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15 FEB 05 CITY OF JACKSONVILLE REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING FEBRUARY 5, 2015 7:00 P.M. – 7:22 P.M. REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING - CITY HALL - #1 MUNICIPAL DRIVE The City Council of the City of Jacksonville, Arkansas met in regular session on February 5, 2015 at the regular meeting place of the City Council. Alderman Bolden delivered the invocation and Mayor Fletcher led a standing audience in the “Pledge of Allegiance” to the flag. ROLL CALL: Aldermen: Elliott, Bolden, Ray, Traylor, Twitty, Smith, and Howard answered ROLL CALL. Mayor Fletcher also answered ROLL CALL declaring a quorum. PRESENT SEVEN (7), ABSENT (3). Others present for the meeting were: City Attorney Robert Bamburg, Director of Administration Jim Durham, Finance Director Cheryl Erkel, Human Resource Director Jill Ross, City Engineer Jay Whisker, Public Works Director Jim Oakley, Police Chief Kenny Boyd, Fire Chief Alan Laughy, CDBG Director Theresa Watson, IT Director Scott Rothlisberger, Justice of the Peace Aaron Robinson, Patrick Thomas, interested citizens, and members of the press. PRESENTATION OF MINUTES: Mayor Fletcher presented the minutes of the regular City Council meeting of January 15, 2015 for approval and/or correction at the next regularly scheduled City Council meeting. APPROVAL AND/OR CORRECTION OF MINUTES: Alderman Howard moved, seconded by Alderman Bolden that the minutes of the regular City Council meeting of 29 December 2014 be APPROVED. MOTION CARRIED. CONSENT AGENDA: REGULAR MONTHLY REPORT/ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT Alderman Ray moved, seconded by Alderman Bolden to approve the regular monthly report for January 2015. PERMITS/LICENSE ISSUED INSPECTIONS PERFORMED Building Permits 11 Building Inspections 19 Business Licenses 13 Electrical 34 Plumbing 27 HVACR 11 ROLL CALL: Aldermen: Elliott, Bolden, Ray, Traylor, Twitty, Smith and Howard voted AYE. MOTION CARRIED. WATER DEPARTMENT: WASTEWATER DEPARTMENTS: FIRE DEPARTMENT: POLICE DEPARTMENT: STREET DEPARTMENT: SANITATION DEPARTMENT: PARKS & RECREATION: PLANNING COMMISSION: 1 CITY OF JACKSONVILLE REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING FEBRUARY 5, 2015 7:00 P.M. – 7:22 P.M. GENERAL: a. ORDINANCE 1522 (#2-2015) AN ORDINANCE AMENDING AND MODIFYING JMC § 6.04.045(D)(5)(d) AUTHORIZING ADOPTION AND FOSTERING OF CERTAIN BREEDS OF DOGS; DECLARING AN EMERGENCY; AND, FOR OTHER PURPOSES. Alderman Ray moved, seconded by Alderman Elliott that Ordinance 1522 be placed on FIRST READING. Alderman Bolden referenced the current ordinance addressing how Pit Bull and other banned breeds of dogs are handled through the Animal Control Department, adding that there is a way to adopt them outside the City without having to euthanize all of these breeds. Animal Control Manager Heidi Wuelling explained that under the current ordinance if a banned breed dog is not claimed by the owner in three days or if they are found without an owner then the dog is euthanized. She related that Ordinance 1522 would allow them the option to either send the dogs to an animal rescue or euthanize banned animals that are not considered adoptable. She stated that not all Pit Bulls would be considered adoptable some would still have to be euthanized, adding that this would be a way to save the animals that are good natured. She then related that she is proposing to use a rescue group that is outside the State, one in particular that is located in Chicago. In response to a question from Alderman Traylor, Manager Wuelling related that the transportation of the animals would be paid through donations. She then answered Alderman Twitty, that she would use the one in Chicago or another recommended Pit Bull rescue. She answered that it would still be three days before the Pit Bulls are turned over to the rescue groups. She explained that they would be sterilized and micro-chipped prior to being released, which would guarantee that the animals would not come back to Jacksonville or be fostered anywhere near Jacksonville. Manager Wuelling assured the City Council that she is making sure the dogs are sent out of State. ROLL CALL: Alderman Elliott, Bolden, Ray, Traylor, Twitty, Smith and Howard voted AYE. NAY (0). MOTION CARRIED. Whereupon City Attorney Bamburg read the heading of Ordinance 1522. Alderman Ray moved, seconded by Alderman Bolden to APPROVE Ordinance 1522 on FIRST READING and suspend the rules and place Ordinance 1522 on SECOND READING. ROLL CALL: Alderman Elliott, Bolden, Ray, Traylor, Twitty, Smith and Howard voted AYE. NAY (0). MOTION CARRIED. Whereupon City Attorney Bamburg read the heading of Ordinance 1522. 2 CITY OF JACKSONVILLE REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING FEBRUARY 5, 2015 7:00 P.M. – 7:22 P.M. Alderman Ray moved, seconded by Alderman Bolden to further suspend the rules and place Ordinance 1522 on THIRD AND FINAL READING. ROLL CALL: Alderman Elliott, Bolden, Ray, Traylor, Twitty, Smith and Howard voted AYE. NAY (0). MOTION CARRIED. Whereupon City Attorney Bamburg read the heading of Ordinance 1522. Alderman Ray moved, seconded by Alderman Bolden that Ordinance 1522 be APPROVED AND ADOPTED. ROLL CALL: Alderman Elliott, Bolden, Ray, Traylor, Twitty, Smith and Howard voted AYE. NAY (0). MOTION CARRIED. Alderman Ray moved, seconded by Alderman Bolden that the EMERGENCY CLAUSE be approved and adopted. ROLL CALL: Alderman Elliott, Bolden, Ray, Traylor, Twitty, Smith and Howard voted AYE. NAY (0). MOTION CARRIED. TH ORDINANCE 1522 (#2-2015) APPROVED AND ADOPTED THIS 5 DAY OF FEBRUARY, 2015 b. ORDINANCE 1523 (#3-2015) AN ORDIANCE AMENDING THE 2014 FISCAL BUDGET; MAKING MODIFIED APPROPRIATIONS AND AUTHROIZING EXPENDITURES FOR OPERATION OF VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS OF CITY GOVERNMENT AND THE PURCHASE OF MATERIALS, SUPPLIES, EQUIPMENT, AND SERVICES; COVERING GENERAL FUND OPERATIONS; AND, FOR OTHER PURPOSES. Alderman Ray moved, seconded by Alderman Bolden that Ordinance 1523 be placed on FIRST READING. ROLL CALL: Alderman Elliott, Bolden, Ray, Traylor, Twitty, Smith and Howard voted AYE. NAY (0). MOTION CARRIED. Finance Director Cheryl Erkel referenced a handout that has the original revenues for the 2014 budget and the actual received revenues in 2014 along with the amended amounts. She noted that the actual revenues were not as originally estimated. She then explained that the last page of the handout is the expenditures listed by Department and category, adding that the breakdown is included in the Ordinance. She stated that regarding revenues, the City Sales Tax was down 1.3% from what was originally estimated. The grant revenues are down 78%, explaining that part of the projected grant revenues was for the purchase of a fire truck but the grant was not awarded. She related that the Parks overall revenues were down 27%, total budgeted revenues for the Parks and Recreation was $1,265,000 and the actual received was $928,105. She stated that the Police warrant fees were down by 82%, and donations were down by 62%, which the biggest part of that was the Arkansas Game and Fish Foundation. She explained that the Foundation paid $322,500 out of what was budgeted, which was $800,000. She then related that the shortfall from revenues and expenses will be drawn out of the Fund Balance. She stated that she took $892,328 from the Fund Balance compared to what was originally budgeted of $739,302. 3 CITY OF JACKSONVILLE REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING FEBRUARY 5, 2015 7:00 P.M. – 7:22 P.M. She stated that on the expenditure side, all the Department Directors did an excellent job of keeping their expenditures down, since it was known that there was a shortfall on the City Sales Tax. She related that in the personnel services she left all the salaries, overtime and part-time, taxes and retirement as originally budgeted, adding that the only items she adjusted were the group insurance, unemployment, and workers compensations, which was adjusted to the actual expenditures. She then explained that on the operating budget side, she changed it to reflect what was the actual, adding that the Capital Outlays were the biggest reduction due in part to the grant for the fire truck. In response to a question from Alderman Traylor, Finance Director Cheryl Erkel stated that the activity change would be that there would be salaries payables that those entries have not been entered yet and so those will probably be changing, adding that there maybe a few encumbrances that have not been posted yet but those should not be very many. Alderman Traylor questioned the difference between the revenues and expenses, what makes up that difference. Finance Director Cheryl Erkel stated that on the revenues does include the month that is still coming in. She stated that the County and City nd Sales Tax will be coming in on the 22 of this month that is actually for the month of December. She added that it would be recorded as December revenue. Alderman Traylor questioned if it would make up the million dollar difference. Finance Director Cheryl Erkel stated that the Sales Tax is usually around 1.5 million. Mayor Fletcher stated it would be hard to know, saying that it is a guessing game. He added that last month was a good month, coming in higher than projected by 5% and 2% was the projected. He noted that according to the State, January was the highest at 9.9%. He stated that Sales Tax is looking better. Finance Director Cheryl Erkel then noted that the last quarter funding payment to the City from the A&P Commission has not been transferred over yet. Alderman Traylor asked why the 2014 budget is being amended in February 2015. Finance Director Cheryl Erkel stated that originally they were not going to have to amend the 2014 budget due to an agreement that they had with 4 CITY OF JACKSONVILLE REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING FEBRUARY 5, 2015 7:00 P.M. – 7:22 P.M. the Arkansas Game and Fish Foundation, but the details of the agreement were not worked out so the revenues were going to go over the allowable 5%. ROLL CALL: Alderman Elliott, Bolden, Ray, Traylor, Twitty, Smith and Howard voted AYE. NAY (0). MOTION CARRIED. Whereupon City Attorney Bamburg read the heading of Ordinance 1523. Alderman Bolden moved, seconded by Alderman Ray to APPROVE Ordinance 1523 on FIRST READING and suspend the rules and place Ordinance 1523 on SECOND READING. ROLL CALL: Alderman Elliott, Bolden, Ray, Traylor, Twitty, Smith and Howard voted AYE. NAY (0). MOTION CARRIED. Whereupon City Attorney Bamburg read the heading of Ordinance 1523. Alderman Ray moved, seconded by Alderman Bolden to further suspend the rules and place Ordinance 1523 on THIRD AND FINAL READING. ROLL CALL: Alderman Elliott, Bolden, Ray, Traylor, Twitty, Smith and Howard voted AYE. NAY (0). MOTION CARRIED. Whereupon City Attorney Bamburg read the heading of Ordinance 1523. Alderman Ray moved, seconded by Alderman Bolden that Ordinance 1523 be APPROVED AND ADOPTED. ROLL CALL: Alderman Elliott, Bolden, Ray, Traylor, Twitty, Smith and Howard voted AYE. NAY (0). MOTION CARRIED. TH ORDINANCE 1523 (#3-2015) APPROVED AND ADOPTED THIS 5 DAY OF FEBRUARY, 2015 Mayor Fletcher stated that he would like for the City Council to consider doing a bond issue regarding three loans, explaining that two of the loans, the Shooting Range and the Public Safety Building were financed for five years and they can be extended. He then explained that he had recently asked the Department heads to identify immediate, mid-term, and long-term equipment needs, noting that Chief Laughy has expressed the need for fire trucks. He stated that there are some Capital Improvement projects that need to be taken care of now. He stated that with a bond issue, the City could take care of this on a lot less money per month and meet the needs in some areas for the next five years. He stated that he would like to have the City Council’s support to pursue this avenue and bring something back to the City Council for consideration. Alderman Bolden questioned if it would also include the purchase of police cars. Mayor Fletcher stated that if we are considering a 15-year bond, it would not be wise to finance a car for 15 years because it would be beyond the 5 CITY OF JACKSONVILLE REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING FEBRUARY 5, 2015 7:00 P.M. – 7:22 P.M. life expectancy of the vehicle. He clarified that the bond issue would be for big ticket items, noting that the price of a fire truck is approximately $450,000 and a ladder truck is about 1.2 million dollars. He added that these items have a life expectancy of about 20 years. He related that if we lower our monthly obligation then we would have the ability to purchase police cars. He stated that he can provide more details if the City Council is interested in pursuing a bond issue to meet immediate needs as well as future needs. He asked the City Council if they were open to the idea, saying that he would bring back more information to the City Council. SETTING A PUBLIC HEARING th Mayor Fletcher announced that a public hearing will be set for March 5 @ 7:00 during the regularly scheduled City Council meeting to close Henry Street. He explained that the Street is part of the Mt. Pisgah property, noting that the Church is in the process of building a large family life center. He stated that the property is currently being used for parking, explaining that the property is need for their expansion. APPOINTMENTS: th ANNOUNCMENTS: City Hall will be closed Monday, February 16 in observance of President’s Day ADJOURNMENT: Without objection, Mayor Fletcher adjourned the meeting at approximately 7:22 p.m. MOTION CARRIED. Respectfully, ________________________ _________________________ Susan L. Davitt MAYOR GARY FLETCHER City Clerk-Treasurer 6