05/19/2022 r.
i
MINUTES
WEST MEMPHIS CITY COUNCIL
May 19, 2022
A regular meeting of the West Memphis City Council was held on Thursday, May 19,
2022, at 5:00 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 5:00 p.m. City Clerk, James Pulliaum called the roll. Those present were Mayor
Marco McClendon, City Treasurer Charlie Suiter Jr., City Attorney Michael Stephenson,
City Clerk, James Pulliaum, and Councilors: Tracy Catt, Wayne Croom, Helen Harris,
James Holt, Lorraine Mohammed, David Murray, Willis Mondy, and Charles Wheeless
Present by Zoom was Gheric Bruce. Absent was Councilor Melanie Hutchinson and
Finance Director, Tori Perry. Also present was Evening Times Reporter, John Rech.
Quorum being present Mayor, Marco McClendon proceeded with the meeting.
Mayor McClendon asked for permission to change the order of the agenda to allow the
Arkansas Municipal League to come before council to give their recommendations.
Councilor Croom made the motion, seconded by Councilor Murray to approve the
change to the agenda. Upon voice vote, voting was unanimous.
Municipal League Attorney Amanda LaFever who is defending the City of West Memphis
in the lawsuit filed by Greenwood a former employee, to seek a motion to approve the
settlement of the Lucinda Greenwood lawsuit and appropriate the necessary funds for
doing so under the following terms in exchange for the dismissal of the lawsuit a release
of liability for the city and its officials and agreement by Ms. Greenwood which is to
never seek or accept employment with the City of West Memphis the total amount of
$175,000 dollars will be paid to Ms. Greenwood and her attorney's. $30,000 to be paid
in wages plus all applicable withholdings including but not limited to any applicable
taxes the balance to be paid to her and her attorneys with no deductions pursuant to
the terms of the Municipal League Legal Defense Program in which the city participates
the league will pay $87,500 dollars of the total $175,000 dollars. Ms. LaFever asked for
a motion from the council. Councilor Croom made the motion, seconded by Councilor
Mondy to approve. Discussion followed: Mayor McClendon said as mayor he follows the
direction of the City Attorney, but he does not agree with the recommendation, but they
need to do what is necessary for the betterment of the city. There being no further
discussion. Mayor McClendon asked for a roll call vote. City Clerk, James Pulliaum
called the roll. The roll call vote was as follows:
Yes: Bruce, Catt, Croom, Harris, Holt, Mohammed, Mondy, Murray,
Wheeless
No: None
Abstention: Hutchinson
Absent: None
With 9 yes votes, 0 No vote, 0 Abstention votes, 1 Absent vote the permission request
to accept the Municipal Leagues recommendation Passed
MINUTES: APPROVE OR CORRECT MINUTES OF MAY 5, 2022
Councilor Murray made the motion, seconded by Councilor Croom to dispense with the
reading of the minutes of the May 5, 2022, council meeting and to approve them as
submitted. Upon voice vote, voting was unanimous to approve.
OLD BUSINESS: NONE
NEW BUSINESS:
0-1 AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND SECTION 4: BENEFITS, SUBTITLE: SICK
LEAVE ON THE EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK OF THE CITY OF WEST MEMPHIS,
ARKANSAS, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Councilor Murray made the motion, seconded by Councilor Mohammed to table the
ordinance until the June 2, 2022, Council Meeting. (Tabled)
PERMISSION REQUEST:
PERMISSION FOR MAYOR MCCLENDON TO SIGN CONTRACT WITH PICKERING
TO WORK ON TEN MILE BAYOU TRAIL PHASE II WEST MEMPHIS, ARKANSAS.
AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Councilor Catt made the motion, seconded by Councilor Croom to give Mayor
McClendon permission to sign the contract with Pickering to work on the Ten Mile Bayou
Trail Phase II. Upon voice vote, voting was unanimous to approve.
PERMISSION TO REPAIR THE ROOF AT FIRE STATION #1 IN THE AMOUNT OF
$39,860 DOLLARS AND TO WAIVE COMPETITIVE BIDDING.
Councilor Catt made the motion, seconded by Councilor Hams to add the permission
request to the agenda. Discussion followed: Councilor Croom asked for an explanation
of the repairs. Mayor McClendon said the roof at Fire Station # 1 located on 7th street
was leaking bad. Councilor Catt said there is a lower and upper roof, and the upper roof
is the one that is leaking and in need of repair. The State Inspector said that they cannot
continue to work with the building in that condition. There being no further discussion,
upon voice vote, voting was unanimous to add it to the agenda
Councilor Murray made the motion, seconded by Councilor Harris to approve. Upon
voice vote, voting was unanimous to approve.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Mayor McClendon announced that on May 5, 2022, from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. the
Advertising&Promotion Department would be hosting Blues of Broadway at the Eugene
Woods Civic Center and invited everyone out to enjoy live music. Albert King and King
Kemp will be performing, there will also be food trucks and cold beverages for sale.
Mayor McClendon spoke on the closing of the Family Dollar Warehouse. They are
scheduled to close permanently on July 17, 2022, and over 230 employees will be
affected by the closure and in October the remaining 90 employees will be laid off. Mayor
McClendon said this will be a strain on the city and the employees that will be displaced
along with Carvana who has also had to lay off employees. Mayor McClendon said that
he feels that Carvana's layoffs are more because of the economy worldwide and that
they will bounce back. Mayor McClendon said that they have reached out to the
Governor's office, and they have promised to offer every available resource at their
disposal to help as well as he has had conversations with Dr, Childers of Workforce to
offer Workforce training and other industries in the community to try and transition
people into available jobs such as Southland, Bosh, Hino and available job opportunities
within the City of West Memphis to try and lessen the impact of these business closing.
Mayor McClendon said the West Memphis Port Authority was awarded One million
dollars from the State Wastewater Commission. The Grant requires a 10% match which
has been approved by the Port Authority. The Grant will be used to correct hydraulic
deficiencies at the Port dock to improve operations and increase capacity at the Port.
The MPO Department has pre-qualified for an EPA clean air grant for our community.
They will be awarding up to $500,000 dollars.
Mayor McClendon announced that the council has a meeting scheduled for Tuesday
May 10, 2022, at 4:00 p.m. to discuss what they want to do regarding the Roberta
Jackson Neighborhood Center
Mayor McClendon asked for permission to add the Southland Charity Day money to the
agenda. Councilor Catt made the motion, seconded by. Councilor Croom to .approve
adding the distribution of Charity Day funds to the agenda. Upon voice vote, voting was
unanimous.
Mayor McClendon asked for permission to distribute $800.00 dollars of his Charity Day
money to the East Arkansas Area on Aging. Councilor Catt made the motion, seconded
by Councilor Croom to approve. Upon voice vote, voting was unanimous to approve.
.,
COMMITTEE REPORTS: NONE
APPOINTMENTS: NONE
PRESENTATIONS: NONE
CITIZENS REQUEST:
Ms. Tawanna Murphy, Director of Project Let's Read came before council to ask
permission to use part of the Roberta Jackson Neighborhood center for her summer
reading program from June 1, 2022, to August 3, 2022, and she will also be
implementing African and modern dance. Ms. Murphy is expecting to have double of the
number of children that she had in the previous year. The hours of operation will be
from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 pm Monday through Thursday and Friday 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
or 5:00 p.m. Councilor Mohammed said there is a meeting scheduled for council to
review all the request made from several agencies that have expressed an interest in
wanting to use the building for their activities and once council has reached a decision,
they will let her know what they decide.
Mr. Jerome Robertson a resident of 130 Cooper West Memphis, Arkansas came before
council to address some concerns with the park located on north 11th street. Mr.
Robertson said his parents are elderly and live near the park. They have been
experiencing problems with a group of young men who gather at the park to play
basketball and park their cars and block his parent's driveway, when he attempted to
have a conversation with the young men to ask them not to block his parent's driveway
he was met with opposition, and he is afraid of it getting volatile. Mr. Robertson said
there is a vacant lot next to the park that the city owns, and they often litter the lot, he
is interested in purchasing the lot from the city to prevent the young men from loitering
on the lot and leaving trash and debris on the lot. Mr. Robertson said he would like to
see the city remove the basketball goals at the park to try and reduce the problems that
occur as a result of young men gathering at the park and to eliminate some of the illegal
activity that he has witnessed at the park such as speed racing, fighting and shooting,
he would also like to see speed bumps installed. City Attorney Stephenson said that
council would have to enact an ordinance if they wanted to consider selling the lot.
Attorney Stephenson said he has looked at the description of the lot and there is no
defined legal description of the lot for transferring title. Attorney Stephenson said
ultimately, he would have to make one that would be legal and transferable based off
the records from the county assessors office and the council would have to pass a
resolution to sale that property. Councilor Bruce said he would like the city to block off
the ability to park near the resident's home and to look at installing speed bumps. Mayor
McClendon said he would drive by and look at the area and see about speed bumps
especially because it was near a park, and he would reach out to the police chief to have
patrol to keep a watch on the area. The mayor reiterated that if Mr. Robertson wanted
to pursue purchasing the property council would make that decision once the City
Attorney does his due diligence..
Ms. Wendy Love-Smith a resident of 2095 South 20th street came back before council to
get council's approval on her application for Certificate of Public Convivence to operate
a non-medical transportation business. Ms. Smith has met all the requirements of the
State and City and provided verification of licensing from the Department of
Transportation. Councilor Catt made the motion, seconded by Councilor Croom to
approve. Mayor McClendon asked for a roll call vote. City Clerk James Pulliaum called
the roll. The roll call vote was as follows:
Yes: Bruce, Catt, Croom, Harris, Holt, Mohammed, Mondy, Murray,
Wheeless
No: None
Abstention: Hutchinson
Absent: None
With 9 yes votes, 0 No vote, 0 Abstention votes, 1 Absent vote the application for a
Certificate of Public Convenience to operate Care -A- Van transportation Passed.
Having no further business to come before the City Council, Councilor Catt made the
motion, seconded by Councilor Mondy to adjourn. Upon voice vote, voting was
unanimous to adjourn. The meeting adjourned at 5:40 p.m.
PASSED and APPROVED this 2ndh day of June 2022.
4vte-D
CO MCCL NDON, MAYOR
ATTEST:
J PULL CITY CLERK
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Minutes prepared by, Patricia Lane, Sr. Deputy City Clerk