Loading...
96 FEB 01.DOC CITY OF JACKSONVILLE, ARKANSAS REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING FEBRUARY 1, 1996 7:00 P.M. - 8:20 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 1, 1996 at the regular meeting place of the Council. Alderman Lewis delivered the invocation after which Mayor Swaim led the standing audience in the "Pledge of Allegiance" to the flag. Mayor Swaim pointed out that Mr. Brian Wilson of Martin Luther King Elementary School is in attendance to observe the City Council Meeting as a part of his classroom studies. ROLL CALL: Aldermen: Knight, Smith, Lewis, Sansing, Ray, Wilson, Fletcher, Williamson, Keaton, and Twitty answered ROLL CALL. PRESENT ten (10). Mayor Swaim answered ROLL CALL and declared a quorum expressing appreciation to the audience for their attendance. Others present for the meeting were: Personnel Director Michael Beeman, Deputy City Clerk Susan Davitt, City Engineer Duane Reel, Public Works Coordinator Murice Green, Director of Economic Development Phil Sullivan, Police Chief Larry Hibbs, Chairman of the Board of Adjustment Art Brannen, Commissioner Kenny Elliott, Finance Director Paul Mushrush, Mrs. Judy Swaim, Mrs. D.D. Hibbs, other City employees, interested citizens and members of the press. Mayor Swaim related that City Attorney Robert Bamburg is out of town and unable to attend the meeting. PRESENTATION OF MINUTES: Mayor Swaim presented the minutes of the Regular City Council Meeting of January 18, 1996 for study and action at the next Regular City Council Meeting. APPROVAL AND/OR CORRECTION OF MINUTES: Alderman Smith moved, seconded by Alderman Knight that the minutes of the Regular City Council Meeting of January 4, 1996 be APPROVED. MOTION CARRIED. CONSENT AGENDA: WATER DEPARTMENT: WASTEWATER DEPARTMENT: FIRE DEPARTMENT: 1 POLICE DEPARTMENT: CITY OF JACKSONVILLE, ARKANSAS REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING FEBRUARY 1, 1996 7:00 P.M. - 8:20 P.M. STREET DEPARTMENT: PARKS & REC DEPARTMENT: SANITATION DEPARTMENT: PLANNING COMMISSION: Ordinance 1052 (#1-96) Rezoning AN ORDINANCE RECLASSIFYING PROPERTY IN THE CITY OF JACKSONVILLE ARKANSAS (GENERAL LOCATION: .75 ACRES OF REAL PROPERTY FOUND NORTH OF AND ADJACENT TO 2703 T.P. WHITE DRIVE, JACKSONVILLE); AMENDING ORDINANCE NUMBERS 213 AND 238 OF THE CITY OF JACKSONVILLE, ARKANSAS; AND, FOR OTHER PURPOSES. Mayor Swaim introduced the item of business and related that the recommendation of the Planning Commission is to approve the rezoning request for the .75-acre parcel, owned by Mr. Buford Latta, from C-1 to C-2. ORDINANCE 1052 (#1-96) Alderman Smith moved, seconded by Alderman Lewis, that Ordinance be placed on FIRST READING. ROLL CALL: Aldermen: Smith, Lewis, Sansing, Ray, Wilson, Fletcher, Williamson, Keaton and Twitty voted AYE. NAY (0). Motion received nine (9) affirmative votes, (0) negative votes. Alderman Knight abstained. MOTION CARRIED. Ordinance read FIRST TIME by Mayor Swaim. Alderman Ray moved, seconded by Alderman Wilson, to suspend the rules and dispense with the reading of the Ordinance in its entirety. ROLL CALL: Aldermen: Smith, Lewis, Sansing, Ray, Wilson, Fletcher, Williamson, Keaton and Twitty voted AYE. NAY (0). Motion received nine (9) affirmative votes, (0) negative votes. Aldermen Knight abstained. MOTION CARRIED. Alderman Smith moved, seconded by Alderman Ray, that Ordinance be accepted on FIRST READING. ROLL CALL: Aldermen: Smith, Lewis, Sansing, Ray, Fletcher, Williamson, Keaton and Twitty voted AYE. NAY (0). Motion received eight (8) affirmative votes, (0) negative votes. Aldermen Knight and Wilson abstained. MOTION CARRIED. ORDINANCE ACCEPTED ON FIRST READING. Alderman Smith moved, seconded by Alderman Ray to suspend the rules and place the Ordinance on SECOND READING. ROLL CALL: Aldermen: Smith, Lewis, Sansing, Ray, Fletcher, Williamson, Keaton and Twitty voted AYE. NAY (0). Motion received eight (8) affirmative votes, (0) negative votes. Aldermen Knight and Wilson 2 abstained. MOTION CARRIED. Mayor Swaim read the Ordinance for the SECOND TIME. 3 CITY OF JACKSONVILLE, ARKANSAS REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING FEBRUARY 1, 1996 7:00 P.M. - 8:20 P.M. Alderman Lewis moved, seconded by Alderman Ray, to further suspend the rules and place the Ordinance on THIRD AND FINAL READING. ROLL CALL: Aldermen: Smith, Lewis, Sansing, Ray, Fletcher, Williamson, Keaton and Twitty voted AYE. NAY (0). Motion received eight (8) affirmative votes, (0) negative votes. Aldermen Knight and Wilson abstained. MOTION CARRIED. Whereupon, Mayor Swaim read the Ordinance for the THIRD AND FINAL TIME. Alderman Fletcher moved, seconded by Alderman Wilson that Ordinance be APPROVED AND ADOPTED. ROLL CALL: Aldermen: Smith, Lewis, Sansing, Ray, Fletcher, Williamson, Keaton and Twitty voted AYE. NAY (0). Motion received eight (8) affirmative votes, (0) negative votes. Alderman Knight and Wilson abstained. MOTION CARRIED. ORDINANCE APPROVED AND ADOPTED AND NUMBERED 1052 THIS 1st DAY OF February 1996. GENERAL: a. Landfill Contract Mayor Swaim related that even with the tremendous increases over the last few years in landfill tipping fees, the Sanitation Department has been managed such that its fees did not have to be raised. He stated that the county north of the river, Jacksonville and other cities north of the river entered negotiations to set price with a limited amount of raise in a given period of time. He said that bids were sent out, with Waste Management being the low bidder. He said that an agreement was reached at $6.10 per yard in a five-year contract with the price index being connected to the CPI less 1% for any raises in the future. He requested that the City Council pass the contract as stated with exceptions regarding a bulky waste collection at no charge to the City of Jacksonville during a designated week each year and an agreement between the City of Jacksonville and Waste Management that waste from other entities may be processed at the landfill and support for expansion according to regulatory agency guidelines. He added that landfill costs have gone up one hundred percent over the last ten years pointing out that Pulaski County is the only county in the State of Arkansas that has three landfills. He remarked that our rates are lower and availability better than for cities in other areas. He informed the Council that use of the landfill is anticipated to be a minimum of five years and a maximum of fifteen years. He said that the landfill is at maximum height and that future 4 expansion is in a northerly direction parallel to the freeway. CITY OF JACKSONVILLE, ARKANSAS REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING FEBRUARY 1, 1996 7:00 P.M. - 8:20 P.M. Alderman Fletcher posed a question with regard to regional landfill studies done by Metroplan. Mayor Swaim related that the regional landfill concept was not good for the City of Jacksonville. He said that there would have had to be an increase of nine dollars to be competitive with more cost to the City with waste shipped to the closest landfill, being Little Rock. He said that the City of Jacksonville would have had to share in the expansion cost of the landfill where waste would have been deposited. Alderman Fletcher expressed concern that Brushy Island will not last fifteen years considering what is being brought from other cities at the present time. Mayor Swaim pointed out the Solid Waste Board of the State of Arkansas has been looking at a digester system which will cut down on landfill use, that mulch may be used as compost. He noted that the City of Little Rock and cities south of the river are now engaged in a "MRF" agreement ("Material Recovery Facility"). He said that DPC&E is regulating the project. He related that the grants that were issued for equipment and recycling programs are all funded across the State of Arkansas by the sale of solid waste and loose waste, about 45 cents a cubic yard. He said that all entities of Pulaski County pay over a million dollars with a total rebate to the county of $260,000.00 per year. He said that it would be to the advantage of the city that such grants not be available anymore because we, Pulaski County, are paying the bulk of the cost with distribution being sent to the rest of the state. He pointed out that State Law requires that in the year 1997 cities will have to be doing 30% of waste in recycling. He said that our solid waste is 27% at present with 75 to 80% coverage over the City of Jacksonville with 45 to 50% participation. He related that the recycling truck is at capacity now with about 25% of the City not being serviced. He mentioned that he is considering a Saturday route with overtime pay for the driver as opposed to $75,000.00 for another truck. Alderman Knight moved, seconded by Alderman Smith that the City of Jacksonville enter into a contract, through negotiations by Mayor Swaim, with Waste Management and in conjunction with other entities 5 CITY OF JACKSONVILLE, ARKANSAS REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING FEBRUARY 1, 1996 7:00 P.M. - 8:20 P.M. north of the river for the purpose of setting a set fee and price index increase for a 5 year period beginning immediately. MOTION CARRIED. b. Request approval to proceed with updating Engineering Data for Railroad Overpass Ref: Grant Application Mayor Swaim informed the Council that a grant application has to be presented by April 17, 1996 with regard to funding to aid in the railroad overpass endeavor. He related that Garver and Garver were the architects of the project in 1985. He said that an estimate of cost has been requested from them and that they agreed to do an update on an hourly basis since they had previously worked on the project. He pointed out that a limit of eight thousand dollars was arrived at with negotiations on work done by their firm after that. He requested more than the eight thousand dollars in that the City would be paying for some things not included in the agreement. He pointed out that item c., Request approval to proceed with updating "Appraisal Information for Railroad Overpass" Ref: Grant Application, would be included in the general discussion, which followed. He presented an aerial photo of the railroad crossings at Main Street and Graham Road plus surrounding areas. He pointed out on the map where proposals in the past were planned. He said that the main factors in the project are location, cost, and effect on surrounding areas. He stated that on Monday, 12 February 1996, a public hearing has been set for 7:00 p.m. to receive input regarding all aspects of the project. He related that in the original proposal, Second Street was the cut-off pointing out that there is about a nine foot drop at that point which will give some of the twenty-three to twenty-eight feet of clearance needed to accommodate an overpass. He informed the Council that the Congress is proposing to cut out a lot of the ISTEA funding and that he would like to see the City application for funding in place before any enactment. It was noted that the corridor from Main to Graham was proposed at a cost in 1985 of $3.35 million dollars. 6 CITY OF JACKSONVILLE, ARKANSAS REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING FEBRUARY 1, 1996 7:00 P.M. - 8:20 P.M. Alderman Knight stated that during the 1985 hearings and at this time, she is opposed to the traffic emptying into the area of Jacksonville Elementary School. Mayor Swaim made note of one concept which would have a retaining wall and block added traffic from the school. Alderman Keaton mentioned that loss of usability of property in various proposed routes is a vital factor in design and cost. A general discussion followed with several comments from the Council and audience with regard to the project location. The matter of both Graham and Main crossings being closed was posed by Alderman Wilson with Mayor Swaim replying that is desired by the railroad. He added that they want to participate at 5% of the match by the City of Jacksonville, not the cost of the total project. Whether or not both crossings were closed in the original design by Garver & Garver was not determined at this time. Traffic patterns were pointed out as being pertinent to the final design with Mayor Swaim stating that traffic counts are underway. Opening up the corridor down Graham Road was mentioned as being a very important area for development east of the City of Jacksonville. Mayor Swaim pointed out that some of the area south and east of the railroad may turn commercial in the future with the development of the overpass at Main Street and Hwy 161. The Mayor pointed out that there is no preconceived plan for the overpass and related that his desire is for major input from the citizens of Jacksonville with regard to the choice of location. Graham Rd. development into a four-lane thoroughfare was noted by Alderman Knight as very important to future growth for the City of Jacksonville as related to the choice of location for the overpass. Alderman Ray moved, seconded by Alderman Knight, that up to ten thousand dollars be taken from the Sales Tax Fund for block appraisal proposals, incidentals related to project preparation, and the engineering services of Garver and Garver. MOTION CARRIED. 7 CITY OF JACKSONVILLE, ARKANSAS REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING FEBRUARY 1, 1996 7:00 P.M. - 8:20 P.M. APPOINTMENT: Board of Adjustment appointment/Mr. B. J. Boroughs for a 3-year term to expire 2/5/1999 Alderman Smith moved, seconded by Alderman Sansing, that Mr. B. J. Boroughs be appointed to the Board of Adjustment for a three (3) year term to expire February 5, 1999. MOTION CARRIED. ANNOUNCEMENTS: ADJOURNMENT: Mayor Swaim adjourned the meeting at approximately 8:20 p.m. Respectfully, ___________________________ ____________________________ Lula M. Leonard MAYOR City Clerk-Treasurer 8