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24 MAY 16 CITY OF JACKSONVILLE REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING MAY 16, 2024 6:00 P.M. – 6:39 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 May 16, 2024 at their regular meeting place. Council Member Bolden delivered the invocation and Mayor Elmore led a standing audience in the “Pledge of Allegiance.” ROLL CALL: City Council Members: Dietz, Bolden, McCleary, Mashburn, Twitty, Kinman, and Rains answered ROLL CALL. Mayor Elmore also answered ROLL CALL declaring a quorum. PRESENT SEVEN (7) ABSENT THREE (3). Council Members Sansing, Ray, and Moss were absent. Others present for the meeting were: City Attorney Stephanie Friedman, Police Chief Brett Hibbs, Finance Director Cheryl Erkel, Parks and Recreation Director Kevin House, Communications Director Emily Sundermeier, CDBG Director Michelle Spencer, Chris Erkel, and Jim Moore. PRESENTATION OF MINUTES: Mayor Elmore presented the minutes of the regularly scheduled City Council meeting of May 2, 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 Twitty that the minutes of the regularly scheduled City Council meeting of April 18, 2024 be APPROVED. MOTION CARRIED. CONSENT AGENDA: REGULAR MONTHLY REPORT: ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT Council Member Twitty moved, seconded by Council Member Kinman to approve the regular monthly report for April 2024. APRIL PERMITS/LICENSE ISSUED INSPECTIONS PERFORMED Building Permits 10 Building Inspections 43 Business License - Electrical 49 Plumbing 40 HVACR 17 REGULAR MONTHLY REPORT: FIRE DEPARTMENT Council Member Twitty moved, seconded by Council Member Kinman to approve the regular monthly report for April 2024, reflecting a fire loss of $14,500.00 and a savings total of $1,910,000.00. REGULAR MONTHLY REPORT: POLICE DEPARTMENT Council Member Twitty moved, seconded by Council Member Kinman to approve the regular monthly report for April 2024 regarding annual crime statistical comparisons. REGULAR MONTHLY REPORT: CODE ENFORCEMENT Council Member Twitty moved, seconded by Council Member Kinman to approve the regular monthly report as presented for April 2024. 1 CITY OF JACKSONVILLE REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING MAY 16, 2024 6:00 P.M. – 6:39 P.M. Assigned Calls 75 Demolition by City 0 Self-Initiated Calls 296 Demolition by Owner 0 Follow Up Inspections 501 Parking Violations 4 Complied after Notice 222 Garbage Cans Tagged 0 Three Day Notice 18 Basketball Goals 0 Seven Day Letter 363 Structures Inspected 872 Citation Letters Mailed 68 Apartment Complexes Inspected 3 Citations Issued 11 Red Tags Issued 3 Vehicles Tagged 25 Search Warrants 3 Vehicles Towed 0 Grass Mowed 23 Unsafe Structures Tagged 0 Signs Removed 0 Structures Condemned 0 Shopping Carts 0 Structures Rehabbed 0 REGULAR MONTHLY REPORT: ANIMAL CONTROL Council Member Twitty moved, seconded by Council Member Bolden to approve the regular monthly report for April 2024. ADOPTION FEES $ 2,585.00 SPAY/NEUTER FOR ADOPTED DOGS 2,585.00 Paid by the City of Jacksonville 2,585.00 Best Friends Animal Rescue Grant 5,000.00 Paid for by JFOTA - FINES 1,848.62 CONTRIBUTIONS 802.97 TOTAL $ 2,651.59 ROLL CALL: Council Member: Dietz, Bolden, McCleary, Mashburn, 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: Update by Director of Economic Development Robert Birch Director Birch stated he has lived in Central Arkansas most of his life and has seen the area growth. He explained in high school, there was a different view of Jacksonville, due to some controllable reasons, and some not. He told of his success in North Little Rock, mentioning over $700 million worth of investment, doing great community projects, working for two great mayors, and how he was going to start his own company but was encouraged to interview with Mayor Elmore. He related it was one of the best interviews, as far as ideals, focusing on economic development, and efforts to grow Jacksonville. He mentioned starting in February, purposefully going under the radar to see 2 CITY OF JACKSONVILLE REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING MAY 16, 2024 6:00 P.M. – 6:39 P.M. what was going on in the Community, digging into numbers to see what has been successful and why. He brought up issues in the early 1990s with Vertac, and also Pulaski County Special School District (PCSSD) neglecting Jacksonville. He confirmed it hurt the City, while he saw Sherwood and Cabot grow from then on. He detailed how those issues formed a cloud over Jacksonville that has been difficult to blow away. He recalled looking at 2008-2009 seeing positive things, then in 2016, when the new School District opened and Sig Sauer announced a move here is when Jacksonville’s rebirth started. He said he came from the North Little Rock Argenta area that was nothing in 1990, but it took citizens, not the city, to invest in the community, buy the old buildings, and spend money to build them up; now it is one of the best areas in the State continuing to grow. He mentioned unique, new homes there, reiterating how it was done by local business leaders and individuals who took a vested interest. He confirmed the only way to build community is by encouraging growth and residents to take ownership. He asked Council how many community groups there are that meet and how many they attend? He thinks it is a great way to get involved with members, because a lot of the time they just want to be heard. He acknowledged he does not say the right things sometimes, but he is driven by his love to see communities grow and be built from the ground up. He stated there are great bones to Jacksonville, noting no other place in the State has somewhere seven thousand people come to work every day, and we do. He shared that he has a meeting with the Air Force Base Colonel next week about a potential collaboration to improve the Base’s life within the City with a defense grant. He affirmed he will go after every grant possible, because the more the citizens see the City caring, the more they get involved and take pride in their areas. He related there are areas on Main Street that are not attractive, so how can we bring someone in and say it will be better with them? He clarified you bring them in by showing the community cares and they can enhance what is already there. He noted you have to give them a reason, because our demographics do not show the numbers most retailers and restaurants want. He has found a way to make them look good, but if we get them here, we have to show them a reason to invest, that we have a business- minded and forward-thinking City Council, and reach out to our community to bring things that will benefit them. He confirmed they have to tailor a plan to attract businesses, which will take everyone in this room, and beyond. He noted having a heavy industrial park, which is very rare in this State, adding that we an opportunity to promote it because it has access to rail and interstates. He said near I-440, the City has 220 acres that could be anything, especially industrial or distribution, that would bring jobs and housing. He mentioned a list of eight new neighborhoods, and asked why are we not promoting these new homes? He pointed out the great School District with all new buildings, asking why are we not promoting it? He told how he and Communications Director Emily Sundermeier started the “Rediscover Jacksonville” campaign when she posted about a bridge at Paradise Park and there were residents asking where it was. He questioned if people here do not know, how are people outside going to? He related how they were at the Military Museum, noting it should be flooded with people and students because the history is disappearing. He mentioned there are Air Base families touring our School District who used to immediately go elsewhere because they were old and not up to par. He surmised if we get more of those families in our 3 CITY OF JACKSONVILLE REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING MAY 16, 2024 6:00 P.M. – 6:39 P.M. schools, then the schools, grades, and the attitude around the schools will improve. He confirmed Jacksonville has the ability to push through things that have held it back for years. He brought up the Metro Little Rock Alliance (MLRA) website for site selection and how Jacksonville had none up, but has eleven now. He stated he will maximize every property we have, relating that citizens are spending too much money fixing Cabot, North Little Rock, Little Rock, and Sherwood’s roads since that is where the sales tax is going. He would like to keep them here to fix our roads and infrastructure to make our City look the best it can. When Council Member McCleary mentioned the wet/dry alcohol issue, he replied he will leave it up to Mayor Elmore and City Attorney Friedman, since they are more legal-minded. He acknowledged the importance of getting rid of it, noting having drink-by-the-glass is great and should not hold us back from restaurants, but if it gets resolved there should be the same sales tax, or more, than a marijuana dispensary will give. Council Member Bolden surmised the 220 acres the City owns would be a perfect location for a Buc-ee’s. Director Birch was unsure how far along they were building in Benton, confirming they have done one and a half years’ worth of due diligence work, but nothing is ever final. He related there may not be enough population going north here, but that will change once I-59 opens in the future. He recalled he did not know that land was owned by the City of Jacksonville and there were three or four projects that came through MLRA that would have been perfect for it at 500+ jobs. He told how 450 acres near Galloway went from being a field to now having over three thousand jobs after $500 million worth of investment of three Fortune Top 150 companies. He told how there are five businesses he has submitted sites for, explaining when they send out the request for information, they get a spreadsheet to fill out and send back to the requestor. He said the site selectors will then pick from the compiled list, sometimes taking six months to one year before a response and some have taken two- and three-years’ worth of work doing their due diligence. He noted we cannot “sell” Jacksonville necessarily, but we can “sell” a strong metro market with a great workforce; we just have to get our available property shown. He shared his long-time involvement with MRLA, being on their executive board before, and with the State Chamber. He affirmed having to stay visible in those organizations to get noticed. Council Member Twitty mentioned citizens going to Kroger out of town and asked if there is anything the City can do to get the one here, and some hotels, to update. Director Birch replied Kroger is a strong force that scare others away, which happened in Sherwood with Harps. He brought up our Kroger not holding up their end of the bargain when the gas station went in, but he is actively meeting with other grocery stores. He noted his job is to not only find new businesses, but to strengthen the ones already here. He stressed the need to look long-term when granting special uses and the need for where a retail community fits, another will want to come, rather than having short-term businesses. He confirmed when cities stack businesses that attract the same 4 CITY OF JACKSONVILLE REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING MAY 16, 2024 6:00 P.M. – 6:39 P.M. type of customer will garner success, but when there are ones who just want a quick lease, get money, then end up having to re-rent it six months later, they do not understand what they are costing themselves. He explained it is educating existing property owners regarding how they will make more money long-term if they wait for the right tenant, instead of jumping at the first who wants to sign a contract. He related the Chamber of Commerce is good for educating and bringing in businesses. When Council Member Twitty brought up North Little Rock and Cabot getting new hotels, he responded that they are all struggling. Council Member Twitty stated they may be struggling, but they look good compared to ours. She told how people who come here do not stay in our hotels, but stay by the Mall. She would like our hotels and Kroger to get updated. Director Birch stated it costs $12 million to build a hotel, and they have flooded the market north and south of us. He noted we need one by our hospital and by the Air Base, but the fact we have three or four older ones affects the market when they come to survey, look at data and pictures, then move on. He surmised Code Enforcement can hold them more accountable, like they have with apartments recently. He confirmed getting a hold of apartment complexes is important from a safely aspect, and because it is hard to bring companies in when they see that. Council Member Rains noted one challenge for potential businesses is the price requested from landlords. Director Birch pointed out they are located in Jacksonville, not Dallas, so they should price accordingly. He asked Council if an opportunity to bring in a business comes, that they be flexible and listen to make it happen. APPOINTMENTS: UNFINISHED BUSINESS: NEW BUSINESS: ANNOUNCEMENTS: ADJOURNMENT: Without objection, Mayor Elmore adjourned the meeting at approximately 6:39 p.m. MOTION CARRIED. Respectfully, ________________________ _________________________ Susan L. Davitt MAYOR JEFF ELMORE City Clerk-Treasurer 5