23 AUG 17
CITY OF JACKSONVILLE
REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING
AUGUST 17, 2023
6:00 P.M. – 6:15 P.M.
REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING - CITY HALL - #1 MUNICIPAL DRIVE
The City Council of the City of Jacksonville, Arkansas met in a regular
session on August 17, 2023 at the regular meeting place of the City Council.
Council Member Bolden delivered the invocation and Mayor Elmore led a
standing audience in the “Pledge of Allegiance” to the flag.
ROLL CALL: City Council Members: Dietz, Bolden, McCleary, Sansing, Ray,
Mashburn, Moss, Twitty, Kinman, and Rains answered ROLL CALL. Mayor Elmore also
answered ROLL CALL declaring a quorum. PRESENT TEN (10) ABSENT ZERO (0).
Others present for the meeting were: City Attorney Stephanie Friedman,
Finance Director Cheryl Erkel, Parks and Recreation Director Kevin House,
Police Chief Brett Hibbs, Fire Chief Alan Laughy, City Engineer Adam Whitlow,
Assistant City Clerk Emilia Vazquez, IT Director Emily Osment, Communications
Director Emily Sundermeier, Chase Walker, Johnny Simpson, and Karen Carlisle.
PRESENTATION OF MINUTES: Mayor Elmore presented the minutes of the regularly
scheduled City Council meeting of July 20, 2023 for approval and/or correction
at the next regularly scheduled City Council meeting.
APPROVAL AND/OR CORRECTION OF MINUTES: Council Member Ray moved, seconded by
Council Member Bolden that the minutes of the regularly scheduled City
Council meeting of July 6, 2023 be APPROVED. MOTION CARRIED.
CONSENT AGENDA: REGULAR MONTHLY REPORT/ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT
Council Member Bolden moved, seconded by Council Member Ray to approve the
regular monthly report for July 2023.
JULY
PERMITS/LICENSE ISSUED INSPECTIONS PERFORMED
Building Permits 12 Building Inspections 80
Business License - Electrical 61
Plumbing 64
HVACR 50
REGULAR MONTHLY REPORT/FIRE DEPARTMENT
Council Member Bolden moved, seconded by Council Member Ray to approve the
regular monthly report for July 2023, reflecting a fire loss of $41,000.00 and a
savings total of $394,000.00.
REGULAR MONTHLY REPORT/ANIMAL CONTROL
Council Member Bolden moved, seconded by Council Member Ray to approve the
regular monthly report for July 2023.
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CITY OF JACKSONVILLE
REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING
AUGUST 17, 2023
6:00 P.M. – 6:15 P.M.
ADOPTION FEES $ 1,925.00
SPAY/NEUTER FOR ADOPTED DOGS 1,925.00
Paid by the City of Jacksonville 1,925.00
Paid for by JFOTA -
FINES 2,396.00
CONTRIBUTIONS 10,783.00
TOTAL $ 15,104.00
Vet Bills paid by City not spay/neuter $ 9,124.00
Vet Bills paid by JFOTA not spay/neuter 10,000.00
ROLL CALL: Council Member: Dietz, Bolden, McCleary, Sansing, Ray, Mashburn,
Moss, Twitty, Kinman, and Rains voted AYE. MOTION CARRIED.
WATER DEPARTMENT:
WASTEWATER DEPARTMENT:
FIRE DEPARTMENT:
POLICE DEPARTMENT:
STREET DEPARTMENT:
SANITATION DEPARTMENT:
PARKS & RECREATION:
PLANNING COMMISSION:
COMMITTEE(S):
GENERAL: a. PUBLIC HEARING ORDINANCE 1740 (#24-2023)
AN ORDINANCE AMENDING ORDINANCE 1737 AND UPDATING JACKSONVILLE MUNICIPAL
CODES § 8.01.078 (GRASS OR WEEDS).
The public hearing opened at approximately 6:01 p.m.
Council Member McCleary moved, seconded by Council Member Rains to place
Ordinance 1740 on FIRST READING. ROLL CALL: Council Member Dietz, Bolden,
McCleary, Sansing, Ray, Mashburn, Twitty, Kinman, and Rains voted AYE. MOTION
CARRIED with Council Member Moss voting NAY. Whereupon City Attorney Friedman
read the heading of Ordinance 1740.
Council Member Rains moved, seconded by Council Member Mashburn to APPROVE
Ordinance 1740 on FIRST READING and SUSPEND THE RULES and place Ordinance
1740 on SECOND READING. ROLL CALL: Council Member Dietz, McCleary, Mashburn,
and Rains voted AYE. MOTION FAILED with Council Member Bolden, Sansing, Ray,
Moss, Twitty, and Kinman voting NAY.
Council Member Rains noted this amendment was just adding the variance for
the mailbox flowerbeds that a lot of citizens have currently. She related
that all of those citizens are out of ordinance.
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CITY OF JACKSONVILLE
REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING
AUGUST 17, 2023
6:00 P.M. – 6:15 P.M.
Council Member Kinman explained that once someone puts a mailbox at their
house, it becomes Federal Government property. She added if the postman has
an issue, they will write you a note on your mailbox saying you need to
remove the flowers that are causing bees, wasps, etc. She reiterated that
after you build your house and put a mailbox up, it is not your property, but
is Federal Government property, therefore, she feels they should speak to
someone else regarding it.
Council Member Rains asked City Attorney Friedman to clarify, because from
her understanding, the owner owns all of the property around a mailbox, not
including the mailbox itself.
Council Member Dietz pointed out that there are easements on the front of all
of these properties for government and utility companies.
City Attorney Friedman confirmed there is an easement, but Council Member
Rains was wanting just specifically around the mailbox, not the entire
easement. She shared her only concern is that the way the ordinance was
previously, it allowed for eight inches of any sort of vegetation to be
around the mailbox before it was considered out of compliance. She is unsure
what type of flowers people have in their mailbox flowerbeds, but as long as
they are under eight inches, they are in compliance with the previous code.
The public hearing closed at approximately 6:06 p.m.
b. RESOLUTION 837 (#06-2023)
A RESOLUTION TO ESTABLISH THE AT RISK AND DISPLACED COMMUNITY OUTREACH
COMMITTEE.
Council Member Rains moved, seconded by Council Member Mashburn to read
Resolution 837 (#06-2023). ROLL CALL: Council Member Dietz, McCleary,
Mashburn, and Rains voted AYE. MOTION FAILED with Council Member Bolden,
Sansing, Ray, Moss, Twitty, and Kinman voting NAY.
APPOINTMENTS:
UNFINISHED BUSINESS:
NEW BUSINESS:
ANNOUNCEMENTS: Take Your Legislator to School Month
Council Member Rains shared an event coming up partnered with Jacksonville
North Pulaski School District, adding that they are looking forward to
Council’s participation. She confirmed the School District is putting it on,
explaining that she and State Legislators got together to assist in getting
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it set up. She stated it would be September 5-8.
Rotary Club Scholarship Golf Tournament
Council Member Twitty stated that Rotary Club is having their golf tournament
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benefitting scholarships for Jacksonville kids on Friday, September 8. She
noted that if anyone is interested in putting a team together, see Steve
Pawloski.
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CITY OF JACKSONVILLE
REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING
AUGUST 17, 2023
6:00 P.M. – 6:15 P.M.
Downtown Revitalization Plan
Council Member Dietz brought up a previous program for downtown. He believes
it is time for Council and everyone to get together to light it up and get
everything moved there to show the City they are doing something for the
City. He told how everyone around us are going downtown adding pavilions,
etc. and we are the only city our size not doing anything. He stated they can
get a plan together and get it implemented, sharing that our population in
1995 was 29,100, but according to a book he received last week, it is now at
29,700. He stressed that everyone else’s population is exploding and we need
to explode with them and get Jacksonville moving forward.
Mayor Elmore suggested putting together a group for ideas to bring to him.
Council Member Dietz mentioned Bob Price, who had a plan, but we did not
implement it for three or four years. He may get together with him, because
he would like to light up downtown and have a pavilion so they can have a
permanent place for the parade that would look good. He assured this would
save time by not having to set up and break down temporary bleachers that
block businesses.
Council Member Ray stated when the City has a parade downtown, all of the
businesses do 60% more business, because 60% of those people shop downtown
while they are there.
Council Member Dietz pointed out that if Jacksonville is going to have
progress, we are going to have to do some things, or else it will be the same
way it is. He confirmed he is open to starting a committee regarding this.
ADJOURNMENT: Without objection, Mayor Elmore adjourned the meeting at
approximately 6:15 p.m. MOTION CARRIED.
Respectfully,
________________________ _________________________
Susan L. Davitt MAYOR JEFF ELMORE
City Clerk-Treasurer
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