Alexander Council fills vacancy caused by Governor's appointment; Appointed new planning commission member

The Alexander City Council recently approved two appointments. One filled the vacancy in the prosecuting attorney's position. The other appointed a new member to the planning commission.

R. Margaret Dobson, Esq. has served as Alexander's prosecuting attorney since the summer of 2022. She was recently selected by Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders to serve as a judge.

"Effective May 6, 2024, 1 have been appointed by Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders to serve as Circuit Judge for the First Division of the Seventh Judicial Circuit, a role I will uphold until December 31, 2027," Dobson said in her resignation letter. "As a result, I will be unable to continue practicing law during this tenure.

"It has been my honor to serve the City of Alexander as its prosecutor," she continued. "In light of the appointment, however, I am required to close my law practice. Please accept this as my resignation, effective April 30, 2024."

Two attorneys submitted resumes; Pamela Perry and Caleb Conrad. While Conrad's resume provides a list of positions as a prosecutor, an adjunct professor and as the owner of a law firm; Perry has the additional benefit of having served as City Prosecutor for the Town of Bauxite since 2012.

Conrad's resume includes Prosecuting Attorney, (11th West District of Arkansas: Deputy Prosecuting Attorney, First Division), November 2020 – September 2021; Office of the Arkansas Attorney General, September, (Assistant Attorney General, Civil Litigation), 2021 – January 2023; William H. Bowen School of Law, (Adjunct Professor), Spring 2023; Prosecuting Attorney, (22nd District of Arkansas, Part-Time Deputy Prosecuting Attorney), January 2023 – Present; and owner and Managing Attorney of Conrad Law Firm, PLLC, January 2023 – Present.

Perry's work experience listed in her resume begins working for the Oklahoma Department of Community Corrections, "Assisting inmates with successful re-entry and integration into the local community," from 1979 – 1985; Director, Markham UMC Mother’s Day Out Program 1986 – 1997; Personnel Recruiter, (Child Development Center), 1998 – 2001; In-House Counsel for several transportation companies under common ownership, 2001 – 2008; City Attorney, (Town of Bauxite), January 2013 – August 2014. Attorney, (Solo Practitioner), 2001 – Present; City Prosecutor, (Town of Bauxite), 2012 – Present.

Conrad started with one strike against him. In 2023, prior to hiring current City Attorney Chris Madison, Conrad was Alexander's city attorney for barely a month. He also did not attend the April 15 council meeting.

Perry, on the other hand, not only attended the council meeting but she also sat through the previous week's court session. She told council members it's similar to Bauxite with the same type of local violations making up the court docket. Alexander's court meets the second Thursday of the month.

In a roll call vote all seven council members present voted to appoint Pamela Perry as Alexander's Prosecuting Attorney. Attending the meeting were council members Joy Gray, Angela Griffin, Joe Pollard, Mitchell W. Smith, Gina R Thomas-Littlejohn, Harold Timmerman, and Juanita Wilson. Council Member Tony Staton was absent and counted as the lone "No" vote.

This isn't the first time Alexander lost an attorney to a State appointment. In 2015 former City Attorney Kevin Lemley was hired by the Arkansas Attorney General’s office.

The second appointment made during the Monday, April 15 council meeting involved the appointment of Jennifer Plunkett to the Alexander Planning Commission. A new term for one of the five seats on the planning commission began April 6. Rodney Chapman occupied the position but decided not to seek reappointment. A term lasts three years. Plunkett was the only Alexander resident to submit a resume.

"I have many years of management and communication skills along with years of customer service," Plunkett says in her resume. "I pride myself in being creative, imaginative, and professional. I believe in having good work ethics and being dedicated and loyal to my work and employer."

According to her employment history she has been working for the Arkansas Department Agriculture Division of Livestock and Poultry as an Administrative Specialist III since May 30, 2021. Other jobs included in her employment history are Stonemark Management (DBA) Breckenridge Square Apartments, Community Manager, 1999 - 2004; Richards Honda - Yamaha, (Receptionist/Bookkeeping/Cashier), 2004 - 2005; Department of Finance and Administration - Marketing and Redistribution, (Administrative Assistant II), 08/28/2005 to 12/20/2017; Arkansas Department of Health - Saline County Unit Health Service, (Specialist II), 12/03/2017 to 05/02/2019; and Arkansas Department of Health - ERAVE Health Statistics Branch, (Administrative Specialist III), 05/02/2019 to 05/29/2021.

In a roll call vote council members approved the appointment of Plunkett to the planning commission. As before the vote was seven "Yes" and one vote of "No" due to the absence of Council Member Tony Staton.

Plunkett must still be sworn-in. The next regular meeting of the planning commission is July 9.

Alexander Planning Commission approves duplex with slight change

The Alexander Planning Commission has approved the construction of a residential duplex in south Alexander. The duplex will be built on property owned by Jose Perez Arreola, 15404 S. Alexander Rd., at the corner of Alton Dr. and South Alexander Road.

The property is already zoned for both single-family and duplex residences, bypassing the need for a public hearing and approval from the city council. Since rezoning is not needed, the planning commission mainly dealt with whether construction plans meet zoning requirements.

At its April 9 meeting, the planning commission reviewed construction drawings of the two-story rental units. According to the drawings each unit will have a one-car garage, living area, dining area, kitchen, and half-bath on the first floor. The second floor will have a master bedroom with a bathroom, two additional bedrooms with a bathroom in between and a laundry room. The rent is planned for $1,500.00 per month.

The only change requested by the planning commission is the addition of a parking/turn around spot connected to the side of each driveway. Planning Commission Member Tonya Prowse made the suggestion to not only be able to turn around a vehicle when backing out of the garage but to provide a needed third parking spot.

Zoning for duplexes require three off-street parking spots for each duplex unit. The garage and driveway will provide the other two spots.

Unlike many rental properties in Alexander, Arreola will not be a long-distance landlord. He lives next door with his wife Melissa.

Alexander agenda items; Mix of action items and discussion

Monday's meeting of the Alexander City Council will be a mix of voting and discussion according to the agenda. Potentially three items could result in votes, while another three are listed for discussion.

On the voting side, there is a proposed resolution that will adjust payments in the 2024 budget to four elected officials who were allegedly underpaid in 2023. According to the proposed resolution Mayor Crystal Herrmann was paid $37,456.04 in 2023 instead of $42,160.00; a difference of $4,703.96. Council members Tony Staton, Angela Griffin and Gina Thomas-Littlejohn are listed as being paid $1100.00 in 2023 instead of the annual $1,200.00; a difference of $100.00. Council members are paid $100.00 per month no matter how many meetings are held.

Another agenda item that may result in a vote is appointing someone to the planning commission. On April 6, 2024 a new term began for one of the five planning commission seats. That position is currently held by Rodney Chapman. Only one resume has been received. Chapman did not submit a resume.

Council members are expected to vote on a replacement for Alexander's prosecuting attorney. R. Margaret Dobson, Esq. submitted her resignation effective next month, May 6, 2024.

In her resignation letter she states, "I have been appointed by Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders to serve as Circuit Judge for the First Division of the Seventh Judicial Circuit, a role I will uphold until December 31, 2027."

The only other agenda items are labeled for discussion. One involves increasing rental fees on the pavilion and gazebo in the city park and Community Center #1 located on Main Street. At one time Community Center #1 served as the post office and later as city hall. Also included in the discussion establishing a rental fee for Community Center #2, which is located at the former Alexander Human Development Center.

Another discussion item involves the removal of the "Duplex (site-built)" housing type from the "Mixed-Use Residential District (R-2. MU)" zoning category. Under the current description of the zoning district allowed housing types include, "Single-Family (site-built), Duplex (site-built), Manufactured Home, Modular Home," and "Prefabricated Home." Nearly all of the area in south Alexander (formerly known as Woodland Hills) and portions of north Alexander are zoned R-2. MU.

The final agenda item is listed as "Ordinance Discussion." There is no documentation provided hinting at the purpose for this item.

The next regular meeting of the Alexander City Council is Monday, April 15, 6:00 PM in the courtroom at the Alexander Municipal Complex (City Hall). The public is invited to attend.