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Minutes for the special called City Council meeting on August 26, 2002
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SPECIAL CALLED MEETING CITY COUNCIL MINUTES - AUGUST 26, 2002
The Special Called Meeting of the Jonesboro City Council met Monday, August 26, 2002, at 5:30 p.m. for the purpose of authorizing negotiations to clean out eight major ditches. A full quorum was in attendance. Present were: Mayor Brodell, City Attorney, Phillip Crego, City Clerk, Donna K. Jackson, and eleven council members. Those members were: Kelton, Tate, Rorex, Crockett, Rega, Province, Moore, Young, Perrin, Copeland, and Roddy. Councilman McCall was unable to attend.
Mayor Brodell stated he, Larry Johnson, and Garry Tate had met with Mr. George King for most of the day looking over eight different ditches. It was explained that Mr. King had the necessary equipment and would do the work for $80.00 per hour, per machine.
Mayor Brodell asked if anyone else had the necessary equipment to do this type of work. Councilman Roddy responded saying, Mr. Bill Smith of Trumann could do the work. Mr. John Broadway, of Cameron Construction Company stated anyone having an excavator with a brush cutter attachment could do the work.
Councilman Kelton inquired about the amount of time needed to do the work, and was told by Mayor Brodell and Alderman Tate that Mr. King could clear a quarter of a mile a day on an average ditch, giving Turtle Creek as the example. Mayor Brodell explained there were about twenty-five miles of ditch to be cleared and estimated eight to ten hours a day of work. He stated there was a lot of work on just the eight ditches alone.
Councilman Moore asked how many machines Mr. King would be operating. Councilman Tate responded saying he had three machines that were available, two of which could start tomorrow and the third in ten days. Councilman Moore asked would the cost be $80.00 an hour, per machine, per day, with Councilman Tate confirming that cost.
Discussion followed regarding the hiring of Mr. King, then run a notice in the Jonesboro Sun for additional work. Councilman Young questioned who would be over-seeing the work, and was told City Engineer, Claude Martin. Councilman Young questioned if the city, when spending $80,000.00, are not required to bid the work out. Councilman Tate responded saying it will have to be bid out on an hourly basis, but stressed due to the beginning of fall rains there is an emergency to get the work done.
Mayor Brodell recognized Mr. John Broadway, of Cameron Construction Company who asked who else was called, besides Mr. King. Mayor Brodell responded saying Mr. King was the only one called because Mr. King was the only one he knew of that had the proper equipment. Councilman Tate explained the first discussions with Mr. King were just for the brush cutter, but explained other ditches must be dredged.
Mr. Broadway stated with the exception of the cutter, Cameron Construction has the same equipment as Mr. King, and that he wanted the opportunity to bid, or be considered for any work of this type. Councilman Rorex asked if Mr. Broadway would do the work for $80.00 an hour. Mr. Broadway responded that he has not been given the opportunity to view the work, or know the scope of services involved, so it was unfair to ask him if he would do the work for $80.00 an hour.
Councilman Young asked if specification were going to be provided for the work, as well as a legal binding contract. Councilman Tate stated it would be supervised by Mr. Martin, City Engineer and would be just a matter of cleaning out the ditches. He stated he did not see how specifications could be provided for an hourly job.
Councilman Moore questioned City Attorney, Phillip Crego regarding the legal procedure for waiving bids. Mr. Crego recommended waiving the bid by ordinance, declaring an emergency.
Mr. Martin, City Engineer asked for clarification regarding the specifications of the job that pertain to cutting of the trees and disposal of the trees. Mayor Brodell stated he would have Mr. Martin draw up the specifications and City Attorney, Phillip Crego to draft an ordinance to waive competitive bidding so another special called meeting could be held for tomorrow at 4:30 p.m.
Councilman Tate moved, seconded by Councilman Kelton to authorize the Mayor to negotiate with Mr. King and others for the ditch work, but both the motion and second were withdrawn.