Tempers flared at Monday night’s Copperhill City Council meeting as Barbara Beaver insisted that city workers keep the old cemetery maintained and Paul Perry recounted an earlier disagreement with city recorder Sandi Collins.

Beaver, who worked to restore the old pioneer cemetery and to have it included on the Copperhill Historic District on the National Register of Historic Places, has been a regular speaker at council meetings. For the past few meetings, she has been insistent that city workers be scheduled for cemetery maintenance on a regular basis. Mayor Cecil Arp said he will send them to the cemetery when there is time available and added he is personally working at the site as part of a Kiwanis community service effort. Beaver said that’s good “but why not city workers? I want an answer,” she said several times. Arp said they have priorities and emergencies like water leaks and Beaver asked if emergencies take all 30 days in a month. Arp said they have to check water meters and Beaver asked how many there are and how long it takes.

At one point, City Police Chief Terri Sticker asked Beaver not to interrupt so Arp could answer. Beaver said it was an open meeting and it is her right to interrupt. Arp continued trying to explain the job duties of city workers and Beaver continued to insist that there should be time for cemetery work. She said the city has accepted a quitclaim deed to the property and had a responsibility. Arp said he had not received paperwork on the deed transfer and Beaver assured him it has been recorded. Arp repeated he could not promise a schedule.

Keith Ballew, who was at the meeting for another meter, pointed out the city owns the streets and sidewalks and there are places with weeds up to his knees. He told Beaver, “I’m getting tired of you coming to every meeting telling them what they should do. You’re not on the council.” He said the city has tried for years to keep up the cemetery, adding, “That’s just the way cemeteries are. The city is not obligated to do anything. This is ridiculous.” Beaver said she was born and raised in Copperhill and is proud of the cemetery, adding, “You should be, too. These are our forefathers.” She said she didn’t appreciate anything he said, adding, “It’s because of people like you that the cemetery is that way.”

Ballew said his family is buried in another cemetery in Copperhill and family members have maintained it for longer than the old city cemetery. Beaver said there are a lot of graves, especially babies, who do not have anybody to maintain them in the old city cemetery, adding it is the only cemetery in the city. Ballew shot back, “that shows how much you know,” noting the cemetery in Staffordtown is in the city. He left the meeting, saying he had wasted enough time on this. Beaver said she would be back, noting it is an open meeting, then turned to Arp and asked if he would have somebody working at the cemetery. Arp said he would if there was time after water/sewer emergencies, garbage pickup, street clearing, vacations and other duties. Beaver insisted it is the city’s responsibility, noting the work will take longer if it is delayed.

Bill Standridge made a motion to adjourn, but Paul Perry said he wanted to speak. Arp asked if he wanted to apologize to Collins and Perry said she should apologize to him. Arp said he would feel better if they would apologize to each other.

Last week, Perry came to city hall to ask about trespassing laws because he didn’t want druggies using his property adjacent to the cemetery. Paul Hunter and Collins suggested he put up signs and Perry asked if the city could put up a sign on the cemetery side. Collins said no. Collins said Perry told her she was lucky he didn’t bring a lawsuit against her for voicing an opinion earlier that the property adjacent to the cemetery should not be sold to Perry. “I can voice my opinion,” Collins said, adding, “I’m not here to be abused, which I have been plenty of times.” She said Perry comes in and disrupts her work and he said she doesn’t do anything, adding she has to stop what she’s doing to talk to him.

Perry said Collins had said, in front of witnesses, that he shouldn’t get the property because he caused so much trouble for the town. Collins said she didn’t know about the town but he had caused her plenty of trouble. Perry said she caused him trouble, noting she could not even find out who owned the property next to the cemetery. Arp said he had to go to the Courthouse in Benton to get that information. Beaver asked how the city can send tax bills without that information. Collins explained that the state prepares the tax bills and she gets cards, which are filed alphabetically. She said she does not have a computer program that can be searched.

Beaver commented that she and Perry do not disrupt Collins’ work, noting city hall is a public office. Collins said she doesn’t know why they want to come in and bother her. “I’m supposed to be working for the citizens of Copperhill,” she said. Beaver said she had the right to ask for any information she wants. “You have it in for us,” she said. Collins said she did not. Beaver said, “Then why don’t you hush?” Collins asked, “Why don’t you hush?”

Arp said he thought there had been enough discussion.

Standridge repeated his motion to adjourn, which was seconded and approved.