Alexander council approves $1.6 Million budget for 2019

The Alexander City Council approved a budget for 2019 totaling an estimated $1,623,115.00 in revenue for the general fund. Of that, $880,510.00 of sales tax revenue is transferred to the police, fire and parks departments leaving the general fund with $742,605.00. The budget was approved during the council’s December 17 meeting and goes into effect January 1, 2019.

Not quite half of the general fund’s revenue, $315,083.00, goes towards the salaries of city hall employees, elected officials and two retirement funds for all city employees. The amount for the retirement funds is $144,523.00. Also in the amount for salaries is $9,600.00 for the pension of former Mayor Shirley Johnson. There is a projected surplus for the general fund of $154,764.01.

Total expected revenue for the police department is $368,367.00. Most of that will come from the department’s share of a city one-cent sales tax totaling an estimated $285,225.00.

Expenses in the department are estimated at $349,296.00, Of that, $290,680.00 is for the salaries of eight officers (which includes the chief and assistant chief). There is an estimated surplus of $19,071.00.

Revenue for the fire department in 2019 is estimated at $548,691.00. Of that $495,290.00 will be generated by a one-cent city sales tax plus the department’s share of a second one-cent sales tax.

Expenses are estimated at $$548,325.00. The total amount for expenses includes salaries for ten firefighters (which includes the fire chief, assistant fire chief, etc.) estimated at $359,658.00. There is an estimated surplus of $366.00.

The parks department is expected to receive an estimated $134,854.00 in revenue for 2019. The department’s share of a city one-cent sales tax is expected to be at least $100,000.00. Besides revenue from park rental fees, another $26,254.00 will be transferred from the general fund to the park fund to repay an illegal transfer of funds, which occurred in 2014 during the Michelle Hobbs administration.

Expenses are estimated at $106,705.00. A salary of $33,800.00 has been set for the department’s only employee. There is an expected surplus of $28,149.00.

The street department is nearly totally funded by the city’s share of the state fuel tax, which is estimated to be $215,000.00 in 2019. After including property tax revenue from Pulaski and Saline counties and interest on income, the estimated revenue for the street department is $241,501.00.

Total expenses are expected to be $238,446.00, which includes $101,400.00 in salaries for the superintendent and two employees. There is an estimated surplus of $3,055.00.

The one dollar amount missing from the budget is the remaining carryover of unspent dollars left in the various department bank accounts. Those numbers won’t be known until the last bank statements for 2018 are posted. That means the 2018 budget could go through one more update either in January or February.

The next regular meeting of the Alexander City Council will be held on Monday, January 21, 2019 at 6 PM in the courtroom at city hall. The public is invited to attend.

Alexander police officer receives Life Saving Citation

Alexander Police Officer Matthew A. Wharton was presented with a Life Saving Citation by Assistant Police Chief Richard Harper during the city’s December council meeting. The citation recognizes Officer Wharton for actions he took at a traffic accident in June of 2018.

Harper read the citation during the presentation which describe an accident on June 27 between a car and motorcycle. The accident was at the south end of the Hwy 111/I-30 interchange during evening rush hour traffic. When Officer Wharton arrived the citation describes the scene as “Chaotic.”

Assistant Police Chief Richard Harper (L) presents
Life Saving Citation to Officer Matthew Wharton.

After he, “[W]orked to stabilize the scene,” before losing twilight, Officer Wharton assessed the injuries of the drivers and saw that, “The motorcycle operator had a compound fracture to his right leg that was bleeding at a life-threatening rate.”

Life Saving bar and medallion.

The citation credits Officer Wharton’s past experience as a United States Army Combat Medic with diagnosing, “[T]he seriousness of the wound and also that the man was drifting into shock.”

After moving the individual to a safer location Officer Wharton applied a tourniquet, “[E]ffectively stopping the extreme blood loss,” the citation states. “Officer Wharton’s immediate implementation of emergency training and presence of mind under extreme conditions undoubtedly saved the man’s life.”

Besides being presented with a citation Wharton also received the Life Saving bar and medallion.

(Photos provided by Alexander Police Department.)

Alexander American Legion bake sale Saturday

The Alexander American Legion Post 28-AR is having a bake sale Saturday, December 22 in the Alexander First Baptist Church parking lot. The bake sale will be held from 10 AM to 2 PM. The church is located at the intersection of Highway 111, Alexander Road and E. 3^rd Street.

2019 budget on Alexander agenda

The 2019 budget, for the City of Alexander, will be presented to council members along with a resolution that puts the budget into effect beginning January 1, 2019. The meeting is Monday, December 17 at 6 PM in the courtroom at city hall. The public is invited to attend.

Proposed zoning map presented to Alexander Planning Commission members

Members of the Alexander Planning Commission were able to review a printed version of the proposed new zoning map for the city. The map was provided by planning commission Chairman Michael Huck.

The map is color-coded dividing the city into various zones designating residential, commercial and industrial uses. Huck said he based the zone designations on a combination of how Pulaski and Saline counties have labeled the parcels for property taxation and how each parcel is currently being used. He also said he used the zone designations provided in the proposed new zoning ordinance currently under legal review.

As best as anyone can determine the city currently does not have a zoning map. In August, 2006 Woodland Hills, now known as south Alexander, was annexed into the city. Without a map to start with Huck said it makes this process even more difficult because instead of updating a current map the city has to create one.

While reviewing the map it was noted that two parcels being used for commercial purposes are labeled residential and agriculture by Saline County. The question was raised as to whether the mapping process can be used to essentially re-zone property based on its current use.

Earlier in the meeting Huck reported he is waiting for a legal opinion from the Arkansas Municipal League as to the process required to approve a new zoning ordinance and zoning map. He suggested the planning commission may have to hold a public hearing, in the same manner as a re-zoning hearing, so everyone in the city has a chance to review how their property will be zoned.

Also at the December 13 meeting Huck reported a request for information from a representative of Verizon Communications. According to Huck Verizon is considering placing a cell phone tower on property owned by Saline County Water and Sewer.

The next meeting of the Alexander Planning Commission is scheduled for 2 PM Thursday, December 27 in the courtroom at city hall. The purpose of the meeting is to approve by-laws and select officers for next year. The public is invited to attend.

Alexander Planning Commission special meeting December 13

The Alexander Planning Commission has scheduled a special meeting for 6 PM on December 13 in the courtroom at city hall. A regular meeting was scheduled for Tuesday evening December 11 but could not be held due to the lack of a quorum. The public is invited to attend.

Because this is a special meeting commission members will be limited to discussing items listed on the agenda. Besides the usual report from the chairman and the discussion and approval of minutes, the only item listed under New Business is a presentation of a proposed zoning map.

Alexander’s new zoning map to be unveiled Tuesday

Alexander Planning Commission members will review a proposed new zoning map for the city at the regular Tuesday evening meeting. The map, once approved, will become part of the city’s proposed new zoning ordinance.

The next meeting of the Alexander Planning Commission is Tuesday, 6 PM, December 11 in the courtroom at city hall. The public is invited to attend.