COUNCIL MINUTES DECEMBER, 2023
CITY OF GASSVILLE, ARKANSAS
MINUTES FOR THE REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING
DECEMBER 19, 2023
A regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Gassville, Arkansas was held on Tuesday, December 19, 2023 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 5:34 PM by Mayor Jeff Braim, Presiding Officer, immediately upon completion of a budget work session that began at 5:00 PM..
Upon the calling of the roll, those in attendance were Council Member Kenneth Smith, Council Member Anita Seaman, Council Member Naomi Lassen, Council Member Ralph Bird, Mayor Jeff Braim, and Recorder-Treasurer Jeff Lewis. Council Member Tim McFarland and Council Member Ernest Adkins were absent at roll call. Department Heads in attendance were Water and Street Superintendent Michael Dewey, Police Chief Tim Mayfield, and Fire Chief Michael Glotzl.
The minutes from the last regular meeting held November 14, 2023 were then up for consideration. Council Member Bird moved to approve those minutes as presented, which motion was seconded by Council Member Seaman. No corrections or additions were called for, whereupon the Mayor called for the vote. Council Members Smith, Seaman, Lassen, and Bird voted for the motion. There were no nays, and the Mayor declared the motion carried.
The financial report for the month of November, 2023, was presented for approval. Mayor Braim noted that two transfers out of the sewer improvement line items still need to be made and recorded for payment on a note. Council Member Lassen then moved to approve the financial report, which motion was seconded by Council Member Seaman. The Mayor called for discussion, then for the vote. Council Members Smith, Seaman, Lassen, and Bird voted for the motion. There were no nays, and the Mayor declared the motion carried.
Police Chief Mayfield gave the police department report for the month of November 2023. It was accepted into the record without objection. It was noted that there is one full time officer position as well as part time officer positions open for hire.
Fire Chief Glotzl gave the fire department report for the month of November, 2023. It also was accepted into the record without objection. Chief Glotzl then presented a list of inventoried equipment items that need to be removed from the inventory list as they were involved in the recent sale of the 1997 Pierce fire engine. A copy of the list is attached hereto and incorporated herein by reference. Council Member Lassen moved to authorize the removal of those items from city inventory, which motion was seconded by Council Member Bird. Upon the Mayor's calling for the vote, Council Members Smith, Seaman, Lassen, and Bird voted for the motion. There were no nays, and the Mayor declared the motion carried.
Chief Glotzl announced that awards had been presented to members of the fire department at their Christmas Party. A list of those awards is attached hereto and incorporated herein by reference.
The slate of officers for the fire department for 2024 was presented to the City Council for approval. The nominations are:
Assistant Fire Chief - Garrett Tucker
Captain - Andrew Jackson
Captain - Patrick Campbell
Lieutenant - Josh Mullins
Secretary - Christy Baker
Medical Officer - Trenton Tardiff
Council Member Bird moved to approve the nominations as submitted, which motion was seconded by Council Member Seaman. The Mayor called for discussion, then for the vote. Council Members Smith, Seaman, Lassen, and Bird voted for the motion. There were no nays, and the Mayor declared them motion carried.
Mayor Braim gave the building inspection report for the period of November 14th through December 18th. It was accepted into the record without objection.
The Cotter-Gassville Joint Sewer Commission did not meet. Mayor Braim did, however, provide the City Council with an update. The first construction progress report on the Phase II project was held. The project is currently approximately 5% complete. 400 calendar days were allocated to complete the project. All pipe and materials for the project are expected to be delivered after the first of the year. The next progress meeting will be held in February, 2024.
Council Member Adkins then arrived at the meeting at 5:51 PM.
The Gassville Planning and Zoning Commission has not met, however it was announced that three members had just resigned. Only two members remain. New members will need to be appointed before the commission can meet again.
-2-
Moving on to unfinished business, Mr. Brian Haas presented the City Council with the finalized and completed water and sewer department audit for 2022. Mayor Braim stated he would give the City Council time to examine the report and will bring it back for consideration of approval at the next meeting.
Proposed Ordinance No. 2023-08 was next up for consideration on its third reading. Council Member Seaman moved to suspend the rules and place the proposed ordinance on its third and final reading by title only. This motion was seconded by Council Member Lassen. The Mayor called for the vote. Council Members Smith, Seaman, Lassen, Adkins, 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 NO. 2023-08. AN ORDINANCE AMENDING ORDINANCE 98-08 SPECIFICALLY ADDRESSING PROPERTIES WITH HIGHWAY FRONTAGE WITHIN THE CITY OF GASSVILLE, ARKANSAS FOR COMMERCIAL ZONING AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES."
Council Member Seaman then moved to adopt the ordinance as read, which motion was seconded by Council Member Bird. Mayor Braim called for discussion, then for the vote. Council Members Smith, Seaman, Lassen, Adkins, and Bird voted for the motion. There were no nays, and the Mayor declared the motion carried and Ordinance No. 2023-08 to be adopted.
Under new business, the Mayor presented a list of city streets that he requested the City Council to approve for state aid street paving overlay work in 2024. These streets are:
Crest Loop
Whitaker Lane
Willow Trail
CC Drive
Redbud Street (Houser St. south to city limits)
Council Member Lassen moved to approve this list, which motion was seconded by Council Member Bird. The Mayor called for discussion, then for the vote. Council Members Smith, Seaman, Lassen, Adkins, and Bird voted for the motion. There were no nays, and the Mayor declared the motion carried.
-3-
The issue of amending city personnel policy with respect to allowable travel expenses for hotels and meals was discussed. The personnel committee had met and made recommendations to make changes as follows:
Hotel/Motel expenses: Increase allowable amount from $125 per night to $165 per night.
Meal expenses: Increase allowable amount from $40 ($30 if round trip less than 6 hours) per day to up to $60 ($35 if round trip less than 6 hours) per day.
Council Member Lassen moved to accept these recommendations and to amend city personnel policy to reflect these changes. This motion was seconded by Council Member Smith. After discussion, the Mayor called for the vote. Council Members Smith, Seaman, Lassen, Adkins, and Bird voted for the motion. There were no nays, and the Mayor declared the motion carried.
Mayor Braim also informed the City Council that the personnel committee had also discussed the possibility of increasing accrued sick time allowances for city employees from the current 480 hour maximum up to 720 hours maximum. No action was taken on this matter.
The next item of business was a request from the Mayor that the City Council consider allowing the water and sewer monthly bills to also be sent out via email in addition to the regular mailing. This would allow customers, such as those who are out of town, to receiving their monthly billing statement immediately when available so they can pay it rather than having to wait. There would be an initial cost of $110 to start-up this process followed then by a recurring monthly cost of $10 to the city. Council Member Seaman moved to authorize this process to begin. The motion was seconded by Council Member Adkins. The Mayor called for discussion, then for the vote. Council Members Smith, Seaman, Lassen, Adkins, and Smith voted for the motion. There were no nays, and the Mayor declared the motion carried.
The finalized version of the 2024 operating budget was presented to the City Council for approval. This version provided for an increase in working hours for the part time fire fighter position from 16 hours per week to 20 hours per week. After this change had been calculated, a request was made to increase the hours further to 24 hours per week. This would result in an additional increase to budget expenses of $3,484. Council Member Bird moved to authorize an increase from 16 hours to 24 hours per week for part time help and to increase the expense line item by $3,484.
-4-
This motion was seconded by Council Member Adkins. The Mayor called for discussion, then for the vote. Council Members Smith, Seaman, Lassen, Adkins, and Bird voted for the motion. There were no nays, and the Mayor declared the motion carried.
Council Member Smith asked if the carryover figure in General Fund on the financial report is still correct. Mayor Brain replied that the figure shown is the figure as of 11/30/2023, but he does not expect that figure to vary by much at the end of the year. Council Member Bird then moved to adopt the 2024 operating budget with the one change as indicated hereinabove. This motion was seconded by Council Member Lassen. Mayor Braim called for discussion, then for the vote. Council Members Smith, Seaman, Lassen, Adkins, and Bird voted for the motion. There were no nays, and the Mayor declared the motion carried.
The topic of potentially soliciting bids for trash pickup services in the city was next discussed. Currently residents may choose their own trash pickup company. If the city solicited bids for trash service and awarded a contract, then city residents would be compelled to utilize that service, and the monthly cost would be billed by the city. Some Council Members expressed interest in this idea, which other expressed opposition to it. It was suggested that city residents be polled as to their preference. No action was taken.
Mayor Braim announced that Mr. Danny Montgomery had purchased the property where the used auto sales business had been located at the corner of Cotter Rd. and U. S. Hwy 62. Mr. Montgomery plans to set up a sales office for new mobile homes there and will have several new mobiles set up on display. There will be an employee working at the business, but nobody will be living or staying on site.
It was announced that the contract signing for the Lancaster Park walking trail project will take place tomorrow (December 20th) at 1:30 PM at the Community Center.
The City Hall will be closed on Friday, December 22nd and on Monday, December 25th for the Christmas holiday.
Although not an agenda item, Fire Chief Glotzl brought up the matter of the purchase of a used fire truck before the meeting adjourned. This issued had been discussed at an earlier public safety committee meeting.
-5-
The fire truck in question is a 2007 Pierce Rescue Pumper. The truck is located in Florida. The purchase price is $190,000. The truck will come with new tires and new batteries. There would be an additional cost to have the truck shipped here. There is currently $110,676 available in the new fire truck purchase fund. Mayor Braim stated that should the City Council approve the purchase of this fire truck, he would recommend that the remaining balance be paid from available General Fund monies rather than financing the balance and paying high interest rates on it.
This purchase proposal generated a great deal of discussion between Council Members and people in the audience as to the need for this additional fire truck and over financial concerns. Various opinions were voiced. After this debate, Council Member Lassen moved to authorize the purchase of this fire truck, utilizing the monies available in the new fire truck purchase fund and paying for the remainder from available money in the General Fund. This motion was seconded by Council Member Bird. Mayor Braim called for the vote. Council Members Smith, Seaman, Lassen, Adkins, and Bird voted for the motion. There were no nays, and the Mayor declared the motion carried.
Additionally, Fire Chief Glotzl reported that he had received a donation check in the amount of $1,000 and an additional $100 that had been deposited and credited as miscellaneous income in the fire department budget. He asked that this $1,100 be carried over in his budget in 2024 as it will not be utilized this year. Council Member Adkins moved to allow this $1,100 to carry over into the fire department 2024 budget. This motion was seconded by Council Member Seaman. The Mayor called for discussion, then for the vote. Council Members Smith, Seaman, Lassen, Adkins, and Bird voted for the motion. There were no nays, and the Mayor declared the motion carried.
Lastly, a photo of a new sign that will be attached to the new pavilion at the city park was passed around. This cost quote for this sign is $425. It will be a metal sign and will be painted.
-6-
There being nothing further to come before the City Council at this time, the meeting then adjourned at 7:27 PM upon motion of Council Member Bird, seconded by Council Member Seaman, with all members voting in favor.
Submitted by: /s/ Jeffrey Lewis,
Recorder-Treasurer
Approved by: /s/ Jeff Braim,
Mayor
-7-
