Alexander council member surrenders to authorities

 After a nearly two-year investigation by Arkansas State Police, Troop-A in Little Rock, Alexander Council Member Lou (Juanita) Wilson was charged with forgery in the second degree. The charge, a felony, is related to Wilson obtaining a city credit card for the use of then Police Chief Robert Burnett.

Lou (Juanita) Wilson

Wilson turned herself in to the Saline County Sheriff’s Department July 1, 2026. She was released the same day on a signature bond.

Council members first learned about the credit card issue at the August, 2023 council meeting. The existence of two unauthorized city credit cards was reported by Administrative Assistant Jennifer Hill. The second card was held by then Treasurer JoAn Churchill. This was reported in the 2023 State Audit released in 2024.

Wilson returned the card being used by Burnett. Churchill destroyed her card.

“When I found out I couldn't keep track of where it was going and who was using it," Wilson said in 2023. "I have not spent one dime on it for the city. I gave it to someone to use in the city because they didn't have access to the other credit card that was supposed to be already here."

At the September, 2023 council meeting, council members were read a letter from the bank admitting they didn’t follow their own policy of requiring a resolution approving who can receive one of the three cards allowed for city use. A 2022 resolution, establishing who can sign checks for the city, was mistakenly identified as the method Churchill and Wilson used to obtain the credit cards. (Read article here.)

Trying to untangle the confusion Mayor Crystal Herrmann said, at the September, 2023 meeting, "That's a different situation. That was for them to actually be (check) signers."

Wilson’s hearing is scheduled for August.

Alexander to seek appraisal of 3 lots for sale

The City of Alexander will be getting an appraisal of three lots currently owned by the Saline County Water Works and Sanitary Public Utilities Board (SCWW). Two of the lots have playground equipment and a basketball hoop. The third lot has trees. The lots are located between Birch Drive and Mathews Drive near West Azalea Drive.

The three lots as shown on
the Saline County GIS site.

During the discussion Mayor Crystal Herrmann said, “Well, we would have to have an appraisal before we could purchase it. So, if there was a dollar amount that y'all had in mind if you purchased it, we could make that offer and then get an appraisal.”

Council Member Joy Gray definitely wants an appraisal from a real estate appraiser, not a Realtor.

“So, what the Realtor wants and what an appraiser is going to say are two vastly different things,” Gray said. “And I need you to give me the appraiser number, not the Realtor (number).”

In an E-mail exchange, SCWW General Manager Jammie Reagan said, “We are still researching this topic.”

The park was established decades ago as part of a legal settlement with one of the developers of what eventually became the Woodland Hills Community. According to Saline County records, SCWW took ownership of the park in 1992. Woodland Hills was annexed into Alexander in 2006.

In other news at the June 15 meeting

New permit categories adopted

An ordinance, which will amend an existing ordinance establishing additional permit types and fees, received its third and final public reading by title and then was adopted by the Alexander City Council. For the past two months the council has been fine-tuning the description of what types of fences will be allowed in the city. This new permit category will only apply to either new fence construction, or replacing an old fence with a new one.

Acceptable fencing material will include standard wooden fence material, chain link, aluminum, steel, vinyl (PVC), and stone/masonry. The amendment also adds language which establishes a new type of permit for road cuts and a fee and regulations covering the rental and placement of permit boxes to display all permits.

The fence permit is $25.00. The road cut permit fee is $25.00 plus, “$10.00 a square foot for cut (This price includes asphalt/gravel replacement, man hours and equipment).” The permit box rental fee is $50.00. Upon returning the box to city hall $45.00 of the deposit will be refunded. The remaining $5.00 is a “non-refundable administrative fee.” It is required the permit box be placed on the left side at the end of the driveway.

Armed suspect was illegal immigrant

Police Chief Timothy Preator provided council members an update on an incident, which occurred in the parking lot of the Knollwood Mobile Home Park office on the morning of May 8, 2026. (See article here.) The incident involved 24 year old Alan Valenciano Hernandez who tried to pull a gun on an officer while attempting to arrest Valenciano Hernandez.

Preator said, “The subject over here was federally indicted and he was deported out of the country.”

To get Valenciano Hernandez to stop struggling, Preator used a pepper ball pistol hitting Valenciano Hernandez in the face injuring his right eye. Officers in the immediately vicinity were also covered with mist from the pepper ball.

While some officers were treated for over spray from the pepper ball Preator said, “One of the officers (said he) didn't have to get treated. And another one of the officers hurt his hand during the fight or struggle with the bad guy.”

Park report

The splash pad is open.

Sealed bids for property sale due June 26

Sealed bids are now being accepted to purchase the property located at 14805 Kent Drive, in Alexander, Arkansas. The property is owned by the city.

Sealed bids are required to be turned into City Hall no later than June 26, 2026 at 3:00 PM. The live bid opening will begin at 1:00 PM on July 6, 2026 at the Alexander City Hall. For more information contact Jennifer Hill at 501-455-2585.

Mayor Herrmann told council members the bids will be presented to them for inspection and approval.

Next Meeting

The next meeting of the Alexander City Council is Monday, July 20, at 6:00 PM in the courtroom of the Alexander Municipal Complex (City Hall). Meetings are open to the public.

Alexander Council to discuss property purchase; Third and final reading for permit amendment

Alexander council members will be presented with a proposal to purchase three lots currently owned by Saline County Water Works and Sanitary Public Utilities Board (SCWW). The lots are the home of a park, located between Birch Drive and Mathews Drive.

Park between Birch and Mathews.

Photo from Google Maps.

The park was established decades ago as part of a legal settlement with one of the developers of what eventually became the Woodland Hills Community. According to Saline County records, SCWW took ownership of the park in 1992. A dollar amount for the purchase has not been provided.

Woodland Hills was annexed into Alexander in 2006.

Under Old Business; this is expected to be the third and final public reading, and adoption, of an ordinance which will amend an existing ordinance establishing additional permit types and fees. For the past two months the council has been fine-tuning the description of what types of fences will be allowed in the city. This new permit category will only apply to either new fence construction, or replacing an old fence with a new one.

Acceptable fencing material will include standard wooden fences, chain link, aluminum, steel, vinyl (PVC), and stone/masonry. The amendment also adds language which includes a permit requirement for a road cut and regulations covering the rental and placement of permit boxes to display permits.

The council meeting is scheduled for Monday, June 15, 2026 at 6:00 PM in the courtroom at the Alexander Municipal Complex (City Hall). The public is welcomed.