Alexander resolution to lower elected salaries fails

A tied vote kept the Alexander city council from lowering the salaries of the next mayor and eight aldermen. The proposed resolution would have reduced the mayor's salary from $840 every two weeks to $250 every two weeks and aldermen salaries from $100 per month to $25 per month. If it had been approved the new pay scale would have gone into effect January 1, 2015.

Voting against the resolution at the November 17 meeting were aldermen Ceola Bailey, Lonny Chapman and Sam Gregory. Alderman Farren Wadley was absent, which counted as a "No" vote. Voting "Yes" were aldermen Andrea Bearden, Faye McKeon, Kenneth Miller, and Juanita Wilson.

In the recent November 4 election Bailey, Gregory and McKeon were not on the ballot. Wadley ran for mayor instead of alderman and lost. Wilson was not re-elected and Miller, who was appointed to fill a vacancy on the council, was not elected by voters. Bearden and Chapman were unopposed and would have been the only aldermen affected by the change.

In a tied vote state law allows a mayor to vote "Yes" to break the tie. Mayor Michelle Hobbs did not vote and declared it a, "Dead issue."

Hobbs is in a run-off election with former Mayor Paul Mitchell. That election will be held next Tuesday, November 25.

Contractor paid despite environmental concerns

Hobbs decided to make the final payment to WDY Asphalt Paving despite Alderman Andrea Bearden's concerns that environmental laws may have been violated. WDY repaired the firehouse driveway/parking lot on South Alexander Road.

Bearden's signature is normally the second signature on payments such as these but she didn't want to sign-off on the project until two main concerns had been resolved. According to photos provided to the council and mayor WDY placed debris, left over from the repair, along the bank below the parking lot. Paint, left over from marking parking spots, also appears to have been dumped down the bank, which leads into a creek.

The area has been inspected by the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ). Bearden has been waiting for a final report from ADEQ as to whether the debris and paint violate any state or federal environmental laws. Bearden, along with City Attorney Kevin Lemley, warned that Alexander may be liable for any violations if they make the final payment to WDY.

The bid for the project was $27,000. The city had to pay WDY $9,000 to start the project. The final check was for $18,000. With no action taken by the council Hobbs gave WDY owner Willie Young the final payment.

During the discussion, which also included aldermen Juanita Wilson and Faye McKeon, insults were hurled at the three aldermen from not only residents attending the meeting but Young as well. Hobbs made no attempt to silence the rowdy spectators.

Young accused Bearden, Wilson and McKeon of fabricating problems in order to stall making the final payment. After Hobbs handed him the check he stormed out of the room vowing to never work for Alexander again.

Police car repair approved

The council approved spending $2,500 to repair a police car but not until Alderman Bearden was given a correct balance from the police fund. In their meeting packet the monthly balance from the bank showed $44,000. The city's accounting software showed $40,000 and the bookkeeper's balance sheet had $43,000. Aldermen are provided monthly reconciled balances based on the last day of the previous month.

The meeting was put on hold while Mayor Hobbs and bookkeeper Ruby Whittaker went into the city hall office area to determine the police department fund's final balance for October. While they were gone Police Chief Derrick Jackson showed Bearden his total for October. It was around $46,500 as of October 27. Hobbs and Whittaker returned and said the balance for October is $40,390.

While Hobbs and Whittaker were gone Alderman Lonny Chapman asked Bearden why she was, "squabbling over $2,500?" Her response was, "do you go spend money you don't have out of your household?" His facial expression indicated his displeasure with the analogy.

In other business:

The council passed an ordinance forming a planning commission. City Attorney Kevin Lemley will advertise the ordinance as required under state law.

The bids to repair the bridge on Cornerstone were thrown out because they were not advertised. Lemley will also handle the advertising for bids.

Mayor Hobbs announced the appointment of Derrick Jackson as police chief. She has also appointed two part-time fire chiefs.

Hobbs attempted to negotiate a new salary for police chief but Alderman Bearden stopped her by saying she was only interested in whether someone had been appointed. Jackson has been interim police chief since earlier this year when former Police Chief Horace Walters resigned.

After nearly four-and-a-half hours the meeting finally adjourned. By this time, however, aldermen Ceola Bailey and Sam Gregory had already left. The extra-long meeting was mostly due to not being able to have an October meeting.

The next regular meeting of the Alexander City Council will be held Monday, December 15. Regular meetings are held the third Monday of the month, 6 pm at city hall. The public is invited to attend.