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01/20/2022 PLEASE TURN OFF CELL PHONES AGENDA WEST MEMPHIS CITY COUNCIL JANUARY 6,2022 PRAYER: PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: AMERICAN LEGION CALL TO ORDER: ROLL CALL: BID OPENINGS: PURCHASING DEPARTMENT-2022 MATERIAL SUPPLY CONTRACTS - MR. KENNETH JOHNSON MINUTES: APPROVE OR CORRECT MINUTES OF DECEMBER 16,2021 OLD BUSINESS: 2ND READING OF AN ORDINANCE TO WAIVE COMPETITIVE BIDDING FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, APPROVING A CONTRACT BETWEEN THE CITY OF WEST MEMPHIS AND THE WEST MEMPHIS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 2ND READING OF AN ORDINANCE TO WAIVE COMPETITIVE BIDDING ON PROFESSIONAL ACCOUNTING SERVICES AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES NEW BUSINESS: R-1 A RESOLUTION PLEDGING THE CITY OF WEST MEMPHIS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE ARKANSAS STRATEGIC HIGHWAY SAFETY PLAN TO IMPLEMENT A SAFE SYSTEM APPROACH TO ADDRESS THE SAFETY NEEDS OF ALL USERS OF OUR STATE AND LOCAL TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES R-2 A RESOLUTION EXPRESSING THE WILLINGNESS OF THE CITY OF WEST MEMPHIS TO UTILIZE STATE AID STREET MONIES FOR WEST MEMPHIS E. POLK AVE. IMPROVEMENTS R-3 A RESOLUTION CERTIFYING THE CONDEMNATION AND REMOVAL OF HOUSES, BUILDINGS AND/OR RESIDENTIAL 111 STRUCTURES CONSTITUTING A NUISANCE WITHIN THE CITY OF WEST MEMPHIS CORPORATE LIMITS PERMISSION REQUEST: COMMITTEE REPORTS: MINUTES WEST MEMPHIS CITY COUNCIL January 6,2022 - A regular meeting of the West Memphis City Council was held on Thursday,January 6,2022, at 1:00 p.m. in the City Council Chambers at City Hall 205 S. Redding,West Memphis,Arkansas. Invocation was given by Councilor Harris, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance led by Councilor Croom. Mayor Marco McClendon called the meeting to order at 1:00 p.m. City Clerk,James Pulliaum called the 111 roll. Those present were Mayor Marco McClendon, City Treasurer, Charlie Suiter Jr., City Clerk, James Pulliaum Councilors: Gheric Bruce, Tracy Catt, Wayne Croom, Helen Harris, James Holt, Melanie Hutchinson, Lorraine Mohammed, Willis Mondy, and. Charles Wheeless. Absent were City Attorney Michael Stephenson and Councilor David Murray. Quorum being present Mayor, Marco McClendon proceeded with the meeting. BID OPENING: 2022 MATERIAL SUPPLY CONTRACTS- KENNETH JOHNSON- PURCHACING AGENT Councilor Catt made the motion, seconded by Councilor Bruce to accept the bids as presented. Upon voice vote,voting was unanimous. MUNUTES: APPROVE OR CORRECT MINUTES OF DECEMBER 16,2021. Councilor Catt made the motion, seconded by Councilor Croom to dispense with the reading of the minutes of the December 16,2021 council meeting and to approve them as submitted. Upon voice vote, voting was unanimous to approve. OLD BUSINESS: 2nd READING OF AN ORDINANCE TO WAIVE COMPETITIVE BIDDING FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SERVICES,APPROVING A CONTRACT BETWEEN THE CITY OF WEST MEMPHIS AND THE WEST MEMPHIS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE,AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES Mayor McClendon read the ordinance by title only for the SECOND time. Councilor Croom made the motion, seconded by Councilor Wheeless to suspend the rules, and place the ordinance on its third reading. Upon voice vote,voting was unanimous. Mayor McClendon read the ordinance by title only for the THIRD and FINAL time. Councilor Croom made the motion, seconded by Councilor Wheeless to approve the ordinance. There being no discussion. Upon voice vote, voting was unanimous to approve. The ordinance was adopted and assigned No.2595 2ND READING OF AN ORDINANCE TO WAIVE COMPETITIVE BIDDING ON PROFESSIONAL ACCOUNTING SERVICES AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES Mayor McClendon read the ordinance by title only for the SECOND time. Councilor Mohammed made the motion, seconded by Councilor Croom to suspend the rules and to place the ordinance on its third reading. Upon voice vote,voting was unanimous. Mayor McClendon read the ordinance by title only for the THIRD and FINAL time. Councilor Croom made the motion seconded by Councilor Wheeless to approve the ordinance. There being no discussion. Upon voice vote, voting was unanimous to approve. The ordinance was adopted and assigned No. 2596 NEW BUSINESS: Councilor Mohammed made the motion, seconded by Councilor Catt to read R-1, R-2, and R-3 by title only. Upon voice cote,voting was unanimous. R-1 A RESOLUTION PLEDGING THE CITY OF WEST MEMPHIS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE ARKANSAS STRATEGIC HIGHWAY SAFETY PLAN TO IMPLEMENT A SAFE SYSTEM APPROACH TO ADDRESS THE SAFETY NEEDS OF ALL USERS OF OUR STATE AND LOCAL TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES Mayor McClendon read the resolution by title only. Councilor Catt made-the motion, seconded by Councilor Wheeless to approve. Councilor Croom asked for an explanation of the resolution. City Engineer/MPO Director,Amanda Hicks gave a brief explanation of the resolution.-Ms. Hicks said this is a Best Management Practice. Ms. Hicks said as an Engineer when designing a transportation system, you are not just designing it for luxury you are taking into consideration safety,the color of the paint and the reflectivity of it, types of drivers and the vehicles they are driving, and it all needs to encompass safety and equity for the community, their intent is to have a road to zero approach, this means zero deaths. Ms. Hicks said they are standing behind ARDOT in any design that they approve or implement with the city will take safety into consideration to the highest level before anything else. Ms. Hicks said when they are designing roadways that are not designing for vehicles they are designing for pedestrians and bike as well. Ms. Hicks said that the ARDOT Arkansas Highway Safety Strategic Plan can be downloaded from the ARDOT website. There being no further discussion. Upon voice vote, voting was unanimous to approve.The resolution was adopted and assigned No. 2264. • R-2 A RESOLUTION EXPRESSING THE WILLINGNESS OF THE CITY OF WEST MEMPHIS TO UTILIZE STATE AID STREET MONIES FOR THE FOLLOWING CITY PROJECT Mayor McClendon read the resolution by title only. Councilor Hutchinson made the motion, seconded by Councilor Harris to approve. Discussion followed. Mayor McClendon said with the building of the new schools and the absence of sidewalks for the students walking to school this project would be a win for everyone. City Engineer/MPO Director Amanda Hicks said that she applied for this grant last year after reviewing the sites where the new schools were going to be built and noticing that there were no sidewalks for pedestrians and students originally, she was looking at the drainage ditches near the schools, she noticed that the drainage flows into the open ditches long East Polk Street. Ms. Hicks said after discussion with the design engineer they had it changed and it will be an enclosed ditch. Ms. Hicks said ARDOT, and the Highway department are excited about the project because it will provide a since of safety for the pedestrians and students and get them off the road. Ms. Hicks said it will go from South 25th Street and depending on the funding could go up to South 215t Street. Ms. Hicks said additional improvements will be ongoing. Councilor Croom asked if there were plans for installing sidewalks at any of the other schools. Ms. Hicks said they applied and were approved for Transportation Alternative Planning (TAP) sidewalks will be on both sides of 25th Street and S L Henry Street but not Polk at this time. They will also be installing sidewalks at Gibson, Rhodes, and Redding near Bragg Elementary School they received 500,000 for those projects and cover the cost for construction and inspections. They are also putting together a sidewalk rehabilitation plan and improvements will depend upon money being allocated for repairs or grant funding. Ms. Hicks office is currently participating in a six- month study through the University of Arkansas called the Arkansas Walking College and are collaborating with mentor who is a pedestrian bike specialist from Little Rock about grants that are available to try and implement some of those things in West Memphis. Councilor Croom asked about the plans to limit accessibility to the Redding Bayou pathway by the students. Ms. Hicks said that she thought that the Public Works Department had put up barriers to limit the access and she would get with the Public Works Director to see what could be done to block it off. Ms. Hicks said something to take into consideration is one less access to a neighborhood is a safer neighborhood but having a safe place for the children to walk is always a priority. Ms. Hicks said there are a lot of crossings on the 10- mile Bayou already. There being no further discussion. Upon voice vote, voting was unanimous to approve.The resolution was approved and assigned No. 2265. R-3 A RESOLUTION CERTIFYING THE CONDEMNATION AND REMOVAL OF HOUSES, BUILDINGS AND/OR RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURES CONSTITUTING A NUISANCE WITHIN THE CITY OF WEST MEMPHIS CORPORATE LIMITS NO.2266 Mayor McClendon read the resolution by title only. Councilor Croom made the motion, seconded by Councilor Mondy to approve. Discussion followed. Mayor McClendon said for years they have driven through 25th Street, Walker Street and S L Henry Street and seen the area continue to deteriorate. Previously council approved waiving the liens placed against the properties where the city had to cut the properties and clean up litter and debris and demolish the dilapidated structures. Mayor McClendon said he has been in conversations with contractors to try and entice them to build on these properties and he is happy to report that the Durbin company will begin building homes in that area starting February 1, 2022. He has also been working with his Public Works Director, Michael Bonner to identify J the dwellings that are empty as well as working with the Planning and Development Director, Paul Luker to make sure that they do their due diligence to notify the owners of the dilapidated and abandoned properties..Mayor McClendon said that if council approves the demolition of the properties identified they will be able to move forward with the project. Mayor McClendon said he has also been in discussion with Sheriff Mike Allen to see about using trustees to help with the cleanup of the properties and they will be using the newly formed city grass cutting team to cut the grass and maintain the lots. Mayor McClendon said that the city already owns a lot of the properties, currently there are 7 to 8 residents still living in some of the properties and approximately twenty empty dilapidated mobile homes. The mayor said they will not be putting anyone that lives in the mobile homes out of their homes. Mayor McClendon has also been in talks with the Housing Authority to see about moving individuals up on the Section.8 Housing list. Councilor Mohammed asked what the cost would be to purchase the homes being built. Mayor McClendon said the Durbin Company that owns some of the properties is looking to sale them for around $169,000. Mayor McClendon said he has talked to several local realtors Mike Ford and Thula Thomas about identifying buyers for the homes as well as programs that will help people that would be first time buyers with credit repair to qualify. Mayor McClendon said that there are programs out there to educate people on credit repair for single parents and they will be reaching out to them to assist. Mayor McClendon said he would like council to consider reenacting the Officer Next Door Program as an incentive to try and get police officers to consider moving back to the area by offering to pay $5,000 dollars of the closing cost towards the purchase of a home in that area. Mayor McClendon asked for a motion to make four amendments to the resolution. Councilor Mohammed made the motion, seconded by Councilor Wheeless to approve the amendments to the resolution as presented. Upon voice vote,voting was unanimous change 335 Lincoln to 335 Shady Grove, change 619 S. 19 street to 616 S. 19th Street, remove 2706 Grove the city already owns the properties and to add 2813 Oak Street. Councilor Catt made the motion, seconded by Councilor Croom to approve the resolution as amended. Upon voice vote,voting was unanimous.The resolution was adopted and assigned No. 2266. Mayor McClendon asked for a motion to go into Executive Session. Councilor Bruce made the motion, seconded by Councilor Catt to go into Executive Session. Upon voice vote, voting was unanimous. Council went to Executive Session at 1:35 p.m. Mayor McClendon called the January 6, 2022, Council Meeting back to order at 1:40 p.m. after going into Executive Session.The council went into Executive Session to discuss a personal matter. PERMISSION REQUEST: COMMITTEE REPORTS: NONE APPOINTMENTS: NONE PRESENTATIONS: NONE ANNOUNCEMENTS: Mayor McClendon asked for permission to reschedule the January 20, 2022, scheduled Council Meeting due to a conflict with the Arkansas Municipal League Winter Conference in Little Rock, Arkansas on January 19-21, 2022. Councilor Wheeless made the motion seconded by Councilor Holt to reschedule the Council Meeting to Tuesday,January 18, 2002, at 5:00 p.m. Upon voice vote,voting was unanimous. Mayor McClendon asked everyone to be safe 111 Councilor Holt said the Budget Committee will meet immediately after the Council Meeting in the Council Chambers. Councilor Catt said he would present the information from the work session on Procedures to the City Attorney for approval and bring it back before council. City Clerk, James Pulliaum said they would have an update on the Budget available at the next council meeting for council. CITIZENS REQUEST: Mr. Roderick Brown a resident of 7840 Pyramid Place Memphis,TN 38132 came before Council to request an Application of Public Convenience to operate a non-emergency medical transportation business in the City of West Memphis. was not present at the January 6, 2022, council meeting to get councils decision. He will be added to the January 18,2022,agenda Having no further business to come before the City Council, Councilor Mondy made the motion, seconded by Councilor Wheeless to adjourn. Upon voice vote, voting was unanimous to adjourn. The meeting adjourned at 2:00 p.m. PASSED and APPROVED this 20th day of January 2022. e)41Go C MARCO MCCLENDON, MAYOR ATTEST: J ES PUL A , ITY CLERK Minutes prepared by, Patricia Lane, Sr. Deputy City Clerk