Offer to buy eastern portion of City Park made to property owner; American Legion to move

Mayor Paul Mitchell reported to council members he has spoken to David W. Jacks and offered him $68,000.00 for his property, which makes up the eastern end of Alexander City Park. The offer is based on two independent appraisals of the property, not including the improvements made by the city. Mitchell said Jacks is considering the offer.

The city had been mowing the grass on the eastern parcel for many years. As far as anyone knew it was city property. The eastern end of the park is the location of the gazebo, water fountain, lights and other improvements.

The various construction projects were done in phases from 2015 to around 2019. After they were completed Jacks contacted Mitchell asking why the city was building on his property. Since then Mitchell, and multiple city attorneys, have been negotiating with Jacks.

American Legion will move to former Pathfinder’s building

Alexander American Legion Post 28 has been given permission by the Alexander City Council to use Building-A located in the former Pathfinder’s complex. Building-A was used by Pathfinder’s, Inc. as an office.

The organization operated homes for adults, with physical and mental health issues, in the southeast corner of the former Alexander Human Development Center (HDC). They moved out when their lease expired in August, 2022.

Voters may remember Build-A being used as a polling place when Saline County stopped using the office of the Saline County Water Works Sanitary Sewer Public Utilities Board for elections. Voting has since been moved from Building-A to the Alexander Community Center #2, which is also on the former HDC property.

Until now the American Legion Post has been using Alexander Community Center #1 (Old City Hall) located on Main Street in the Pulaski County portion of Alexander. They have been sharing the building with a church that uses it to hold services.

Mayor Mitchell said using Building-A will allow the Post to permanently display items on the walls. Council Member Harold Timmerman, who is a member of the American Legion and past Commander, said they will be erecting flag poles in front of Building-A.

Also at the December 19 council meeting:

Alexander Council approves 2023 budget

The 2023 budget, approved by the city council, estimates revenue to the General Fund at $2,899,644.00. That’s a conservative estimate compared to 2022’s final revenue total of $3,044,484.00.

For the most part, revenue for the various departments goes into the General Fund first and then is distributed to the other funds. The city’s share of the state fuel tax, however, is deposited directly into the street fund by the state. The 2023 budget estimates that amount at $238,716.00. That would bring total estimated revenue for the city in 2023 at $3,138,360.00.

Second round of ARPA bonus pay approved

At the request of Mayor Paul Mitchell, the Alexander City Council approved bonus pay for city employees who qualify under the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). The first time ARPA funds were used for bonus pay was December 2021.

The bonus pay will be distributed to city employees who meet the following ARPA criteria.

1) An eligible worker is anyone, “[N]ecessary to maintain the continuity of operations of essential critical infrastructures;”

2) “Including any additional sectors added by the city’s chief executive,” and

3) “An eligible worker performing eligible work which means regular in-person interaction or regular physical handling of items that were handled by others.”

ARPA criteria also specifies payments will be made to current employees only, not to exceed $1,800.00. Payments will be based on the amount of eligible hours worked at $13 an hour up to a maximum of 140 hours.

Council seat declared vacant

The Ward-1 Position-2 council seat, formerly held by Elizabeth Bland, has been declared vacant by the Alexander City Council. Mayor Mitchell told council members he has received an E-mail from Bland stating she now lives in Little Rock.

Bland did not seek re-election in the November Municipal Elections and no one submitted a petition to run for that seat. The vacancy must be made public for a minimum of 30 days.

Anyone who lives in Ward-1, and is a registered voter, may submit a resume at the Alexander Municipal Complex requesting to be considered for the appointment.

Next Meeting

Due to a holiday falling on the third Monday in January, the next meeting of the Alexander City Council is the following Monday, January 23 at 6:00 PM in the courtroom at city hall. The public is invited to attend.

Rules to follow concerning fireworks on New Year’s Eve

If you plan to shoot fireworks in the City of Alexander to celebrate the new year there are some rules you need to know. The ordinance establishing these requirements became law in June, 2019.

The use of fireworks:

“No parent, guardian, or custodian of any child under the age of majority shall knowingly permit or consent to the possession or discharge of fireworks by any child under the age of majority without proper supervision.” The ordinance also states the, “possession or discharge of fireworks” as, “prima facie evidence of the knowing permission or consent of such parent, guardian, or custodian.” In other words you’re responsible for the actions of the child whether you know what they’re doing or not. In Arkansas the age of majority is 18 years old.

Where and When:

The ordinance limits the discharging of fireworks, “on private property of the owner, by the owner and immediate family, when discharge is in a safe and sane manner.” “Safe and sane manner,” is defined as, “actions which do not endanger life, limb, or property of those in the area of the discharge.”

Fireworks may not, “be discharged within the boundaries of or within three hundred feet (300 ft.) of any public park owned or maintained by the city.” Also, fireworks may not be, “discharged upon any public street, alley, road, or right-of-way,” … “under or upon a motor vehicle, whether moving or not, or within three hundred feet (300 ft.) of any gas station, gas, oil, or propane storage facility, or other area which is highly flammable in nature.” Fireworks also may not be discharged if the Fire Chief has issued a burn ban due to drought or other conditions.

The ordinance allows for the discharging of fireworks from 12:00 PM (Noon) on December 31 and between 12:00 AM (Midnight) until 1:00 AM on January 1.

Clean up when finished:

The revelers are also required to clean-up the mess. The ordinance states, “Any individual, firm, partnership, corporation, or association discharging fireworks under this ordinance shall, upon such discharge, be responsible for clean-up of the discharge site, including disposal of all discharged fireworks, all non-discharged or ‘dud’ fireworks, and the associated debris from the area in a safe manner.”

Fireworks defined:

The ordinance provides a definition of fireworks. Besides the legal and technical definition, examples of what constitutes fireworks is provided. The list includes, “sky rockets, roman candles, daygo bombs, blank cartridges, toy cannons, toy canes, or toy guns in which explosives other than toy paper caps are used, the type of balloons which require fire underneath to propel them, firecracker, torpedoes, sparklers, or other fireworks of like construction, any fireworks containing any explosive or flammable compound, or any tablet or other device containing an explosive substance.”

Enforcement and penalties:

Police, fire and code enforcement officers are given the authority to enforce this ordinance. They also have the authority to, “seize, impound, remove, or cause to be removed, at the expense of the owner, all stocks of fireworks offered for sale, sold, or in the possession of any individual, firm, partnership, corporation, or association in violation of this chapter.” Penalties start at, “a fine of not less than one hundred dollars ($100) or more than five hundred dollars ($500) for a first time offense, a fine of not less than two hundred dollars ($200) or more than five hundred dollars ($500) for a second offense, and a fine of not less than three hundred dollars ($300) or more than five hundred dollars ($500) for a third or subsequent offense. Each day of a violation constitutes a separate offense.”

The ordinance also covers payment for damages and the cost of any services provided. “Any damages caused or injuries sustained as a result of any violation of this chapter shall be ordered paid as restitution as part of any conviction for any violation,” it states. Also, “The court may order the reimbursement of costs of enforcement, investigation, fire suppression services, and overtime related to a violation upon conviction.”

Alexander Mayor receives Commendation of Service plaque from Police Department

Alexander Mayor Paul Mitchell was presented a Commendation of Service plaque from Police Chief Robert Burnett during the City Council’s December 19 meeting. The award recognizes Mitchell’s 14 years of service to the city.

Police Chief Robert Burnett (L) and

Mayor Paul Mitchell.

The plaque states, “City of Alexander, Commendation of Service, awarded to Mayor Paul Mitchell, presented by Alexander Police Department, this 19th day of December 2022, for outstanding dedication & service to the City of Alexander for 14 years.

Mitchell served four years on the city council from November 2006 to December 31, 2010. He served nearly two years as mayor from January 1, 2011 to mid November 2012 when he resigned after losing a recall election. He was then elected again in the November 2014 election and will have served another eight years as mayor from January1, 2015 until December 31, 2022. Mitchell recently lost a run-off election to now Mayor-Elect Crystal Herrmann.

Alexander Council approves plan to buy new police cars, body/dash cams and officer pay increases

The Alexander City Council approved a plan to spend $638,000.00 for four new police cars, body and dash cams and raises for police officers. The plan was proposed by Police Chief Robert Burnett, at the November council meeting, as a way to use most of the remaining funds in the city’s American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) account. The approval by council members came at the December 19 council meeting.

Burnett decided to go with four Dodge Chargers with the V-8 engine at a cost of $34,700.00, for the vehicle. The cost of additional equipment and decals brings the total to $46,800.00. Four new police cars equals $187,200.00.

Burnett told council members any of the equipment on the current vehicles that can be transferred to the new cars will be used. The question is whether the cage mounted in the rear seat will fit in the new cars. If not, new cages will need to be purchased.

The cost of the body and dash cameras are listed in the proposal at $63,232.00. The pay raises, over a four year period, is listed at $387,568.00. The original pay raise proposal totaled $236,320.00 over four years. For cars, cameras and raises the total is $638,000.00.

Only the pay increases will come from the ARPA account. The current pay will continue to come from the police department funds and be combined with the ARPA funds every pay period.

The purpose of the four-year plan is to spend as much of the remaining portion of the ARPA funds as possible before the deadline set by the Federal Government of December 31, 2026. Any remaining funds will have to be returned.

ARPA was signed into law by President Joe Biden March 11, 2021 to provide fiscal relief funds to state and local governments aimed at mitigating the effects of the CoVid-19 pandemic. The city used ARPA funds in December 2021 to give bonuses for employees who qualified under ARPA guidelines.

The original proposal of five police vehicles plus the cost of the raises totaled $480,920.00. That left an estimated balance in the ARPA account of approximately $120,000.00. Even with reducing the number of cars purchased from five to four, then the addition of the body and dash cameras (which were not in the original proposal) and increasing the pay raises; the remainder of the ARPA funds should be eliminated by the 2026 deadline.

When Chief Burnett made his presentation at the November council meeting he said all of the police vehicles had come to the end of their three-year warranties. As it turns out two are in the last months of their warranties. At the December meeting he said one had an engine related issue that was repaired at no cost. A second is now in the shop, also with an engine related problem, and that too will be covered by the warranty.

However, the other vehicles have not been so lucky and are costing the city in repair bills. Burnett provided a repair list dated from April 20, 2021 to November 10, 2022. The total cost of repairs is $34,282.43.

This prompted Council Member Joe Pollard to ask, “Why so many miles?”

Burnett responded explaining that each vehicle runs a 12-hour shift.

Mayor Paul Mitchell expanded on that saying when police cars are sitting for any reason during a shift the engines are still running.

“It’s not the miles, it’s the hours engines run,” Burnett said.

Unfortunately, the new vehicles won’t be arriving anytime soon. Burnett said new vehicles are assembled and waiting to be sold. The only problem is they lack the computer chips to make them run.

Once the new cars arrive Burnett said the old cars will be available to the public for purchase. Unlike selling through a government clearinghouse, the vehicles will bring a higher selling price at a public sale.

Other police related business at the December 19 council meeting:

Convictions increase under new prosecutor

Council members were provided a letter from the city’s new Prosecuting Attorney R. Margaret Dobson. The letter takes a statistical look at her first five months prosecuting cases for Alexander.

“We have a higher number of convictions this year in almost every category than we had in the same time period the year before,” she said.

Dobson was hired this past summer. The prosecution comparisons are from July to November 2021, under the previous prosecutor, and July to November 2022, cases she has prosecuted.

 According to the provided chart:

Misdemeanor/Person – (2021) 2 * (2022) 2;

Misdemeanor/Domestic Violence – (2021) 0 * (2022) 45;

Misdemeanor/Property – (2021) 4 * (2022) 7;

Misdemeanor/Drug – (2021) 2 * (2022) 18;

Misdemeanor/Public Order – (2021) 1 * (2022) 6;

Misdemeanor/Other – (2021) 15 * (2022) 38;

DWI 1 – (2021) 2 * (2022) 3;

Traffic Misdemeanor – (2021) 96 * (2022) 141;

Traffic Violation – (2021) 261 * (2022) 240;

Local Ordinance – (2021) 1 * (2022) 3;

Violation/Other – (2021) 3 * (2022) 2;

“I do not take credit for all of this,” Dobson said in her report. “These results are a testament to the hard work and dedication of Chief Burnett and your police department, Judge Ford, and Ms. Guess” (City Court Clerk).

Praise from the Post Office

You could say a traffic stop is like a box of chocolates, you don’t know what you’re going to get. In this case a traffic stop made on April 25, 2022 by Alexander Police Lieutenant Jessica Burnett provided evidence for the Postal Service, “[R]egarding a potential mail theft suspect whose criminal activity is tied to an ongoing investigation with a loss nearing 4 million dollars.”

That, according to a letter sent to the Alexander Police Department by Postal Inspector Robert DeShields out of the Little Rock office.

A copy of the letter was provided to council members.

According to the letter the two suspects identified during the traffic stop were arrested in November 2022 by federal law enforcement.

After the arrests Lieutenant Burnett, “[C]onfirmed she seized the items within the vehicle from the April traffic stop, and also conducted a search warrant of the driver’s cellular phone,” the letter states.

“Through Lieutenant Burnett’s efforts and investigative prowess, she provided federal law enforcement important case evidence from a search warrant in which she conducted,” DeShields says in the his letter. “The fruits of her investigation further helped uncover information to strengthen the Government’s case.”

“Once again, the United States Postal Inspection Service appreciates the diligent work efforts by the men and women of the Alexander Police Department,” Deshields states in the final paragraph. “The initiative given by the (Police) Department is reflected in their leadership.”

Request for live-in guards tabled until next meeting

A request by Police Chief Robert Burnett, and Streets and Parks/Recreation Superintendent David Durham asked council members to allow employees from both departments to live rent-free in homes located in the former Pathfinder’s complex on, what was, the Alexander Human Development Center (HDC). In exchange for the housing the employees will, on their own time, maintain the complex grounds and patrol the entire former HDC property protecting it from vandals.

Prior to Pathfinder’s leaving, the Alexander Community Center #2 building was vandalized. During that incident one of the large windows was broken and the fire extinguishers were emptied covering most of the inside of the building.

Since Pathfinder’s left the vandalism has increased. Not only did they attack the Community Center again, this time stealing the fire extinguishers and their brackets, plus breaking another window; they have now moved on to the former Pathfinder’s homes.

Durham said they have broken windows and snapped the water lines off the toilets causing flooding. Durham provided a list of damages which totaled $9,954.89.

The vandalism has stopped since two street department employees were allowed to moved in with their families. Both lived outside the city.

It was pointed out to council members that all the city’s employees live outside Alexander. Only the elected officials live in the city.

While this solution to the vandalism problem has yet to be sanction by the council, Police Chief Robert Burnett would like to extend the offer to police officers. Burnett said this plan provides a way to have city employees, from either department, able to provide emergency response staff quicker since they will already be in Alexander.

Despite trading grounds maintenance and security patrols for living quarters, Council Member Joe Pollard asked, “Why can’t they pay a hundred dollars a month to live there? Nothing is free.”

Council Member Joy Gray tried explaining to Pollard the employees would be working to live there.

“I hope this becomes a model for other cities,” Gray said.

Gray wanted to vote on the request but it wasn’t on the agenda. Mayor Mitchell explained that to add an item to the agenda it takes a two/thirds vote of the council, which is six. There were only five members present making the quorum necessary to hold a meeting. The issue was tabled until the January council meeting.

Next Meeting

Due to a holiday falling on the third Monday in January, the next meeting of the Alexander City Council is Monday, January 23 at 6:00 PM in the courtroom at city hall. The public is invited to attend.

Alexander Planning Commission changes membership of Citizens Advisory Committee

Since 2021 the Alexander Planning Commission has been working on the writing of a new Master Development Plan for the city. The current plan dates back to 1980.

Many steps are involved in writing a plan that will guide current and future administrations in how to develop Alexander. Getting input from the general public has been accomplished through a variety of methods. A survey was taken and a public meeting was held in June of this year. One of the other methods being used is a Citizens Advisory Committee.

Since the committee was formed in December, 2021; Committee members have been attending Commission meetings providing input during various phases of the Master Development Plan writing process. The three original members are Angela Griffin, Lorinda Peoples and Gene Derline. All three live in the Meadow’s Edge Subdivision.

Griffin was elected to the city council during the November General Election, making her ineligible to serve on the Advisory Committee. Peoples has removed herself due to health reasons. Derline was removed by Planning Commission members due to his inconsistent attendance record. Griffin was the most reliable of the Committee members attending nearly, if not all, the Planning Commission meetings.

The three are being replaced by Jean Kelley, Maggie Miller and Karen Jeffcoat. All live in what is commonly referred to as South Alexander. Kelley and Miller live in Ward-4 and Jeffcoat lives in Ward-3.

This second iteration of the Citizens Advisory Committee isn’t expected to last very long. Now that the second version of the draft Master Development Plan is out, the next step is to hold a public hearing to receive official input from the public. The Planning Commission and City Council must establish a date, time and place for the hearing.

Also at the December 13 meeting:

Bylaws approved for 2023

Planning Commission members approved new bylaws for 2023. The only change is the schedule for the regular meetings. In the past regular meetings were scheduled every other month beginning in February. Since state law requires one meeting be held every quarter, the new meeting schedule is based on having meetings during the first month of each quarter. In 2023 regular meetings will now be held in the months of January, April, July, and October on the second Tuesday at 6:30 PM in the courtroom at the Alexander Municipal Complex. The annual administrative meeting will still be held on the second Tuesday in December.

Officers elected

The current officers of the Alexander Planning Commission were re-elected to their current positions. In 2023 Michael Huck will continue as Chairman, Stephanie Beck will remain as Vice-Chairman and Tonya Prows will continue as Secretary.

Resolution recommended to City Council for approval

Planning Commission members voted to send a resolution to the City Council for approval. The resolution will replace an earlier resolution that gives the Little Rock Water Reclamation Authority (LRWRA) the power to enforce Little Rock’s ordinances concerning sewage disposal. The new resolution expands the definition of ordinances to be enforced and adds residences as a source of waste water. The current resolution only mentions industrial and commercial as waste water sources. LRWRA provides sewage disposal for the Pulaski County portion of Alexander and a small area of Saline County inside the city.

Billboard Ordinance

Commission members were given a draft of a billboard ordinance to study before the next meeting. The ordinance establishes the type and size of billboards that will be permitted. It also limits billboards to commercial and industrial zones. The ordinance is mostly based on Federal and State billboard requirements. As of now Alexander does not have a billboard ordinance.

Next Meeting

The next meeting of the Alexander Planning Commission is scheduled for Tuesday, January 10, 6:30 PM in the courtroom at the Alexander Municipal Complex (City Hall). The public is invited to attend.

Equipment Grants Awarded to State & Local Law Enforcement Agencies, Alexander Receives Maximum Amount

Arkansas funded grants, totaling more than $7 million dollars, were awarded December 1, 2022 to 113 local and state law enforcement agencies and correctional or detention facilities. According to a press release from the Department of Public Safety, approximately 90 percent of the total funds will be received by local police and sheriff's departments to purchase new equipment.

The City of Alexander Police Department was one of the law enforcement agencies to receive the grant. During the city council’s November meeting Police Chief Robert Burnett announced receiving the $100,000.00 grant and said it will be used to buy dash-cams.

KTHV-11 visited Alexander City Hall Friday, December 2. Watch their coverage of this on tonight’s news broadcast.

The press release went on to say grants were authorized last year through legislation adopted by Governor Asa Hutchinson and the Arkansas General Assembly. Act 786 sanctioned the Public Safety Equipment Grant Program to be administered by the Arkansas Department of Public Safety and provides for grants to be used for purchasing, “non-lethal equipment that aids in improving trust and relationships between law enforcement agencies, detention centers and corrections agencies within their communities that they serve.”

"One of the key recommendations of our Task Force to Advance the State of Law Enforcement in Arkansas was the creation of state funding for increased training and improving the safety equipment used by local law enforcement officers,” stated Governor Hutchinson. “The grants directed to local law enforcement agencies will help to further the trust between these agencies and the communities they serve, and I want to commend the Department of Public Safety and the General Assembly for bringing this program to fruition,” said the governor.

The grant applications submitted earlier this year were reviewed and graded for distribution by a committee selected from a cross-section of state and local law enforcement officers, correction and detention officers and professional laypersons.

Besides Alexander other recipients of Public Safety Equipment Grants in the area included:

• Bauxite Police Dept - $94,241.11,

• Benton Police Dept - $67,500.00,

• Haskell Police Dept - $100,000.00, and

• Saline County Sheriff's Office - $100,000.00.

Bryant, Shannon Hills and Little Rock were not listed.

Opinions disguised as facts, with a side order of mud

(This article may contain opinions by its author.)

Elections can be fought in many venues. Candidates can use roadside signs, TV/radio commercials, rallies, debates, and now social media to get their message to the voters. For the most part the recent battle for mayor of the City of Alexander was, and still is, being fought out on Nextdoor; the website that brings neighbors closer together.

In the recent General Election none of the candidates for mayor received 50-percent plus one vote. Because of that, a runoff between the two candidates receiving the most votes will be held Tuesday, December 6.

Of the total 540 votes cast in both the Pulaski County and Saline County portions of Alexander, the mayor’s race broke down like this. Crystal Herrmann received 256 votes (47.40-percent). Paul Mitchell received 228 votes (42.22-percent). Scott Chaloner came in third with 35 votes (6.48-percent). Finally, Tom "TJ" Gaylor Jr. came in fourth with a total of 21 votes (3.88-percent).

Chaloner withdrew himself from the mayor’s race in September, but not in time for his name to be removed from the ballot. Under state law any votes cast for him must still be used to calculate the percentage of votes cast per candidate.

What kind of person do you want as mayor? Based on what she has posted on Nextdoor (Joined August 26) one could surmise Crystal Herrmann does not believe in “Innocent until proven guilty” or a higher legal authority other than herself. Let’s review some of her previous statements beginning with the one that started it all.

September 27

“The current administration misused 2019 ARDOT Grant founds (funds) to pave E 4th Street that is in fact in the City of Little Rock.”

Notice she instantly proclaims the current administration “Misused” money from a grant program funded by the Arkansas Department of Transportation (ArDOT).

BACKGROUND:

A portion of a special fuel tax approved by voters is being used to help cities and counties upgrade streets and roads by funding the overlay of new asphalt. Generally a city or county can request the grant every three years.

Depending on which map you look at E. 4^th St. is either completely inside Little Rock, or a portion is in Little Rock and the rest is in Alexander. There’s even a 1980 city map that shows the boundary down the center.

When this first came up the question was raised as to who is responsible for 4^th Street. Alexander’s Streets and Parks Department Superintendent contacted officials at the Little Rock Street Department and he reported back to the city council. He said Little Rock has 4^th Street labeled as the responsibility of Alexander.

These projects are reviewed by an ArDOT engineer. The engineer inspects each street in order to write up the bid specifications. According to Mayor Mitchell, during the tour of the city Mitchell asked about 4^th Street. Mitchell says the engineer had no issue with paving 4^th Street.

ArDOT handles the bidding process, monitors construction and pays the contractors directly. That money never comes to Alexander. So, technically the “Mayor” didn’t “Misuse” grant funds.

In another statement Herrmann says ArDOT, “Missed it.” It’s difficult to “Miss” a problem when you are told about it.

She dismissed the above accounting as, “Explaining it away.” In other words, she is the final arbiter of what is true.

So, according to Crystal Herrmann, she would have never repaved 4^th Street. She would have probably never asked if it qualifies because according to her it’s a Little Rock street, which Little Rock isn’t maintaining. Our street department even cuts the grass. She would have probably stopped that, too.

October 6

“Our city has lost 5 officers to better opportunities in the last 2 months. The City of Alexander has received $700,000 in "ARPA" America Rescue Plan Act funding. You have to ask yourself why is the current mayor not releasing the ARPA funding to the Police Department? Other cities are using ARPA funding to offer sign on bonuses and higher pay rates.”

It is true five officers did leave the force. I can account for three of them. Two were hired by the Capitol Police at around $56,000.00 per year. One still serves as our code enforcement officer. The third left to fulfill his dream of teaching.

Four officers have been hired within the past several months. One is a female officer who has already gone through the Arkansas Police Academy training course. A rarity. Normally every police hired needs to go through the academy.

Since developing a benefits package that includes health insurance, dental, eye care, life insurance and retirement the city hasn’t had as much of a problem attracting applicants, as it did in the past. City policy now requires all new hires who must attend the academy, which is paid for by Alexander, to sign a contract that requires those who graduate the police academy work for the department a minimum of two years.

As for the ARPA funds, assuming all of Herrmann’s suggestions are legal it’s not up to the mayor how or when the funds are used. It’s up to the city council. Remember them? They’re in charge.

This issue, however, may become a moot point. At the city council’s November meeting Police Chief Robert Burnett submitted a proposal to use the ARPA funds to provide pay raises for the next four years. ARPA funds expire December 31, 2026. Any unused funds must be returned.

Burnett proposed pay increases ranging from a high of 26.3-percent to 6.7-percent. The new wages for the police department will have to be approved as part of the 2023 budget, which should be discussed at the December council meeting. If the plan is adopted only the additional pay will come from the ARPA account every two weeks. Current wages will come from the Police Fund as they do now.

October 7

“Alexander's current administration has not been in full compliance with Legislative Audit for many years despite the proclaimed years of municipal experience.”

True, but the implication here is that up until this mayor the city always was in compliance. That is definitely not true.

Arkansas Division of Legislative Audit has Alexander’s audits on its website going back to the year 2000. The Mayor who served before Paul Mitchell was sworn-in on January 1, 2011, didn’t let a year go by without having a bad audit. In the 11 audits available (2000 to 2010) the city was in “Noncompliance” in both the financial and court/police categories. The mayor even racked up five herself.

A review of the audits from 2015 to 2020 show a reduction of noncompliance complaints. In 2015 there are nine financial items of noncompliance and eight under either court clerk or police. By 2020 financial is down to zero and the court clerk has one. If you are going to lay blame of all noncompliance issues at the feet of any mayor then the mayor should get the credit for the successes as well.

In 2016 and 2020 the current mayor received one noncompliance item for each year. The most recent is due to the issue with improvements to the city park unintentionally being built on land not belonging to the city.

October 11

“I'm not sure the City will be as lucky with the misused Cares Act funds because it is Federal Funds and they are stricter and do follow up.”

Here’s another proclamation where she claims to know more than the city attorney. Below is a portion of an article which appeared in The Alexandrian following the January 2021 meeting of the Alexander City Council. CARES stands for Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act.

The Alexandrian; Posted January 31, 2021:

“The Alexander City Council approved appropriating $100,000.00, which will be used to pave two city streets and buying a used bulldozer for the street department. The money comes from the $114,931.18 in CARES Act funding received near the end of 2020.”

The purchase plan was proposed during the city council’s December 2020 meeting. The article continues.

“Before spending it council members at the December council meeting asked about any restrictions on how it can be spent. At the January meeting Mitchell reported that the city attorney investigated the issue and was told there are no limitations on how the CARES Act funding can be spent.”

Maybe Ms. Herrmann can explain how you “Misuse” funding that has no restrictions.

October 12

“Mayor's are the Chief Administrative Officers and responsible for all Administrative functions. As Mayor I will take responsibility to insure that all record - keeping and accounting practices are in compliance.”

The Arkansas Municipal League (AML) publishes a handbook that provides answers to the most asked questions concerning the legal aspects of operating a municipality under Arkansas Law. The latest version is entitled Municipal Law in Arkansas FAQ 2021.

One of the Q-and-As involves supervision of the recorder and treasurer. The recorder takes the minutes of public meetings.

In Arkansas a municipality may have one of two arrangements. Either one person serving as recorder and one person serving as treasurer, or one person serving as recorder-treasurer. Whether it’s recorder, treasurer, or recorder-treasurer they are all elected positions serving four-year terms.

The AML responds to this question as follows.

“Q: Who is the recorder-treasurer’s supervisor?”

“A: The recorder-treasurer is an elected official and therefore is not supervised in the same sense as an employee. However, the council may prescribe additional duties (A.C.A. § 14-44-109). The recorder-treasurer should in general perform their duties in cooperation with other elected officials.”

So the question is, would a Mayor Herrmann rule over the elected treasurer as if they were a mere employee?

She claims she will, “[I]nsure that all record - keeping and accounting practices are in compliance.” By whose standards, hers?

And let’s not forget, as stated above, the 2020 audit did not list any financial noncompliance issues. Who gets credit for that?

October 22

“I'm 100% if they would have performed a background check on her she would not have been hired to handle money.”

The “Her” and “She” Herrmann is referring to is Melissa Anthony (formerly Melissa Ratliff). From January 1, 2015 to February 2018 Anthony/Ratliff served as a member of the city council. Starting in February 2018 she was hired as Alexander’s bookkeeper and human resources director. Later, she took on the duties of office manager.

BACKGROUND:

During the Fall Fest, held October 1 at Alexander City Park, K-9 Officer Lavrine was walking with K-9 Leo when Leo tagged a car. It’s been reported the vehicle belonged to Anthony and there was a male occupant inside. Anthony and her children were in the crowd at the Fall Fest. According to Mayor Mitchell he told Officer Lavrine he would take care of it on Monday.

Mitchell says Anthony never arrived Monday (October 3), nor did she call in. She did come in Tuesday and worked the rest of the week. Sometime during the week Mitchell scheduled a surprise drug tests for the following Monday.

Shortly after she arrived at city hall on Monday October 10, 2022; Anthony was told by Mayor Paul Mitchell he had scheduled a drug test for her and another female employee. According to Mitchell, Anthony was to wait in her car. Before the other employee was ready Anthony drove away and did not return. Mitchell fired Anthony for “Job Abandonment.”

When the news leaked out about Anthony being fired, Herrmann started filing more FOIA requests. Based on the information she received Herrmann declared on Nextdoor Anthony had “Embezzled” around $90,000.00 and Mayor Mitchell “Allowed” it to happen.

Herrmann’s comment, “[I]f they would have performed a background check on her she would not have been hired to handle money,” implies Anthony had a criminal record. Where’s the proof? Does Herrmann know more than city officials about Anthony’s past?

A search for Melissa Ratliff on the website Arkansas Judiciary shows legal cases involving divorce related issues and a lawsuit with a heating and cooling company. No criminal cases were listed.

November 7

“The current Mayor is the only candidate that is a career politician and will receive monthly payments from the city if in office for two more years.”

If any of her comments could be classified as being made up out of “Whole Cloth,” as the saying goes, this would be it. This one definitely makes me wonder who she is listening to.

Alexander does not have a retirement plan for elected officials. They are also not part of the Arkansas Public Employees Retirement System (APERS).

The only other option would be for a city council to award a former mayor with a pension after they leave office. That’s what happened in June, 2012 when the Alexander City Council voted to give former Mayor Shirley Johnson an $800 a month pension; which was half her previous monthly salary. She was mayor for 20 years, before being defeated by Paul Mitchell in 2010, and served on the city council before that. Now that’s a career politician.

FINAL SUMMARY:

So, what do all these comments say about Crystal Herrmann?

She definitely doesn’t couch her statements in a manner that would indicate someone is innocent until proven guilty. If she thinks you’re guilty, you’re guilty because she said so. Is that what you want in a mayor?

She obviously believes what anyone says, providing it makes the individual she’s going after look bad. Is that what you want in a mayor?

It appears she believes a mayor has more power than they actually have. Is that what you want in a mayor?

She believes if you commit a crime today you must have a criminal past. Is that what you want in a mayor?

She assumes this administration is spending federal grant monies illegally without bothering to find out how it can be spent. Again, guilty until proven innocent. Is that what you want in a mayor?

She displays the arrogance that all our problems will be solved if you make her mayor. Is that what you want in a mayor?

What kind of mayor do you want? Do you want someone like Crystal Herrmann, or do you want a mayor who doesn’t instantly jump to conclusions, a mayor who doesn’t assume you are guilty first, a mayor who doesn’t assume they have all the answers, and a mayor who follows legal opinions from lawyers rather than deciding what’s legal on their own?

Early voting begins Tuesday, November 29. The runoff election is Tuesday, December 6. Vote wisely. The type of person you choose for mayor will affect Alexander for the next four years.

Alexander Police Chief proposes plan to buy new vehicles and increase pay

The City of Alexander Police Chief Robert Burnett presented a proposal to the city council that will allow the police department to buy five new vehicles and increase wages without using any city tax generated revenue for the next four years. The proposed source of funding will be the remaining funds in the city’s American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) account.

ARPA was signed into law by President Joe Biden March 11, 2021 to provide fiscal relief funds to state and local governments aimed at mitigating the effects of the CoVid-19 pandemic. The city used ARPA funds in December 2021 to give bonuses for employees who qualified under ARPA guidelines.

Chief Burnett provided council members a cost breakdown of three vehicle models.

• A Dodge Charger with a V-8 engine will cost $34,700.00. With additional equipment and decals one vehicle will cost $46,800.00.
•  A Dodge Durango SUV with a V-8 engine will cost $40,000.00. Fully outfitted is $52,100.00.
• The third model is a Dodge Durango SUV with a V-6 engine and All-Wheel-Drive at a cost of $38,500.00. Adding the extra equipment and decals runs the cost up to $50,600.00.

If the city were to choose one model and buy five of that model vehicle, fully equipped, it would cost $234,000.00; $260,500.00 and $253,000.00 respectively.

Burnett offered a compromise of buying three of the Dodge Chargers and two of either of the Dodge Durango SUVs. Three Dodge Chargers and two Dodge Durango SUVs (V-8) would cost $244,600.00. Three Dodge Chargers and two Dodge Durango SUVs (V-6 AWD) is $241,600.00. Burnett noted when the current vehicles were purchased their starting cost was around $23,000.00.

At the beginning of his presentation Chief Burnett told council members the three-year warranty on all the police vehicles have expired. And, while ARPA funds can’t be used to pay maintenance, “They can be used to buy new vehicles,” he said.

Burnett added that any current vehicle that has equipment that can be used will be transferred to a new vehicle, saving some upfront costs. One of the current vehicles will be kept for use by the auxiliary police officers.

Burnett provided a rundown on remaining ARPA funds. The original amount received was around $700,000.00. After the bonuses were paid to qualifying employees in December 2021 there is over $600,000.00 remaining.

During Burnett’s briefing on his pay raise proposal he noted that the only officers with the longest time serving the department are himself and the two other officers who joined the same year he did in 2016; Assistant Police Chief Richard Harper and Lt. Jessica Burnett. One officer has been in Alexander two years, two officers one year and four were hired this year. And, that still leaves two openings for sergeants unfilled. One of those has been vacant for about a year. The department has a total of 12 positions.

All of the city’s current officers have served in other departments. The total years of service range from Police Chief Burnett and Assistant Chief Harper’s 25 years each to one year by the city’s most recent hire.

Chief Burnett provided council members a chart showing each officer with years served in Alexander, total years of experience, the year they were hired, hourly rate of pay, annual pay, and proposed increases.

“You’ll see most of these people have zero experience,” Burnett said. “That’s because we can’t afford to get anybody (with experience) right now.”

Based on years of experience the hourly rate paid to officers ranges from $28 to $17 per hour. The current yearly pay ranges from $58,240.00 for the police chief down to an officer’s pay of $38,896.00.

The proposed increases would raise the hourly rates $5.00, $3.00 and $2.00. The proposal changes the police chief to an annual salary of $70,000.00. The remaining increases range from $49,920.00 to $41,496.00 annually based on an 80-hour two-week pay period. The total cost of the raises coming from ARPA annually would be $59,080.00. After four years the total cost of the raises is $236,320.00.

Council Member Joy Gray said she would be, “Willing to go higher on wages.”

About two or three months ago Alexander lost two officers who were hired by the Capitol Police in Little Rock. Starting pay there is around $56,000.00 per year.

Chief Burnett said the “revolving door” is still an issue.

In the past, before Alexander began providing benefits, it was worse. The city would hire an officer who hadn’t had the Arkansas Police Academy training. After graduating they were able to find another job with benefits and/or higher pay. Because the city pays for the academy training new hires must sign a two-year contract which binds them working two years for Alexander.

There was a brief discussion of instituting a merit pay system. Burnett said it’s “not fair” that everyone gets the same annual pay increase based only on how long they’ve been with the city. He noted some officers deserve more based on performance.

The purpose of the four-year plan is to spend as much of the remaining portion of the ARPA funds as possible before the deadline set by the Federal Government of December 31, 2026. Any remaining funds will have to be returned.

If council members agree to purchase five police vehicles at a cost of $244,600.00 plus the cost of the raises at $236,320.00, that’s a total of $480,920.00. That leaves a balance in the ARPA account of approximately $120,000.00.

Both of these proposals, especially the wage increases, will have to be included in the 2023 budget. Council members should get a first look at next year’s budget during the December council meeting.

In another police related matter, Chief Burnett announced the department has been approved for a grant, “Of no less than $100,00.00,” to buy dash-cams. He said they probably won’t be able to equip all the vehicles with the new system, which includes off-site storage of the video files.

Burnett said the off-site storage, which is essentially what’s referred to as “The Cloud” will give the prosecuting attorney and judge easier access to videos during trials. Currently everything is stored on hard drives in city hall, which requires the constant purchase of more hard drives.

The new system will also activate the officer's body-cam when the emergency lights are turned on.

Also at the November 21 council meeting:

Resolution specifying who can sign checks approved;

The only action item on the agenda was the passage of a resolution establishing who can sign checks and other banking documents. The new resolution lists Mayor Paul Mitchell, City Treasurer JoAn Allen-Churchill and City Recorder Sharon Bankhead. Bankhead was not included in the previous resolution. Council Member Juanita Wilson is listed as a “Secondary” signer.

The previous resolution included former city hall employee Melissa Ratliff/Anthony and Council Member Dan Church. Church did not seek re-election to the city council. His term will end December 31, 2022.

Mayoral candidate speaks;

During the Public Comment portion of the meeting mayoral candidate Crystal Herrmann asked council members to review information she uncovered based on Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests. She began submitting the FOIA requests after she filed to run for mayor.

“Because I am running for Mayor I wanted to see the financial standings and understand the magnitude of the different departments and the revenue with the city,” Herrmann said. “I found a lot of inconsistencies.”

She noted it took “forever” to get answers to her FOIA requests.

Her initial FOIA request is dated August 19. The request asked for the following documents.

• "City Of Alexander Treasurer's monthly report for the last twenty-four months."

• "City of Alexander 2020 and 2021 Financial statements."

• "Copy of the last twelve months' city electric, gas, and water bills."

• "All credit card statements for the City Of Alexander in the last twelve months."

• "City of Alexander gas card statements for the last twenty-four-month period includes all from one company to the next."

• "Copy of most recent Inventory list Of all equipment, vehicles, real property, and structures owned by the City of Alexander. Include all the departments COIs from 2020 to current of all Alexander's equipment, vehicles, and structures. Include all the departments."

• "Copies of payroll and any other checks written to employees outside of payroll for all departments in the last twelve months."

Under the council’s meeting rules council members can not respond to anyone during Public Comment.

Crystal Herrmann will face Mayor Paul Mitchell in a runoff election December 6.

Next Meeting

The next meeting of the Alexander City Council is Monday, December 19 at 6:00 PM in the courtroom at the Alexander Municipal Complex (City Hall). The public is invited to attend.

Runoff Election Early Voting begins Tuesday, November 29

Early Voting for the Runoff Election between Alexander Mayor Paul Mitchell and his opponent Crystal Herrmann begins Tuesday, November 29. The last day of early voting is December 5. Voting locations will be closed on Saturday and Sunday.

Two other candidates in the General Election, Scott Chaloner and Tom TJ Gaylor, Jr., were able to pull enough votes away from Mitchell and Herrmann to keep either of them from receiving the required 50-percent plus one vote. Of the 540 total votes cast for the Mayor’s race Herrmann received 256 (47.40-percent) while Mitchell received 228 (42.22-percent).

Listed below are Early Voting locations and hours open. Because Alexander is in two counties voters should use the Early Voting sites based on whether they live in the Pulaski County or Saline County portion of the city. Both counties are conducting Early Voting only at their main offices.

Locations and Time:

Pulaski County

Pulaski County Regional Building

501 W Markham St.

Little Rock, Ar.

8:00 AM to 5:00 PM

Saline County

Benton Vote Center

221 N. Main St.

Benton, Ar.

8:00 AM to 5:00 PM

On Runoff Election Day, December 6, Alexander voters will be able to vote at the same locations used during the General Election. This includes both main voting locations used by the counties for Early Voting. Polling places will be open from 7:30 AM to 7:30 PM as usual.

Pulaski County portion of Alexander:

First Missionary Baptist Church

10300 Mabelvale West Road

Mabelvale

Saline County portion of Alexander:

Alexander Community Center No. 2

15115 Highway 111

Alexander

(Former Human Development Center property)

Alexander 2022 Election by the numbers

If one statement can be made about all elections that is universally true it’s that not everyone who votes, votes on all the candidates on the ballot. That’s what’s called undervotes and the November 8 Election was no different.

On the Saline County side of Alexander 513 voters cast at least one vote in the election. In the mayor’s race a total of 498 votes were cast. In the three races for seats on the city council 471 votes were cast for the Ward-2, Position-2 seat, 469 votes were cast for the Ward-4, Position-1 seat and 479 votes were cast for the Ward-4, Position-2 seat.

In Pulaski County 50 voters cast at least one vote. In the mayor’s race a total of 42 votes were cast. In the three races for seats on the city council 41 votes each were cast for both the Ward-2, Position-2 seat and the Ward-4, Position-1 seat. For the Ward-4, Position-2 seat 42 votes were cast.

As it’s already been reported, a runoff election is needed to determine who will be mayor for the next four years, Incumbent Mayor Paul Mitchell or his opponent Crystal Herrmann. A runoff is required when a candidate does not receive 50-percent plus one vote.

There’s been some discussion on Social Media over how the calculations were made to determine the percentage of votes assigned to each candidate. In September mayoral candidate Scott Chaloner withdrew from the race. Since it was too late to remove his name from the ballot, and his withdrawal was made public, some still cast votes for Chaloner. According to Saline County Clerk Doug Curtis even though Chaloner wasn’t able to win, his votes were still used to calculate the percentage of votes received by each candidate.

Of the total 540 votes cast, which includes both counties, the mayor’s race broke down like this. Herrmann received a total of 256 votes (47.40-percent). Mitchell received a total of 228 votes (42.22-percent). Chaloner came in third with a total of 35 votes (6.48-percent). Finally, Tom "TJ" Gaylor Jr. came in fourth with a total of 21 (3.88-percent).

This won’t be Mitchell’s first rodeo when it comes to election runoffs. The same thing happened in 2014 when he ran to retake the mayor’s office after losing a recall election in 2012.

In the 2014 election for mayor the total votes cast from Pulaski and Saline counties were 457. The breakdown among the four candidates was; Interim Mayor Michelle Hobbs 161 votes (35.29-percent), Paul Mitchell 127 votes (27.79-percent), Corliss "Jerry" Ball 110 votes (24.07-percent), and Farren Wadley 59 votes (12.91-percent).

In the runoff only 207 votes were cast. The breakdown was; Paul Mitchell 130 votes (62.80-percent) and Michelle Hobbs 77 votes (37.19-percent).

Let the campaigning for round-two begin.

Flag that flew over U.S. Capitol raised at Alexander Municipal Complex on Veteran’s Day, American Legion presents Mayor with plaque

Alexander’s American Legion Post 28 held a flag raising ceremony at the City of Alexander Municipal Complex on Veteran’s Day, November 11. In 2019 the flag was presented to the Post by Arkansas U.S. Senator John Boozman, in recognition of the American Legion’s 100^th Anniversary. Included with the flag was documentation certifying it flew over the U.S. Capitol. This is only the fourth time its been flown.

After raising and lowering the American Flag the MIA/POW Flag was attached and then the two flags were raised together. Handling the halyard is American Legion member and Past Commander Harold Timmerman. Standing next to him is current Post Commander Ken Farrell. Timmerman

is also a member of the city council.

After the flag raising ceremony Farrell presented Alexander Mayor Paul Mitchell with a plaque in appreciation for the city allowing the Post to use “city property” without cost. Specifically, in 2018 the city council, at the suggestion of Mayor Mitchell, approved allowing the newly formed American Legion Post free use of the Community Center (Old City Hall) for its meetings and other activities. The council has also allowed the post free use of the City Park for its fund raisers.

The plaque reads, “In appreciation of Mayor Paul Mitchell and his City Council Members. A special thank you for allowing us the use of the city property.”

In the photo (L to R) are Farrell, Mitchell and Timmerman.

Runoff for Alexander Mayor’s race December 6, One incumbent keeps council seat

Who will be mayor of Alexander starting January 1 is still undecided, since no one received 50-percent plus one vote in Tuesday’s General Election. The runoff election is scheduled for December 6.

Because Alexander is in two counties, the votes from each county are added together to determine winners of municipal elections. Crystal Herrmann received 47.40-percent of the combined votes, to Mayor Paul Mitchell’s 42.22-percent. State law requires a candidate receive 50-percent plus one vote to win.

The 540 votes cast in the mayor’s race broke down like this. Herrmann received 9 votes in Pulaski County and 247 in Saline County for a total of 256 votes. Mitchell received 22 votes in Pulaski County and 206 in Saline County for a total of 228 votes. Scott Chaloner came in third with 6 votes in Pulaski County and 29 in Saline County for a total of 35 votes (6.48%). Finally, Tom "TJ" Gaylor Jr. came in fourth with 5 votes in Pulaski County and 16 in Saline County for a total of 21 (3.88%).

The deciding factor seems to be the votes cast for Chaloner. After filing for the election Chaloner dropped out of the race over a legal issue. However, it was too late to have his name removed from the ballot. While legally Gaylor came in third, the votes for Chaloner are being used to determine the percentage of votes received by each candidate. If you don’t include his 35 votes Herrmann wins with 50.69-percent.

In the three city council races Juanita Wilson is the only incumbent to remain on the council. She defeated April Cotton for the Ward-4, Position-2 seat. Wilson currently holds the Ward-4, Position-1 seat. Wilson received 19 votes in Pulaski County and 252 in Saline County for a total of 271 votes or 52.01-percent. Cotton received 23 votes in Pulaski County and 227 in Saline County for a total of 250 votes or 47.98-percent.

Starting January 1 there will be two new members on the Alexander City Council, both winning in landslide elections. They are Gina Thomas Littlejohn for the Ward-2, Position-2 seat and Angela Griffin in the Ward-4, Position-1 seat.

Littlejohn trounced Incumbent Council Member Lonny Chapman earning 22 votes in Pulaski County and 290 in Saline County for a total of 312 votes or 60.93-percent. Chapman received 19 votes in Pulaski County and 181 in Saline County for a total of 200 votes or 39.06-percent.

Angela Griffin had a similar outcome in the vote count receiving 27 votes in Pulaski County and 308 in Saline County for a total of 335 votes or 65.68-percent. Incumbent Council Member Jeffery Watson, on the other hand, received 14 votes in Pulaski County and 161 in Saline County for a total of 175 votes or 34.31-percent.

Four candidates for city council were unopposed, three current members and one new face. Council Member Joe Pollard (Ward-1; Position-1), Council Member Joy Gray (Ward-2; Position-1) and Council Member Harold Timmerman (Ward-3; Position-1) were all unopposed. Political newcomer Tony Staton was also unopposed for the Ward-3; Position-2 seat. It’s currently held by Dan Church who did not seek re-election.

No one ran for the Ward-1; Position-1 seat including its current occupant Council Member Elizabeth Bland. Although she did not file a petition for re-election, by state law she is still considered a council member.

The position of mayor is a four-year term. Council members serve two-year terms.