Ordinance covering used manufactured homes under scrutiny

Alexander Mayor Crystal Herrmann has proposed a review of an ordinance that sets standards for setting up used manufactured homes within the city. The ordinance, adopted September 21, 2020, establishes standards concerning the physical condition and age of a used manufactured home before it can be set up in Alexander.

Prior to being moved into Alexander, or moved from one location in the city to another, the owner must apply for a permit and the home must be inspected for items such as loose or missing roof shingles and siding, broken windows, damaged flooring, etc.. The ordinance also limits the age of a manufactured home to no more than 20-years in the year it is setup. For example, this year, any used manufactured home set up in Alexander can’t have been built before 2005.

The ordinance also establishes the end of the name “Mobile Home.” When the Department of Housing and Urban Development established standards for mobile homes in the 1970s the term “Manufactured Housing” was coined to differentiate between the old mobile homes, or trailers, and the new standards for factory-built housing.

Before the August 18 meeting began, Herrmann discussed the ordinance with City Attorney Chris Madison. Madison hadn’t been given the time needed to research the legal aspects of establishing requirements for used manufactured homes.

“I think Mr. Madison is going to do some research and see better of what is allowed,” Herrmann explained before the discussion took a turn into a legally questionable proposal.

Council Member Angela Griffin asked about the possibility of, “[L]imiting the number of the same type of businesses. … Like we don't have 50 gas stations, back-up or churches.”

Madison said zoning is only used to establish what can be built and where. Not how many.

“[G]enerally zoning is the authority you use to have that,” Madison said. “You zone space for uses, which includes convenience stores, for example. I'm not aware of any limitations the city can impose on the number of places (types of businesses).”

Council Member Joy Gray questioned the use of the word “Eligible” when describing what can be built based on zoning.

Gray said, “You may be eligible, but if you have three or four businesses wanting to have a spot just because they're eligible, how do you go about choosing which one instead of just one saying eligible.”

“So when I say eligible, what it means is you have a defined geographic area that you say these 15 things are allowed,” Madison said. “I come in with one of those 15 things. And if I can make the setback requirements and all the spacing requirements and all the land, then I have the ability, I meet the zoning requirements and you're applying it non discriminatory. So, because what the whole purpose of this is to prevent the cities from saying, I like you, I don't like you.”

Eventually, Mayor Herrmann brought the discussion back to the ordinance. Apparently, some residents think the 20-year age limit is too old.

Herrmann said, “They thought maybe it should actually be newer.”

Herrmann said there are at least two manufactured homes that have been placed without a permit. And, while most owners may go through the permitting process they move in either at night or on weekends.

“And then also we do run into a challenge with the mobile homes,” she said. “People will come in for their permits. They'll move in mobile homes on the weekend or in the even hours.”

Herrmann considers this a problem, which could be resolved by an annual permitting process.

“And in some places, some city municipal (sic) do require for you to register all mobile homes,” she said. “So there's like a yearly registration for the mobile home. And, that way all mobile homes are identified. What age, what lot that those belong to. That way if people are coming in and just bringing in mobile homes without going through the code. Then it would be an easier identification. Right now it's been kind of a wild.”

This item is expected to be on the September agenda.

Also at the August 18 council meeting;

Spending $29K from sale of drug seizure asset approved

The Alexander Council adopted a resolution allowing Police Chief Timothy Preator to spend $29,000.00 the department received from the sale of an F350 pickup truck. The truck was received by the police department as the result of a drug case prior to Preator being hired. Preator explained the steps followed to sell the truck.

“Once we sent it back into the Asset Forfeiture program, they auctioned it off,” Preator said. “Once they auctioned it off, proceeds from the Asset Forfeiture come back into the PD.”

The $29,000.00 was only Alexander’s share of the selling price.

“The money that was received on our portion of it, because a certain portion goes to the state of Arkansas, to the state crime lab, certain portion goes back to the prosecutors office, the rest of it comes to us,” he said. “The money that is received from Asset Forfeiture can only be spent by the PD for training and or equipment.”

The council approved using the $29,000.00 to buy less lethal bean-bag shotguns and sidearms with laser sites.

Annual property tax adopted

Two ordinances were approved that establish the Alexander property tax rate to be collected in 2026 for the 2025 tax year. One ordinance covers the Pulaski County portion of the city and the other is for Saline County. The tax rate will remain at “one and a half (0.0015) mills.

Contract with Pafford extended another three years

Believe it or not, Pafford Medical Services has been providing ambulance and EMT (Emergency Medical Technician) services to the municipal and rural areas of Saline County for three years. Council members approved the resolution that extends the contract another three years. Each municipality and Saline County must approve the new contract.

City can now accept payments from event vendors, sponsors and donations with plastic

Council Member Angela Griffin proposed an ordinance that allows the city to take online payments from vendors, sponsors and donations for events held by the city. The ordinance allows Mayor Herrmann and city hall staff to research Automated Clearing House services and decide whether Alexander or the card user will pay the transaction fee.

Before the ordinance was adopted Griffin said, “No one has checks any more.”

Department reports

Streets and Parks Department

Mayor Herrmann reported pot holes are being repaired. She also addressed the numerous water outages in South Alexander recently caused by boring under the streets. AT&T is installing optic cable in the remaining portions of the city without service.

Herrmann noted an ordinance will be needed to require notification of this type of work before it begins. Contact and insurance information should be provided, “So if there's damages, ... we will have the appropriate information to be able to get our streets and stuff repaired.”

Police Department

Police Chief Timothy Preator reported, “132 calls for service. Did 34 reports on those? We made 212 traffic stops. 88 of those 212 were citations.” Also, ten warrants were served and 124 warnings were issued.

Chief Preator also noted 12 felony drug arrests, “[I]ncluding officer Shaw's traffic stop of 38 grams of fentanyl. So it moves through here.”

School has started; No speeding

With school now in session and busses are adding to traffic woes Chief Preator said there will be, “Zero tolerance on speeding around school bus stops. I made 40 traffic stops in two hours for speeding in a little neighborhood. Off of the 4th Street; 4th Street, 2nd Street, all that.

“People are going through to beat traffic, and they're speeding these neighborhoods and we got kids everywhere,” he continued. “My guys ... they've been instructed to zero tolerance. If you're speeding and your kids are around, you're going to get stopped.”

Fire Department

Since Fire Chief Ryan McCormick was absent Mayor Herrmann read the July fire report.

“They have 38 calls for service,” Herrmann began. “They have one structure fire, one car fire, three illegal firearms, one wild land fire. Two public assist, non-medical assist, seven false alarms, and 10 canceled.”

Herrmann said the firefighters are continuing to train. Also, there are 22 applications for one vacancy.

Code Enforcement and Animal Control

Code Enforcement/Animal Control Officer Joshua Dodson reported, “[T]his month we did 14 warnings that was anywhere from dogs at-large, trash in the yard and abandoned vehicles in the yard. It's a big one, and a lot of those.”

Dodson wants to remind anyone who is excavating they must have some type of method to hold back rain water.

“[W]hether it's clay, dirt, sand, gravel, it has to be able to stay,” contained on your lot, “so it does not come into our storm water systems.”

Under animal control Dobson said, “[W]e've also had a few alleged animal cruelty cases that have been brought to me. I'm still working on that one.”

Dobson says he is beginning to research what it will take to have a city-run animal shelter.

“I'm talking with Mayor (Herrmann) and Ms. Jennifer (Hill),” Dobson said. “[W]e're gonna start, I'm gonna start looking into what's gonna (sic) take to have a city-run animal shelter.”

Merry-Go-Round out for renovation

In the Mayor’s Report Mayor Herrmann said the merry-go-round in the city park is being renovated. She said it will be sand blasted and powder coated. At a cost of “$1,000.00” she said it’s cheaper than buying a new one.

Splash pad is legal

Mayor Herrmann provided a letter from the Arkansas Health Department explaining that the splash pad didn’t need a permit because the water system is not designed to clean and recirculate the water.

When construction and completion of the splash pad was announced at the July council meeting Council Member Juanita Wilson asked about needing a permit since the health department’s website says, “The Rules & Regulations Pertaining to Swimming, Spray (Splash Pads), and Wading Pools required that plans be submitted to the Department of Health for review and approval, prior to the initiation of construction, for any new public or semi-public swimming, spray, or wading pool … .” There is no qualifier as to the type of water system being used.

Announcements

American Legion pancake breakfast

The Alexander American Legion Post 28 will have a pancake breakfast on Saturday, September 13 from 8 AM to Noon. The fund raiser will be held at the Alexander First Baptist Church, 15320 Alexander Rd. (Hwy. 111). Donations will be accepted for the breakfast.

Next Meeting

The next meeting of the Alexander City Council is Monday, September 15, at 6:00 pm in the courtroom of the Alexander Municipal Complex (City Hall). Meetings are open to the public.