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Saturday, November 26, 2016

Absence makes the process go slower

If any one of the three absent City of Alexander aldermen had attended the regular November meeting a minor annexation ordinance might have been approved in one night. As it stands, Mayor Paul Mitchell could only read the ordinance to those who attended the meeting. The second reading is expected to be held at the December council meeting and depending on how many aldermen attend will determine if a third meeting is needed.

The proposed ordinance will annex additional land to property occupied by “My Ample Storage” along Highway 5 near Alexander Road. The rest of the property is already in the City.

The discovery came after the city council was presented with a preliminary plan, at the October meeting, to move some of the storage buildings from the front of the property to another location. Engineer Jacob White said the widening of Highway 5, between Alexander and Bryant, requires moving the front wall and some storage units away from the highway. A parking area will also be included in the renovation.

After the meeting there was some doubt as to whether the business was in the City. It was determined the portion of the property being used was in Alexander, but the new area where construction will occur isn’t. The owners have said they prefer to be in the City.

Absent from the November council meeting was Louis Hobbs, Andy Mullins and Andrea Bearden. According to state law an ordinance of this type requires three public readings, at three separate meetings, on three different days. That requirement can be avoided if two-thirds of the city council votes to override the three reading requirement. On an eight-member council six would have to vote “Yes.” The five members present were Stephanie Beck, Lonny Chapman, Dan Church, Melissa Ratliff, and Farren Wadley.

As a side note, Hobbs and Mullins lost their attempts to be re-elected to the council during the November 8, General Election. Bearden was forced into a run-off with challenger Harold Timmerman. The run-off election is Tuesday, November 29.

The next meeting of the Alexander city council is Monday, December 19. The meeting will be held at 6 PM in the courtroom at the City of Alexander Municipal Complex. The public is invited to attend.


7 comments:

  1. Please Remember this absence when you go to the polls Tuesday.
    Please DO go to the Polls on Tuesday.
    All of the new Aldermen coming into office on January 1, 2017 have invested very strongly in their positions (see JoAn’s post on Facebook) but Bearden, who is in the run-off on Tuesday didn’t bother to show up for the meeting.
    Meetings are on Monday evenings, ONCE A MONTH, FOR AN HOUR, MAYBE 2 IF THERE IS A LOT TO DO. NOT A BIG REQUIREMENT!
    Also remember Bearden’s voting history, (this is just one of MANY incidents) how she was willing to throw the entire state paving project under the bus in order to stop one intersection in Saint Joseph’s Glen from getting dire needed help; that help had been added to the state project by the former Mayor, Michelle Hobbs. When she threatened to sue the state, we almost lost the entire project. Had the project just been approved on its final step (every prior step had been approved) it would have been much less expensive than the final, for details stop by the TIMMERMAN TENT across the street from the polls on Tuesday.
    Mr. Timmerman has a strong history of public service, is well suited to be a respected Alderman, and you won’t find him ‘grandstanding’ in the City Council Meetings. He has a history of law enforcement, can investigate issues knowledgably and without lifting himself up to get attention. His ‘grandstanding’ pride is in his wife and his 1902 Oldsmobile. Stop and visit with them Tuesday, and enjoy the event.

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  2. I guess we will give mayor his picks so nothing that needs to be done will not get done

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    1. WHAT PLANET DO YOU COME FROM? i don't think we have seen AMBROSIA in city council.

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  4. Thank you City of Alexander. You have spoken!. Now take the time to come to City Counsel meetings and see just what your vote had done for you, Joe Citizen. This is the start of our year and years ahead to make our mark just like Bryant and Benton. Watch us become a city to be proud of.

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