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05 FEB 03.docCITY OF JACKSONVILLE REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING FEBRUARY 3, 2005 7:00 P.M. – 7:53 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 3, 2005 at the regular meeting place of the Council. Alderman Howard delivered the invocation and Mayor Swaim led a standing audience in the “Pledge of Allegiance” to the flag. ROLL CALL: Aldermen: Elliott, Smith, Sansing, Ray, Rinker, Fletcher, Stroud, Twitty, and Howard answered roll call. Mayor Swaim also answered ROLL CALL declaring a quorum. PRESENT nine (9), ABSENT (1). Alderman Lewis was ill. Others present for the meeting were: City Attorney Robert Bamburg, Deputy Clerk Tawnya Johnson, Human Resource Director Charlie Brown, Finance Director Paul Mushrush, City Engineer Jay Whisker, Public Works Director Jim Oakley, Fire Chief John Vanderhoof, Police Chief Robert Baker, Parks and Recreation Director George Biggs, CDBG Director Theresa Watson, Business Incubator Manager Richard Sprow, Mrs. Judy Swaim, Mrs. Beverly Elliott, Mr. Larry Dupree, Mr. Larry Smith, interested citizens and members of the press. PRESENTATION OF MINUTES: Mayor Swaim presented the minutes of the regular City Council meeting of January 20, 2005 for approval and/or correction at the next regularly scheduled City Council meeting. APPROVAL AND/OR CORRECTION OF MINUTES: Alderman Smith moved, seconded by Alderman Howard that the minutes of the Regular City Council Meeting of 6 January 2005 be APPROVED. MOTION CARRIED. CONSENT AGENDA: WATER DEPARTMENT: WASTEWATER DEPARTMENT: FIRE DEPARTMENT: POLICE DEPARTMENT: STREET DEPARTMENT: Request to Accept Bid for Traffic Signals & Maintenance In response to a question from Alderman Elliott, Public Works Director Jim Oakley related that he is comfortable with the low bidder, Vulcan Sign. He stated that the City has used Vulcan Sign previously and were satisfied with their work performance. He explained that the bid is for the aluminum blanks used to make various signs, post and brackets. Alderman Elliott moved, seconded by Alderman Sansing to accept the bid from Vulcan Signs in the amount of $14,006.71 and to reject the low bid from Newman Signs for not meeting bid specifications. MOTION CARRIED. CITY OF JACKSONVILLE REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING FEBRUARY 3, 2005 7:00 P.M. – 7:53 P.M. Mayor Swaim noted that funds would be drawn from Street Department budgeted funds. SANITATION DEPARTMENT: PARKS & RECREATION: Request to Accept Bid for Zero Turning Radius Mower Mayor Swaim noted that the bid had been removed regarding a bid specification problem. PLANNING COMMISSION: GENERAL: a. CDBG Approval of the Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice Mayor Swaim noted that City Council members had received copies of the Analysis at the previous meeting. He related that some of the recommendations have already been implemented. He then recognized CDBG Director Theresa Watson, who responded that she is prepared to answer questions and is satisfied with the report. Alderman Ray moved, seconded by Alderman Smith to approve the CDBG Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice. Alderman Stroud complimented the report, and pointed out that his earlier assumption that there is over 50% rental or vacant property in Jacksonville, appeared in the report. He added, he did not feel that to be a healthy sign, continuing that he believes affordable housing in Jacksonville is a problem. He noted that the report mentioned TIF’s, which are designed for blighted areas. He related that if there were investors interested in purchasing the property, a TIF program may work. At this time, MOTION CARRIED. b. Change draw cash review Finance Director Paul Mushrush explained that generally on an annual basis the City reviews cash needs across the various Departments regarding to complete transactions. He noted that Animal Control and Parks and Recreation Departments need adjustments to cash on hand. He noted that the Animal Control Department is requesting a $40.00 adjustment and Parks & Recreation is requesting $25.00. He stated that this would bring the total cash on hand up from $1,200.00 to $1,265.00. Alderman Smith stated that the amount is reasonable, given a city the size of Jacksonville. Mayor Swaim clarified that currently the Animal Control Department is working with starting cash of $40.00 and Parks & Recreation has $125.00. CITY OF JACKSONVILLE REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING FEBRUARY 3, 2005 7:00 P.M. – 7:53 P.M. Mr. Mushrush pointed out that $75.00 of the cash held by Parks and Recreation is appropriated for minor purchases regarding maintenance. He noted that small items of only a few dollars are purchased with petty cash to keep a minimum level of transactions that go through accounts payable. He then added that the additional request for cash would strictly be for making change from the cash drawer. Alderman Stroud moved, seconded by Alderman Smith to approve the increase of $40.00 in cash drawer funds for the Animal Control and $25.00 in cash drawer funds for the Parks and Recreation Department. MOTION CARRIED. CITY FUTURE PLANNING Alderman Fletcher stated that in speaking of gaining more affordable housing, sometime the term “affordable housing” is translated into low-income housing, explaining that can often lower expectations. He stated that he feels the City should focus more on stimulating the economy through more jobs as a way of helping citizens help themselves. Alderman Smith related that it has come to his attention, there is a growing need for condominiums in Jacksonville. Mayor Swaim pointed out that the CDBG report directly addresses housing needs regarding minimum income citizens as affordable housing. He clarified that the report reflects that additional lower-income housing needs to be provided instead of high-income housing. He asked Director Watson to brief the City Council on efforts in south Jacksonville. Director Watson related that the CDBG Department partnered with Black Community Developers from Little Rock, who applied for a grant through ADFA to build five affordable houses in Cloverdale. She noted that the average sale price would be $80,000.00 to $85,000.00 with the average square footage being 1,348. She stated that, hopefully, this would be one avenue of increasing affordable housing, and that the price might be lower with subsidy applied through Federal Home Loan Bank. Mayor Swaim clarified that there must be builders or developers willing to work with these programs, adding that most are not interested unless there is a great incentive. He related that the City did a pilot program to build a reasonable priced home but found it difficult to qualify buyers in the area the homes were built in. He agreed with Alderman Stroud’s thought that a total neighborhood rehab would make for sizable progress but added that it is very difficult without an outside investor willing to take a chance on the process. CDBG Director Watson offered that another component that Black Community Development is going to work with is qualifying the applicant financially by helping them regarding their credit. Alderman Stroud expressed concern that on page 14 of the report it states that nearly 59% of very low-income renters and over 62% of very low-income homeowners paid more than 50% of their income on housing expenses in the year 2000. CITY OF JACKSONVILLE REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING FEBRUARY 3, 2005 7:00 P.M. – 7:53 P.M. Mayor Swaim pointed out that those statistics are not limited to Jacksonville, but are indicative of the entire Country. He noted that qualifying buyers to purchase homes is a problem for Director Watson, adding that programs have to adapt to the mean income level when providing homes. He pointed out that CDBG receives approximately $300,000.00 annually to assist in all the programs offered. He then added that there is a Federal Government proposal to drastically cut CDBG funding for most of the programs offered, which could endanger the possibility of continuing a CDBG program in the next two or three years. He continued that if that happens, it would be even more difficult to help those who cannot afford to purchase homes. He then asked Director Watson to touch upon the homebuyers assistance program. Director Watson stated that the HAG program is offered through CDBG funding, explaining that the program will reimburse half of the out of pocket expense for an individual buying a home in the City, through CDBG funds, not to exceed $3,000.00. She continued that CDBG offers a limited rehab program, explaining that a homeowner can apply once annually for minor home repairs. She explained that the Department would apply for home funds of a maximum of $400,000.00 with sixteen applicants, adding that beginning in 2005 the Federal Government has stated that you can have four active applications at one time which would provide a potential $2,000,000.00. She then noted that there is a minimum of five applicants per application, clarifying that if you do not have five applicants, the Department cannot apply. She noted that CDBG has submitted an application, which has been approved for eleven projects. She related efforts to submit another application and have sixteen at one time, to get four going at one time. He noted that these are forgivable maximum $25,000.00 loans that the homeowner can get to do house repairs with a minimum residency of three years. Mayor Swaim noted that it took approximately two years to gather the applicants to make one application under current Federal guidelines. Director Watson concurred, noting that there is a lot of red tape involved in the ADFA process. She stated that it is her hope to be able to help homeowners do more substantial home repair through the home program. Mayor Swaim questioned how many homeowners were helped through the partial rehab program regarding a maximum $12,000.00 loan. Director Watson responded that twelve homeowners were helped not including sewer loan repairs and emergency home repairs. She explained that emergency repairs include the replacement of air or heating systems in the winter or summer and hot water heaters. Mayor Swaim noted the variety of programs offered by CDBG, adding that it is a very active Department, and that they also offer the Business Incubator Program, which has been very successful. CITY OF JACKSONVILLE REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING FEBRUARY 3, 2005 7:00 P.M. – 7:53 P.M. In response to a question posed by Alderman Ray, Mayor Swaim briefed the City Council regarding previous City future planning projects, which began three years ago and their progress. He supported the consensus to review those projects and conduct further planning. He cited the need to conduct realistic planning given fund availability, stating that the three main projects current using those funds are the aquatics park, education facility and the upcoming Police and Fire training facility. Alderman Elliott suggested setting a date for a future planning session, noting that the current projects offers a good starting place to expand further on. Discussion ensued regarding the question of whether to hold the planning session outside the regular City Council meeting or together with the regular City Council agenda. Mayor Swaim noted that the Human Resource Director Charlie Brown has located a volunteer facilitator who has offered to help with the planning process. Mayor Swaim then noted that as a member of numerous boards that have an effect on the planning aspects of the City as a planning district; such as Metroplan, Municipal League, and National League of Cities there is a long planning process regarding goals and objectives. He solicited consensus regarding general planning or planning for specific areas of change within the City. Alderman Elliott suggested that the initial planning session not be a formal meeting but a general discussion to determine the direction. Alderman Stroud suggested that the City Council tour the City by bus on an annual basis in early June and prior to the first planning session. He then cited concerns for dust-free parking lots regarding a conflict in the new Ordinance that deals with 50% renovation circumstances and dumpster screening. Mayor Swaim noted that City Attorney Bamburg would review the Ordinance for a determination of compliance. He then reviewed that the City had conducted a previous planning process that included bus tours of the City and public hearings regarding development scenarios. He related that one difficulty was the fading citizenry involvement regarding the expectancy that tax dollars should fund the entire concept. He stated that such an endeavor would take cooperation from the business community, residential community and the government to produce any degree of success. He cautioned moving too far ahead in too many process at one time, reminding the City Council of the recent commitment to join the Keep America Beautiful campaign for the City of Jacksonville. He suggested evaluating that campaign regarding efforts to cleanup/fix-up Jacksonville, adding that he felt it would also be valuable to view the City Parks as a measure of the progress in the City. CITY OF JACKSONVILLE REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING FEBRUARY 3, 2005 7:00 P.M. – 7:53 P.M. Alderman Twitty announced that the Miss Jacksonville Pageant including Pulaski County and Lonoke County would be held March 12th, she stressed the importance of the Pageant as the preliminary to the Miss Arkansas Pageant and onto the Miss America pageant and the importance of Jacksonville hosting the pageant. She encouraged participation, noting that the Sertoma Club is hosting the pageant. Following a short discussion, it was the tentative consensus that the City Council meet at the Parks and Recreation Community Center March 10th at 6:30 p.m. and that the Department heads be included for their input. APPOINTMENT(S): ANNOUNCEMENT(S): ADJOURNMENT: Mayor Swaim without objection adjourned the meeting at approximately 7:53 p.m. Respectfully, ________________________ _________________________ Susan L. Davitt MAYOR TOMMY SWAIM City Clerk-Treasurer