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12/16/2010MINUTES WEST MEMPHIS CITY COUNCIL DECEMBER 16, 2010 A regular meeting of the West Memphis City Council was held on Thursday, December 16, 2010, at 1:30 p.m. in the City Council Chambers at City Hall, 205 South Redding, West Memphis, Arkansas. Mayor Johnson called the meeting to order at 1:33 p.m. Invocation was given by Reverend David Moose. Phillip Para, City Clerk called the roll. Those present were: Mayor William H. Johnson, City Attorney David Peeples, City Treasurer Frank Martin and Councilors, Ramona Taylor, Willis Mondy, James Holt, Tae Tyrone, Phillip Caner, Lorraine Robinson, Tracy Catt and James Pulliaum. Absent: Councilors, Herman Coleman and Marco McClendon. Quorum being present, Mayor Johnson proceeded with the meeting. MINUTES Councilor Holt moved, seconded by Councilor Taylor to dispense with the reading of the minutes of December 2, 2010 and approve as presented. Upon voice vote the voting was unanimous. OLD BUSINESS 2"d Reading An Ordinance to rezone the property located at 896-898 South Walker Street, located in Crittenden County, from CVE, Conservation Extra-Territorial, to I-2-E, General Industrial Extra-Territorial District. City Attorney Peeples read the Ordinance for the SECOND time. Councilor Robinson made a motion, seconded by Councilor Pulliaum to suspend the rules and place the Ordinance on the third and final reading. Upon voice vote, the voting was unanimous. City Attorney Peeples read the Ordinance for the THIRD time. Councilor Tyrone made a motion, seconded by Councilor Pulliaum to approve the Resolution. Upon voice vote, the voting was unanimous. The Ordinance was adopted and assigned No. 2259. STATE OF THE CITY MESSAGE Mayor Johnson presented the 2009 State of the City Message. (Copy attached) NEW BUSINESS Councilor Pulliam made a motion, seconded by Councilor Taylor to suspend the rules and read the titles only of Resolutions: R-1 and R-2 and Ordinances: O-1 - O-6. Upon voice vote, the voting was unanimous. R-1 A Resolution certifying the removal of certain signs and poles from vacant property located within the City of West Memphis. City Attorney Peeples read the Resolution. Councilor Pulliaum made a motion, seconded by Councilor Taylor to approve the Resolution. Upon voice vote, the voting was unanimous. The Resolution was adopted and assigned No. 1977. R-2 A Resolution to adopt the garbage fee policy recommendations and operations procedural recommendations from the Public Works Committee and for other purposes City Attorney Peeples read the Resolution. Councilor Pulliaum made a motion, seconded by Councilor Taylor to approve the Resolution. Upon voice vote, the voting was unanimous. The Resolution was adopted and assigned No. 1978. O-1 An Ordinance waiving competitive bidding for aerial spraying, ground spraying and other mosquito control efforts, and for other purposes City Attorney Peeples read the Ordinance for the FIRST time. Councilor Pulliaum made a motion, seconded by Councilor Robinson to suspend the rules and the Ordinance be placed on the second reading. Upon voice vote, the voting was unanimous. City Attorney Peeples read the Ordinance for the SECOND time. Councilor Pulliaum made a motion, seconded by Councilor Carter, to further suspend the rules and place the Ordinance on the third reading. Upon voice vote, the voting was unanimous. City Attorney Peeples read the Ordinance for the THIRD and FINAL time. Councilor Robinson made a motion, seconded by Councilor Pulliaum to approve the Ordinance. Upon voice vote, the voting was unanimous. The Ordinance was adopted and assigned No. 2260. O-2 An Ordinance waiving competitive bidding on professional accounting services, and for other purposes. City Attorney Peeples read the Ordinance for the FIRST time. Councilor Pulliaum made a motion, seconded by Councilor Robinson to suspend the rules and the Ordinance be placed on the second reading. Upon voice vote, the voting was unanimous. City Attorney Peeples read the Ordinance for the SECOND time. Councilor Robinson made a motion, seconded by Councilor Pulliaum, to further suspend the rules and place the Ordinance on the third reading. Upon voice vote, the voting was unanimous. City Attorney Peeples read the Ordinance for the THIRD and FINAL time. Councilor Catt made a motion, seconded by Councilor Taylor to approve the Ordinance. Upon voice vote, the voting was unanimous. The Ordinance was adopted and assigned No. 2261 O-3 An Ordinance waiving competitive bidding for the purchase of motor fuel and for other purposes.. City Attorney Peeples read the Ordinance for the FIRST time. Councilor Tyrone made a motion, seconded by Councilor Robinson to suspend the rules and the Ordinance be placed on the second reading. Upon voice vote, the voting was unanimous. City Attorney Peeples read the Ordinance for the SECOND time. Councilor Robinson made a motion, seconded by Councilor Mondy, to further suspend the rules and place the Ordinance on the third reading. Upon voice vote, the voting was unanimous. City Attorney Peeples read the Ordinance for the THIRD and FINAL time. Councilor Catt made a motion, seconded by Councilor Carter to approve the Ordinance. Councilor Catt requested a copy of the low bid be forwarded to the City Clerk's Office as stated in the Ordinance. City Attorney Peeples said the ordinance reads that bids will be forwarded to the City Clerk to file with the council showing the name of the lowest bidder. Mayor Johnson said that would be done. Upon voice vote, the voting was unanimous. The Ordinance was adopted and assigned No. 2262 O-4 An Ordinance to waive competitive bidding for economic development services, approving a contract between the City of West Memphis and the West Memphis Chamber of Commerce, and for other purposes. City Attorney Peeples read the Ordinance for the FIRST time. Councilor Catt made a motion, seconded by Councilor Tyrone to suspend the rules and the Ordinance be placed on the second reading. Upon voice vote, the voting was unanimous. City Attorney Peeples read the Ordinance for the SECOND time. Councilor Catt made a motion, seconded by Councilor Taylor, to further suspend the rules and place the Ordinance on the third reading. Upon voice vote, the voting was unanimous. City Attorney Peeples read the Ordinance for the THIRD and FINAL time. Councilor Robinson made a motion, seconded by Councilor Taylor to approve the Ordinance. Upon voice vote, the voting was unanimous. The Ordinance was adopted and assigned No. 2263. O-5 An Ordinance waiving competitive bidding for the professional consulting services in regulatory and other matters to be provided by A.J. Rowe and Associates, Inc., and for other purposes. City Attorney Peeples read the Ordinance for the FIRST time. Councilor Robinson made a motion, seconded by Councilor Taylor to suspend the rules and the Ordinance be placed on the second reading. Upon voice vote, the voting was unanimous. City Attorney Peeples read the Ordinance for the SECOND time. Councilor Robinson made a motion, seconded by Councilor Catt, to further suspend the rules and place the Ordinance on the third reading. Upon voice vote, the voting was unanimous. City Attorney Peeples read the Ordinance for the THIRD and FINAL time. Councilor Robinson made a motion, seconded by Councilor Pulliaum to approve the Ordinance. Upon voice vote, the voting was unanimous. The Ordinance was adopted and assigned No. 2264. O-6 An Ordinance waiving competitive bidding for the professional consulting services in regulatory and other matters to be provided by David Wilson, and for other purposes. City Attorney Peeples read the Ordinance for the FIRST time. Councilor Tyrone made a motion, seconded by Councilor Catt to suspend the rules and the Ordinance be placed on the second reading. Upon voice vote, the voting was unanimous. City Attorney Peeples read the Ordinance for the SECOND time. Councilor Robinson made a motion, seconded by Councilor Mondy, to further suspend the rules and place the Ordinance on the third reading. Upon voice vote, the voting was unanimous. City Attorney Peeples read the Ordinance for the THIRD and FINAL time. Councilor Catt made a motion, seconded by Councilor Carter to approve the Ordinance. Upon voice vote, the voting was unanimous. The Ordinance was adopted and assigned No. 2265. COMMITTEE REPORTS Fire Commission -Councilor Catt reported the Fire Department purchased new heart monitors with a $35,000 state grant. The monitors will be installed in city ambulances and can transmit data directly to the hospital, giving medical professionals a head start in preparing for the patient. Mayor Johnson gave the credit to Councilwoman Ramona Taylor for initiating the grant and said how grateful we were. Airport Commission - City Engineer Phillip Sorrell provided the Airport Commission with a plan he and Commissioner Mel Bearden proposed for addressing a water seepage problem on the west side of Hangar 1. Airport Engineer Stacey Morris reported that the airport's AIP #22 grant project is on schedule. Both the DBE Program and the project's Construction Safety Plan have received FAA approval. Public Works Committee -Councilor Taylor reported they awarded the 2011 supply contract bids and reviewed the new garbage fee policy that was on the agenda today. Utility Commission -Councilor Tyrone reported they approved loaning the City of West Memphis approximately $190,000 to be paid back over a four year period with interest. Frank Martin explained this loan is to be used to pay for repairs made to the Municipal Court building including having all mold removed and the asbestos abatement completed. Councilor Tyrone made a motion, seconded by Councilor Carter to approve a loan from West Memphis Utilities to the General Fund to be used to pay for the repairs to the Municipal Court building not to exceed $200,000 to be paid back over a four year period with an interest rate not to exceed of 3%. Upon voice vote, the voting was unanimous. APPOINTMENTS Mayor Johnson said he included resumes for appointments to the Utility Commission per the guidelines of the Resolution requiring the submission of resumes for appointments to boards and commissions. The appointments will be voted on at the next City Council meeting. ANNOUNCEMENTS Councilor Taylor said there was an article in the newspaper that said she had recommended to the council to build a swimming pool. She wanted to clarify that she was on the swimming pool committee Mayor Johnson appointed irk 2007, but the committee never made a recommendation to the council. They looked at municipal pools in other cities and concluded that due to the economics of the maintenance and operation cost of a pool it would not be a good idea to build one. Councilor Catt announced there will be a Budget Committee meeting today and Monday at 5:00. Mayor Johnson announced that Kallon Esperian is performing at the West Memphis High School Performing Arts Center tonight at 7:30. Councilor Robinson wished everyone a Merry Christmas. Having no further business to come before the City Council, Councilor Tyrone moved, seconded by Councilor Catt to adjourn. Upon voice vote, the voting was unanimous. The meeting adjourned at 1:48 p.m. PASSED and APPROVED this t~-day of January, 2011. -° ' `ice--- `-~~ ,..J WILLIAM H. JOHNSON, MAYOR ATTEST: P PARA, CITY CLERK Minutes prepared by Cindy Greenwood, Senior Deputy City Clerk r~ 2009 STATE OF THE CITY MESSAGE 2009 was an extremely difficult year the local, state and national economy was in a state of total confusion. Unemployment was high and business volume suffered. We were fortunate to survive the year as well as we did. Our general fund received revenue of $16,377,853.00 and incurred expenses of $16,371,839.00 with a balance of $6,014.00. This was possible due to the fact that we had accumulated some surplus in several other departments that we were able to transfer. These transfers totaled $600,000.00 and did not affect the other departments in any significant way. I am proud of all our department heads and their associates who worked closely with management to allow our budget to be balanced. The Street Department showed revenues of $2,780,657.00 and expenditures of $2,494,154.00, yet still provided all necessary services to our citizens. The Sanitation Department earned revenues of $2,359,958.00 with expenditures of $2,111,191.00 another excellent year with no curtailment of services. Our Utility earned revenue of $29,388,276.00 and expense of $28,352,373.00 leaving a positive balance. The Airport, Library, Parks and all other departments functioned in an excellent manner considering the economic circumstances. Planning and Development's year was active especially considering the direct effect the economy placed on development. »- Planning and Development Department issued nine (9) permits for new construction of commercial and nine (9) permits for additions to existing commercial buildings. Additionally the department issued another thirty-three (33) permits to re-model existing commercial buildings. The total estimated cost of commercial and industrial projects for the year is $7,044,000. Additionally, the West Memphis School District made upgrades to several of their campuses with the total cost of construction for those projects being $1,857,000. Single family housing starts were low at five (5), however one hundred-two (102) permits were issued to re-model existing homes. The City demolished twenty-seven (27) substandard and vacant structures. The Community Development Department oversaw the rehabilitation of forty-nine (49) single-family homes utilizing the volunteer labor of the World Changers and Ozark Missions groups. These homes are owner-occupied by elderly/low income and or handicapped individuals. The City is continuing its relationship with Memphis Area Transit Authority to provide bus service in West Memphis in connections to Memphis. Ridership continues to increase and averages more than 20,000 riders a month with a grand total of more than a million (1,000,000) riders since the service began in 1999. The Police and fire continued to function in a professional manner which is even more outstanding with both departments understaffed. Our people are to be commended for a JOB WELL DONE. As an additional note, I do not expect any significant improvements for 2010.