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Minutes for the City Council meeting on June 18, 1990
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CITY COUNCIL MINUTES - JUNE 18, 1990
The Jonesboro City Council met in regular session at 7:30 p.m. Present were Mayor, City Clerk, City Attorney and all Aldermen.
The minutes of June 4, 1990, were approved as mailed on motion by Mr. Stricklin, seconded by Mr. Park. All voted aye.
Mayor Brodell recognized students Mike Hill and Joe Bunting who saved the life of another boy by rescuing him from drowning and presented them with a certificate of appreciation.
The following ordinance was on second reading:
AN ORDINANCE TO REGULATE NON-CONFORMING PROPERTY USES WITHIN EXISTING ZONING CLASSIFICATIONS; PROVIDE FOR THE EXPANSION, RESTORATION AND CHANGE ON NON-CONFORMING USES AND EXPANSIONS OF NON-CONFORMING USES: AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.
Mr. Shelton offered the following ordinance for first reading: (Rez / R -1 to R -2, S of Darlene Dr. F. Prescott)
AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND # 954 KNOWN AS THE ZONING ORDINANCE PROVIDING FOR THE CHANGE IN ZONING BOUNDARIES AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Mr. Shelton moved, seconded by Mr. Hinson to suspend the rules and place on second reading. All voted aye.
Mr. Shelton offered the following ordinance for first reading: (Rez / R -1 to R -2, SE corner of Lawson Rd. & Kersey Ln., F. Rankin)
AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND # 954 KNOWN AS THE ZONING ORDINANCE PROVIDING FOR THE CHANGE IN ZONINGBOUNDARIES AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Mr. Park moved, seconded by Mr. Shelton to suspend the rules and place on second reading. All voted aye.
Mr. Shelton offered the following ordinance for the first reading: (Rez / R -1 to R -2, E side of Richardson Rd., F. Patterson)
AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND # 954 KNOWN AS THE ZONING ORDINANCE PROVIDING FOR THE CHANGE IN ZONING BOUNDARIES AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Mr. Shelton moved, seconded by Mr. Park to suspend the rules and place on second reading. All voted aye. Discussion was held regarding the property owner not meeting specifications. Gerald Patterson, property owner stated he was in agreement with the specifications of the MAPC regarding additional right of way on Richardson Rd. At a total of forty one (41) feet from the center line, thereby agreeing to an additional one (1) foot and to paying a pro-rata share of the street improvements. Mr. Patterson agreed to meet with the MAPC liaison, Brian Wadley to stipulate the aforementioned in writing.
Mr. Evans moved, seconded by Mr. Province to set a public hearing regarding the Jonesboro Sewer Improvement District #2 in Mardis Addition at 7:00 p.m. on July 2, 1990. All voted aye.
Mr. Nix moved, seconded by Mr. Shelton to set a Public Hearing at 6:55 p.m. regarding the abandonment of a ten (10) ft. alley running between Fisher and Drake, N. of Hoover St., located in Block D of Burritt’s Addition. All voted aye.
The following bids were up for review:
99:20 - Crack-filling - Streets
Mr. Bridger moved, seconded by Mr. Hannah to accept the low bid meeting specifications from Little Rock Equipment Sales. All voted aye with the exception of Mr. Sanderson who voted nay.
99:30 - Mosquito fogger
Mr. Bridger moved, seconded by Mr. Evans to accept the low bid meeting specifications from Adaptco. All voted aye.
Mr. Stricklin offered a resolution regarding the South Caraway Rd. Improvement District which was read by the Clerk. Attorney, Skip Mooney, Jr. stated that approximately 2.7 miles of S. Caraway Rd is gravel which extends from the intersection of new Highway #1 running N. to the new U.S. 63 overpass. That in this area there has been substantial growth in development including the addition of Nettleton School which will result in a congested traffic problem and that this road has become a major artery to the City of Jonesboro. He added that a street improvement district is needed in order to partially fund the improvements to S. Caraway Rd. and that approximately $81,000.00 is needed from the adjoining landowners to pay for their portion of the improvements. He clarified the intent of the resolution that it if received an affirmative vote, it is not establishing a street improvement district, but simply accepted the recommendations of the committee. The resolution gives the Mayor and Council the authority to appoint three (3) commissioners to set criteria, obtain signatures for the petition and determine benefits to landowners, hardship cases, as well as other matters pertaining to the creation of said district. The issue must then be brought before the Council for the commissioners to announce their findings. He added that several landowners have agreed to make donations to help those considered hardship cases.
Mayor Brodell stated that the City had agreed to pay approximately $70,000.00 of the costs along with labor provided and that Craighead County has committed to do approximately $20,000.00 to $30,000.00 of work towards the improvements. He added that the city did not prepare the petition, the committee did and that hearings were held regarding the matter and that a five (5) member committee volunteered to obtain the signatures. The cost studies were done by former Public Works Director, Jeff Gibson.
Mr. Mooney stated that in order to fund the street improvement district over a five (5) year period, it will take approximately $104,000.00 which is equivalent to $4.00 per lineal foot. That out of seventy -two (72) parcels of land within the area, it is believed that 60% to 65% of the landowners are in favor of the street improvement district and that less than 50% of the people in the area are developers.
Attorney Warren Dupwe, represented property owners in opposition to the district stated that his research revealed that ten (10 were for the district and twenty-nine (29) were against. Chancery Court could determine if the petition was adequate containing 50% of the required signatures.
Ms. Nettie Gibson voiced complaints that the county should be made accountable for their promise that the county and state had entered into a contract to widen and pave Caraway from U.S. 63 to 1B. However, after the area was annexed into the city and no longer eligible for the new state aid monies, the quorum court had stalled repeatedly and dumped the matter into the lap of the city.
Mr. Stricklin moved, seconded by Mr. Hinson to adopt the resolution. Voting aye were Aldermen Hannah, Stricklin, Evans, Bridger, Province, Mays, Sanderson, Strauser, Hinson and Nix. Voting nay were Aldermen Park and Shelton. The resolution was given the number 1990:32.
Mr. Sanderson offered a resolution regarding condemnation of property located at 403 W. Huntington. Mr. Sanderson moved, seconded by Mr. Hinson for the adoption of the resolution. All voted aye. The resolution was given the number 1990:33.
Mr. Park offered a resolution regarding traffic requests as made by the Traffic Safety Officer of the Police Department as follows: 40 mph on Race between Stadium and Caraway, 25 mph on Warren from Cedar S to dead end and 20 mph on Warren N from Cedar to dead end. Mr. Park moved, seconded by Mr. Hinson for the adoption of the resolution. All voted aye, with the exception of Mr. Sanderson who voted nay. The resolution was given the number 1990:34.
Dwight Williams of SW Bell presented a discussion regarding E-911 (Enhanced). He stated the company would charge $5,400 to lease and maintain the computerized equipment, which provided emergency personnel with the address of any call placed to the E-911 number. The average customer would pay an additional .70 monthly for the service if approved and any surplus could be used to pay the salaries of emergency radio dispatchers. It would take eighteen (18) to twenty-four (24) months to be implemented in Jonesboro in approximately six (6) months. The proposal calls for the Police Department to monitor an E-911 system for the municipality and for the Sheriff’s Dept. to receive calls from other areas of the county. Mayor Brodell recommended the matter be placed on the September 25 primary ballot as a referendum for the people. Mr. Sanderson moved, seconded by Mr. Province for the adoption of said resolution. All voted aye, with the exception of Mr. Hinson who voted nay. The resolution was given the number 1990:35.
Mr. Hannah presented a recommendation of the committee selected to appoint the City Attorney as follows: (a) effective January 1, 1991, to increase the salary of the City Attorney to $24.000 annually with $500.00 monthly office allowance until office space can be made in a city-owned building (b) effective July 1, 1990, appropriate $500 monthly allowance for office expense for City Attorney until suitable office can be found in a city-owned building (c) Restrict duties of City Attorney to municipal court, appeal from said court, council business and meetings, drafting ordinances and resolutions and preparation of legal opinions for Mayor and elected officials, not department heads (d) Authorize council to hire outside legal expertise or to pay city attorney an additional fee for handling matters requiring an extraordinary amount of work, discussion followed regarding the aforementioned recommendations to the committee. Mr. Mays noted that the ordinance of record regarding the City Attorney salary #1765, Section 2 would have to be amended to include payment to the City Attorney for additional services.
City Attorney, Pam Honeycutt stated her research indicated that while Jonesboro ranks 5th in size, the current annual salary ranks 26th. She added that the city does not provide the City Attorney with a secretary, an office or a computer. She said she nets $165 monthly from her salary because of a lack of facilities, noting the office generated $386,000 in prosecuted cases during the past five (5) months. She stated she does not have time to provide all civil legal services and prosecute municipal cases in the misdemeanor and appeals courts and for the city’s benefits and protection, the office must be expanded. She added that she had compiled a report comparing her position with other departments in the city for the Aldermen’s consideration. Mr. Hannah and Mr. Nix stated requests had been made for her to provide said information prior to the meeting of the committee. Mr. Larry Fugate of the Jonesboro Sun filed an FOI complaint verbally with the city because the City Attorney would not provide Mr. Fugate with a copy of the report.
Mr. Hannah stated he felt a 50% increase in salary was pretty good and Mr. Sanderson urged the committee to meet with Ms. Honeycutt regarding her recommendations that might be combined with the earlier recommendation.
Mr. Sanderson moved, seconded by Mr. Hinson to appropriate $500 monthly allowance effective July 1, 1990, for office expense for the City Attorney until suitable office space can be found in a city-owned building deemed acceptable to the Mayor and to increase the salary of the City Attorney effective January 1, 1991, from $16,000 to $24,000 annually with a $500 monthly office allowance. Aldermen Hannah, Province, Sanderson, Strauser, Hinson, and Nix voted aye. Aldermen Park, Stricklin, Evans, Bridger, Shelton and Mays voted nay. A tie vote resulted 6-6. Mayor Brodell cast an affirmative vote breaking the tie 7-6.
Dr. Strauser moved, seconded by Mr. Evans to appropriate $3000 in unappropriated portion of the General Fund reclassifying expenses for City Attorney, effective July 1, 1990. Aldermen Hannah, Stricklin, Evans, Shelton, Province, Sanderson, Strauser, Hinson and Nix voted aye. Aldermen Park, Bridger and Mays voted nay.
Dr. Strauser presented a Finance Committee recommendation to appropriate $1,467.95 from Parks and Recreation General Ledger Account to YMCA for summer camp donations. Mr. Hannah moved, seconded by Mr. Stricklin to accept the recommendation. All voted aye.
With no further business, the meeting adjourned.