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24 MAR 7 CITY OF JACKSONVILLE REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING MARCH 7, 2024 6:00 P.M. – 6:38 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 March 7, 2024 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, Moss, Twitty, and Kinman answered ROLL CALL. Mayor Elmore also answered ROLL CALL declaring a quorum. PRESENT EIGHT (8) ABSENT TWO (2). Council Members Mashburn and Rains were absent. Others present for the meeting were: City Attorney Stephanie Friedman, Police Chief Brett Hibbs, Fire Chief Alan Laughy, Finance Director Cheryl Erkel, Parks and Recreation Director Kevin House, Director of Engineering & Public Works Adam Whitlow, Engineering Tech Mylissa Griggs, CDBG Director Michelle Spencer, Captain Ryan Wright, Assistant City Clerk Emilia Vazquez, IT Director Emily Osment, Communications Director Emily Sundermeier, Addie Gibson, and Rick Kron. PRESENTATION OF MINUTES: Mayor Elmore presented the minutes of the regularly scheduled City Council meeting of February 15, 2024 for approval and/or correction at the next regularly scheduled City Council meeting. APPROVAL AND/OR CORRECTION OF MINUTES: Council Member Bolden moved, seconded by Council Member Ray that the minutes of the regularly scheduled City Council meeting of February 1, 2024 be APPROVED. MOTION CARRIED. CONSENT AGENDA: REGULAR MONTHLY REPORT: ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT Council Member Ray moved, seconded by Council Member Bolden to approve the regular monthly report for February 2024. FEBRUARY PERMITS/LICENSE ISSUED INSPECTIONS PERFORMED Building Permits 11 Building Inspections 25 Business License - Electrical 52 Plumbing 44 HVACR 31 REGULAR MONTHLY REPORT: ANIMAL CONTROL Council Member Ray moved, seconded by Council Member Bolden to approve the regular monthly report for January 2024. ADOPTION FEES $ 1,155.00 SPAY/NEUTER FOR ADOPTED DOGS 1,155.00 Paid by the City of Jacksonville 1,155.00 Best Friends Animal Rescue Grant - Paid for by JFOTA - FINES 735.00 CONTRIBUTIONS 5,279.00 TOTAL $ 6,014.00 1 CITY OF JACKSONVILLE REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING MARCH 7, 2024 6:00 P.M. – 6:38 P.M. Council Member Ray moved, seconded by Council Member Bolden to approve the regular monthly report for February 2024. ADOPTION FEES $ 3,025.00 SPAY/NEUTER FOR ADOPTED DOGS 1,584.42 Paid by the City of Jacksonville 1,440.58 Best Friends Animal Rescue Grant - Paid for by JFOTA - FINES 996.25 CONTRIBUTIONS 1,188.21 TOTAL $ 3,625.04 ROLL CALL: Council Member: Dietz, Bolden, McCleary, Sansing, Ray, Moss, Twitty, and Kinman voted AYE. MOTION CARRIED. WATER DEPARTMENT WASTEWATER DEPARTMENT: FIRE DEPARTMENT: POLICE DEPARTMENT: STREET DEPARTMENT SANITATION DEPARTMENT: PARKS & RECREATION: PLANNING COMMISSION: COMMITTEE(S): GENERAL: a. ORDINANCE 1750 (#03-2024) AN ORDINANCE AMENDING JMC § 5.06.020, REDEFINING AND CLASSIFYING A SEXUALLY ORIENTED BUSINESS; DECLARING AN EMERGENCY; AND, FOR OTHER PURPOSES. Council Member Ray moved, seconded by Council Member Sansing to place Ordinance 1750 on FIRST READING. ROLL CALL: Council Member Dietz, Bolden, McCleary, Sansing, Ray, Moss, Twitty, and Kinman voted AYE. MOTION CARRIED. Whereupon City Attorney Friedman read the heading of Ordinance 1750. Council Member Ray moved, seconded by Council Member Sansing to APPROVE Ordinance 1750 on FIRST READING and SUSPEND THE RULES and place Ordinance 1750 on SECOND READING. ROLL CALL: Council Member Dietz, Bolden, McCleary, Sansing, Ray, Moss, Twitty, and Kinman voted AYE. MOTION CARRIED. Council Member Ray moved, seconded by Council Member Bolden to APPROVE Ordinance 1750 on SECOND READING and SUSPEND THE RULES and place Ordinance 1750 on THIRD AND FINAL READING. ROLL CALL: Council Member Dietz, Bolden, McCleary, Sansing, Ray, Moss, Twitty, and Kinman voted AYE. MOTION CARRIED. Council Member Ray moved, seconded by Council Member Sansing to APPROVE AND ADOPT Ordinance 1750 in its entirety. ROLL CALL: Council Member Dietz, Bolden, McCleary, Sansing, Ray, Moss, Twitty, and Kinman voted AYE. MOTION CARRIED. 2 CITY OF JACKSONVILLE REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING MARCH 7, 2024 6:00 P.M. – 6:38 P.M. Council Member Ray moved, seconded by Council Member Sansing that the EMERGENCY CLAUSE be approved and adopted. ROLL CALL: Council Member Dietz, Bolden, McCleary, Sansing, Ray, Moss, Twitty, and Kinman voted AYE. MOTION CARRIED. TH ORDINANCE 1750 (#03-2024) APPROVED AND ADOPTED THIS 7 DAY OF MARCH, 2024. b. ORDINANCE 1751 (#04-2024) AN ORDINANCE AMENDING JMC §§ 18.40.050, 18.44.050, 18.48.050, 18.52.050, 18.54.050, LIMITING PARKING OF RECREATIONAL VEHICLES ON COMMERCIAL PROPERTY; DECLARING AN EMERGENCY; AND, FOR OTHER PURPOSES. By general consensus of the City Council, Ordinance 1751 (#03-2024) was pulled from the agenda. c. Public Works Update Director of Engineering & Public Works Adam Whitlow stated the Arkansas Department of Transportation (ARDOT) Representative Kip Guthrie answered a few questions he had regarding the Highway 67/167 project. He shared that Mr. Guthrie said the project is currently tracking 10% ahead of schedule with the expected completion being in the fall of 2027, unofficially. He confirmed Mr. Guthrie said the back connection to Walmart will be completed in the summer of 2024, and James Street bridge is currently on schedule, having until October 2024 to get it back up. When he asked Mr. Guthrie questions regarding specific areas, he said his response was that temporary signals have been installed at the intersections of Vandenburg Boulevard and John Harden Drive, Vandenburg Boulevard and T.P. White Drive, and at North First Street and Loop Road in order to help traffic move better, as the old light timing was not able to be adjusted. He then gave an update on the City’s J.P. Wright Loop Road railroad overpass, noting he reached out to Weaver-Bailey’s Project Manager Bryan Gaines. He mentioned they are anticipating being complete with Stage 2, which is bridge th construction, and putting traffic on the new overpass on August 6, 2024, officially, and Stage 3, being the demolition of the old railroad grade crossing, being completed a month after. He related when the project closeout happens, the City can officially request the Railroad to give the $450,000.00 they commit to these projects of taking out the grade crossing. He brought up the Jacksonville Elementary School that was damaged by the March 2023 tornado, adding that he reached out to an Asbestos Abatement Consultant John Hatchett with Emtec. He recalled taking bids for abatement in May 2023 with Nabholz Environmental being the low bidder at $78,710.00. He told how he asked Mr. Hatchett to see if they would still honor their bid and Mr. Hatchett felt like they probably would, provided the City does not issue a Notice to Proceed until they are done with their current project in El Dorado. He confirmed he expects a formal answer on Monday of next week and would bring it before Council. He noted that in the meantime, the Public Works’ crew, Street and Sanitation, are continuing with the demolition and haul-off of the cafeteria building that was previously abated. 3 CITY OF JACKSONVILLE REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING MARCH 7, 2024 6:00 P.M. – 6:38 P.M. He related that the City is going to be advertising a Request for Qualifications for an on-call City Planner. He detailed that it would not be for Planning Commission items, since he and Engineering Tech Mylissa Griggs are comfortable doing those. He told how he has worked with Planners at other municipalities and they are very knowledgeable in law and procedures relating to codes, updates of various master plans, and the proper ways to conduct public hearings. He would like help to rewrite conflicting sections of our existing code of ordinances since, as we add to it over time, there is inevitably going to be sections in conflict or terminology not used anymore. He stated the City needs to do an update on the planning area boundary map since the law changed several years ago from 5 miles outside city limits to 1 mile, but we adjoin Cabot and Sherwood where the law dictates in those areas you can plan up to halfway in between the point. He noted there are areas the City does not have any desire to plan and should exclude, for example, west of Two Pines Landfill/Rixie Road area, because we cannot provide utilities and it would be very inconvenient to provide other services there. He lastly gave an update on the State Aid Overlay Project, noting the State has accepted bids for it, which came in approximately $100,000.00 under the projected budget for what Jacksonville had outlined. He explained the City, essentially, received $300,000.00 and could match up to $300,000.00, so we had $600,000.00 to utilize for the areas he specified. Since it came under, he asked if we could change order in additional roads and he was told yes, as long as it was one of the original roads for consideration. He listed the original bid was for Northeastern Avenue from Foxwood Drive to Madden Road, Foxwood Drive to Northeastern Avenue to Club Road, Madden Road from Northeastern Avenue to Foxwood Drive going east, and then South Redmond Road from Dupree Park Drive to the railroad track. He wants to add the southern portion of J.P. Wright Loop Road coming from Military Road back, since it is in the worst shape. He confirmed the City will advertise for a smaller overlay project. When Council Member Twitty inquired about Brightspeed, he responded if citizens do not see anyone working in their yards for a few days, they should be able to remove the flags, but do not move them to other locations. Council Member Bolden showed appreciation to a Sanitation Department employee, Dee Epting, for doing an exceptional job working the garbage truck. Director Whitlow concurred, saying Mr. Epting is very considerate of the citizens on his route. When Council Member Moss inquired, he confirmed that Weaver-Bailey is the contractor for the Highway 67/167 project, which is not who is doing the project on Interstate 30 that ARDOT is not happy with. d. Eclipse Update Parks and Recreation Director Kevin House stated his department will have six locations set up to give away free eclipse viewing glasses, for information about Jacksonville, and selling t-shirts. He listed the Community Center, Dupree Park, Reed’s Bridge, the Shooting Range, Paradise Park, and Pleasure Park as having Staff with basic first-aid kits. He confirmed they are accepting volunteers and anyone who would like to can call the Community 4 CITY OF JACKSONVILLE REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING MARCH 7, 2024 6:00 P.M. – 6:38 P.M. Center to speak to Megan Tharp, Brylee Lawson, Marlo Jackson, or himself to get signed up. He added that there will be portable toilets and trash receptacles at each location listed. When Council Member Dietz mentioned parking, he surmised as long as they are sticking to the parking plan the City has already approved, it would not be a problem. He noted there are 60 rentable RV spots at the Shooting Range. Council Member Bolden suggested parking at the Parks’ designated areas where Police and EMTs will be readily available. Fire Chief Laughy brought up an Incident Action Plan involving resources, traffic, air traffic, drones, fuel, communications, weather, EMS, and medical facilities. He pointed out one of the biggest things they talk about is all the resources they can pull together with community partners’ help, but this is different because our community partners are in this also, so any type of additional resources/mutual aid are going to be slim to none. He told how the Fire Department will have additional manpower for five straight days; they will have four advance life support ambulance services two days prior and after instead of three, and will have five the day of. He continued saying instead of two people on an engine, they will have three and have the rescue squad fully staffed. He related that the County and State have their assistance programs, but may or may not be able to help us, depending on how their resources are extended. He mentioned the County having an Emergency Operations Center activated and will have Little Rock and North Little Rock partners there. He explained that 1.5 million people from outside our state will visit the viewing area with another 500,000 inside the state, but outside the viewing area, will enter, so they estimate 2 million extra people, equating to about 700,000 additional vehicles on our highways inside the viewing area. He recalled during the 2007 U.S. eclipse, 30% of sightseers arrived on the day of the event and 80% left immediately after sunlight, which for us, will be approximately 3:00 p.m., so it is beneficial that our schools are closed. He told how ARDOT has four categories regarding traffic which are extreme, very high, high, and significant, with Jacksonville being listed as high and significant, so no areas in our city are predicted to be extreme or very high. He stated that ARDOT and Highway and State Police are going to put their resources where the extreme areas are labeled, so we are not expected to see any additional police officers, patrols, or people standing by on the highways to assist us. He shared that ARDOT may limit the issuance of oversize permits during that time and will engage with the Arkansas Trucking Association to adjust the truckers’ schedule, if possible, to avoid the areas. Police Chief Hibbs stated he will have officers stationed throughout the City with everyone working that day, although that is not a lot right now. He explained they have four electric bikes, will have people at the parks for security, and the rest will be stationed east and west of Highway 67/167, because it is hard for them to get around with James Street bridge taken out. Mayor Elmore advised citizens to prepare by putting gas in their vehicles and have extra food ahead of time. 5 CITY OF JACKSONVILLE REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING MARCH 7, 2024 6:00 P.M. – 6:38 P.M. APPOINTMENTS: UNFINISHED BUSINESS: NEW BUSINESS: ANNOUNCEMENTS: Broken Tornado Siren Council Member Dietz mentioned citizen complaints on the tornado siren near Madden Road not working. He requested clarification from Fire Chief Laughy. Chief Laughy explained the City has five sirens; at Linda Lane, Graham Road Fire Station 2, Highway 161 Fire Station 4, Harris Road, and Main Street. He noted the sirens are the very old Thunderbolt 2 versions and every vendor he has spoken with has advised him to hang on to them as long as he can, because they do not make them like they used to. He said the problem is that the parts are so antiquated, sometimes they are a struggle to find. He told how he has been having difficulty maintaining contact with the out-of-state vendor who has repaired them before that the County also has used. He confirmed they will have to purchase new sirens in the future. He related that FEMA has a free weather app available for download to be alerted as well, noting sirens were first made to warn people who worked outside. He mentioned signing up on the City’s website for CodeRED alerts also. He assured that in the meantime, he will keep working as hard as he can to try to get in touch with that vendor and get an alternate to get the siren working again. ADJOURNMENT: Without objection, Mayor Elmore adjourned the meeting at approximately 6:38 p.m. MOTION CARRIED. Respectfully, ________________________ _________________________ Susan L. Davitt MAYOR JEFF ELMORE City Clerk-Treasurer 6