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January 21, 1988-5- MINUTES WEST MEMPHIS CITY COUNCIL JANUARY 21, 1988 A regular meeting of the West Memphis City Council was held on Thursday, January 21, 1988 at 1:30 p.m. in the City Council Chambers at City Hall, 205 S. Redding, West Memphis, Arkansas. Mayor Keith Ingram presided. Mayor Ingram called the meeting to order at 1:35 p.m. City Clerk Dan Craft called the roll. Those present were: Mayor Keith Ingram City Attorney David Peeples City Clerk Dan Craft Aldermen: Mike Hardage Roger Sumpter Roberta Jackson Al Boals Joe Brasfield James Cooper Gary Walker Pritchard Horton Sam Lehr Absent: Bill Burnett Reverend James Cooper offered prayer. Next, Mayor Ingram presented service pins to City Employees with 5 years up to 30 years of service. Theodore Mosley received a gold watch for over 30 years of service with the Sanitation Department. CITIZENS REQUESTS Ramona Taylor, Administrator of the Crittenden County Health Department present to express appreciation for letting the Health Department operate at the Civic Center due to their facilities receiving over $100,000.00 worth of damage from the tornado December 14, 1988. Mayor Ingram thanked Ms. Taylor for their assistance during the tornado relief and the flood relief operations. Next item on the agenda was the correction or approval of the minutes of the December 17, 1987, December 22, 1987, and the January 7, 1988 City Council Meeting's. Alderman Walker made a motion, seconded by Alderman Jackson to dispense with the reading of the minutes, and approve the three meetings as presented. Upon voice vote, the voting was unanimous. OLD BUSINESS First item under Old Business was the third reading of an Ordinance vacating an unnamed street being an extension of Clover Lane South between Blocks 10 & 11 of Avondale Gardens Subdivision, West Memphis, Arkansas. City Attorney Peeples read the Ordinance for the third and final time. Alderman Cooper made a motion, seconded by Alderman Horton to adopt the Ordinance. Upon roll call vote, the voting was as follows: AYES: Aldermen: Hardage, Sumpter, Jackson, Boals, Brasfield, Cooper, Horton, Lehr NAYS: Aldermen: None Alderman Walker was absent from the vote. The Ordinance PASSED and was assigned No. 1327. NEW BUSINESS Next, Mayor Ingram read his State of the City Address. (Copy Attached) The next item under New Business was an Ordinance to amend Ordinance 987, as amended, The Privilege License Ordinance, to add the category of flea markets, craft shows, antique shows, gun shows and auto shows, to provide the time and method of payment of such privilege license, declaring an emergency and for other -6- purposes. City Attorney Peeples read the Ordinance for the first time. Alderman Hardage made a motion, seconded by Alderman Cooper to approve the Ordinance on its first reading. Upon roll call vote, the voting was as follows: AYES: Aldermen: Hardage, Sumpter, Jackson, Boals, Brasfield, Cooper, Walker, Horton, Lehr NAYS: Aldermen: None Alderman Hardage made a motion, seconded Cooper, to suspend the rules and the Ordinance be placed on its second reading. Upon roll call vote, the voting was as follows: AYES: Aldermen: Hardage, Sumpter, Jackson, Boals, Brasfield, ~ Cooper, Walker, Horton, Lehr NAYS: Aldermen: None City Attorney Peeples read the Ordinance for the second time. Alderman Hardage made a motion, seconded by Alderman Horton to approve the Ordinance on its second reading. Upon roll call vote, the voting was as follows: AYES: Aldermen: Hardage, Sumpter, Jackson, Boals, Brasfield, Cooper, Walker, Horton, Lehr NAYS: Aldermen: None Alderman Hardage made a motion, seconded .by Alderman Lehr to further suspend the rules and the Ordinance be placed on its third and final reading. Upon roll call vote, the voting was as follows: AYES: Aldermen: Hardage, Sumpter, Jackson, Boals, Brasfield, Cooper, Walker, Horton, Lehr NAYS: Aldermen: None City Attorney Peeples read the Ordinance for the third and final time. Discussion. Mayor Ingram asked "Shall the Ordinance Pass?" Alderman ~i Hardage made a motion, seconded by alderman Horton to adopt the Ordinance. Upon roll call vote, the voting was as follows: AYES: Aldermen: Hardage, Sumpter, Jackson, Boals, Brasfield, Cooper, Walker, Horton, Lehr NAYS: Aldermen: None Alderman Horton made a motion, seconded by Alderman Cooper to adopt the emergency clause, section. 2. Upon roll call vote, the voting was as -L-ollows: AYES: Aldermen: Hardage, Sumpter, Jackson, Boals, Brasfield, Cooper, Walker, Horton, Lehr NAYS: Aldermen: None The Ordinance was assigned No. 1328. Next item under New Business was an Ordinance to waive competitive bidding for Christmas Lights for the City of West Memphis. City Attorney Peeples read the Ordinance. Alderman Cooper made a motion, seconded by Alderman Hardage to approve the Ordinance on its first reading. 4 Upon roll call vote, the Voting was as follows: AYES: Aldermen: Hardage, Sumpter, Jackson, Brasfield, Cooper, Walker, Horton, Lehr NAYS: Aldermen: Boals Alderman Hardage made a motion, seconded by Alderman Walker to suspend the rules and the Ordinance be placed on its second reading. Upon roll call vote, the voting was as follows: AYES: Aldermen: Hardage, Sumpter, Jackson, Brasfield, Cooper, Walker, Horton, Lehr NAYS: Aldermen: Boals -7- City Attorney Peeples read the Ordinance for the second time. Alderman Hardage made a motion, seconded by Alderman Horton approve the Ordinance on its second reading: AYES: Aldermen: Hardage, Sumpter, Jackson, Brasfield, Cooper, Walker, Horton, Lehr NAYS: Aldermen: Boals Alderman Hardage made a motion, seconded by Alderman Cooper to further suspend the rules and the Ordinance be placed on its third and final reading. Upon roll call vote, the voting was as follows: AYES: Aldermen: Hardage, Sumpter, Jackson, Brasfield, Cooper, Walker, Horton, Lehr NAYS: Aldermen: Boals City Attorney Peeples read the Ordinance for the third and final time. Discussion held. Mayor Ingram asked "Shall the Ordinance Pass?'° Alderman Cooper made a motion, seconded by Alderman Walker to adopt the Ordinance. Upon roll call vote, the voting was as follows: AYES: Aldermen: Hardage, Sumpter, Jackson, Brasfield, Cooper, Walker, Horton, Lehr NAYS: Aldermen: Boals Alderman Hardage made a motion, seconded by Alderman Walker to adopt the emergency clause, section 2. Upon roll call vote, the voting was as follows: AYES: Aldermen: Hardage, Sumpter, Jackson, Brasfield, Cooper, Walker, Horton, Lehr NAYS: Aldermen: Boals The Ordinance PASSED and was assigned No. 1329. (Christmas Decorations) Next item discussed was the Mayor's 1988 Committee and Commission appointments. Alderman Hardage made a motion, seconded by Alderman Horton to approve as submitted. Upon roll call vote, the voting was as follows: AYES: Aldermen: Hardage, Sumpter, Jackson, Boals, Brasfield, Cooper, Walker, Horton, Lehr NAYS: Aldermen: None A copy of the 1988 Committee assignments attached. Next item discussed was the Bill of Assurance of Oak Creek Subdivision. Alderman Hardage made a motion, seconded by Alderman Jackson to amend the Bill of Assurance allowing a 10% variance on the square footage of the homes to be built in Oak Creek Plantation Subdivision. Upon roll call vote, the voting was as follows: AYES: Aldermen: Hardage, Sumpter, Jackson, Boals, Brasfield, Cooper, Walker, Horton, Lehr NAYS: Aldermen: None PERMISSION REQUESTS Mayor Ingram requested permission from the City Council to sign the debris removal contracts to be reimbursed by FEMA. Alderman Horton made a motion, seconded by Alderman Hardage to grant the approval for the mayor to si~~ the contracts. Upon voice vote, the voting was unanimous. Mayor Ingram stated there would be a Public Works Committee meeting immediately following the City Council meeting. Alderman Walker stated the appointed Insurance Committee had met and reviewed the bids for group insurance for the City of West Memphis and rejected the bids. He further stated they are accepting quotes from other insurance company's. Next item discussed was filling the vacancy on the Utility Commission due to the resignation of Dillard Martin. Alderman Hardage made a motion, seconded by -8- Alderman Lehr to nominate Harold Thomas. Alderman Boals made a motion, seconded by Alderman Jackson to nominate Don Grimsley to fill the vacancy of the Dillard Martin. Roll call vote was held to appoint Harold Thomas into the vacancy on the Utility Commission. AYES: Aldermen: Hardage, Sumpter, Brasfield, Cooper, Walker, Horton, Lehr NAYS: Aldermen: Jackson, Boals By majority vote, Harold Thomas was appointed to fill the vacancy of Dillard Martin on the Utility Commission. Alderman Boals stated Mr. Thomas was a good man to have on the Utility Commission. City Attorney Peeples reminded the Council to turn in their Code of rr~i Ethics forms to the City Clerk's Office before January 31, 1988 Alderman Cooper stated there caould be a Police Commission meeting Wednesday, January 27, 1988 in the Chief's .Office at 12:00 noon. Alderman I-Iardage made a motion, seconded by Alderman Horton to adjourn. Upon voice vote, the voting was unanimous. The meeting adjourned at 2:34 p.m. PASSED and APPROVED this ~~ day of ~- 1988. ~, r ~ • .-- MAYOR KEITH ATTEST: ~~ ~r «-~,`~ . / ..~; ITY LER SAN C T /~ L SECRET RY CINDY EA LY ~nnn nnuuTTTrr ~~rTnuur~~Tt~ BODGE~E COMMISSION Pritchard Horton Gary Walker Roger Sumpter Roberta Jackson Al Boals FIRE COMMISSION Mike Hardage Bill Burnett Al Boals Sam Lehr Pritchard Horton POLICE COMMISSION Sam Lehr Mike Hardage Roger Sumpter Joe Brasfield James Cooper PUBLIC WORKS COMMISSION Biil Burnett James Cooper Pritchard Horton Gary Walker Al Boals Dennis Sorrell Eddie Brawley Ward Wimbish/Cleon Brown SANITATI01! COMMISSION Ward Wimbish/Robert Bateman Frank Hill Gary Walker Roger Sumpter Roberta Jackson Joe Brasfield Bill Burnett 1988 COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS ADVERTISING & PROMOTION COMMITTEE Sam Lehr Roberta Jackson AIRPORT COMMISSION Craig Tennison William Regenold BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT Bill Felty Dan Shepard Randy Catt Milton Shelton Powell Fowler __. - derrick Handy Larry Gage Roy Key Frank Martin Taylor Crews BOARD OF EXAMINERS MECHANICAL, HEATING & AIR-CONDITIONING George Thomas Vince Wilkerson Rufus Reavis Rev. Ed Whitfield Charles George ~~ Rick Griffin Stanley Clark Willie Higgins Charles George Kenneth Foster BOARD OF EXAMINING & LICENSING PLUMBERS David Annis Solomon Boston Richard Epting Ed Horton t' 1988 COMMITTEE~ASSIGNMENTS LIBRARY BOARD Patty Gonzales Suzanne Percer Mrs. R. K. Bollinger PARK COMMISSION Wallace Chandler Tress Spurlock PORT AUTHORITY Don Weis PUBLIC FACILITIES BOARD John Buntin DESIGN AND REVIEW BOARD Pat Magruder, Chairman Alex Coulter Jack Avery Jim Pugh Mary Carter Toney Sam Lehr Jack Woodard M. L. "Butch" Pike, III Roger Sumpter PLANNING COMMISSION Frederick Anthony °~ ~~~ ,~„ .~`~ .. ,.. 1988 State of the City Report from Keith Ingram Mayor of West Memphis How easy it would be for the content of this report to be only on the tornado and floods which took place in our city recently. We are all quite aware of those intense times. And it is right and appropriate for all of us, elected officials and citizens to reflect on the import of those events and to remember with gratitude and kindness those organizations and individuals who came to our aid in the aftermath of our unwelcome visitors last month. I continue to be proud of how our~city's department heads and employees leapt into non-stop action and worked tirelessly day and night to protect the safety and health of our citizens. The professional disaster relief workers and media people who came to West Memphis all learned first hand that our city does have a unity, a spirit, a bond of common caring and generosity that far exceeds the norm. Time after time I heard these people say "This community has what it takes. The people here are showing the true meaning of "togetherness." Our local newspaper and cable television facility were extremely effective in helping City Government communicate during this period. And when the national and international news spotlight fell on our city, viewers who may never have known much about our city saw clearly a strength of will and a brotherhood in our town that is surely to be remembered with favor for years to come. Letters of appreciation have been sent to the hundreds of individuals and groups who stood beside us then, and I especially ask that all of us pay special recognition to the city governments and employees from our neighboring towns and cities, Their help was immediate, willingly given, and vital to our recovery effort. The churches in our community once again proved their importance and demonstrated an unswerving devotion to aiding those in need. How fortunate we are to have so many friends. Our City Engineer Ward Wimbish has devised a plan for the widening of several drainage ditches and the addition of levees in problem areas. This, along with pumping facilities we hope to have through the Corps of Engineers should help us minimize the impact of future heavy rains. However, such measures are only "patchwork" and temporary. The real solution lies in a very extensive and expensive program that can only be funded with the major financial assistance ,.~~.. ~r ~~ < of the Federal Government. Your City officials are attempting to secure such assistance and we need the sincere commitment of our other elected representatives in state and national government to help us achieve this relief. I will report to you in more detail on our progress in this quest in the coming months. While our weather conditions have tested us, not all the news of interest in 1987 was so dismal. In fact, one might say that West Memphis was indeed fortunate last year. With aggressive new leadership in many city departments and with excellent co-operation from the .city council, we were able to improve services in fire, police, sanitation, street maintenance and many other areas from barely adequate to very good. Our goal is excellence. I am confident that given time and continued support we can achieve that goal. However, had it not been for the farsightedness of our citizens and their willingness to sacrifice by voting in a tax increase on themselves, our progress would not have been possible. Without the increased revenues from the sales tax increase, the good intentions of our city's departments would not have been enough. A big part of the solution to improving service was adequate monies to purchase much needed equipment, increase training programs and increase operating efficiencies. To report in detail on the inner workings of every City Department would require more time than we have during this meeting. Instead, I refer you to the two previous Mayor's Reports issued during 1987. In those reports are details of the many operational improvements effected in every City Department. Also, in my recent 1988 Budget Report is further information about the past performance and future plans of your City Government. By appending a copy of those three documents to this report, I ask that they become a part of this State of the City Report. All of us in City Government are proud to say that we're doing our best to serve the citizens of West Memphis and we will continue to do that and nothing less. .~-.. CITY OF wEST 1~TEMPHIS x.988 BUDGET itEPGI~T By Mayor Keith Ingram Because of increased income from the revenues generated by our recently enacted one cent city and county sales tax, ~1Test Memphis City Government will next year provide better services to our citizens. This additional income, along with an efficient, professional effort from department heads and all city employees, should mean good things for us in the future. In this report I am including a summary of many of the departmental activities which are designed to improve operating efficiency, quality of life, wiser manpower utilization and build a stronger base for economic growth. As you will notice, the increased income is to be spent on needed equipment, on projects to help our departments to serve the citizens more dependably, and for programs that will help our city realize its full potential. I am confident that positive results will occur from these allocations. ' BUDGET HIGHLIGHTS ~ Police Department Adding one additional detective to the Criminal Investigation Division. Four new squad cars will be added to the police department to replace older equipment which is expensive to repair and not as dependable to operate. The increased efficiency of this department under the leadership of Chief Bobby Sanders is being very well received. Street Department The new budget will fund such needed programs as: Rental of . equipment to clean out all drainage ditches in the city, to allow for improved maintenance in the future; Expanded training and ~ ~ educational programs for departmental employees; Purchase of a new ~ street sweeping machine to help us keep our city clean; A "slurry seal" '~ ~ program which will close up cracks in paved streets that are still ~. o structurally sound, preventing costly water damage in the future. According to City Engineer Ward Wimbish, this costs about 85~ per square yard compared to $4.00 per square yard for replacing badly damaged pavement. Fire Department As said in earlier reports, Chief Mac Holmes is working toward improving our rating for insurance purposes. When successful, this could mean savings of thousands of dollars in insurance premiums for citizens, merchants, businesses and industry. To help improve our rating, six firemen will be added to the department. We will purchase the first new pumper acquired since 1978 when Federal funds were used. The last time city funds were used to buy a fire truck was in 1971. The office of Assistant Chief is being eliminated and a second Inspector's position is being created. This will give us two full time fire inspectors who will work on both fire prevention and training programs. Our Fire Department and Emergency Services units have made more than 2,000 "runs" already in 1987. Sanitation Department This department's budget is $294,000 less than it was last year, primarily because of a one-time expenditure in 1986 of $226,000 for new trucks and equipment and a reduction in the total number of employees from 38 to 33. As reported earlier, the change in service patterns has resulted in more efficient utilization of personnel and equipment. Sanitation Director Robert Bateman continues to lead this department to more dependable service. Parks & Recreation $200,000 more is allocated for this department than was last year. A five field softball complex will be developed off Airport Road, along with the development of a ten acre fishing lake in that same area. The Worthington Park project will be completed during this summer. This area is to feature a fitness trail, picnic facilities and a greenbelt area. Having already re-surfaced tennis courts in Matthews, Franklin, . Grimsley and Horton Parks, next year will see repairs on backstops, new bleachers, re-paving of the Tenth Street Basketball court and other improvements. We plan to hire qualified part time people to have a summer day camp program during 1987. Emergency Medical Services Increased expenditures in this vital area will allow us to have two full- time paramedic units instead of one. Funds wjll also be used for better support staffing, training, and to purchase necessary life saving and safety equipment. Library Our Public Library System has been neglected. Their budget in 1988 will increase by $26,000. Repairs will be made to the foundation at the Main Library. Also planned: new air conditioning for alI locations; new carpets where needed; better exterior appearance and maintenance; new shelves, chairs, racks; a 16mm projector and a new roof for the East Broadway branch. $10,000 additional in State funds will also be well used for improvements to our Library system. Data Processing Next year`s budget includes funds for computer facilities and programs to automate business between the Municipal Court and the Police Department. This will speed up collections on fines and improve the collection ratio. Civic Complex An aggressive and well-planned advertising program is already underway to promote tourism and use of our lodging, meeting and dining facilities, including our civic auditorium and community center. This effort is funded by a 1% tax on hotel, motel and restaurant sales. Physical improvements are planned for our publicly owned meeting facilities to make these buildings more flexible and efficient to operate. Economic Development In the budget for the Mayor's office are funds to be used to implement the recommendations which will come from the economic development study currently being conducted. The results of this effort will help us immensely in our search for more and better jobs for citizens through the recruitment of quality businesses and industries to locate here. Airport Our Airport budget has been doubled from $50,000 to $100,000. It is one of the key elements in our drive for economic growth, with the help of 90%/10% Federal/Local expenditures. In 1987 we received more than $500,000 in Federal Aviation Administration grants. We still have more - than $1.5 million in grant requests to be used for such. airport projects as: an instrument landing system, r'anway extension, land aequisitian and new ramps. ~ - There are many other specific areas of need in city operations and I believe the 1988 budget addresses as many priorities as possible. As promised, I pledge to work thoughtfully and in a business-like manner with all elected and appointed officials, department heads and city employees to invest the citizen's monies prudently and for the benefit of our entire community. ~- -- . W .A Q) v co O N w cT~ Q~ Oo - ~ Vi O U1 O Ul O CT1 O U1 O U1 O . O ~ O O ~ O O :O p O O O O O 0 o 0 0 ° ° ° ~ 0 0 0 0 0 ~ 0 X 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 ~(a~agi~ O ~ m -~ _ ~ 6u~ssaooad ~~~Q •' o ~ o ~' •uiwpy 'S aou~ui~ -~ ~ ~. ~ ~- ~ sdoyS ~(ii~ _ ~ n ~. ~..: `~ D ~ano~ ~adioiunW .~ o . ~ eornaaS •paw ~(oua6~ew~~ . n ' a .:.: ~ o uor~~eaoe~ '8 s~{a~d ~. ~ s~uaw~~~deQ •osi~y ~, • ~• o N ~ xa~dwo~ oin~~ .~ ~~ c~ ~~ ,... c, aay~0 -< a n ~` ~, ~ `~ uot~~~iu~S `~~~~ n ~' ~ m ~ e.r ~ ~ s~aaalS aoilod C7 ~ ~ ..~ 7 ~ n -n -~ .~ ~m ~~ ~ ---i ~ ~ D ~m ~~ ~~ z= U) CITY OF WEST MEMPHIS BUDGET COMPARiS©iV t OF LAST YEAR DEPARTMENT THIS YEAR TOTAL $1,642,350 Police $1,706,175 19.1% $1,341,625 Streets $1,643,100 18.4% $1,201,850 Fire $1,552,625 17.4% $1,250,650 Sanitation $ 984,825 11.0% $ 343,020 Other $ 580,890 ~ ~6.5% $ 521,550 Civic Com lex $ 521,550 5.8% $ 470,950 Miscellaneous De ts. $ 473,710 5.4% $ 243,375 Parks & Recreation $ 423,000 4.7% $ 165,600 Emer enc Med Svc. $ 207,200 2.3% $ 179,650 Munici al Court $ 206,550 2.3% $ 176,825 Cit Sho s $ 192,000 2.1% $ 158,625 Finance & Admin. $ 167,450 1.9% $ 119,100 Data Processin $ 159,425 1.8% $ 85,150 Li b rar $ 121,975 1.3% $7,900,320 TOTAL BUDGETS $8,940,475 X00% R; ', F' ~.. 1 •- It is my belief that an elected official should regularly recap activities and progress to the citizens of the community served through his elected office. As Mayor of west Memphis it is my distinct pleasure to present this progress report of the first three months of the new mayor's term. I want to thank the ~''e,st ~eru~nh~,s~Yer~fr~~ Tfnles far suggesting that this report be published. The highlight of progress during this brief period has been the enthusiastic cooperation of both the elected and appointed officials of our city. without their open minded spirit and excellent talents, we might still be discussing what to do. Instead, much improvement has been achieved in a very short time. There are still mare urgent matters that require the attention of your elected officials, but I am encouraged by the results of our efforts thus far. Citizens of west Memphis told us loudly and clearly what they wanted: Better City services; more attentive city employees; more efficient sanitation services; more diligent and effective police and fire departments; a greater sense of community pride and spirit; and aggressive, thoughtful, business minded Leadership. In this report are listed some very interesting statistics and facts about the improved performance of our various city departments. These reports are a source of great pride to me and to the hundreds people who work in community service as employees or in elected or appointed positions. we pledge to you, the citizens, our continued best efforts. Police Department: D During the first three months of this year as compared to the same period last year, Chief Bobby Sanders reports that our Police Department has recorded the following--a 3S~ increase in arrests for Driving while Intoxicated; thirteen burglary arrests versus one; four aggravated assault arrests compared to none in 1986; 57x more arrests for narcotics related violations; thirteen arrests for motor vehicle theft compared to four Iasi year. More cars on the street and the diligence of our officers and patrolmen has definitely resulted in better Police protection. D Excellent results are being realized from Officer wolf, the department's highly trained canine drug detection specialist. D Patrol cars now spend considerable time in school areas both in the mornings and while school dismissal occurs in the afternoon. D The assignment of Lt, Gary Gitchell as Aublic Relations Officer and in charge of Crsme Stoppers and the Neighborhood watch Program. D Police Department is now at full strength with civilian replacements for Certified Officers who previously had worked in communications. ^ Removal of abandoned and/or junked automobiles city wide, and better enforcement of all city codes. ^ Pride and professionalism is at an all time high in this department. Fire Department: ^ Improved maintenance programs for all fire equipment; every station house has undergone painting, fix up and general repair activities. Fire Chief Mac Holmes has provided excellent leadership and strong ~ ~~ management skills for our Fire Department. ^ Major new procedures have been initiated in the care of all fire fighting trucks and much needed accessory equipment has been acquired and installed. Frequent testing of all units is underway. ^ Better and more frequent training programs have been instituted far all personnel. This includes regular classes in both standard fire fighting skills, hazardous materials problems, and safety. The annual budget for training has been increased significantly. D More training time has been experienced in the first three months of 198? than took place in the previous five years. Even more intensive training is planned for the future. Our goal is to improve the city's "Fire Rating," which helps determine the cost of insurance for residences, businesses and industry. ^ Manpower availability has been increased through more appropriate policies on scheduling, overtime and compensatory time off. ^ Plans for the future include; a home fire safety inspection effort; stricter fire code enforcement; computer entry of survey reports; and the adoption of a much needed five-year plan for equipment and building needs. Sanitation Department; ,,„ ', D New Department head Robert Bateman reports increased morale and efficiency. Crews are spending time cleaning some alleys and ditches when they have completed the day's normal duties. D All trucks and other equipment are being washed on a regular basis, improving the appearance and making it easier to spot small maintenance problems earlier. _ ^ Absenteeism is reduced. Saturday training sessions feature instructions on safety and operation of equipment, intended to help reduce injuries and the resulting worker's compensation insurance claims which the city has to pay. ^ fur next challenge is to develop and implement new procedures in servicing both residential and commercial customers. City Beautification: D A scheduled city-wide street sweeping project is about one third complete. The results are encouraging and symbolize the city's -strong commitment to pride in appearance. ^ The City Beautiful Commission has embarked upon an ambitious schedule to trim, prune, plant and otherwise beautify such public areas as the Police Building, median strips, and the Civic Complex, etc. ^ Through a program to systematically eliminate decaying or abandoned signs which clutter our streets, the city is benefiting from a unique and effective spirit of teamwork involving Alderman Gary Walker, the Utility Department and the P.O.P. (Power of Progress) civic group. Their cooperation is indicative of a new spirit among all our aldermen and other elected officials, city employees and volunteer citizens who care. PariCS and Recreation: D Our city parks had been neglected for many years. The first task is to bring maintenance up to an acceptable level. We anticipate that a noticeable improvement in our parks will be seen by those using the parks this summer. Actual work in these areas has had to wait for good weather conditions, but Lee Cramer and his park commission personnel are eager to get started on making all our public parks neat, trim and cared for. D There are plans to be announced in the near future For additional ball fields and the creation of new "green spaces" for family enjoyment and recreation. Advertising and Promotion Commission: D The A & P Commission has selected qualified marketing expertise to develop a long range program for attracting more visitors and meetings to west Memphis. ,joint programs with the Chamber of Commerce will help make this effort work efficiently for our city. D Already announced for 1957 are two new attractions that will attract visitors, the Confederate Air Force Show on Labor Day and the antique aircraft exhibit in May in connection with the Memphis Belle festivities. Aggressive promotion of the city's assets is planned. Future Activities: . with the vital assistance of the city's aldermen, my responsibilities as your Mayor include more than just remedial efforts. It is our intention as your elected officials to think into the future about what's best for our community. In this regard, I am reviewing all budgets, public land and building utilization, street improvement needs, as well as departmental planning. We also are working to increase the amount of cooperation between government and private enterprise in order to work more effectively for the economic growth and development of our city. It is too early in this process to cite details, but I want you. to know that there will be further improvements; that these changes will be thought out carefully and that the advice and input of many different individuals from every part of our community will be sought out and listened to attentively. f ~` MAYOR'S QUARTERLY REPORT I am pleased to report that West Memphis city departments are on the move and making strong progress in improving city services. - During the past quarter, each department found ways to improve services for residents of our .city. - Vehicle Thefts Reduced; Patrols Stepped Up Police Chief Bobby Sanders reports that still watches have been set up in several areas to help reduce the number of vehicle thefts. Patrols have been stepped up in school zones. Dezonia Gladney is. - . - supervising the Crittenden County Escort Service, which provides ~ ~ - four crossing guards and a relief guard for schools in the area. A - part-time dispatcher has been has been hired at the Police Department. Four new patrol cars have been purchased and four others have been repainted for a new Iook. The Police and Courts Building and the City Shop have been repainted with inmate labor. Gaarbage Complaints Analyzed to Target Trouble Spots Ward Wimbish, our Public Works Director and City Engineer, and his staff have put a new program to work that is reducing the number of missed ~ garbage pick-ups. Complaints concerning missed .pick-ups are being compiled into a monthly computerized analysis to help locate problem areas so they can receive extra effort. Four new trucks for the Sanitation Department are now in service. Breakdowns are the major cause of missed pick-ups, and the new trucks will mean fewer breakdowns and better service. Anew program is also underway to reduce overtime costs in the Sanitation department. Under the new program ,employees can go home once they finish their daily duties. If they finish early, they can leave early, but they will still be paid for eight hours. Free Adult Education Classes for Public Works Employees ~~ - . Also, I am pleased to report that several Public Works Department employees are enrolled in free adult education classes being offered throught the Mid-South Vo-Tech School. Under the State-funded program, employees may select from a broad range of classes, including courses that can lead to high school equivalency diplomas. The Sanitation Department will pay for any books or class material not covered by the State. ' Eleven Miles of Streets to be Resurfaced There's good news for West Memphis motorists, too. Public Works Director Wimbish reports that 11 miles of .West Mem his streets will .. _ . . be resurfaced soon. + Have you ever wondered what Street +~ ~ "`- Department employees do when the weather is too bad to work -~ ~`~` ~~ _ ( `~ ~` ZL~.~ ~` outside during the winter. They learn ways to do their jobs better. ~ ~1~-~-- ~ ;~ A street repair and maintenance training program is scheduled at ~Y ~; ~`~ a our Street Department this winter. The program was developed by the 'Asphalt Institute and will cover types and causes of pavement defects and how to repair them. Fire Department Maintenance Saves Money for City At the Fire Department, an extensive equipment maintenance program is helping save money for the City. Fire Chief Mac Holmes reports that Fire Department personnel are available to inspect ~' residences and businesses to heI owners sot and correct P p potential fire hazards. Finance Adminstration Director Wyman Morgan reports that a new telephone system has been acquired for the Fire Department and City Hall. Library Program Helps Improve Reading SkiIis The West Memphis Library System, under the direction of Ruth Ann Sanders, is working with the Crittenden County Literacy Council to ~ help those who need to improve their reading skills. The library is i I i expanding its easy reading and large print collections to encourage ., r new readers to practice. -The libraries also are starting up the pre- school story hour again at the branch location and re-emphasizing story hour at the Main Library. The library .buildings have been . ~ repainted, and anew air conditioning unit v.~as purchased this past summer. ~', Progress Underway on Privilege License Ordinance ', West Memphis City Clerk Dan Craft and his department have been working on a list of changes and additions to the Privilege License ordinance. The new ordinance would have to be approved by City Council before it becomes law. Improvements in Case Processing Planned for Courts Efficient case processing in the Municipal Courts is an important concern and Dat a Pr oces In s Man a er B r ant With ers b b Y goon and his staff are working on a study to determine how Police Department and Municipal Court data communications systems can be improved to expedite case processing. • ` Code Enforcement Department is ~ Updating Codes At the Code Enforcement Department, Director Charles George and his staff will soon be updating electrical and standard building codes. The Code Enforcement Department will be responsible for enforcing the new sign ordinance, which will help improve the appearance of our city. Also, the department has acquired a new computer. Auction Generates Revenue, Creates Savings for City An auction at the West Memphis Utility grounds in late August added $13,000 to the general fund. City purchasing agent Toe Scarbrough reported that bidders selected from 145 items ranging from audiovisual equipment to automobiles. In addition to increasing city revenue, the auction served two other purposes: it cleaned out storage areas and created cash savings by deleting the '~° items that were sold from city insurance. ,~r' i i i r ~. f... Renovation Progress at Civic Center Civic Center Director Don Christian and Sarah Smith are continuing to coordinate the renovation of the West Memphis Community Center. Painting, general maintenance and buidling improvements have made the complex more attractive. More people visited the Civic Center Complex during the summer of 1987 than during any corrsponding period over the past ten years. City department managers and their staffs are working hard to make West Memphis a better place to live for all of our citizens. . As each department plans for 1988, we welcome your suggestions on how this administration can better serve you. With the concern and involvement of alI of our citizens, West Memphis will continue to move forward. ~~ t