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11/01/2018 r MINUTES WEST MEMPHIS CITY COUNCIL November 1, 2018 A regular meeting of the West Memphis City Council was held on Thursday, November 1, 2018, at 1:30 p.m. in the City Council Chambers at City Hall, 205 S. Redding, West Memphis,Arkansas. Invocation was given by David Dobbs; followed by the Pledge of Allegiance led by VFW representative Jim Fiveash. Mayor Johnson called the meeting to order at 1:30 p.m. City Clerk, Phillip Para called the roll. Those present were: Mayor William H. Johnson, City Attorney Michael Stephenson, City Treasurer Frank Martin, and Council Members: Willis Mondy,James Holt, Wayne Croom, Melanie Hutchinson, Lorraine Robinson,Tracy Catt,James Pulliaum, Ramona Taylor, and Marco McClendon. Absent were: Helen Harris. Quorum being present, Mayor Johnson proceeded with the meeting. BID OPENINGS WEST MEMPHIS UTILITIES(1) 2000 3 PHASE PADMOUNT TRANSFORMER Council Member Taylor made a motion, seconded by Council Member Pulliaum to refer the West Memphis Utilities (1) 2000 3 phase Padmount Transformer bids to Utility for disposition. (Bids attached) PROCLAMATION PURPLE HEART TRAIL CITY Council Member Croom presented the Purple Heart Trail City Proclamation to VFW representative Jim Fiveash, proclaiming November 1, 2018 as Purple Heart Trail City Day. MINUTES Council Member Catt made a motion, seconded by Council Member Taylor to dispense with the reading of the Minutes of October 18, 2018 City Council Meeting and approve as submitted. Upon voice vote, the voting was unanimous. OLD BUSINESS NONE NEW BUSINESS NONE PERMISSION REQUEST PERMISSION TO APPROVE THE ROBERTA JACKSON NEIGHBORHOOD BUILDING PARTITION PROPOSAL (TABLED OCTOBER 18, 2018) Council Member Mondy made a motion, seconded by Council Member Croom to table permission request to approve the Roberta Jackson Neighborhood Building Partition Proposal until a work meeting could be held with the Architect on November 5, 2018 at 4:00 p.m. Upon voice vote, the voting was unanimous. The request was tabled until the next Council Meeting on November 15, 2018. (Tabled) PERMISSION FOR THE MAYOR TO SIGN CONTRACT FOR PUMP STATION #1 REHABILITATION Council Member Taylor made a motion, seconded by Council Member Robinson to give Mayor Johnson permission to sign contract for Pump Station#1 Rehabilitation. Upon voice vote,the voting was unanimous. PERMISSION TO ADD SOUTHLAND GAMING AND RACING UNCASHED TICKET CHECKS DISTRIBUTION TO THE FOUR CHARITABLE YOUTH ORGANIZATIONS TO THE AGENDA IN THE AMOUNT OF$16,261.75 DOLLARS TO THREE OF THE ORGANIZATIONS AND$16,267.74 DOLLARS TO THE FOURTH ORGANIZATION. Council Member Pulliaum made a motion, seconded by Council Member McClendon to add the Southland Gaming and Racing charitable funds uncashed ticket checks for the four youth organizations to the agenda. Upon voice vote, the voting was unanimous. City Treasurer Frank Martin asked permission to distribute the uncashed Southland Gaming ticket checks to four youth organizations in the amount of$16,261.75 dollars to three of the organizations and $16,261.75 dollars to one of the organizations. Council Member Mondy made a motion, seconded by Council Member Croom to allow City Treasurer, Frank Martin to distribute the funds as presented. Upon voice vote,the voting was unanimous. COMMITTEE REPORTS Advertising& Promotion Council Member Taylor presented the Advertising and Promotion report. Collections for September were $125,580.00, with a cumulative increase of 1%for year to date. The Civic Center had 9 events with 1285 visitors. There were no activities at the auditorium because the HVAC unit is currently being installed. The Civic Center parking lot has been repaved.The Commission received a report on the retail incentive program. The Economic Development Department is working with a retail restaurant and Advertising& Promotion is going to put up an incentive if they choose to accept it. The Advertising and Promotion Commission approved joining the law suit that the Council already approved joining, requiring on-line booking agents be required to collect Advertising and Promotion taxes. The Commission also approved the commercial appraisal of the Civic Center and Auditorium to make sure that the building insurance is adequate. Budget Committee Council Member Catt presented the Budget Committee report. General Sales tax for October this time compared to last year was 4.04%greater roughly$30,229.44, an increase year to date of 1.79%approximately$132,773.26 dollars more than received this time last year. Southland Gaming for the month of October was 1.82 %greater than last year and for the year 4.96%total over budget of$376,316.95 dollars. Council Member Catt said the Committee looked at three items.The item for the Fire department required additional information and has been given back to the Human Resource department to fine tune some items and it will be brought back later.The second item was for Economic Development.The City has requested additional services from the Public Facility Board and those services would be at an additional cost.The Budget Committee has approved the additional cost. The cost would be a salary increase in the amount of$14,000.00 dollars plus$4,000.00 dollars allocated for benefits. The budget Committee has approved the recommendation and is bringing it before Council for their approval. Council Member Catt made a motion, seconded by Council Member Taylor to accept the recommendation. Discussion followed: Council Member Pulliaum made a recommendation to table this item until the Council had time to review all the information. Council Member Catt said that the salary raise is for the secretary who has already been doing the work. Council Member Pulliaum made a motion, seconded by Council Member Mondy to table the motion. Mayor Johnson called for a roll call vote. Upon roll call vote.The vote was as follows to table the request: AYES: Council Members: Pulliaum. NAYS: Mondy, Holt, Croom, Hutchinson, Catt, and Taylor Abstention: Robinson and McClendon. Absent: Harris With 6 Yes 1 No and 2 Abstentions The motion to table failed. Council Member Catt made a motion, seconded by Council Member Taylor to approve the recommendation from the Budget Committee to the Council for an $18,000.00-dollar transaction between the Public Facility Board and City of West Memphis to transfer the money from the Public Facility Board to Economic Development. Mayor Johnson called for a roll call vote. Upon roll call vote. The vote was as follows to approve the recommendation. AYES: Council Member: Mondy, Holt, Croom, Hutchinson, Robinson, Catt,Taylor, and McClendon NAYS: Pulliaum Abstention: None Absent Harris With 8 Yes and 1 No The motion to approve passed. Council Member Catt said the Utility Administration presented a scope to the Utility Commission which has been approved by the Budget Committee.The plan that they want to put forward is based off a 3- year market analysis. The analysis will be completed every three years, ranges will be established and each employee that meets the performance review at the end of the year will receive a 2% pay raise regardless of what City Council recommends for remaining City employees raises. The review status is a tool to bring all Utility employees up to their maximum capacity to the benefit of the City, and to themselves, to get promotions and further their careers and future income with the City.This is the plan that the Utility Commission believes is best for them looking forward over the long term.The Utility Commission believes this is the best way to drive the utility and to keep it as marketable, profitable as possible and still provide the greatest service to the community.This will be $120.000-dollar difference between the 2018 and projected 2019 budget that will be seen on November 30, 2018. Council Member Catt made a motion, seconded by Council Member Taylor to approve the Utility Administration request. Council Member Mondy made a motion, seconded by Council Member Pulliaum to table the request until Council had time to review the information. Mayor Johnson asked for a roll call vote.The vote was as follows to table the request. NAYS: Council Member Holt, Croom, Hutchinson, Robinson, Catt,Taylor, Abstention: None Absent Harris AYES: Mondy and Pulliaum and McClendon With 3 yes and 6 no votes The motion to table failed. Council Member Catt made the motion, seconded by Council Member Taylor to approve the request. Mayor Johnson asked for a roll call vote to approve the request AYES: Council Members Holt, Croom, Hutchinson, Robinson, Catt, Taylor and McClendon NAYS: Mondy, Pulliaum Abstention: None Absent Harris With 7 Yes and 2 No votes The motion to approve passed Council Member Catt completed the budget report.The Human Resource Director,Janice Coleman has been working diligently writing and rewriting and evaluating all the positions in the City and plans are to start budget meetings sometime in early to mid-December and meet every week after. Council Member Catt said that they would keep all Council Members informed on the direction they are going and that there is a possibility that they might only have 1/12 of the 2019 budget passed. Council Member Catt said that the new Administration might want to have some input in the path the City is going and if need be, they would wait until February to pass the budget. APPOINTMENTS NONE CITIZEN REQUEST NONE ANNOUNCEMENTS Council Member Taylor announced that the Public Works Committee would be meeting on Wednesday November 7, 2018 at 12:00 p.m. to go over the salary review for the Sanitation and Street departments and all are welcomed to attend the meeting. Council Member Robinson announced the Keep West Memphis Beautiful Bliss has been rescheduled for November 10, 2018 from 9:00 am to 12:00 p.m. Council Member Robinson said that Wonder Junior High will be sponsoring the Historically Black College University Fair at the Civic Center on November 9, 2018.There will be several colleges available to help youth fulfill their college dreams.All students in the 111h and 12th grades and school officials are encouraged to attend. City Attorney Michael Stephenson announced that the Grand Opening for the Crittenden County Baptist Memorial Hospital will be held on Monday November 5, 2018 located at 2100 North 7th Street at 10:00 a.m. Council Member Pulliaum asked City Treasurer, Frank Martin about The Family Dollar Warehouse and some money that should have been paid out to the City of West Memphis. City Treasurer Frank Martin said that he would investigate it. Having no further business to come before the City Council, Council Member Pulliaum moved, seconded by Council Member Taylor to adjourn. Upon voice vote, the voting was unanimous.The meeting adjourned at 2:10p.m. PASSED and Approved this 15th day of November 2018. WILLIAM H.JOHN ON, MAYOR ATTEST PHILLIP PARA, CITY CLERK Minutes Prepared by: Patricia Lane,Jr. Deputy City Clerk