Alexander council approves summer feeding program

The Alexander City Council has given permission to the ABC Adolescent Center (AAC) to use the Alexander Community Center (old city hall) at no charge for its new summer feeding program for Alexander children. The program is similar to an after-school program started in 2014.

During her presentation to council members AAC representative Bobbie Fourche said, "From June 24th, 2014 until present we fed 10,126 meals to the City of Alexander."

The after-school program provides Alexander children with meals and help with their homework Monday through Friday. ABC Adolescent Center is working with five local churches and the Department of Human Services to provide the food and volunteers.

The new summer feeding program starts June 1. Children will be provided both breakfast and lunch.

The decision occurred during the May 18 regular council meeting. All seven council members attending the meeting voted "Yes." Jeff Watson was the only alderman absent from the meeting.

Fourche also asked the council to approve the use of a section of the city park for a community garden. She said the AAC has already received a grant for the project.

"We noticed there are a lot of hungry children in the community," she said. "We are trying to make sure when they don't have food when they go home from us, our site, they at least go home with a bag of fresh, fresh veggies."

Alderwoman Andrea Bearden requested the proposal be put in writing. She asked the proposal include items such as liability for injuries, getting water to the plants, who will clean up property after harvest, and how will volunteers be selected and managed? Fourche agreed to comply with the request.

City Recorder Sharon Bankhead served as acting mayor during the council meeting. Mayor Paul Mitchell was required to attend a hearing in Mississippi earlier in the day and couldn't return in time for the meeting. The hearing involved the city's repossessed fire truck. Alderwoman Andrea Bearden served as acting recorder.

The next regular meeting of the Alexander City Council will be held Monday, June 15, 6 pm in the courtroom at city hall. Regular meetings are held the third Monday of the month. The public is invited to attend.

Alexander Council expected to resolve Paychex issue at Monday night meeting

Members of the Alexander City Council will once again take up the issue concerning the check writing company Paychex. Aldermen are being asked to either change the services provided by Paychex to come into compliance with state law, or cancel the contract. It was discussed at a meeting held April 6, but council members wanted more information before making the decision.

In 2013, when Michelle Hobbs was mayor, the City of Alexander hired PayChex to handle its payroll. The Arkansas Division of Legislative Audit issued a report in February stating some of the duties being performed by the company violate state law. The annual audit was for the 2013 calendar year.

The audit states, "The City’s agreement with a private company to perform payroll services, including electronic drafting of a City bank account for the payroll tax deposits, is in noncompliance with Ark. Code Ann. § 14-59-115."

Section (2) (B) of the law states, "The governing body of a municipality may not assign duties relating to the receipting or disbursing of funds to anyone other than an employee of the municipality."

Essentially, it is illegal for Paychex to write checks and transfer funds from one account to another.

The Paychex issue is on the agenda for the regular May meeting of the Alexander City Council to be held tomorrow evening, Monday, May 18, 6 pm in city hall. Regular meetings are held the third Monday of the month. The public is invited to attend.

Also listed on the agenda is a report from the recently formed planning commission.