Cooperation between the city and the Property Owners Association is vital to ensure a successful future in Bella Vista, officials from both groups said at a March 24 joint meeting at Riordan Hall.
"This is a new beginning," Mayor Peter Christie said in his opening remarks. "(The POA and I) have been working together (since) before the election to make (Bella Vista) better. Your concerns are my concerns."
Bella Vista Community Television will air the Town Hall meeting at 1 and 7 p.m. on Sunday, April 5, and again at 7:30 p.m. on Monday April 6.
BVCTV is on Cox Communications channel 222 and AT&T channel 99.
About 75 people attended the first town hall meeting between the city and POA. The entire City Council attended, along with several POA board members. Dana Davis, president and CEO of the Bentonville-Bella Vista Chamber of Commerce, spoke after the evening's introductions.
Echoing the message of cooperation, Davis said the Chamber has a desire to partner with the city and POA to grow Bella Vista's quality of life.
"There's an opportunity for growth, and working together can make that happen," Davis said.
The meeting's genial tone soured somewhat during the public comment period, when several residents assailed the POA's recent hiring of Ashlee Napier as marketing manger. Residents questioned her qualifications, the need for a marketing position and why the POA would hire her despite more-pressing needs.
"Let's clean up (our) house first," said Chuck Leffler, who's comment drew applause from the audience. "What is here, happening in the village, needs to be spruced up. Why can't something be done?"
Mary Miller, said the onus is on residents, not the POA or city.
"Community activism is important," she added. "We need to get off our butts and have neighborhood initiatives."
Miller spoke from experience, pointing to several successful neighborhood clean-up initiatives she's been involved with.
Christie said he agrees wholeheartedly with the comments, adding that there are plans in the works to address some of the issues.
"We're looking at similar ordinances from Texas with more teeth in them," he said, which could give code enforcement officers more power to impose compliance. "We're also working to bring in more (retail and commercial development) but we're trying to keep the community we cherish."
Christie added that he has a solid working relationship with the POA and Cooper Communities Inc., because they're all "of the same mind." CCI is the devleoper of BellaVista Village.
"We put the emotion (aside). This is us pulling together," he said.
Near the end of the meeting, which lasted about two hours, Christie urged residents to shop locally, be open to communication and look towards a bright future in Bella Vista.
General News on 04/01/2015