Alexander council approves 2017 budget, annexation

The Alexander City Council approved a nearly $1.5 million budget for 2017 at its first regular meeting of the year Monday evening. This is the first regular meeting held by the new council after the November General Election. The deadline for passing the budget is February 1.

The new budget estimates revenue for the general fund at $1,233,170.00. There is a carryover of $185,761.00 from 2016 giving a total of $1,418,931.00. Total general fund expenses are estimated at $1,266,380.00 leaving a surplus of $152,561.00. The expenses include an estimated $950,000.00 from two one-cent sales taxes that are distributed from the general fund to the fire, police and park funds as required in referendums approved by voters in the early 2000s. That’s $950,000 not available for the general fund.

The street department, which is funded by a portion of the state fuel tax and the road tax from Pulaski and Saline counties, has estimated revenue of $246,950.00. With $444,409.00 left over from 2016 the fund has a total of $691,359.00. Total estimated expenses are $276,613.00, which leaves an estimated surplus balance of $414,746.00.

The police department receives most of its revenue from the sales tax and from bonds and fines. The estimated revenue for 2017 is $365,650.00. Adding to that a surplus of $166,606.00 from 2016 the police department budget has a total of $532,256.00. Estimated expenses for 2017 total $387,394.00 leaving $144,862.00. This includes the purchase of four new police vehicles for $100,000.00, cash.

The fire department has an estimated revenue totaling $555,346.00. Most of that is from the sales tax. At the end of 2016 there was $3,774.00 left over giving the fire department fund a total of $559,090.00. Total estimated expenses for 2017 are $457,974.30 leaving a surplus balance of $101,115.70.

Finally, the parks department, which is funded mostly through the sales tax, is estimated to have revenue in 2017 totaling $121,050.00. At the end of 2016 there was $304,064.00 left over giving the fund a total of $425,114.00. Total expenses are estimated at $203,970.00. That leaves a surplus of $221,144.00.

Also at the January 23 meeting;

An ordinance annexing approximately 3.27 acres into the city was approved by council members. The additional acreage is part of a renovation and expansion project by owners of My Ample Storage, located along Highway 5 near Alexander Road. The widening of Highway 5, between Alexander and Bryant, requires moving the front wall and some storage units. A parking area will also be included in the renovation along with the construction of an indoor storage facility. Currently, all of the storage units are accessed from outside.

This was the third public meeting for the annexation ordinance. An ordinance must be read three times at three public meetings unless two-thirds of the council votes to suspend the second or third readings. Council members voted to suspend the third reading then approved passage of the ordinance. Since all annexed land is automatically zoned residential the next step is to rezone the 3.27 acres to commercial use.

The Organization of Alexander City Council 2017 was approved. It serves as a manual which establishes rules concerning how council meetings will be conducted, the forming and staffing of committees and how to notify the public when a council or committee meeting is scheduled. The date of regular monthly council meetings, which was part of the manual in the past, is now covered by an ordinance approved in 2016.

The council voted to accept the results of the 2016 General Election held November 8 and the runoff election held November 29.

The next meeting of the Alexander City Council will be held at 6 PM Monday, February 27. The meeting will be held in the courtroom in the City Municipal Complex across from the post office. The public is invited to attend.

Helen M. Thompson Mitchell dies at 81

Helen Thompson Mitchell
June 23, 1935 - January 24, 2017

Helen M. Thompson Mitchell, age 81 of Monticello, passed away Tuesday, January 24, 2017 at Drew Memorial Hospital in Monticello. She was born June 23, 1935 in Warren, AR to the late Clyde Thompson and Pallie Oldner Thompson.

She was the widow of Mayo Mitchell, a homemaker, was a Christian and was of the Baptist faith. In addition to her parents and husband, she was also preceded in death by two sisters, Juanita Myers and Lois Taylor.

Survivors include two sons, City of Alexander Mayor Paul Mitchell and wife Genieve and Gary Mitchell of Monticello; one daughter, Alisa Mitchell of Monticello; one brother, Kenneth Thompson and wife Brenda of Magnolia; six grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.

A graveside service will be held 2:00 p.m. Friday, January 27, 2017 in Mt Zion Cemetery. Visitation will be from 6:00-8:00 p.m. Thursday evening at Stephenson-Dearman Funeral Home. Online guestbook at www.stephensondearman.com.

Information provided by Stephenson-Dearman Funeral Home.

Alexander budget meeting mostly a ‘Wish List’ recitation

Aside from two or three technical questions about the proposed 2017 budget at the beginning of the budget workshop, Alexander council members were provided an overview of the budget from Mayor Paul Mitchell. The orientation consisted of two major purchase items in the police and fire department budgets, a new position in the street department and a wish list of items not in the budget.

In the police budget Mitchell pointed out a line item of $80,000, which he said will be changed to $100,000, for three police cars and one four-wheel-drive pickup truck. Mitchell said that only covers the purchase of the vehicles. Additional money will be needed to pay for items such as lights and prisoner cages. Due to an undaunted court clerk, who has been collecting past-due fines owed to the city, the police department fund is in a much-improved financial condition than in past years, allowing the city to purchase the new vehicles without a loan.

Mitchell said the best of the used cars will be kept for use by part-time or volunteer officers. The others will be sold.

The fire department has budgeted $30,000 for a new vehicle for the fire chief. Mitchell said the chief needs a vehicle more suited for daily driving.

The salary for a street department supervisor is included in the street budget. Mitchell told council members he will be presenting them with an ordinance establishing the position, which has been budgeted at $29,640.

Items on his wish list, that are not in the budget, include a tractor with a boom-mower and front bucket for the street department. The current tractor has been out of commission for about a year and he says it’s too costly to repair. Mitchell told council members he’s in the process of finding a three-phase backup generator for city hall that runs on natural gas. The plan is to be able to keep the building operating when it’s being used as an emergency command center, or if it’s ever used as a heating/cooling center.

Looking beyond 2017 Mitchell said he wants to be able to convert and operate the former firehouse three, on Evergreen Drive, as an animal shelter; but that may require additional funding from a sales tax increase approved by the voters. He wants to have all the streets paved by the end of his first term and establish an annual festival in the park.

“I’m trying to reinvent the City of Alexander,” he said.

Mitchell then moved onto the Organization of Alexander City Council 2017, providing a brief history of this much discussed document. A 2016 version was never adopted because some former council members wanted to include requirements that have nothing to do with how the council operates when holding a meeting. The major sticking-point was allowing aldermen full and total access to city hall, ‘[T]he same as the mayor.”

This new version is a leaner one due to the adoption last year of an ordinance establishing when the council will hold its monthly meetings and other related matters. Because the meeting schedule was part of the organization document, not being able to get it approved cause problems with holding legal meetings. Other sections were also removed because they are no-longer needed.

Attending the workshop were council members Elizabeth Bland, Dan Church, Joy Gray, Joe Pollard, Melissa Ratliff, Harold Timmerman, and Juanita Wilson. Jeffery Watson was absent.

The 2017 budget and the Organization of Alexander City Council 2017 are on the agenda for Monday night’s council meeting. The next meeting of the Alexander city council is Monday, January 23. The meeting will be held at 6 PM in the courtroom at the City of Alexander Municipal Complex. The public is invited to attend.