08 JAN 17.docCITY OF JACKSONVILLE
REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING
JANUARY 17, 2008
7:00 P.M. – 7:39 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 January 17, 2008 at the regular meeting place of the Council. Alderman Ray delivered the invocation and
Mayor Swaim led a standing audience in the “Pledge of Allegiance” to the flag.
ROLL CALL: Aldermen: Elliott, Smith, McCleary, Ray, Rinker, Stroud, Twitty, and Howard answered roll call. Mayor Swaim also answered ROLL CALL declaring a quorum. PRESENT NINE (9),
ABSENT (1). Alderman Fletcher arrived at approximately 7:01 p.m.
Others present for the meeting were: City Attorney Robert Bamburg, Deputy Clerk Kathryn Jezwinski, Director of Administration Jay Whisker, Public Works Director Jim Oakley, Finance Director
Paul Mushrush, Assistant Finance Director Cheryl Erkel, Human Resource Director Jill Fourqurean, CDBG Director Theresa Watson, Fire Chief John Vanderhoof, Police Chief Robert Baker,
Wastewater Utility General Manager Thea Hughes, Jacksonville Sewer Commission Chair Joan Zumwalt, Jacksonville Water Commission Chair Thad Gray, Jacksonville Waterworks General Superintendent
Ken Anderson, Mrs. Judy Swaim, Parks and Recreation Office Manager Patty Walker, Ron Newport, Jack Danielson, Alfonso Nations, Larry Smith, Mike Lehman, Kristen Griggs, Aquatics Instructor
Diane Novotny, interested citizens and members of the press.
PRESENTATION OF MINUTES:
Mayor Swaim presented the minutes of the regular City Council meeting of January 3, 2008 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 20 December 2007 be APPROVED. MOTION CARRIED.
CONSENT AGENDA: REGULAR MONTHLY REPORT/POLICE DEPARTMENT
Alderman Elliott moved, seconded by Alderman Smith to approve the Regular Monthly Report for December 2007. Report reflects the Total Value of Reported Stolen Property $41,065. Total
Value of Recovered Stolen Property $13,693 and Total Report Sales $1,328.
REGULAR MONTHLY REPORT/ANIMAL CONTROL
Alderman Elliott moved, seconded by Alderman Smith to approve the Regular Monthly Animal Control Report for December 2007. Said report reflects:
ADOPTION/FINES: $1,945.00
CONTRIBUTIONS: $ 100.00
TOTAL: $2,045.00
CITY OF JACKSONVILLE
REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING
JANUARY 17, 2008
7:00 P.M. – 7:39 P.M.
ANNUAL REPORT/ANIMAL CONTROL
Alderman Elliott moved, seconded by Alderman Smith to approve the Regular Annual Monthly Animal Control Report for 2007. Said report reflects:
ADOPTION/FINES: $27,752.50
CONTRIBUTIONS: $ 500.10
TOTAL: $28,252.50
REGULAR MONTHLY REPORT/FIRE DEPARTMENT
Alderman Elliott moved, seconded by Alderman Smith to approve the Regular Monthly Report for December 2007 from the Jacksonville Fire Department, which reflects a fire loss of $37,500
and a savings total of $68,000.
REGULAR MONTHLY REPORT/ENGINEERING
Alderman Elliott moved, seconded by Alderman Smith to approve the Regular Monthly Report for December 2007. Said report reflects:
PERMITS/LICENSE ISSUED INSPECTIONS PREFORMED
Building Permits 10 Building Inspections 55
Business License 9 HVACR 24
Electrical 58 Plumbing 47
UNSIGHTLY & UNSANITARY VEHICLES
Grass Letters 7 Notice of Noncompliance 30
Property Mowed 5 Towed 7
Trash Letters 106
Trash Removal 1 CONDEMNATIONS
Property Maint. Letters 25 Structural Maint. Letters 0
Cost for December $1,115.76 Structural Repairs Made 0
Demolitions 0
ROLL CALL: Aldermen: Elliott, Smith, McCleary, Ray, Rinker, Fletcher, Stroud, Twitty, and Howard voted AYE. MOTION CARRIED.
WATER DEPARTMENT: 2007 Annual Report
General Superintendent Ken Anderson delivered the 2007 Jacksonville Waterworks Annual Report. A copy is on file in the City Clerk’s office.
Highlights from the report:
Zero water quality violations for 2007
Completed installation of the Neptune “AMR” Automated Meter Reading system at a cost of $2.4 million.
Continued efforts in the Master Plan, including the transmission main from Central Arkansas Water to Jacksonville, which has been completed up to south of the Arkansas River going across
the I-430 Bridge.
Completion of the Wilson Plan pump that will pump water north across the Arkansas River at a cost of $5.5 million. Jacksonville’s share was $1.2 million.
CITY OF JACKSONVILLE
REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING
JANUARY 17, 2008
7:00 P.M. – 7:39 P.M.
Installed:
4,664 linear feet of pipe.
8 fire hydrants
24 valves
28 upgraded water services
Mr. Anderson related that water production was up in 2007, saying that on August 12, they reached a high for the year of 8.2 million gallons, which was over the previous year of 6.9
million gallons. He stated that the total production for the year was 1.7 billion gallons, which was a 4.1% increase from the previous year. He related that the average daily flow for
the year was 4.5 million gallons. He noted that every five years an update is performed regarding the Master Plan, explaining that 2008 will be the fifth year. He related that part
of the process would be to study the adequacy of rates.
In response to a question posed by Alderman Stroud, Mr. Anderson answered that in the years of 1998 through 2000 the Jacksonville Waterworks was selling water to the City of Cabot, adding
that currently Cabot is only purchasing a minimum amount so there would appear to be a drop when the customer base was actually increasing.
Mr. Anderson then answered that the new meter reading system can read meters from several hundred feet.
In response to a question posed by Alderman Fletcher, Mr. Anderson stated that the system would pay for itself in four years. He noted that every ten years meters are supposed to be
replaced, explaining that this was an opportunity to upgrade to more advanced technology. He added that it is projected that the Neptune meters will last longer than ten years, pointing
out that the new meters pick up lower flows. He then answered that Jacksonville Waterworks employees have been trained to handle route maintenance of the new meters, adding that Triton
Water Technologies would handle larger problems.
Alderman Ray commended the Water Department for having nine licensed operators.
WASTEWATER DEPARTMENT: 2007 Annual Report
General Manager Thea Hughes delivered the 2007 Jacksonville Wastewater Utility Annual Report. A copy is on file in the City Clerk’s office.
Highlights from the report:
12th consecutive year with zero treatment plant permit violations.
City of Mountain Home is the only other city to go 10 years without violations.
Chief of Enforcement with ADEQ chooses to use Jacksonville plant to train new inspectors.
Cities of Searcy and Cabot borrowed approximately 100,000 gallons of sludge (micro-organisms) to get their plants started.
CITY OF JACKSONVILLE
REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING
JANUARY 17, 2008
7:00 P.M. – 7:39 P.M.
TREATMENT, LAB & PRETREATMENT
Successfully treated 2,159,330,000 gallons of wastewater.
Accepted 2,034,000 gallons of landfill leachate from the Two Pines Landfill.
Inspected 425 restaurants for proper grease trap maintenance.
Inspected 180 oil/water separators at mechanic shops and garages.
Received “Excellent” ratings in laboratory certification by EPA.
Passed annual inspections by ADEQ in all areas.
All industries are in compliance with their discharge permits.
COLLECTION SYSTEM & TECHNICAL SERVICES
Continued rehabilitation of lines to eliminate overflowing manholes.
Completed the majority of lines and manhole rehab in area northwest of freeway in the Quince Hill area and the northeast area that feeds into the Northeast Pump Station.
Preliminary flow data shows a 15 to 25% reduction in inflow/infiltration in rehabbed areas, considered to be a successful rehab program by EPA, Natural Resources Conservation Service,
and State Revolving Loan Fund.
50% of I/I comes from private sewer lines, the Commission will continue investigating these lines for rehab.
Responded to 223 customer calls, main line and service lines, only three of those were due to rain.
68 of 95 main line calls were due to grease in the lines.
There is a dedicated crew to clean sewer lines daily.
Continued education program via mail-outs, billboards, public newspaper announcements to teach residents about complications of grease in the lines.
Cost the Utility approximately $595 per call, in 2007 that equates to $40,460.
Televised 75,826 feet of line for investigative purposes.
Accepted 1,449 feet of new subdivision line, along with 9 new manholes.
Inspected 356 private service lines
Property owners repaired 41 privately owned service lines.
ADMINISTRATION
Operating revenue from sewer use fees were up 12% in 2007 due to the final phase of the five-step rate increase.
In response to a question posed by Alderman Stroud, Mrs. Hughes stated that the periodic increase regarding overflowing manholes from 2003 to 2007 were mostly due to grease, recapping
efforts to educate the residents not to put grease in the lines by sending letters to all households on the line that overflows.
CITY OF JACKSONVILLE
REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING
JANUARY 17, 2008
7:00 P.M. – 7:39 P.M.
Licenses:
Class I Wastewater 3
Class II 1
Class III 11
Class IV 3
CDL 15
Solid Waste 7
APIA 5
The City Council complimented both departments for having zero permit violations.
FIRE DEPARTMENT:
POLICE DEPARTMENT:
STREET DEPARTMENT:
SANITATION DEPARTMENT:
PARKS & RECREATION:
PLANNING COMMISSION:
GENERAL: a. STATE OF THE CITY BY MAYOR SWAIM
A copy of the full report is on file in the City Clerk’s office.
He stated that while patience is a virtue, the citizens of Jacksonville are to be commended, for after many attempts by our legislative delegation, and with significant effort by Congressman
Vic Snyder; the Joint Education Center has finally been funded. He added that the wait would certainly be worth the reward, now plans can proceed for the construction of what will equal
a community college in Jacksonville. He related that this is a positive step toward improving educational opportunities for the military personnel at Little Rock Air Force Base and
the citizens of Jacksonville.
He stated that an additional project that has tried many of our patience is also underway. A new library is rising from the ground on Main Street in downtown Jacksonville, an event
many have waited years to see. He related that again, the wait was certainly worth it because the City of Jacksonville now has a much larger site than originally planned. A third project,
the Police and Fire Training Center, is now fully funded and in the planning stage. This facility will enhance the training program for both Departments, providing better-prepared public
safety employees. He noted that the architect was chosen today. He stated that these projects are the result of the citizens of Jacksonville’s willingness to support new ideas and efforts
to improve the quality of life in our community. He explained that this is not the norm for many cities in our State, adding that he is very thankful for everyone’s support regarding
those efforts.
He related that the financial condition of our City continues to be strong. He stated that under the guidance of Finance Director Paul Mushrush, our financial record keeping and reporting
continues to
CITY OF JACKSONVILLE
REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING
JANUARY 17, 2008
7:00 P.M. – 7:39 P.M.
improve, as documented by the City of Jacksonville being presented the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting Award for ten consecutive years.
He then stated that the department heads and employees are to be commended for their efforts to meet the expectations of our citizens, adding that their efforts make his job much easier.
He reported that Jacksonville continues to grow even with a nationwide housing construction downturn. He stated that there were 119 single-family building permits issued in 2007 worth
$14,078,748 and a total of $29,926,143 in permits issued including multi-family, commercial and remodeling. He stated that while the housing industry has slowed, it has not stopped
in Jacksonville.
He went on to point out that throughout the State of the City report, there are many accomplishments he has not mentioned in his statement. He stated that he would like to personally
acknowledge the hard work of all City of Jacksonville employees and particularly the commission members and diligent City Council members, adding that without their support, the City
of Jacksonville could not continue to be a progressive, growing community. He encouraged everyone to spend time reviewing the report, explaining that each department has contributed
to the report. He reiterated his appreciation of support and thanked everyone for their efforts.
Alderman Stroud commended the report, noting that progress in the City is evident. He quoted an article written by Jim VonTunglen in the Municipal magazine, saying that “if you can’t
build something beautiful, at least tear something ugly down.”
Alderman Ray and other City Council members commended the report, and the work performed by the utilities.
b. Matching Funds/Health Department
Mayor Swaim related that the County Health Department unit located on North First Street has applied for a $200,000.00 grant to construct an addition and make necessary improvements
to the building. He explained that the County has asked that the City commit a 10% match. He stated that the item is not budgeted but could be funded through the Contingency Fund if
approved by the City Council. He stated that currently the facility’s size is inadequate, pointing out that the lobby cannot accommodate times when the volume of customers increase.
He stated that a 10% match would equate to a $20,000.00 expenditure.
Alderman Smith stated that it is a good cause, adding that he has observed times of congestion and recognizes the need to expand.
Alderman Smith moved, seconded by Alderman Stroud to approve 10% matching funds for the County Health Department expansion contingent on the County receiving their grant. MOTION CARRIED.
CITY OF JACKSONVILLE
REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING
JANUARY 17, 2008
7:00 P.M. – 7:39 P.M.
c. RESOLUTION 608 (#1-2008)
A RESOLUTION EXPRESSING SUPPORT FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF AN AFFILIATED AREA OR NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE TO PROVIDE INTERPRETATION AND EDUCATION
ABOUT THE WORLD WAR II HOME FRONT IN JACKSONVILLE, ARKANSAS, AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY; AND, FOR OTHER PURPOSES.
Mayor Swaim noted that Resolution 608 is in support of a joint partnership between the Jacksonville Museum of Military History and the National Park Service to establish an affiliated
area or national historic site regarding World War II and the Jacksonville community. He further explained that the Resolution supports the application and ensures proper participation.
Alderman Ray moved, seconded by Alderman Stroud to read Resolution 608 (#1-2008) MOTION CARRIED. Whereupon City Attorney Bamburg read the heading of Resolution 608.
Alderman Fletcher moved, seconded by Alderman Howard to approve Resolution 608 (#1-2008). MOTION CARRIED.
ANNOUNCEMENT(S): Mayor Swaim reminded the City Council of the mandated joint meeting with the Planning Commission and public regarding future planning in a five to ten year range.
Discussion ensued regarding date, time, and location; it was the consensus to hold the meeting February 12th beginning at 11:30 p.m. at the Jacksonville Community Center. Mayor Swaim
encouraged public attendance.
Discussion ensued regarding significant efforts for Jacksonville to establish its own school district.
ADJOURNMENT: Without objection, Mayor Swaim adjourned the meeting at approximately 7:39 p.m. MOTION CARRIED.
Respectfully,
________________________ _________________________
Susan L. Davitt MAYOR TOMMY SWAIM
City Clerk-Treasurer