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10/20/2022 • MINUTES . WEST MEMPHIS CITY COUNCIL October 20, 2022 A regular meeting of the West Memphis City Council was held.on Thursday, October 20, 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 Attorney Michael Stephenson, City Clerk, James Pulliaum, and Councilors: Gheric Bruce,Tracy Catt, Wayne Croom, Helen Harris, James Holt, Lorraine Mohammed Willis Mondy, David Murray, and Charles Wheeless. Absent was Councilor Melanie Hutchinson and City Treasurer, Charlie.Suiter Jr. Also present was Finance Director, Tori Perry, and Evening Times Reporter, David Wilbur. Quorum being present Mayor, Marco McClendon proceeded with the meeting. BID OPENING: NONE . MINUTES: APPROVE OR CORRECT MINUTES.OF OCTOBER 6, 2022 Councilor Catt made the motion, seconded by Councilor Croom to dispense with the reading of the minutes of the October 6, 2022, council meeting and to approve them as submitted. Upon voice vote, voting was unanimous. OLD BUSINESS: NONE NEW BUSINESS: NONE ' Councilor Mohammed made the motion, seconded by Councilor Croom to read 0-1, by title only. Upon voice vote,voting was unanimous. • AN ORDINANCE WAIVING'COMPETITIVE BIDDING FOR THE REPAIR OF WATER WELL#1 PUMP, 111 DECLARING AN EMERGENCY AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES i City Attorney Stephenson read the ordinance by title only for the FIRST time. Councilor Croom made the motion, seconded by, Councilor Murray to suspend the rules, and place the ordinance on its second reading. Upon voice vote, voting was unanimous. City Attorney Stephenson read the ordinance for the SECOND time by title only. Councilor Croom made the motion, seconded by Councilor Murray to further suspend the rules, and place the ordinance on its third reading. Upon voice vote,voting was unanimous. City Attorney Stephenson read the ordinance by title only for THIRD and FINAL time. Councilor Murray made the motion, seconded by Councilor Wheeless to approve the ordinance. Councilor Bruce made the motion, seconded by Councilor Mondy to approve the Emergency Clause in Section 2. Upon voice vote, voting was unanimous to approve the Emergency Clause in Section 2. There being no discussion. Upon voice vote,voting was unanimous to approve.The ordinance was adopted and assigned No. 2615 PERMISSION REQUEST: PERMISSION TO ADD CHARITY DAY AND DISASTER RELIEF. DAYS FUNDS TO THE AGENDA- FINANCE DIRECTOR,TORI PERRY • Councilor Bruce made the motion, seconded by Councilor Catt to add the Charity Day and Disaster Relief Funds to the agenda. Upon voice vote,voting was unanimous. Finance Director, Tori Perry is requesting that Council give her permission to combine.the Disaster Relief Funds in the amount of$2223.83 with the Charity Day Funds received in the amount of$1,274.00 and mayor council forego'splitting the Charity Day money. Councilor Bruce Made the motion, seconded by Councilor Wheeless to accept Finance Director, Tori Perry's request. Upon voice vote, voting was unanimous. Mayor McClendon asked for a motion to distribute the combined amount of $3,298.77 as follows. $1,649.38 to the Delta Neighborhood Action Council and $1,649.39 to the Good Neighbor Center: Councilor Catt made the motion , seconded by Councilor Murray to approve the distribution of the funds as presented. Upon voice vote, voting was unanimous to approve. COMMITTEE REPORTS: FIRE COMMISSION: Councilor Mohammed presented the Fire commission report. The Fire Commission met on Tuesday„October 18, 2022, at 12:00 p.m. The Fire Department had one new hire, firefighter, Blair Lane,there are currently no vacancies.The 2021 turnout gear has arrived, and the 2022 turnout gear will be ordered in November.The fire department has acquired a 2021 Chevy Battalion truck with 45,000 miles on it for$61,000 dollars and a bumper-to-bumper warranty on it There have been 2,343 EMS calls to date.The fire department is currently working on the 2023 budget, and they are in the final stages of completing it for submittal to the budget committee.The training facility is now up and running. The department has applied for a safety grant for 9 positions in the fire department, and they are expecting to receive it,the grant will be for 36 months, If the department receives the grant nothing will come out of the cities budget,there will be no layoffs and no elimination of anybody's position. Once the 3 years are up the department will have the ability to reapply for an additional 3 years. Councilor Mohammed said she wanted to applaud Chief Ealy and Chief Clay for the wonderful job they are doing with the West Fire Department.The new Kelly Day schedule is expected to go into effect January 1,2023. Chief Ealy also discussed awarding some type of recognition for his staff for going above and beyond the call of duty. He would also like to put together a fireman's ball in 2023. APPOINTMENTS: NONE PRESENTATIONS: NONE ANNOUNCEMENTS: Mayor McClendon asked everyone to be in pray for the family of Ms. Daniele Johnson McClendon who recently passed as well as for Mr. Deon Hopkins and family who recently lost their son in a fiery vehicle accident.The young man was a member of the armed forces. The Rhythm and Blues Contest is scheduled for Saturday October 29, 2022, from 12:00 p.m. to 6:00 pm at the West Memphis Civic Center. There will be live entertainment and food trucks. Mayor McClendon asked everyone to come out and support A& P. City Clerk James Pulliaum said the Veterans Day Parade is scheduled for November 11, 2022. the lineup for the parade will start at the West Memphis Christian School and will end at VFW Post 5225 located at 406 S.Avalon, anyone interested in participating can contact the West Memphis Chamber of Commerce. Councilor Gheric Bruce asked if they could get 'someone to speak with the West Memphis Police Department about enforcing city ordinances regarding parking vehicles on sidewalks, loud music, and people operating business in residential areas. Councilor Bruce said that they cannot clean up the city with these kinds of things happening in the city. Councilor Bruce said that he thinks that it is time to start issuing citations for people that violate the ordinances and that they need.to enforce the ordinances. Councilor Croom asked if there was an update on ordinance number 1257,regarding the intent of the county to file suit against the City of West Memphis. City Attorney Stephenson clarified that ordinance 1257 was the ordinance of distribution of 1986, the only update is the Municipal League is undertaking the defense and they will be filing a response of pleading in the period of time they are allowed,which is ,1 until the end of the month. Councilor Mohammed asked if they ever found out if they could give money to out of state charities,since she has been asked by organizations that are out of state to-make a contribution and if so,she would like to. Mayor McClendon said that he decided not to allocate his Charity Day Money to Le bonheur Children's Hospital because they are not in the State of Arkansas, and he decided to keep it in the city. CITIZEN REQUEST: NONE . 1 • Having no further business to come before the City Council, Councilor Catt made the motion, seconded by Councilor Murray to adjourn. Upon voice vote, voting was unanimous to adjourn. The meeting adjourned at 5:20. • • • PASSED and APPROVED this 3rd day of November 2022. ‘It(4i Go e/(-'-t-;It-4._....•7 MARCO MCCLENDON, MAYOR ATTEST: DAM( ESLU6?. Minutes prepared by, Patricia Lane,Sr. Deputy City Clerk Patricia Lane From: Tori Perry Sent: Thursday, October 20, 2022 10:49'AM To: Marco McClendon; Patricia Lane; Michael Stephenson Subject: Disaster Relief Day Attachments: .image2022-10=20-103815.pdf Good morning, • I am going to ask to have this added to agenda. I wanted to add the Charity Days with the Disaster Relief days instead, of giving that to council.and Mayor. Thanks, • Tori Perry . Finance Director City of West Vlempfiis tperiy@westmemphisa'rgov Office: 870-702-513 6 Cell.: 870-514-5821 CITY OF • WEST • •. ) MEMPHIS• FINANCE DEPARTMENT r RECEIVED Clerk'.. • • `4 � /�•''��'h' • • 1 \ • September 20, 2022 The Honorable Marco McClendon Mayor, City of West Memphis P. O. Box 1728 West Memphis, Arkansas 72303 Dear Mayor McClendon: Enclosed please find our checks in the amount of$1,074.94 and$2,223.83. The check totalin_ $1,074.94 ;epresents one-third(1/3) of the proceeds from three(3) Charity Days at Sou an. Casino Hotel from the first half of the year(2022) and-is due the city general fund to be used for charitable purposes only, as determined by the mayor and governing body, as provided by Arkansas law. The check totaling$2,223.83 represents the proceeds from two (2)'Disaster Relief Dyy at Southland.Casino Hotel from the first half of the year(2022) and is due the City general fund to be used for providing assistance and relief to disaster victims, indigent persons, organizations that assist such persons, and for educational purposes, as provided by Arkansas law.) Each of these checks will receive additional funding at the conclusion of racing for the calendar year on December 31,2022. The additional funds will be distributed in January 2023. 0a • , `10 a Y Also enclosed is a fiscal report covering these days. 1 J A � Sincerely, ,y p. ' jant ( fL y Osi Imomoh a' ►Sad �� President and General Manager Enclosures C 1550 N. Ingram Blvd. *West Memphis,AR 72301 *870-735-3670* Fax 870-732-8335 :•.v. F'..w Y'F £ ` s s o., ,�t !e/N r'' r� _ • :f:.e�.,.... J`Delaware 1` North