early voting on the impact fees for roads will continue until the Monday before special election, which is scheduled for April 10. Early voting is available from 8 a. m. to 4: 30 p. m. Monday through Friday at the Washington County Courthouse.
The ballot and road impact fee ordinance can be found on the city’s Web site, www. accessfayetteville. org.
Information from proponents of the fees can be found at www. voteforfayetteville. org.
The opponents’ Web site is www. citizens 4 fayetteville. org.
Scheduled participants
IMPACT FEE FORUM
Kyle Kellams, moderator, KUAF radio host and news director
Kyle Cook, Fayetteville alderman
Bobby Ferrell, Fayetteville alderman
Mike Henry, Metro Board of Realtors president-elect
Ben Israel, chairman and CEO of Dixie Development
Lioneld Jordan, Fayetteville alderman
Jeff Koenig, Chamber>of Commerce member ! Don Marr, HR Factor president
Bobby New, Fayetteville Superintendent
Kevin Santos, University of Arkansas planner
Stephen Smith, University of Arkansas communications professor