Loading...
07/07/2022 e A 1 • MINUTES WEST MEMPHIS CITY COUNCIL July 7, 2022 A regular meeting of the West Memphis City Council was held on Thursday, July 7, 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 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, Melanie Hutchinson, David Murray, Willis Mondy, and Charles Wheeless. Absent was Councilor Gheric Bruce and Lorraine Mohammed.Also present was Finance Director,Tori Perry. Evening Times Reporter, John Rech was not present. Quorum being present Mayor, Marco McClendon proceeded with the meeting: BID OPENING: BID OPENINGS FOR THE REPAIR AND PAINTING OF 500,000 GALLON- CLEARWELL CONCRETE TANK- WEST MEMPHIS UTILITY BID LIST OF NEW POWER TRANSFORMER FOR THE POLK/HUDSON SUBSTATION-WEST MEMPHIS UTILITY . Councilor Croom made the motion, seconded by Councilor Mondy to accept the bids as presented and to refer them back to administration for distribution. Upon voice vote, voting was unanimous. MINUTES: APPROVE OR CORRECT MINUTES OF JUNE 23, 2022 Councilor Catt made the motion, seconded by Councilor Croom to dispense with the reading of the minutes of the June 23, 2022, council meeting.and to approve them as submitted. Upon voice vote, voting was unanimous to approve. OLD BUSINESS: NONE NEW BUSINESS: Councilor Catt made the motion, seconded by Councilor Holt to read 0-1 by title only. Upon voice vote, voting was unanimous. • 0-1 AN ORDINANCE CREATING A QUESTION ON THE 2022 GENERAL ELECTION BALLOT FOR THE REGISTERED VOTERS OF WEST MEMPHIS TO TRANSFER $2.3 MILLION DOLLARS AND ANY OTHER ACCUMALATED BALANCE FROM THE CRITTENDEN COUNTY JAIL AND DETENTION CENTER TO NOW BE ALLOCATED TO THE CITY OF WEST MEMPHIS GENERAL FUND UNRESTRICTED, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES City Attorney Stephenson read the ordinance by title only for the FIRST time. Councilor Croom made the motion, seconded by Councilor Mondy to suspend the rules, and place the ordinance on its second reading. Upon voice vote, voting was unanimous. City Attorney Stephenson read the ordinance by title only for the SECOND time. Councilor Murray made the motion, seconded by Councilor Wheeless to further suspend the rules, and place the ordinance on it third reading. Upon voice vote, voting was unanimous. City Attorney Stephenson read the ordinance by title only for the THIRD time. Councilor Catt made the motion, seconded by Councilor Wheeless to.approve'the ordinance. Discussion followed: Councilor Croom asked the City _ Attorney for an explanation for the public. City Attorney Stephenson said there was a sales tax passed that apparently had a sunset.clause, it was collected for the housing for prisoners at the detention center, that purpose was completed, and the tax is no longer being collected due to it sunsetting and there is money left in the account that cannot be used unless the voters of the city approve council moving it to the general fund for it to be spent for other purposes. Mayor McClendon said the Legislative Auditors strongly recommend that they do it. There being no further discussion. Upon voice vote, voting was unanimous. The ordinance was adopted and assigned No. 2609 PERMISSION REQUEST: PERMISSION TO AUTHORIZE THE MAYOR TO EXECUTE AMENDMENT # 2 TO THE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH HDR ENGINEERING FOR ENGINEERING SERVICES AT THE PORT OF WEST MEMPHIS 'WITH THIS AMENDMENT HAVING BEEN APPROVED BY THE WEST MEMPHIS PORT AUTHORITY AND REFERRED TO CITY COUNCIL. THE AMENDED AGREEMENT AMOUNT IS $109,000 AND WILL BE PAID FROM THE PORT AUTHORITY SPECIAL ACCOUNT SET UP FOR DISBURSEMENT OF GRANT FUNDS RECEIVED FROM THE ARKANSAS WATERWAYS COMMISSION Mayor McClendon said the city was awarded a 1-million-dollar grant and there was a 10% match, so this would be that match. Councilor Croom made the motion, seconded by Councilor Murray to approve.There being no discussion. Upon voice vote, voting was unanimous to approve. PERMISSION TO ADD THE DISTRIBUTION OF COUNCILOR MELANIE HUTCHINSON'S SOUTHLAND CHARITY DAY MONEY TO THE AGENDA. Councilor Hutchinson made the motion, seconded by Councilor Catt to add Councilor Hutchinson's Southland Charity Day distribution to the agenda. Upon voice vote voting was unanimous. Councilor Catt made the motion, seconded by Councilor Croom to approve the distribution of$800.00 of Councilor Melanie Hutchinson's Charity Day money to Saint John Missionary Baptist Church Youth Ministry.. Upon voice vote, voting was unanimous • COMMITTEE REPORTS: BUDGET COMMITTEE: Councilor Croom. presented the Budget Committee report. _ The Budget Committee met on Tuesday June 21, 2022, at 12:00 p.m. at City Hall in the Council Chambers. The Southland Revenue came in at $976,000. The City and County Tax receipts were $880,000 and the Advertising and Promotion was $232,000. The city outstanding debt services for April 2022 that dropped down were the Airport Bond at 2.2 million and the municipal buildings dropped down to $10,664,533. The Park bond is still there it is in the Architecture status where they are doing the plans. The committee also discussed the overage disposition for the 2.3 million that was collected from the detention center bond that is going on the ballot in November. The committee discussed the salary for the code enforcement officer position. Mayor McClendon asked Councilor Croom to have the Legislative body to get with Administration regarding the salary, since it is an administrative responsibility. Purchasing Agent, Kenneth Johnson gave an update on the two Roberta Jackson Projects."One of the items was the plumbing and it has been repaired and the other was the reading program, and it is now in full operation throughout •the summer. Mr. Johnson introduced, his new Purchasing Assistant Ms. Imani Brown. TREASURER/CLERK REPORT: City Clerk, Pulliaum said that they would be accepting the financial report that Finance Director, Tori Perry distributed to Council as the Clerk/Treasurer report. APPOINTMENTS: NONE PRESENTATIONS: NONE ANNOUNCEMENTS: Mayor McClendon announced that they have partnered with Work Force Development for a second round of the Summer Youth Job Program. The age for participation will be from 14 to 24 and they are looking to start it in the up coming week. It takes two weeks to get work permits for 14- to 15-year-old youth and they might not be able to get the permits in before the start of the program. The youth will not be working in city departments, they will be placed at other business within the City of West Memphis. The pay will be $12.00 per hour for information they contact Ms. Tawana Bailey. I' CITIZEN REQUEST: Councilor Croom made a motion, seconded by Councilor Mondy to add Ms. Pamela Brown citizen request to agenda. Upon voice vote voting was unanimous. Ms. Pamela Brown a resident of 7.12 S. 12 Street West Memphis came before council to ask about pushing back the date for the start of Fireworks from June 20 to June 16, so that those wanting to celebrate Juneteenth could light fireworks. Ms. Brown also spoke on city addressing overgrown lots and dilapidated,structures and better education for the citizens on the East end of West Memphis. Mr. Richard Massey a recent graduate of the Academics of West Memphis and current student at the University of Memphis majoring in Political Science came before council to speak on proposed projects for West Memphis to address the violence epidemic. Mr. Massey asked that the City of West Memphis embrace the implementation of the red flag laws and create a city-wide "red-flag" hotline number to allow citizens to report any imminent threats pertaining to firearms in the workplace, at school, at home etc. to a service connected with the West Memphis Police Department and mental health officials located right here at home. Mr. Massey said that West Memphis has the opportunity to ensure that stories like Taylon Vail's do not continue. Taylon was a 16-year-old young man from West Memphis who was killed three years ago by a stray bullet in his home while he sat playing a video game. Mr. Massey said we have become desensitized by all the mass shootings that have occurred locally and nationally. Mr. Massey said by embracing and implementing the red flag law we can stop the influence of the Super PAC's and tired narratives and retire the marred reputation of violent streets and limited opportunities and introduce an age of a safe and prosperous West Memphis. ( Mr. Massey address is on file in the Clerk's office) Mr. Meshach Bass a resident of 513 Ingram in West Memphis, Arkansas came before council to speak on Save Our Youth (SOY) Program. Mr. Bass said that the Youth of West Memphis have nothing to do, and he is asking the City of West Memphis to help sponsor a movie theater, bowling alley and other recreational facilities. They are not asking for the city to sponsor the entire project and plans are for the parents and to find sponsors to help with funding. Mr. Bass would also like the council to help with continuing the summer reading program. Mayor McClendon said he was in full agreement with Mr. Bass, but it is going to take the parents to step up , so that we can get some control over our children. The mayor invited Mr. Bass out to the community prayer vigil with the West Memphis Police Department and Fire Department on Friday, July 8, 2022, at 12:00 p.m. on 14th Street next to the Roberta Jackson Center where council approved Ms. Murray utilizing the building for the Let's Read Program. Having no further business to come before the City Council, Councilor Catt made the motion, seconded by Councilor Wheeless to adjourn. Upon voice vote, voting was unanimous to adjourn. The meeting adjourned at 1:45 p.m. PASSED and APPROVED this 21 day of JULY 2022. rCe-ftio-A---- 1�ARCO MCCLENDON MAYOR ATTEST: PULL UM, TY CLERK Minutes prepared by, Patricia Lane, Sr. Deputy City Clerk