COUNCIL MINUTES MARCH, 2025

Date Posted: 04/16/2025

CITY OF GASSVILLE, ARKANSAS
MINUTES FOR THE REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING
MARCH 19, 2025

A regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Gassville, Arkansas was held on Tuesday, March 19, 2025 at the Gassville Community Center. Mayor Braim led those in attendance in saying the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag and offering 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 Tim McFarland, Council Member Anita Seaman, Council Member Naomi Lassen, Council Member Ralph Bird, Mayor Jeff Braim, and Recorder-Treasurer Jeff Lewis. Council Member Kenneth Smith and Council Member Ernest Adkins were 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 February 25, 2025 regular meeting were presented to the City Council for consideration. Council Member Lassen moved to approve the minutes as submitted, which motion was seconded by Council Member Seaman. There were no corrections or additions called for, whereupon the motion was put to a vote. Council Members McFarland, Seaman, Lassen, and Bird voted for the motion. There were no nays, and the motion was declared to be carried.

The financial report for the month of February, 2025 was then presented to the City Council for consideration. Council Member McFarland moved to approve the report as submitted, which motion was seconded by Council Member Seaman. Mayor Braim noted a correction is needed on Page 29 of the report to expense line item #6050 - 5% water depreciation. A transfer into that fund had been made but was not reflected on the report as it should have been. No vote was taken on the original motion and second. Council Member Seaman then moved to approve the financial report with the correction indicated, which motion was seconded by Council Member Bird. The Mayor called for the vote. Council Members McFarland, Seaman, Lassen, and Bird voted for the motion. There were no nays, and the motion was declared to be carried.

Police Chief Mayfield gave the usual police department report for the month of February, 2025. It was accepted into the record without objection. Chief Mayfield reported a new full time officer has been hired, Mr. Cy Claypool. It was also reported that new vehicle camera systems have been acquired by way of grant funds received.

Mayor Braim announced he has appointed Chief Mayfield to serve as Gassville's representative on the Baxter County 911 Advisory Board. He also stated that the police department will begin placing emphasis on enforcement of city ordinances dealing with inoperable vehicles and mowing/yard maintenance.

Fire Chief Glotzl gave the fire department report for the month of February, 2025. It was accepted into the record without objection.

Council Member Seaman gave a report from the Cotter-Gassville Joint Sewer Commission, which had met on March 13th. Highlights from the report were:

1. Engineer Mays was present at the meeting on March 13th. The Phase II renovation project on the collection system is nearing completion. A detailed project expense report was provided. Phase III, which deals with a gravity line on Denton Ferry Road and which was added by the Arkansas Department of Health, will then commence.

2. There will be a meeting on April 2nd at Cotter with representatives from USDA.

3. Operations at the Wastewater Treatment Facility are normal.

4. Employee Plumlee will be testing tomorrow for his Class III Operator License.

5. Interviews will be conducted for a vacant plant operator position.

6. A line crew representative gave an update report to the Joint Commission.

7. A new communications board for lift station #2 was discussed.

8. A quote of $3,600 was received from Mallett construction to deal with a pond issue on the Magness property by the school.

The water/wastewater committee met on March 6th. Council Member had been provided with a copy of the minutes from that meeting. Council Member Seaman moved to approve those minutes as submitted. The motion was seconded by Council Member McFarland. The Mayor called for the vote. Council Members McFarland, Seaman, Lassen, and Bird voted for the motion. There were no nays, and the motion was declared to be carried.

The parks committee also met on March 6th, with minutes from that meeting being provided to each Council Member. Council Member Bird moved to approve those minutes as submitted, which motion was seconded by Council Member McFarland. The Mayor called for the vote. Council Members McFarland, Seaman, Lassen, and Bird voted for the motion. There were no nays, and the motion as declared to be carried.

Mayor Braim gave the building inspection report for the period of February 15th through March 15th. It was also accepted into the record without objection. It was announced that City Inspector Shane Marler is now a certified plumbing inspector as well.

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Under unfinished business, the City Council took up consideration of Proposed Ordinance No. 2025-02 on its second reading. Council Member McFarland moved to suspend the rules and place the proposed ordinance on its second reading by title only. The motion was seconded by Council Member Seaman. Mayor Braim called for the vote. Council Members McFarland, Seaman, Lassen, and Bird voted for the motion. There were no nays, and the motion was declared to be carried. Thereupon, Recorder-Treasurer Lewis read aloud the title of the proposed ordinance, entitled:

"ORDINANCE NO. 2025-02. AN ORDINANCE AMENDING ORDINANCE 2024-05 FOR PERSONAL TIME USE POLICY FOR EMPLOYEES OF THE CITY OF GASSVILLE AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES."

The first item under new business was discussion concerning the potential purchase of a used 2012 Spartan 1500 gallon pumper/tanker fire truck from T-Line Emergency Vehicles in Grand Ledge, Michigan, and also the potential sale of the fire department's existing 2004 Ford rescue unit to help offset the cost of that purchase. The price quote for the 2012 pumper/tanker was $200,000. T-Line Emergency Vehicles had offered a trade-in value of $25,000 for the 2004 Ford rescue unit, however a fire department in Copper Center, Alaska had made an offer to purchase the rescue unit for $35,000. These proposals prompted a lengthy, lively, and intense debate between members of the City Council and Fire Chief Glotzl. In the end, no consensus could be reached, and Council Member Seaman moved to table to entire matter. That motion was seconded by Council Member McFarland. The Mayor called for the vote. Council Members McFarland, Seaman, Lassen, and Bird voted for the motion. There were no nays. The Mayor declared to motion to be passed and the matter to be tabled. Council Member McFarland offered a second motion to table the issue of the sale of the rescue unit, but it was decided that the original motion would be sufficient to cover tabling both questions.

The next item was consideration of Proposed Ordinance No. 2025-04. Council Member Seaman moved to place this proposed ordinance on its first reading, which motion was seconded by Council Member Lassen. The Mayor called for the vote. Council Members McFarland, Seaman, Lassen, and Bird voted for the motion. There were no nays, and the motion was declared to be carried. Thereupon, Recorder-Treasurer Lewis read aloud the proposed ordinance in its entirety, entitled:

"ORDINANCE NO. 2025-04. AN ORDINANCE ADOPTING THE ARKANSAS STATE PLUMBING AND GAS CODES, REPEALING ORDINANCES OR PARTS THEREOF THAT CONFLICT, DECLARING AN EMERGENCY, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES."

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Following the first reading of the proposed ordinance, it was decided by consensus not to proceed with further readings at this time and to remove the emergency clause that had been included. The proposed ordinance will return for a second reading at the April meeting.

Moving on, the Mayor and Superintendent Dewey addressed the City Council with respect to potential changes that might be requested to Ordinance No. 2005-6, which deals with the cost and sales of cemetery lots at the Gassville Cemetery. These would include an increase in the sale price of the lots, regulations concerning the placement of flowers and decorations in the new addition, the authorization for city workers to removed old flowers left on gravesites once or twice per year for maintenance purposes, and other such matters. A draft revision will be prepared for later consideration by the City Council.

Mayor Braim requested two new appropriations to the 2025 budget. The first item was in the street department. The city sold a lawn mower to the wastewater treatment facility for $3,800.00. That revenue was recorded as miscellaneous revenue, line item #4700. The Mayor requested that this $3,800.00 be appropriated to street department budget expense line item #6510 - Equipment Purchase. Council Member McFarland moved to amend the budget and appropriate $3,800.00 to the street department budget expense line item #6510 - Equipment Purchase, as requested. This motion was seconded by Council Member Bird. The Mayor called for discussion, then for the vote. Council Members McFarland, Seaman, Lassen, and Bird voted for the motion. There were no nays, and the motion was declared to be carried.

The second appropriation request dealt with the sale of an impounded vehicle from the police department, which brought $321.50 at auction. The Mayor asked that this money be transferred from General Fund into the Police New Vehicle Fund, Account #02593. Council Member Lassen moved to transfer $321.50 from the General Fund into Police New Vehicle Fund, Account #02395, as requested. This motion was seconded by Council Member Seaman. The Mayor called for discussion, then for the vote. Council Members McFarland, Seaman, Lassen, and Bird voted for the motion. There were no nays, and the motion was declared to be carried.

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Prior to adjournment, Mayor Braim provided the following updates to the City Council:

1. The new vehicle for the public works department has arrived at Red River Dodge in Heber Springs. The city has received the invoice.

2. The Arkansas Municipal League's summer convention will be June 18 to June 20 in Little Rock.

There being no further business to come before the City Council, the meeting then adjourned at 7:53 PM upon motion of Council Member Bird, seconded by Council Member McFarland, with all members voting in favor.

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

Approved by: /s/ Jeff Braim,
Mayor

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