Alexander council codifies meeting schedule, rules; sets tax rate

In a special meeting, that lasted about 20 minutes, the Alexander city council was able to pass one ordinance establishing a schedule for regular monthly meetings and a minimum set of rules determining how the meetings will be conducted, and a second ordinance setting the personal property tax rate for the next collection cycle. The special meeting was held Thursday evening August 11.

The ordinance concerning city meetings sets the fourth Monday in January and February, and the third Monday in the remaining ten months as the days the Alexander city council will hold its regular monthly meetings. The difference in January and February is due to National Holidays observed on the third Monday in those two months. The ordinance also sets the time and place for the meetings as 6 PM in the City of Alexander Municipal Complex.

Much of the remainder of the ordinance repeats state law to determine the mayor’s duties during meetings and the method of scheduling special meetings.

The ordinance states, “Special meetings of the City Council may be called by the Mayor,” … “or upon request of three (3) members of the Council.”

The ordinance also requires any notice of a special meeting include the time of the meeting and purpose. The notice must also be sent no less than two hours before the starting time of the meeting to any news media outlet requesting they be notified of special meetings.

During all council meetings the ordinance states, “The Mayor shall preside at the meetings … and in case his vote is needed to pass any by-law, ordinance, resolution or order or motion, the Mayor may vote.”

There are times when the mayor can not vote. As required under Arkansas law the ordinance says, “[T]he Mayor may not vote to enact an emergency clause or to amend or repeal a measure approved by a vote of the people.”

Besides quoting state law the ordinance does have some frills of its own. It includes the format of the meeting agenda and requiring meetings be conducted according to the Procedural Rules for Municipal Officials booklet published by the Arkansas Municipal League.

The ordinance was proposed as a way to solve recent struggles to set rules by which the city council will operate. Having a set of rules for holding meetings has been a sticking point since January. Council members have been divided over two versions of a document called the Organization of City Council (OCC). Normally approved by February, the OCC unfortunately includes the annual schedule of regular monthly meetings.

The OCC version being pushed by Alderwoman Andrea Bearden included language that allowed aldermen total access to city hall. It passed five to three but was vetoed by Mitchell stating that clause has nothing to do with how the council conducts its meetings.

Not having a predetermined set of regular meeting dates has caused some problems including the question as to whether the May meeting was legal. This was the first meeting since May allowing city officials and attorneys with the Arkansas Municipal League to work out the proposed ordinance.

Council members also conducted a bit of annual housekeeping. An ordinance establishing a personal property tax rate of 5-mils was passed. Setting the tax rate of 5-mils is done annually and is a legal requirement in order for Pulaski and Saline counties to collect the city’s personal property tax. This is not a tax increase.

To allow both ordinances to go into effect immediately, council members had to suspend the required three readings at three different public meetings and pass an emergency clause for each. Both actions required a two-thirds vote of the council, which is six “Yes” votes. Seven members were present and all voted “Yes.”

Alderman Farron Wadley was unable to attend due to business reasons. Council members present were Louis Hobbs, Stephanie Beck, Andy Mullins, Andrea Bearden, Dan Church, Melissa Ratliff, and Lonny Chapman.

The next regular meeting of the Alexander city council will be Monday, August 15, 2016. The meeting will be held at 6 PM in the Alexander Municipal Complex on Hwy. 111. The public is invited to attend.