Safety, Playground, Street Light Grants; All approved with few rants

The Alexander City Council approved three resolutions giving Mayor Crystal Herrmann permission to apply for three grants. One will fund a, “Safety Study and Active Transportation Plan.” The second is another attempt at receiving a grant to replace the playground equipment in the City Park. And, the third grant will fund replacing all city street lights with LED bulbs.

The Arkansas Department of Transportation (ArDOT) receives and distributes Federal Funding for the Federal-aid Transportation Alternatives Program and the Recreational Trails Program. The grants are available at 80% Federal participation and 20% local match. If approved Alexander’s share will be $10,000.00 for the $50,000.00 grant.

According to the application form, the Safety Study and Active Transportation Plan will be based on engineering studies of the physical condition of city streets, where sidewalks are needed and bus stop safety. There will also be public meetings to get input from local residents concerning there desires for trails and other transportation needs.

Council Member Juanita Wilson pointed out that the city’s Master Development Plan does cover sidewalks and trails as needed improvements. Information was gathered using written surveys, public input provided at two public meetings, traffic counts and other statistics.

“This is actually an assessment where they come through the whole entire city and they'll (ArDOT) assess our safest routes,” Herrmann said. “They'll assess the safe streets and they'll come through and inform us where we're out as far as traffic counts. This will help us for bus stop safety improvements, pedestrian improvements, and it will help give us a guideline on where we need to improve, and it will also give us a baseline as far as grants that we can move forward with applying and looking for funds for those improvements.”

Besides needing a Master Development Plan, to replace the one written in 1982, writing it is a requirement under the current contract with the Little Rock Water Reclamation Authority (LRWRA). The LRWRA provides sewer service in north Alexander. Also required is approval of the plan from LRWRA and the Little Rock Board of Directors. Alexander officials have been waiting for that approval since April, 2023.

This study would certainly have been one of the next steps after the plan is approved, in order to begin implementation of the plan. Because of that Wilson thinks the city is getting ahead of itself.

“I just know that there was already something about that in the Master Development Plan,” Wilson said. “It hasn't been done by ... the city of Little Rock, which they're supposed to be doing. So, you know, we may be jumping ahead of ourselves.”

“No, I don't believe this is the same thing, Ms. Wilson,” Herrmann responded. “I understand what you're saying, but this is actually through ArDOT, and they will come out and assess the traffic, the healthiness of the safety of the roads, like the bus stops, the kids, and we actually had a child make contact on one of the city streets.”

The resolution was approved with a voice vote. There were no objections.

Will the third time be the charm?

This will be the third time Alexander has attempted to receive a grant under the FUN Park grant program. If approved, the grant will be used to replace the playground equipment in the City Park.

Alexander first applied for a FUN Park grant in 2023 for the 2024 grant distribution. The city met all the criteria to receive the grant, scoring 32 out of 32 points. Unfortunately, Alexander was not at the top of the list when it came time to disburse the limited funds. Mayor Crystal Herrmann told council members at the time only five grant requests were approved.

The same thing happened when Alexander applied in 2024 for the 2025 disbursement of FUN grant funds. Again Alexander was denied after scoring 32 out of 32 points.

The FUN Park grant is provided by the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism. The grant funds 100-percent of a project with no matching funds provided by the city.

The resolution was approved with a voice vote. There were no objections.

City applies for grant to fund LED streetlights

Council members adopted a resolution that allows the city to take advantage of a grant that will fund converting existing streetlight bulbs to LED bulbs. The grant program is funded through the Environmental Protection Agency and is administered in Central Arkansas by Metroplan.

The $25,509.00 grant will be distributed over two years. Street lights are installed, maintained and powered by Entergy.

At the February council meeting Mayor Herrmann said, “It would be a $12,000 a year savings (in monthly fees) if we get this grant. And our city will be a lot brighter.”

At the May 19 meeting Herrmann said Entergy is replacing existing bulbs with LEDs when they go out.

“So as it sets right now with the bulbs, we have to wait for them to burn out before we can get it upgraded to LED with no cost,” she said. “This grant supplies the funds for them to come through and upgrade all the bulbs in one contract.”

The resolution was approved with a voice vote. There were no objections.

Next Meeting

The next meeting of the Alexander City Council is Monday, June 16, at 6:00 pm in the courtroom of the Alexander Municipal Complex (City Hall). Meetings are open to the public.

Alexander’s proposed purchasing ordinance based on the honor system

The Alexander City Council approved the first reading of an ordinance that will increase the dollar amount to require bids for a purchase from $10,000.00 to $20,000.00. It also gives the mayor “exclusive power” to award or reject bids and establishes approval of the budget as approval of all purchases listed as a line item in the budget.

The ordinance states, “The approval by the City Council of the annual budget shall amount to an appropriation of funds, which are lawfully applicable to the items therein contained, Expenditures shall he made only from funds previously appropriated by the council and only for the purposes set forth in such appropriation.”

As for when bids are required the ordinance continues, “On all purchases over twenty thousand dollars ($20,000.00), no less than three (3) bids shall be received. In cases where three (3) bids are not obtainable, the

Mayor shall document the reasons therefore, except in emergency situations where such bids are not obtainable.”

In Section 2 it states, “The Mayor or the Mayor’s duly authorized representative shall have exclusive power to award the bid to the lowest responsible bidder, but may reject any and all bids received.”

This new ordinance is replacing another ordinance, adopted during former Mayor Paul Mitchell’s administration, that can’t be located in city hall. Council Member Joy Gray remembers voting on the previous ordinance.

“I don't know where it went (the ordinance being replaced), but I know I did not imagine probably (20)17, (20)18,” Gray began. “We did vote on the previous mayor (proposed ordinance). We raised it from 5 (thousand) to 10 (thousand). ... At that time, I (the mayor) had to get the three bids. Correct. And then, not only did he have to get the bids, though, but then he brought the bids to council, and the council made the decision, and it didn't have to be the lowest (bid), but if it's not the lowest, you have to have an explanation.”

“That is a common practice with the city, but it is a common practice with cities, and that keeps council for being bogged down with the necessary things,” said Mayor Crystal Herrmann. “If the department and myself, we plan ahead, and we know with our budget, we're forecasting in that next year.”

“Now, if there is an emergency or something breaks down or something that's expensive, absolutely,” the Mayor continued. “We're going to put it on the agenda. If it's outside of our line (items) that y'all have not approved, we will be bringing it to council for approval to purchase.”

But that’s not required in the ordinance. Nor does it explain what to do if the budgeted line item appropriation is less than the bids.

The fire department recently purchased a new brush truck, replacing the old one. In the fire department’s 2025 budget there is a line item under expenses labeled “Vehicle Purchase” with the purchase amount of $69,276.27. The line item is budgeted for $40,000.00. There was not a request made to the council to amend the budget prior to the purchase. That line item has yet to be amended.

Three public readings of a proposed ordinance are required under state law. Instead of adopting the ordinance at the May 19 meeting, council members opted to have the first reading to allow for a month to consider the proposal. The ordinance will be on the June agenda.

How much is an asset worth?

On a similar note, council members were presented with an ordinance that establishes a process to track fixed assets. The proposed ordinance sets a dollar amount of $2,500.00 for an asset to appear on the Fixed Asset list.

This is another ordinance that can’t be found at city hall. Mayor Herrmann contacted Arkansas Legislative Audit who did have a copy of an ordinance establishing a policy for tracking fixed assets. Unfortunately, it was adopted in 1998. It set the minimum dollar amount to appear on the asset list at $500.00 and a time limit of five years for remaining on the list.

Council Member Chris Prowse thinks $2,500.00 is too high.

“I do think this amount is way too high,” Prowse said.

Herrmann explained, “[T]he problem with the $500, when you go to do the asset list, it's a lot.”

“So $500.00 is unacceptable,” Prowse said. “I think $1,500 is more reasonable because $2,499.00, the walkout door, nobody even knowing what happened.”

Council members voted to change the dollar amount to $1,500.00. They also agreed to a first reading allowing a month to amend the ordinance.

The ordinance allows an asset to remain on the list until its value drops below the $2,500.00 (now $1,500.00) instead of the five year limit. It also requires the council be provided an annual report of items removed from the asset list. It does not require council members be provided an annual copy of the current asset list.

Herrmann did mention that department heads are tracking what she referred to as “the smalls.” Assets that are under the dollar amount to appear on the asset list will be tracked on a separate list.

Next Meeting

The next meeting of the Alexander City Council is Monday, June 16, at 6:00 pm in the courtroom of the Alexander Municipal Complex (City Hall). Meetings are open to the public.

City of Alexander Master Development Plan Submitted to Little Rock for approval April, 2023.

Time Elapsed

2 years, 1 Month, 2 weeks

Alexander’s juvenile curfew ordinance adopted in time for summer

The Alexander City Council was able to adopt an ordinance establishing a curfew for minors. But, not before taking a deep dive into the finer points of the proposed ordinance; including how to handle juveniles who can’t be controlled by their parents.

The issue was brought up by Council Member Chris Prowse who asked, “What remedies do we have for parents where the child is a lot bigger and more aggressive than the parent? And, they can't contain the child. So what remedies do we have for them? Instead of just fining them.”

Police Chief Timothy Preator stepped up to explain what happens on domestic calls involving a minor.

“If we get over there, there's, a lot of that goes to the court system,” Chief Preator began. “Our hands are tied whenever it comes to juveniles on a whole lot of things.”

“If we respond over there and say it's a domestic issue or a juvenile has hit its parents or something like that,” Preator continued. “I have to call the on-call juvenile worker and go hey, this kid just punched mom in the mouth. What do you want me to do? At that point normally they say bring them on to juvenile. We'll escort them up there? The juvenile officers then take over that whole thing.”

“As far as an out of control youth, you know, that's just not listening to, not doing all the things that they're supposed to do, once again, our hands are tide,” Preator said. “But, 99% of everything that can happen will go through court once they get into the system. They get the defense petition in order. There's things like C-SIB, this is some big student training program. It's out of Camp Robinson. You've got the Arkansas National Guard needs challenge program. It's out of Camp Robinson. And then there are both the parent military style programs for at risk teens. The programs do work.”

“But as far as on our end, only thing we can do is get there to control the situation,” he said. “Make sure that everything's calm. There's no physical disturbance. Is there anything of that nature? And then we do a process call DHS or juvenile or whoever it may be.”

Back to juveniles who are out past curfew; Chief Preator said anyone who sees a juvenile vandalizing property should contact the police immediately rather than calling the mayor or a council member the next day.

The non-emergency number for the Saline County Sheriff's Office is 501-303-5648. That number goes directly to dispatch without using 911. Preator did emphasize to still call 911 for a real emergency.

The proposed ordinance establishing a juvenile curfew sets the age of a minor as anyone who has not reached the age of 18 years old. The time of curfew will be set, ”[D]uring the period ending at 5:00 A.M. and beginning;

(a) At 12:00 Midnight on Friday and Saturday nights, and

(b) 11:00 P.M. on all other nights.”

Exceptions include;

“(a) When accompanied by a parent of such minor.

(b) When accompanied by an adult, at least 21 years of age, who is not the parent and who is authorized by a parent of such minor, …

(c) When engaging in the duties of bona fide employment or traveling directly, without undue delay or detour from home to the place of employment, or from the place of employment to the home.

(d) When the minor is in a motor vehicle for the purpose of interstate travel, either through, beginning or ending in the City of Alexander, Arkansas.”

Under penalties; 

“(a) If, after the warning notice pursuant to Section 5 of the first violation by a juvenile, a parent violates Section 6 (in connection with a second violation by the juvenile), this shall be treated as a first offense by the parent. For parental offenses, a parent may be fined not less than $100.00 (corrected) nor more than $500.00.

(b) Any juvenile who shall violate any of the provision of the curfew ordinance more than three times shall be reported by the Police Department to the Juvenile Authorities as a juvenile in need of supervision and the Police Department shall refer the matter to the Saline County Prosecuting Attorney and/or the Arkansas Department of Human Services and/or other appropriate authorities.”

Prowse asked about fining a parent who has a child that insists on breaking curfew.

“I just want to make sure that we, you know, we don't compound the situation, because the kids, the kids that I'm talking about, they're bigger and meaner than their single mother,” Prowse said. “And so, of course, we're going to get them, but then we're going to fine the mother. And then fining the mother puts her in financial difficulty.”

City Attorney Chris Madison explained that it’s the court that determines whether someone is fined. Not the city.

“So, the court, so what this does is it gives you the officers' tools to deal with folks,” Madison said. “So, one, you try to catch the folks as they're becoming delinquent and problematic. The one you're talking about, it imposes the fines, but the court themselves are the ones that are going to make that determination.”

Madison said, “And this is a way that the parents themselves can come to court and ask them this, but they come to court on this and uses the tools to say, I need help.”

The ordinance had its first public reading at the April council meeting. At the May 19 meeting Council Member Juanita Wilson made a motion to only have the second reading allowing another month to get any additional questions answered. It was noted since school ends this week, having only a second reading will leave the city without a curfew during the first month of summer. The motion and second failed.

A second motion was made to have the second and third readings. That motion passed. Ordinances are required to have three public readings but that requirement can be overturned by a two-thirds vote.

(EDITOR'S NOTE: The $100,000 fine has been corrected to $100.00.)

Curfew, Fixed Assets & Purchasing Process; Three of several agenda items for Alexander May meeting

The agenda for the May meeting of the Alexander City Council has been released. It includes one item under Old Business and six items under New Business.

The ordinance establishing a curfew will receive a second reading and is expected to be adopted. At the April meeting the council agreed to have a first reading to give City Attorney Chris Madison time to make some formatting changes. The ordinance was submitted by Police Chief Timothy Preator.

Under New Business there are two ordinances, three resolutions and one item for discussion. The ordinances concern establishing a dollar amount for a fixed asset to appear on the Fixed Asset List and establishing the procurement process and dollar limitation for Mayor to spend without council approval. The resolutions are to apply for an 80/20 Safety Plan/Transportation plan grant, apply for the FUN parks grant a third time and to apply for a grant to replace the street lights with LED lights.

The discussion item concerns a request to amend the current fireworks ordinance. The request came at the end of the April meeting by city resident Scott Chaloner. Chaloner wants to extend the time fireworks can be displayed.

The next meeting of the Alexander City Council is Monday, May 19, at 6:00 pm in the courtroom of the Alexander Municipal Complex (City Hall). Meetings are open to the public.

City of Alexander Master Development Plan Submitted to Little Rock for approval April, 2023

Time Elapsed

2 years, 1 month, 4 days