Alexander City Council officially unorganized

There was an impasse over which version of the Organization of City Council (OCC) should be used for 2016. Some members of the Alexander City Council preferred the version they received in their information packets for the January meeting while others wanted the version provided by Alderwoman Andrea Bearden. Since a second version was introduced at the January meeting the issue was tabled allowing council members time to compare both documents.

The OCC is used to establish the annual calendar for regular meetings and rules for how the meetings will be conducted.

With only five minutes available Alderwoman Melissa Ratliff defended the original document by pointing out some of the differences between it and Bearden’s revised version.

In the section labeled Rules for Debate and Meeting Procedures, Ratliff said the revised version removes the five minute time limit for aldermen to comment during a discussion and reduced the amount of time the public is allowed to speak on an issue from three minutes to two.

“In the revised version we have taken time away from public comment and have an indefinite time for the council to speak,” she said. “In the other Organization of City Council the time limit for public comment remains the same (three-minutes), not lessened, and we (council members) all have a time limit (five-minutes) when we can speak. It’s a more structured version.”

Another change questioned by Ratliff is the one which has caused the most controversy. Bearden has insisted a clause be included in the OCC that gives council members the same, “access to the city hall as the mayor is [sic].”

“We cannot, as a council, over-reach and start telling people how to make policy at city hall,” Ratliff said. “That’s not our department.”

“I think we should pass the original version, not the revised version,” Ratliff continued. “There’s just so many issues with the revised version, it’d be better if we passed the original one.”

During her rebuttal Bearden said, “As far as the mayor’s job and duties, (that) has nothing to do with what the council expected at the meeting. It (OCC) plainly states the mayor is over the day-to-day operations of the city.”

“As far as the public comment what was in this one, as well as the original one that you left out of your 2015 June, is it opened it up for public comment throughout the meeting and not just limiting them to three minutes at the end of the meeting,” Bearden concluded.

Bearden made no comment about wanting full access to city hall.

Since there was already a motion to approve Bearden’s version, and with no other comments, a roll call vote was taken. Voting “Yes” were Louis Hobbs, Andy Mullins, Andrea Bearden, and Lonny Chapman. Voting “No” were Stephanie Beck, Dan Church and Melissa Ratliff. Claiming confusion over the issue Alderman Farren Wadley “Abstained” which counted as a “No” vote making the vote tied.

A motion was then made by Ratliff to approve the original, unedited version. Voting “Yes” were Stephanie Beck, Dan Church and Melissa Ratliff. Voting “No” were Louis Hobbs, Andy Mullins, Andrea Bearden, and Lonny Chapman. Wadley again “Abstained” making the final vote “No” five, “Yes” three.

Since the OCC includes the schedule for the council’s regular monthly meetings, and neither one passed, council members had to vote on a date for the next meeting. The next regular meeting of the Alexander City Council will be March 21.

In other business during the February 22 meeting;

Before the meeting began Mayor Paul Mitchell had to cast a tie-breaking vote in order to appoint Alderwoman Melissa Ratliff as recorder for the Monday night meeting. City Recorder Sharron Bankhead was unable to attend due to illness so Mitchell suggested Ratliff take her place during the meeting. After a motion and second were made a voice vote indicated there were both “Yes” and “No” votes. Mitchell then proceeded with a roll call vote. Voting “Yes” were Stephanie Beck, Dan Church, Louis Hobbs, and Melissa Ratliff. Voting “No” were Andrea Bearden, Lonny Chapman, Andy Mullins, and Farren Wadley. Mitchell then voted “Yes” to break the tie. Bankhead was also too ill to attend the January meeting so Bearden filled-in then.

Mitchell announced the resignation of Police Chief John Fenton, which was submitted February 12. Assistant Police Chief Antonio Swygart has been appointed Acting Chief of Police until the vacancy is filled.

Mitchell said Fenton, “had a lot of stuff going on in his life and right now he just needs to get some of that taken care of.”

Mitchell said he will be advertising the vacancy. He told council members he has already received resumes from Swygart and one other individual.

The mayor also told council members he, “Removed all rank from all police officers.”

“We had a chief of police, assistant chief, lieutenant, and a corporal,” he said. “We had a whole bunch of chiefs and one Indian.”

City council members gave Fire Chief Mark Ridgeway permission to advertise a fire truck for sale. He said it was purchased in 2003 and is now 47 years old.

Planning Commission Chairman Robert McKeon told council members the commission is suggesting a review of Ordinance 03-06 entitled, “Establishing a fee for permit for the construction of commercial buildings, dwellings and the setting up of mobile domestic electrical and plumbing systems and for other purposes.”

He suggested, “It needs to be clarified because I don’t know what a mobile domestic electrical is.”

McKeon also pointed out the ordinance bases the cost of a building permit on, “25-cents per square root.” Besides the apparent misspelling of the word “foot” as “root” he said building permits locally now are based on 50 to 75-cents per square foot, “and that includes all inspections.”

McKeon said he was able to find an ordinance that was passed in 2007 that provided a very detailed fee structure that included not only new construction but repairs and renovations as well. Although no documentation has yet to be found it was apparently repealed and never replaced.

Council members gave Mitchell permission to have attorney Pat Marshall write a new ordinance using a fee structure based on other cities similar to Alexander.

On another matter McKeon reported that he spoke to an official at Metroplan about drawing a new city land use (zoning) map. While Alexander is a member of Metroplan McKeon said there may still be a cost to the city, but it can be kept low, “If they can work with officials within the city to keep from being so time-consuming.”

Metroplan is the area’s designated Metropolitan Planning Organization serving Central Arkansas. Besides working with local governments, the Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department and local transit providers to determine transportation needs and funding priorities for federal transportation investments Metroplan also provides general planning, mapping, and technical assistance to local governments.

The City of Alexander pays an annual fee to be a member of Metroplan. Mayor Mitchell will be contacting the organization to discuss the next step.

McKeon reported on a proposed subdivision that includes extending David Ranchette to East Azalea Drive. When completed the development is expected to add an additional 24 homes to south Alexander.

After completing his role as chairman of the planning commission McKeon changed hats and gave a report on the latest news from Recycle Saline. McKeon is Alexander’s representative on Saline County’s recycling district board.

He told council members the district is scheduling recycling events for the spring and fall. If the city can provide a site Recycle Saline will provide dumpsters to be used by Saline County residents for the depositing of recyclable materials. Dates for the drop-off events will have to be scheduled with Recycle Saline.

Council members approved transferring $103,000 from a $303,000 surplus in the general fund and using it to add a new line item in the current budget. The $103,000 expenditure was approved last month to end a lawsuit between the City and the First State Bank in Oklahoma.