CITY COUNCIL MINUTES JANUARY, 2022

Date Posted: 02/16/2022

CITY OF GASSVILLE, ARKANSAS
MINUTES FOR THE REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING
JANUARY 11, 2022

A regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Gassville, Arkansas was held on Tuesday, January 11, 2022 , at the Gassville Community Center. The meeting was held one week earlier than normal due to a conflict. Mayor Braim led those in attendance in saying the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag and he offered a word of prayer. The meeting was then called to order at 6:00 PM by Mayor Jeff Braim, Presiding Officer.

Upon the calling of the roll, those in attendance were Council Member Ernest Adkins, Council Member Anita Seaman, Council Member Naomi Lassen, Council Member Kenneth Smith, Council Member Ralph Bird, Mayor Jeff Braim, and Recorder-Treasurer Jeff Lewis. Council Member Tim McFarland was absent. Department Heads in attendance were Police Chief Tim Mayfield, Fire Chief Michael Glotzl, and Water and Street Superintendent Michael Dewey.

The minutes from the December 21, 2021 regular meeting had been provided to each Council Member. Council Member Adkins moved to approve the minutes as presented. This motion was seconded by Council Member Seaman. There were no additions or corrections asked for, whereupon the Mayor called for the vote. Council Members Adkins, Seaman, Lassen, Smith, and Bird voted for the motion. There were no nays, and the motion was declared to be passed.

The financial report for the month of December, 2021 was presented to the City Council. Mayor Braim announced that one correction had been made, and the corrected page, dealing with the ARPA Funds Account, had been furnished to each Council Member, together with a revised cover sheet showing cash account balances. Council Member Lassen moved to approve the corrected financial report as presented. This motion was seconded by Council Member Seaman. Mayor Braim called for comments or corrections, then for a vote to approve the report. Council Members Adkins, Seaman, Lassen, Smith, and Bird voted for the motion. There were no nays, and the motion was declared to be passed.

Police Chief Mayfield gave the police department report for the month of December, 2021, as well as the report for calendar year 2021. They were accepted into the record without objection.

Fire Chief Glotzl gave the fire department report for the month of December, 2021, as well as a report for calendar year 2021. They were accepted into the record without objection. It was noted that the fire department currently has 13 members and 2 advisors. The highest percentage of calls responded to are medical calls, counting for 61% of all calls in 2021.

Mayor Braim gave the building inspection report for the period of 12/21/2021 through 01/06/2022, as well as the report for calendar year 2021. Both of these were accepted into the record without objection.

The Parks Committee had met since the last City Council meeting. Minutes from that meeting were submitted to the City Council. The meeting focused primarily on a presentation from Mr. Chris Beck concerning the potential use of the Gassville City Park for the T-ball season, which begins May 20th and runs through the end of June. Council Member Seaman moved to approve the minutes from the Parks Committee meeting. This motion was seconded by Council Member Adkins. The Mayor called for discussion, then for the vote. Council Members Adkins, Seaman, Lassen, Smith, and Bird voted for the motion. There are no nays, and the Mayor declared the motion carried.

The Cotter-Gassville Joint Sewer Commission did not meet in December. The next meeting is scheduled for Thursday, January 13th at 8:30 AM at the Cotter City Hall.

With respect to the sewer system expansion project in the Red Apple Estates area, Mayor Braim informed the City Council that the last lift station has been built and is awaiting a crew from Entergy to connect power. There will be no progress meeting held in January.

Council Member Lassen reported briefly on a recent meeting of the Gassville Planning and Zoning Commission. The rezoning handbook is being re-typed by city personnel. The Tree City USA Board is ready to begin work as soon as the ordinance is passed on its third reading this evening. The possibility of building a dog park in Gassville was also discussed. Council Member Lassen is obtaining sample ordinances to review for this purpose. There will be a public hearing held on a petition to rezone the old OMART property from Special Use to C-2 Commercial. The petitioner is Danny Montgomery. The public hearing will take place on February 14th at 6:00 PM.

In unfinished business, the City Council then proceeded to take up Proposed Ordinance 2021-04, the Tree City USA Ordinance, on its third reading. Council Member Seaman moved to place the proposed ordinance on its third and final reading by title only. This motion was seconded by Council Member Lassen.

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Upon the Mayor's calling for the vote, Council Members Adkins, Seaman, Lassen, Smith, and Bird voted for the motion. There were no nays, and the Mayor declared the motion carried. Thereupon, Recorder-Treasurer Lewis read aloud the title of the proposed ordinance, entitled:

"ORDINANCE NUMBER 2021-04. TREE ORDINANCE"

Council Member Seaman then moved to accept and adopt the proposed ordinance as read. This motion was seconded by Council Member Lassen. Mayor Braim called for discussion, then for the vote. Council Members Adkins, Seaman, Lassen, Smith, and Bird voted for the motion. There were no nays, and the Mayor declared the motion carried and Ordinance 2021-04 to be adopted.

Continuing under unfinished business, the consideration of an operating budget for 2022 was discussed. Two versions of the proposed budget, one including a new part time firefighter position and the other without that position were presented. A motion to approve the budget with the part time firefighter position had failed at the December, 2021 meeting. Mayor Braim announced that one other revision to the proposed budget had been made since the City Council last debated it, and that was allowance for an increase in unemployment expense. Council Member Bird now moved to proceed with adopting the 2022 operating budget with the part time firefighter position included. This motion was seconded by Council Member Adkins. Mayor Braim called for discussion, then for the vote. Council Members Adkins, Seaman, Lassen, and Bird voted for the motion. Council Member Smith voted against the motion. Mayor Braim declared the motion carried, there being 4 votes in favor a 1 vote against.

Moving directly to new business, the City Council then took up Proposed Resolution 2022-01, which would officially adopt the 2022 operating budget with the new part time firefighter position included as decided above. Council Member Seaman moved to have the proposed resolution read aloud. This motion was seconded by Council Member Lassen. Mayor Braim called for the vote. Council Members Adkins, Seaman, Lassen, Smith, and Bird voted for the motion. There were no nays. The motion was declared to be passed. Thereupon, Recorder-Treasurer Lewis read aloud the Proposed Resolution entitled:

"RESOLUTION 2022-01. 2022 BUDGET RESOLUTION"

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Council Member Adkins moved to adopt the resolution as read. This motion was seconded by Council Member Bird. The Mayor called for discussion, then for the vote. Council Members Adkins, Seaman, Lassen, Smith, and Bird voted for the motion. There were no nays, and the Mayor declared the motion to be passed and Resolution 2022-01 to be adopted.

The City Council then took up consideration of Proposed Resolution 2022-02, the 2021 budget reconciliation. Council Member Bird moved to have the proposed resolution read aloud. This motion was seconded by Council Member Seaman. Mayor Braim called for the vote, and Council Members Adkins, Seaman, Lassen, Smith, and Bird voted for the motion. There were no nays, and the Mayor declared the motion carried. Thereupon, Recorder-Treasurer Lewis read aloud the proposed resolution entitled:

"RESOLUTION 2022-02. A RESOLUTION RECONCILING THE PROJECTED BUDGET FOR THE CITY OF GASSVILLE, ARKANSAS FOR THE CALENDAR YEAR 2021 WITH THE ACTUAL INCOME AND EXPENSES."

Council Member Adkins then moved to adopt the resolution as read. This motion was seconded by Council Member Bird. The Mayor called for discussion, then for the vote. Council Members Adkins, Seaman, Lassen, Smith, and Bird voted for the motion. There were no nays, and the Mayor declared the motion carried and Resolution 2022-02 to be adopted.

Continuing under new business, the City Council took up consideration of Proposed Resolution 2022-03, which would authorize Gassville to accept state aid street monies for the proposed South Johnson Street reconstruction design project. Mayor Braim read a letter from the State Aid Street Committee announcing that the City of Gassville is being awarded $300,000 for city street overlays. Gassville will put another $100,000 toward street overlays. The letter also announced that design work can begin on the proposed reconstruction of South Johnson Street, a project estimated to cost around $800,000. The City will need to put up $15,000 toward engineering costs, which would be authorized in this proposed resolution. Council Member Seaman moved to have the proposed resolution read aloud. This motion was seconded by Council Member Bird. Mayor Braim called for the vote. Council Members Adkins, Seaman, Lassen, Smith, and Bird voted for the motion. There were no nays, and the Mayor declared the motion carried. Thereupon, Mayor Braim read aloud the proposed resolution entitled:

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"RESOLUTION NO. 2022-03. A RESOLUTION EXPRESSING THE WILLINGNESS OF THE CITY OF GASSVILLE TO UTILIZE STATE AID STREET MONIES FOR THE FOLLOWING CITY PROJECT: Gassville S. Johnson St. Improvements"

Council Member Bird then moved to approve the resolution as read. This motion was seconded by Council Member Lassen. Mayor Braim called for discussion, then for the vote. Council Members Adkins, Seaman, Lassen, Smith, and Bird voted for the motion. There were no nays, and the Mayor declared the motion carried and Resolution 2022-03 to be adopted. With the passage of this resolution, Mayor Braim asked the City Council for an appropriation of $15,000 from the Street Fund to pay for toward the engineering costs as specified in the resolution. Council Member Bird moved to appropriate $15,000 from the Street Fund for this purpose. The motion was seconded by Council Member Adkins. Mayor Braim called for discussion, then for the vote. Council Members Adkins, Seaman, Lassen, Smith, and Bird voted for the motion. There were no nays, and the Mayor declared the motion carried.

This being the first City Council meeting in 2022, the organization of the city government was discussed. Council Members decided to leave the regular meetings of the City Council to be held on the third Tuesday of each month at 6:00 PM at the Community Center. Committee appointments were also discussed and agreed upon as indicated in the attachment.

Mayor Braim stated he intends to try and organize a meeting of the Gassville In The Park Committee to discuss the future of the event.

Mayor Braim read a letter from the Arkansas Division of Legislative Audit concerning the City's audit for 2019 and 2021. The report showed no findings or areas of concern. Each Council Member had received a copy of the audit. Mayor Braim also indicated that he is still in communication with BKD Accounting in Rogers, Arkansas concerning the single federal compliance audit that is needed. He is awaiting the signing of an agreement between the City and BKD to take on this task.

Several updates were then provided by Mayor Braim before adjournment, to-wit:

1. The new drive-thru window at the City Hall should be installed soon.

2. The Arkansas Municipal League's winter conference has been postponed until March 26-28, 2022.

3. The City Hall will be closed next Monday for the MLK holiday.

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Council Member Adkins informed the City Council that he would not be seeking re-election to his City Council seat for another term. He thanked the citizens of Gassville and his fellow Council Members and officials for their support.

A list of fire department equipment items that will no longer be in use was presented to the City Council, and the list will be attached hereto.

Mr. Carl Roberts, whose house on Buford Cutoff Road had been destroyed in a fire several days ago, addressed the City Council with respect to requirements for temporary and permanent replacement housing on his property. Mr. Roberts indicated he may not be able to meet city building requirements for a replacement structure and asked the City Council if there could be any leeway granted on the building requirements. He also mentioned potentially withdrawing his property from the Gassville corporate limits to avoid city building regulations. Council Members expressed sympathetic concerns for Mr. Roberts' situation. They suggested that the Mayor and the City Building Inspector meet with Mr. Roberts at the property to try and come up with a solution. No formal action was taken.

There being no further business to come before the City Council, the meeting adjourned at 7:15 PM upon motion of Council Member Bird, seconded by Council Member Smith, with all members voting in favor.

Submitted by: /s/ Jeffrey Lewis,
Recorder-Treasurer

Approved by: /s/ Jeff Braim,
Mayor

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