A resolution to adjust payments in the 2024 budget to four elected
officials, who were allegedly underpaid in 2023, has been tabled.
According to the proposed resolution Mayor Crystal Herrmann was paid
$37,456.04 in 2023 instead of $42,160.00; a difference of $4,703.96.
Council members Tony Staton, Angela Griffin and Gina
Thomas-Littlejohn are listed as being paid $1,100.00 in 2023 instead
of the annual $1,200.00; a difference of $100.00. Council members are
paid $100.00 per month no matter how many meetings are held.
According to City Hall Office Manager Jennifer Hill, because these
were the new members starting January 1, 2023 they weren't able to
get into the direct deposit system until February.
"So the people that came in new for 2023 are missing a payment,"
Hill said. "So legislative audits that have been in order to
correct this, that we would need to amend the budget to allow for
this increase so that we could pay (council members) Tony Staton,
Gina Littlejohn, Angela Griffin, and the mayor their underpayments
that they were underpaid for."
Council Member Juanita Wilson made the motion to table the resolution
until the council can see bank statements from 2023 showing there is
a 12th deposit missing.
Hill explained, "I would just say that I got this (dollar
amounts) off the W-2s, so these were the W-2s that everybody got this
year and everybody got last year that went through your bank."
"Well, still we need to take a look till next month and from
your bank to prove," Wilson said. "We need proof, in
writing."
In a roll call vote council members voting "Yes" to table
until the next regular meeting were Joy Gray, Joe Pollard, Mitchell
W. Smith, Harold Timmerman, and Juanita Wilson. Council members
voting "No" were Angela Griffin and Gina R
Thomas-Littlejohn. Council Member Tony Staton was absent and counted
as a "No" vote.
Let's talk
Raising rent
Three other items on the agenda were all items for discussion.
Herrmann wanted council members to consider raising rental fees, the
removal of the "Duplex (site-built)" housing type from the
"Mixed-Use Residential District (R-2. MU)" zoning category
and amending a variety of ordinances.
Alexander
currently rents three locations; the pavilion and gazebo in the City
Park and Community Center #1 (Old City Hall) on Main Street in north
Alexander. Under the current fee structure the City either barely
breaks even or loses money completely. It's $75.00 to rent the
pavilion but $50.00 of that is the deposit, which is refunded. The
city keeps $25. Renting the Gazebo is $200.00 but $100.00 of that is
the deposit, which again is returned to the renter. The City keeps
the remaining $100.00. There's a $50.00 deposit to rent Community
Center #1 plus a fee of $8.00 per hour. According to Herrmann after
returning that deposit the City has barely nothing left. No matter
what Alexander rents to the public there's a cost.
"What's
going on is when somebody rents the pavilion for $25, we have our
city (employee) and we have to come out on that day and clean it,"
Herrmann said. "And so then we incur overtime for one of our
parks department employees.
Besides
having to pay the employee any overtime incurred, there's the cost of
refunding the $50.00 deposit. All of which must come from the $25.00
Alexander keeps.
"So
this $25 on top of the office work, because now we also have to
process a refund check through the whole computer system and print
out a check and mail it at that point," she explained. "So
what I'm trying to express is it's either we have to raise the rent
or don't charge a rent. Because right now it's cost us money to rent
it."
While
the current $100.00 rental fee for the gazebo leaves the City a
little cushion to pay for the cost of returning the refund and pay
the City employee, Community Center #1 runs in the negative according
to Herrmann when you include the additional utilities of heating and
cooling the other two locations don't have.
The
Mayor's new proposed rates for the Pavilion, Gazebo and Community
Center #1 are $150.00 each; $50.00 of that is the refundable deposit.
The City keeps the remaining $100.00.
Herrmann is also proposing opening up Community Center #2 for
renting. If approved the upfront fee will be $200.00; $50.00 of that
is the refundable deposit. The City keeps the remaining $150.00.
Community Center #2 is the long metal building near Highway 111 on
the property of the former Alexander Human Development Center. It has
served as the Alexander Voting Center for the past two General
Elections and primaries.
It's expected there will be an ordinance establishing these rental
fees ready for the May council meeting.
Amending the Zoning Ordinance
With the recent request and approval of building a two-story duplex
on the vacant lot at the corner of Alton Drive and South Alexander
Road, it was brought to the attention of council members that the
"Mixed-Use Residential District (R-2. MU)" zoning category
includes duplexes. Under the current description of the zoning
district; allowed housing types include "Single-Family
(site-built), Duplex (site-built), Manufactured Home, Modular Home,"
and "Prefabricated Home." Nearly all of the area in south
Alexander (formerly known as Woodland Hills) and portions of north
Alexander are zoned R-2. MU.
Questioning
Planning Commission Chairman Michael Huck about the Mixed-Use
Residential District (R-2. MU) zoning Herrmann asked, "[A]nybody
could put in a duplex at this point?"
"If
it's (the lot) at least eight thousand square feet and 60 feet wide
in the front," Huck said.
Herrmann expressed concern that too many duplexes in south Alexander
will overburden the Saline County Water Works Sanitary Sewer system.
Especially the sewer portion. Alexander does not operate its own
water and sewer system.
Herrmann
said, "[I]f a large portion of that side of the community (south
Alexander) ends up pulling off the mobile homes and putting in
duplexes it's going to double the services."
"[U]nder
our zoning in order to amend the zoning ordinance we have to
essentially follow the same process as a rezoning issue," Huck
explained.
To
rezone property the planning commission sets a date for a public
hearing. A legal notice is published in a newspaper and
residents/property owners within 300 feet of the property must be
notified by mail.
Huck
noted the city can't mail notices to everyone but legal notices can
be posted at the five usual places in Alexander the same as meeting
announcements. He did say the city must send notices to the two
school districts (Bryant and Pulaski County Special School District)
notifying them of the public hearing.
Huck
also suggested that amending the zoning ordinance would require by
default rezoning the lot at Alton Dr. and South Alexander Rd. to
Single-Family/Duplex Residential District (R-1.SFD) since it's
already been approved. Also, he said there's a lot at 13518 3rd
Street (Hwy. 111), "[P]assing as a duplex ... built in 1983"
that will have to be rezoned as well.
The
current zoning ordinance was approved by the Alexander City Council
in 2019. It replaced a zoning ordinance in effect since 1980.
Other ordinance issues
The discussion then turned to either amending current ordinances or
the need for new ordinances. The three items discussed were amending
how to express the difference between manufactured homes built before
the Department of Housing and Urban Development established
construction standards in the 1970s and after the standards were
established, writing an animal control ordinance to replace the
current leash ordinance and a new ordinance designating where city
announcements will be posted.
In the definition section of the Alexander Zoning Ordinance a mobile
home is defined as, "A single-family unit fabricated prior to
enactment of the Federal Manufactured Home Construction and Safety
Standards, June 15, 1976, transported after fabrication on its own
wheels and with towing tongue to an approved lot. Traditionally, the
wheels and towing tongue could not be removed." A manufactured
home is defined as, "A dwelling unit fabricated on or after June
15, 1976, at a site other than the site intended for occupancy and
transported to the site for occupancy."
In the zoning ordinance, and other ordinances, "Mobile Homes"
are not allowed to be setup in Alexander. Also, "Manufactured
Homes" cannot be older than 20 years the year they are setup in
the city.
Some sample animal control ordinances were provided for review. It
was noted hiring someone for animal control without an ordinance to
enforce wouldn't be practical. Council Member Joy Gray was given the
task of reviewing the sample ordinance. During the Mayor's report
earlier in the meeting Herrmann said one applicant for the code
enforcement/animal control officer position has been interviewed with
two more scheduled.
In October 2019 the Alexander City Council passed an ordinance
establishing locations to post, "[N]otice for meetings,
ordinances, and other matters." The locations are Alexander City
Hall, Alexander Post Office, Hess Gas Station, Elmo's Grocery, Citgo
Flash Market Gas Station (on the I-30 Frontage Road), and the Dollar
General Store.
Since the passing of the ordinance the Hess Gas Station was purchased
by SQRL and has been closed for renovation about one year, the Citgo
is now a Mobil and the corporate office for Dollar General turned
down former Mayor Paul Mitchell's request to allow the public
postings. The minimum legal requirement is five locations.
Mayor Herrmann says they have been posting at the two Circle K gas
stations; one at the Highway 5 and North Alexander Rd. intersection
and the second at Highway 111 and Cornerstone Road. The goal is to
have a new ordinance by the May meeting that will establish Alexander
City Hall, Alexander Post Office, the Mobil Station (on the I-30
Frontage Road), Elmo's Grocery, and the two Circle Ks as posting
locations. An attempt will be made to add Dollar General and the
Saline County Water Works Sanitary Sewer Public Utilities Board
office (E. Azalea and South Alexander Road) to the list of authorized
posting locations.
Council Member Angela Griffin suggested installing a weather proof
bulletin board somewhere in the city park. This will allow for the
posting of various types of public information.
Mayor's Report
Grant application deadline met
Mayor
Crystal Herrmann provided an update to the special meeting
held Wednesday, April 10. The meeting was needed to approve two
resolutions required to allow Alexander to submit applications to
Federal block grants. The first resolution establishes the Central
Arkansas Planning and Development District as grants administrator
for the city. The second is, "A Resolution adopting the policies
necessary to apply for block grant funds."
"I
don't know the percentage, but we've got a chance of a block grant of
$500,000," Herrmann said.
Shot
Clinic
A
drive-through shot clinic is scheduled for April 28th from 12 to 4 in
cooperation with the Saline County Humane Society. More details will
be posted on the Alexander Facebook page when available.
"We
have a $5 coupon at the office," Herrmann said. "It's $15
(fee) as is, but we do have some $5 coupons at City Hall,"
reducing the shot fee to $10.00.
Saline
County Library in the park
Saline
County Library will hold its second annual summer program for
children in the City Park. It's May 18th.
Herrmann
said, "They'll have the kid day at the park with the petting zoo
and bounce houses and everything else coming."
Alexander
can apply for Brownfield grant
Alexander
has met the qualifications to apply for a Brownfield grant to raze
the former tuberculosis hospital. The hospital building is located on
the grounds of the former State-run Alexander Human Development
Center.
"We
got the green light that we can, we do qualify to apply to get a
removal grant," Herrmann said.
She
said the main holdup was Brownfield officials determining whether or
not the City was responsible for the vandalism and fire damage to the
building. Ultimately the decision was made that Alexander was not
responsible for the damage.
The
grant program is funded by the Federal Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA). According to the EPA website, "A brownfield is a
property, the expansion, redevelopment, or reuse of which may be
complicated by the presence or potential presence of a hazardous
substance, pollutant, or contaminant."
Herrmann
said testing of the grounds and hospital still needs to be done. It
was scheduled for last year but the Mayor said there were
complications with the bid for the testing.
Municipal
election petitions available May 9
Mayor
Herrmann announced the Saline County Clerk's Office will make
petitions for the upcoming municipal elections available beginning
May 9. Positions up for election in November are the eight seats on
the city council and the positions for recorder and treasurer.
Council members serve a two-year term while the recorder and
treasurer serve four-year terms.
Next Meeting
The next regular meeting of the Alexander City Council is May 20,
6:00 PM at the Alexander Municipal Complex. The public is invited to
attend.
