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Minutes from the City Council meeting on May 1, 2000.
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PUBLIC HEARING 6:20 P.M. - A public hearing was conducted for the purpose of abandoning a portion of Melrose Street as requested by Archon Group and their attorney, C. M. Mooney, Sr. No one spoke in opposition to this matter.
CITY COUNCIL MINUTES - May 1, 2000
The Jonesboro City Council met Monday, May 1, 2000 at 6:30 p.m. A full quorum was in attendance. Present were: Mayor Hubert Brodell, City Clerk Donna Jackson, City Attorney, Phillip Crego, and 10 council members. Those members were: Kelton, McCall, Young, Crockett, Rorex, Rega, Copeland, Moore, Perrin and Roddy. Councilmen Tate and Province were unable to attend.
Councilman Perrin moved, seconded by Councilman Roddy to approve the minutes as previously provided. A voice vote was taken resulting in all members voting aye. Those members voting aye were: Kelton, McCall, Young, Crockett, Rorex, Rega, Copeland, Moore, Perrin and Roddy.
The following ordinance was on second reading:
ORDINANCE PROVIDING FOR THE LEVY OF A ONE PERCENT SALES AND USE TAX WITHIN THE CITY OF JONESBORO, ARKANSAS; ONE HALF (1/2) OF ALL PROCEEDS DERIVED FROM THE SALES AND USE TAX WILL BE FOR FINANCING CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS OF A PUBLIC NATURE AND THE REMAINING ONE HALF (2) WILL BE FOR GENERAL OPERATING PURPOSES; AND PRESCRIBING OTHER MATTERS PERTAINING THERETO.
No further action was taken.
The following ordinance was on second reading:
ORDINANCE CALLING A SPECIAL ELECTION IN THE CITY OF JONESBORO, ARKANSAS, ON THE QUESTION OF LEVYING A ONE PERCENT SALES AND USE TAX WITHIN THE CITY OF JONESBORO, PRESCRIBING OTHER MATTERS PERTAINING THERETO; AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY.
No further action was taken.
The following ordinance was on second reading:
ORDINANCE TO REPEAL THE CITY’S SANITATION DOMESTIC REFUSE FEE; THE MOSQUITO CONTROL FEE AND THE 2.1 MILL GENERAL CITY PROPERTY TAX UPON THE APPROVAL OF A ONE PERCENT (1%) CITY SALES AND USE TAX A THE 2000 SPECIAL ELECTION; REESTABLISHING SAID FEES UPON THE ABOLISHMENT OF SAID TAX; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.
No further action was taken.
Councilman Young offered the following ordinance for first reading:
ORDINANCE TO VACATE AND ABANDON A PORTION OF THE MELROSE STREET RIGHT OF WAY (Archon Group)
Councilman Young moved, seconded by Councilman Perrin to suspend the rules and place on second reading. A voice vote was taken resulting in all members voting aye. Those members were: Kelton, McCall, Young, Crockett, Rorex, Rega, Copeland, Moore, Perrin and Roddy. Councilman Perrin moved, seconded by Councilman Young to further suspend the rules and place on third reading. A voice vote was taken resulting in all members voting aye. Those members were: Kelton, McCall, Young, Crockett, Rorex, Rega, Copeland, Moore, Perrin and Roddy. Councilman Young moved, seconded by Councilman Roddy for the adoption of the ordinance. The ordinance was assigned ordinance number 3218.
Councilman Rega offered the following ordinance for first reading:
ORDINANCE TO AMEND ORDINANCE NO. 954 KNOWN AS THE ZONING ORDINANCE PROVIDING FOR CHANGES IN ZONING BOUNDARIES AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES (Louise Nance)
Councilman Perrin moved, seconded by Councilman Rorex to suspend the rules and place on second reading. A voice vote was taken resulting in all members voting aye. Those members were: Kelton, McCall, Young, Crockett, Rorex, Rega, Copeland, Moore, Perrin and Roddy. Councilman Young moved, seconded by Councilman McCall to further suspend the rules and place on third reading. A voice vote was taken resulting in all members voting aye. Those members were: Kelton, McCall, Young, Crockett, Rorex, Rega, Copeland, Moore, Perrin and Roddy. Councilman Roddy moved, seconded by Councilman Perrin for the adoption of the ordinance. The ordinance was assigned ordinance number 3219.
Under new business, Mr. Keith Carle addressed Council stating he had been misunderstood by the Jonesboro Sun with regard to the City being sued. He explained his suggestion that the City of Jonesboro may be sued did not include mosquito control and capital improvements, which are of a public nature, but rather the taxation for residential sanitation. The questions raised by Mr. Carle were as follows: 1) Why can we not wait till the November election to vote on the levying of a 1% sales tax since there is an amendment on the ballot to do away with property tax state wide. 2) What if the state wide amendment does not pass, but the City does away with the 2.1 millage, citizens will lose the ability to deduct the amount from their income taxes, since property taxes are deductible, while sales taxes generally are not. 3) What expenses in the general operating budget will be freed up with the addition of the new money, and what will the new money be used for. Mr. Carle then read a letter from a group called “People for Parks.” The letter made the following recommendations: 1) To not call a Special Election, but rather vote on the matter during the General Election. 2) There is no guarantee that the one half cent will be used only for improving the streets and drainage in the City limits of Jonesboro. That the ordinance be amended as follows: “The one half cent sales tax set aside for the streets and drainage will only be used for that purpose. The tax will be used for the improving of streets that the citizens of Jonesboro drive on, for adding new streets as they are needed, and for improving existing streets. Money spent on drainage will be for the citizens of Jonesboro, not for vacant land later used for industrial growth.” 3) The ordinance reads Mosquito Control, Sanitation Domestic refuse fee, and 2.1 Mill General City Property Tax should be repealed during the period of time that a city sales and use tax is imposed. People for Parks wants the wording changed to “will be” repealed rather than “should be” repealed. 4) Advertize to inform citizens how they plan to spend the one half cent sales tax for streets and drainage. 5) Have a master drainage plan before asking for more taxes. In closing, Mr. Carle stated people outside of Jonesboro have a legitimate complaint and possible lawsuit because a portion of the 1% sales tax will be going to pay for residential sanitation fees. Mayor Brodell responded saying if that was the case Memphis and Little Rock would have been in court many times over the years because they have similar taxes.
Councilman Roddy reported that the Sanitation Committee recommended the hiring of three additional sanitation workers because of employee absenteeism, due to comp time and vacations. He explained out of 21 drivers there are two to five absent every day, and the Knuckleboom trucks are not being operated, because the drivers are driving the garbage trucks instead. Mayor Brodell stated they were redoing the system, creating a call in bases of operation, with pick-ups every day. Councilman Roddy moved, seconded by Councilman Young to hire three addition sanitation employees at cost of $75,000 to be paid out of unallocated sales tax.
Councilman Perrin offered the following ordinance for first reading:
AN ORDINANCE TO WAIVE COMPETITIVE BIDDING AND AUTHORIZE PURCHASE OF ALUMINUM SEAT PLANKS AND BLEACHERS FOR THE PARKS DEPARTMENT.
Councilman Young moved, seconded by Councilman Perrin to suspend the rules and place on second reading. A voice vote was taken resulting in all members voting aye. Those members were: Kelton, McCall, Young, Crockett, Rorex, Rega, Copeland, Moore, Perrin and Roddy. Councilman Perrin moved, seconded by Councilman Roddy to further suspend the rules and place on third and final reading. A voice vote was taken resulting in all members voting aye. Those members were: Kelton, McCall, Young, Crockett, Rorex, Rega, Copeland, Moore, Perrin and Roddy. Councilman Young moved, seconded by Councilman Roddy for the adoption of the ordinance. A voice vote was taken resulting in all members voting aye. Those members were: Kelton, McCall, Young, Crockett, Rorex, Rega, Copeland, Moore, Perrin and Roddy. The ordinance was assigned ordinance number 3220.
Councilman Young moved, seconded by Councilman Moore for the adoption of a resolution requesting City Water and Light to provide free electrical service to the new city hall building located at 515 W. Washington. A voice vote was taken resulting in all members voting aye. Those members were: Kelton, McCall, Young, Crockett, Rorex, Rega, Copeland, Moore, Perrin and Roddy. The resolution was assigned number 2000:20.
With no further business, the meeting was adjourned.