Loading...
11/02/2023 MINUTES WEST MEMPHIS CITY COUNCIL, November 2,2023 A regular meeting of the West Memphis City Council was held on Thursday,November 2,2023, at 1:00 p.m. in the City Council Chambers at City Hall,205 S.Redding,West Memphis, Arkansas. Invocation was given by Pastor,Billy Oyler of Cornerstone Baptist Church followed by the Pledge of Allegiance led by Sr. Deputy City Clerk,Patricia Lane.Mayor Marco McClendon called the meeting to order at 1:00 p.m. City Clerk,Patricia Joplin called the roll.Those present were City Attorney Michael Stephenson,and Council Members: Tracy Catt, Wayne Croom,James Holt, Helen Harris,Melanie Hutchinson,Lorraine Mohammed, Willis Mondy,David Murray. and Charles Wheeless.Absent was City Treasurer, Charlie Suiter Jr. and Councilor Gheric Bruce Also,present Finance Director,Tori Perry.Evening Times Reporter Donald Wilburn was notified but was not in attendance.Quorum being present Mayor McClendon,proceeded with the meeting. BID OPENING: INSURANCE FOR THE CITY OF WEST MEMPHIS-JANICE COLEMAN Councilor Catt made the motion,seconded by Councilor Croom to accept the bid from Cigna to provide Insurance for the City of West Memphis.There being no discussion.Upon voice vote,voting was unanimous to approve. MINUTES: APPROVE OR CORRECT MINUTES OF OCTOBER 19,2023 Councilor Catt made the motion,seconded by Councilor Croom to dispense with the reading of the minutes of October 19,2023,Council Meeting,and to approve them as submitted.Upon voice vote,voting was unanimous to approve. OLD BUSINESS: 2ND READING OF AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND SECTION 5 OF ORDINANCE NO. 1588 ESTABLISHING THE MOSQUITO CONTROL SERVICES PROVIDING FUNDING,AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES City Attorney Stephenson read the ordinance by title only for the second time.The ordinance will be placed back on the November 16,2023,agenda for its third and final reading. 2ND READING OF AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND ORDINANCE NO.2504 AND SECTION 34-30 OF THE WEST MEMPHIS MUNICIPAL CODE,TO SET GARBAGE COLLECTION FEES AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES City Attorney Stephenson read the ordinance by title only for the second time.The ordinance will be placed back on the November 16,2023,agenda for its third and final reading. 2ND READING OF AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND SECTION 10 OF ORDINANCE NO 2472 TO INCREASE FEES AND ADD TRADES,BUSINESS PROFESSIONS,VOCATIONS AND/OR CALLINGS FOR WHICH A PRIVILEGE LICENSE SHALL BE PAYABLE,AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES City Attorney Stephenson read the ordinance by title only for the second time. The ordinance will be placed back on the November 16,2023,agenda for its third and final reading. NEW BUSINESS: Councilor Mohammed made the motion,seconded by Councilor Catt to read R-1,0-1,0-2,by title only.Upon voice vote,voting was unanimous. R-1 RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING AND APPROVING EXECUTION OF AN EQUIPMENT LEASE PURCHASE AGREEMENT WITH CADENCE EQUIPMENT FINANCE,A DIVISION OF CADENCE BANK. City Attorney Stephenson read the resolution by title only.Councilor Catt made the motion, seconded by Councilor Croom to approve.Upon voice vote,voting was unanimous to approve The resolution was adopted and assigned No.2291. 0-1 AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND CHAPTER 2,ARTICLE VI-PROCUREMENT OF THE WEST MEMPHIS MUNICIPAL CODE REGARDING THE COMPETITIVE BIDDING REQUIREMENTS FOR PURCHASES MADE BY THE CITY OF WEST MEMPHIS 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 Wheeless 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 Croom made the motion,seconded by Council 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 the THIRD AND FINAL time. Councilor Croom made the motion, seconded by Councilor Wheeless to approve. Discussion followed:Mayor McClendon explained in the past it has been$20,000 and they are coming in compliance with what the State is doing at$35,000. Councilor Catt said that under the mayors administration he has added additional requirements which is more restrictive than most regarding bidding and he appreciates that.There being no further discussion.Upon voice vote,voting was unanimous to approve.The ordinance was adopted and assigned No.2650. 0-2 AN ORDINANCE ADOPTING THE CITY OF WEST MEMPHIS FIXED ASSET POLICIES AND PROCEDURES,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 Harris made the motion,seconded by Council Wheeless 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 the THIRD and FINAL time. Councilor Croom made the motion, seconded by Councilor Wheeless to approve.Discussion followed:Finance Director Tori Perry explained that the city has a fixed asset process,but it is not in writing.They have had to do a policy for their electronic wire funds and this is another thing that they should have already had a policy for and they are now adopting a formal policy. City Attorney said that there is a statute that says they shall have this policy and Ms.Perry is just taking actions to be compliant with State Legislative requirements.There being no further discussion.Upon voice vote,voting was unanimous to approve.The ordinance was adopted and assigned No.2651. PERMISSION REQUEST: PERMISSION FOR DEMOLITION OF THE PROPERTY LOCATED AT 2806 E. GROVE Mayor McClendon is asking permission to move forward with demolition of the burnt out property located at 2806 E. Grove. The Fire Department has already condemned the property and determined that it is uninhabitable. Councilor Croom made the motion,seconded by Councilor Harris to approve.Upon voice vote,voting was unanimous to approve. Mayor McClendon asked for permission to add the distribution of Charity Day Funds to the agenda. Councilor Catt made the motion,seconded by Councilor Wheeless to add the distribution of Charity Day Funds to the agenda.Upon voice vote,voting was unanimous. Councilor David Murray would like to donate$500.00 to Maddox Elementary After School Program. Councilor Charles Wheeless would like to donate$758.77 to Crittenden County Boys &Girls Club. Councilor Catt would like to donate$1,887.50 to Creative Strategies. Councilor Melanie Hutchinson would like to donate$250.00 to First United Methodist Church on Missouri Street and$250.00.to River Church. Councilor Tracy Catt made the motion,seconded by Councilor Mondy to approve. Upon voice vote,voting was unanimous to approve. COMMITTEE REPORTS: • PARKS COMMISSION: Councilor Mohammed presented the Parks Commission report. The Parks Commission met on Tuesday October 31,2023.The first item:on the agenda was the introduction of Staff and Commission Members and Parks Liaison Lorraine Mohammed. Mr.Darrin McCollum was appointed as Chairperson and Ms.Jamie Patterson was appointed as Secretary. The commission established the Parks Commission meeting date and time. They will be meeting the first Tuesday of each month at noon. The next item on the agenda was to discuss the expectations for the parks staff,and individual portfolios,and park. accomplishments.The commission also revised the parks rental agreement and voted unanimously to raise the rental fees and to require a deposit.They are wanting to raise the rental fee from$75.00 to$125.00 and to require a$100.00,deposit that will be returned if the park is cleaned when they finish using it. Councilor Croom made the motion,seconded by Councilor Catt to move forward with raising the Parks rental fee from$75.00 to$125.00 and adding a$100.00 deposit for the park rental fee once the ordinance is presented to council for their approval. APPOINTMENTS: NONE ANNOUNCEMENTS: Councilor Mohammed asked about the CDBG Roofing Project,she said that several people have asked when they will begin repairing the roofs.Ms.Marilyn Phelix provided an update.Ms. Phelix said the roofing project for Fiscal year 2023,for CDBG started in July 2023. She said that they had 102 applicants and they selected approximately 60 homes that were actually eligible, and they are having to do assessments of those roofs to narrow it down even further because they can not possibly do that many roofs.The City Inspectors will be going out to look at each roof. This will entail the inspectors having to get on top of the roofs to determine the roofs that are in the most needed repair and selecting the roofs that will best benefit the longevity of the structure. Mayor McClendon gave an update on the Inclusion Park at Hicks Park that will benefit our children with autism and mental and physical disabilities and other disabilities. The mayor said Mr.Raymond Whiteside did an excellent job in presenting the plans to the State and it is now in the hands of Governor Huckabee,He said he met with Governor Huckabee in Littlerock the day before and he is feeling really good about the grant application that they submitted for$250,000 dollars.He said the four commissioners appeared to be on board with the City of West Memphis getting the grant,however it has not been made official,but they remain hopeful.The park would be beneficial to the city. The closet inclusion park is in Jonesboro and having a special need right here in West Memphis would benefit our children. The Veterans Day Parade will be Saturday November 11,2023 it will start at the West Memphis Christian School on Missouri Street. The line up will be at 9:00 a.m. and the parade will start at 10:00 a.m. It will end at the Veterans of Foreign War building located at 4011 S. Avalon where they will give a presentation. Mayor McClendon said next week they will be breaking ground for the new West Memphis Animal Shelter. The city will be partnering with Southland and Southland will be paying for the new facility.The new facility is greatly needed. The facility will be named the Carolyn and Nes Seacrest Animal Control Center. Finance Director,Tori Perry said the next regularly scheduled Budget Meeting will be 111 scheduled for next week and possibly the following week they will schedule a meeting to go over the 2024 budget.The Council Members will be notified of the date and time. Mayor McClendon said that although it is always difficult to speak about,he did want to make everyone aware of a recent unfortunate murder at Woods and Broadway at the gas station.He said although murders in West Memphis are down,and they have only had 5 murders it is still to many.He said when we continue to see the cycle of young Black men steadily taking the lives of other young Black men for no reason it is daunting. They do not understand that their actions not only hurt themselves and their families but the city as well. He said he is praying for our young men but sometimes it is going to take tough love to get our young men on the right path and to get them to value life. People say Black Lives Matter,but he wants them to see Black Lives have value and they must begin to value life.The young men involved were only 19 years old and their lives are now over. One is now in jail and the other is deceased.He is asking the community to be vocal in speaking with our youth about choosing to make better decisions.The mayor said in an effort to be transparent he is bringing awareness to this problem and saying to youth choosing to take a gun and take someone's life to make better decisions and it is not acceptable in this community to make poor decisions,it affects not only their lives,but their families and it hurts the city as a whole when they are trying to build the city and attract business and citizens to our city.Mayor McClendon said this is not an East side,West side, North side,South side issue we are one community,and he is asking the people to speak of unity and continuing to pray for a solution. CITIZENS REQUEST: NONE Having no further business to come before the City Council,Councilor Mondy made the motion,seconded by Councilor Hutchinson,to adjourn.Upon voice vote,the voting was unanimous.The meeting adjourned at 1:35 p.m. PASSED and APPROVED this 16 day of November 2023. V(114 MARCO CLENDON,MAYOR • ATTEST: PATRICIA JOPLIN, CLERK Minutes prepared by,Patricia Lane,Sr.Deputy City Clerk