Six vacancies to be filled in City of Alexander

(Date of resignation corrected 2-21-2015.)

The City of Alexander is asking for resumes to be submitted in-order to fill six vacancies. One is the treasurer's position while the other five are for the newly formed planning commission.

The treasurer's position has been vacant since March 18, 2013 when newly elected Treasurer JoAn Churchill resigned. Churchill was the city's bookkeeper before being elected treasurer in the November, 2012 election. The sitting council at the time took the bookkeeping duties away from the treasurer's position in December. Churchill was sworn-in January 1, 2013. She was rehired as bookkeeper by current Mayor Paul Mitchell in January, 2015.

There's been no planning commission since January, 2011. Then Mayor Paul Mitchell disbanded the commission after learning the ordinance that created it essentially expired because it included the names of the first commissioners. Only one of them was still on the planning commission in 2010. Also, the commission didn't meet during the last half of 2010. Mitchell was unable to present a new planning commission ordinance to the council due to much in-fighting and then losing a recall election in 2012.

For the next two years appointed Mayor Michelle Hobbs made no effort to introduce a new ordinance, or seat a planning commission under the old ordinance. In November, 2014 Alderwoman Andrea Bearden presented a planning commission ordinance to the city council, which passed.

Planning Commission

The planning commission will have a minimum of five commissioners. Using Arkansas State Law as a guide the ordinance requires, "at least two-thirds (of the commissioners) shall not hold any other municipal office or appointment except membership in the board of adjustment or a joint planning agency." Also, a maximum of one-third of the commissioners can live outside the city.

A planning commission term is three years. The first set of commissioners will each be assigned a one, two, or three year term to stagger the reappointment deadline of each position.

Applicants for the planning commission are asked to include in their resume contact information, what qualifications the individual feels they have that will serve them well as a member of the planning commission and how they view the future of Alexander concerning planning and development. Applicants are asked to submit their resume to city hall.

Treasurer

Even though the accounting portion of the treasurer's position is being handled by a bookkeeper there are other duties required of a treasurer under state law and the City of Alexander's Organization of City Council handbook. Those duties include:

• Submitting, "[T]o the City Council a monthly bank statement of all accounts;"
• Advertising the, "[F]inancial statement of the municipality," semi-annually and annually as required under state law; and
• "The City Treasurer shall attend all city council meetings."

The treasurer is also responsible for supervising the bookkeeper. The position is considered part-time and pays $500 per month.

Applicants are asked to submit their resumes to city hall.