Third Annual American Legion Car Show in Alexander May 15

Alexander American Legion Post 28 will hold its third annual car show Saturday, May 15 from 4-8 PM at Alexander City Park. Access to the show is free to the public.

(This information has been corrected.)

To participate in the car show the entrance fee is $20 for non-military and $15 for veterans and active duty military. Thirty-six trophies will be awarded along with a 50/50 drawing.

Food will be available for purchase including hamburgers, hot dogs, chips, soda, and bottled water.

If you have any questions call Harold Timmerman at (501) 813-4694.

Below is a map showing the location of the city park off Highway 111 near the Dollar General Store.

Rod Chapman retires after nine years with Alexander Streets and Parks Department

Retiring after nine years doesn’t sound like a big deal, but when you’ve been with the Alexander Street and Parks Department for nine years it means you’ve been there longer than the department’s superintendent. In the case of Rod Chapman he was also the only department employee for his first two years.

Rod Chapman (Left) Mayor Paul Mitchell

During the city council’s March 15 meeting Mayor Paul Mitchell announced Chapman’s retirement, which became effective earlier this year. Mitchell reminisced about when he first became mayor in January 2011 Chapman was the only employee in the department.

In a back-and-forth conversation with the mayor about retirement Chapman said, “I’m getting to old.”

Mitchell presented Chapman with a Certificate of Appreciation and a Dedicated Service Award plaque for his service to the city.

Alexander council approves request for sewer line connection; Property owner says “I won’t allow it”

The Alexander City Council approved a resolution allowing the St. Joseph’s Glen subdivision to access a sewer line at First Street and Vine Street. The sewer line is part of the Little Rock Water Reclamation Authority’s (LRWRA) system. LRWRA provides sewer service to the Pulaski County portion of Alexander and some areas of Saline County, which border Pulaski County, within the city. Alexander does not operate its own sewer or water systems.

The plan was first introduced to council members at the August 21, 2017 meeting. In order to begin the legal process of making the switch the council had to pass two resolutions to fill three vacancies on each of the two improvement districts. Three residents of St. Joseph’s Glen were appointed commissioners to Alexander Municipal Property Owner’s Multipurpose Improvement District No. 43. Another three were appointed commissioners to Alexander Municipal Property Owner’s Multipurpose Improvement District No. 86. District 43 is responsible for phases one through six. District 86 covers Phase-7. Under state law municipalities must approve the formation of improvement districts and who serves on the board of commissioners.

Once that was accomplished, legal representatives for the two improvement districts spent the next three years in court with the operator of the treatment plant. According to Tonya Prowse, one of the leaders of the sewer line project, the plant operator claimed the former developer of the subdivision included the sewer lines connecting the houses in the subdivision as part of the purchase of the sewer. A judge ruled the treatment plant operator owned only the main line connecting the plant to the subdivision. The developer did not have the authority to sell the smaller line connecting to the homes.

Now a new chapter begins in the process of eliminating the privately run sewage treatment plant. The improvement districts must get easement rights to run the sewer line from the edge of St. Joseph’s Glen to First and Vine.

Property owner Sandra Venable attended the council’s March 15 meeting. First she asked which side of the railroad tracks the sewer line would run. When it was explained the sewer line would be on her side of the tracks she said, “That’s where my property is and I won’t allow it.”

Mayor Paul Mitchell explained that it will be up to St. Joseph’s Glen to acquire the easements needed to bury the sewer line.

“The city has nothing to do with this, other than letting them (St. Joseph’s Glen) have the right to tie onto it (Little Rock sewer line)” Mitchell told Venable. “The city doesn’t have sewer and water. All we have is a contract with Little Rock Wastewater.”

“I’m just letting you all know I’m going to court,” Venable said.

Council member Joy Gray questioned how adding 188 more homes will affect the city’s limit on additional connections. According to Mitchell LRWRA was limiting Alexander to another 800-plus connections. In response to Gray’s question Mitchell said LRWA has changed to a formula based on the amount of wastewater flowing from Alexander into the system. According to the formula, based on gallons per day, Alexander has room to grow.

Also at the March 15 meeting:

Saline County asking cities to join interlocal agreement for Emergency Medical Services

The Alexander City Council heard the first reading of an ordinance that, if approved, will allow Alexander to join other Saline County cities and the unincorporated ares of the county in contracting for Emergency Medical Services (EMS) with one provider. Other cities to be involved are Bauxite, Benton, Bryant, Haskell, Shannon Hills, and Traskwood. As stated in the ordinance the,”[P]urpose is to ensure that there is increased consistency, transparency, and accountability with the emergency medical services … provider for the citizens of Saline County.”

Once the agreement is finalized an EMS governing board will be formed. The board, “[W]ill be responsible for issuing a competitive solicitation for EMS services and assuring that the terms of any EMS franchise agreement are complied with.”

Because only four council members attended the meeting there could only be one public reading of the ordinance. In order to suspend the second and third readings and declare an emergency for passage two-thirds of the council, six members, must be present. The mayor is allowed to be the fifth member needed for a quorum, but he could not have voted as the sixth vote if five council members were in attendance. There should be a vote on the ordinance at the April meeting if enough council members are present.

Attending the March 15 meeting were Joy Gray (Ward-2), Juanita Wilson (Ward-2), Harold Timmerman (Ward-3), and Lonny Chapman (Ward-4). Absent were Joe Pollard (Ward-1), Elizabeth Bland (Ward-1), Dan Church (Ward-3), and Jeff Watson (Ward-4).

City attorney resigned

Mayor Paul Mitchell announced the resignation of City Attorney Victoria Leigh. He gave no reason for her resignation, but he did say he was interviewing someone with 30 years experience. Leigh filled both roles of prosecuting attorney and city attorney. Leigh was hired in September of 2020.

Next Meeting

The next meeting of the Alexander City Council is Monday, April 19 at 6:00 PM in the courtroom at city hall. The public is invited to attend.

St. Joseph’s Glen resolution on Alexander agenda

A resolution, allowing St. Joseph’s Glen subdivision to connect to the City of Little Rock’s wastewater system, is on the City of Alexander’s agenda for Monday night. Currently the subdivision is on a privately operated sewage treatment plant. A resolution requires only one public reading and a simple majority vote to pass.

The next meeting of the Alexander City Council is Monday, March 15, 6:00 PM, in the courtroom at city hall. The public is invited to attend. This meeting is subject to limited public access due to Covid-19 and CDC guidelines for social distancing.