Finance & Administration Council Committee - Regular Meeting

As soon as you're able, please record your attendance by pushing the appropriate button. Do you have a quorum? I was too busy worrying about other people. I'm not really here. We'll move into approval of minutes. First up is approval of minutes from the Special College Finance Committee meeting in conjunction with the Public Safety Committee on Thursday, August 6, 2026. Move to approve.

Second.

Motion to second. Any questions or comments on the minutes as presented? If not, please report your vote on whether or not to approve the minutes. All right, next up is approval of minutes from the Finance Committee meeting on Tuesday, August 11th, 2026. Move to approve.

Second.

Motion second. Any questions or comments on these minutes? If not, please push the appropriate button. Please vote on whether or not to approve the minutes. All right, moving to new business. First up is Resolution 26103. A resolution requesting, I sound like Elmer Fudd, a resolution requesting free utility services from City of Water and Light for city-owned property, whereas the City of Jonesboro requesting that City of Water and Light provide free utilities at the following locations, 1709 East Highland Drive, and therefore be resolved by City Council for the City of Jonesboro, Arkansas, that section one, that City of Water and Light requested by this resolution to provide free utilities to the location listed above, section two, to permit such services to be provided without charge to City of Jonesboro hereby affirms to City of Water and Light that the ultimate use of City of Water and Light utilities so provided is now and shall remain a use or purpose which the City is engaged in as part of its government or proprietary functions under authority should be issued to it by state law. Is that the right word? under authority to it, it was like they left out a word on the last sentence. Issued, shouldn't there be issued in there?

Or given? Either one. We can correct it.

What?

We can correct it before council.

Okay.

It's just a typo.

Is there a motion?

I'll make that motion. Second.

I motion to second the floor to full council. I'm sure Mr. Street wishes to recuse himself because of his position on the board of City Water and Light.

Thank you, sir.

Any discussion on this resolution? Anything from staff or the public not in attendance? Seeing none, please cast your vote on whether or not to approve or to send resolution 26103 to full council. All right. Resolution 26104. A resolution to amend the City of Jonesboro, Arkansas FY2026 annual operating budget to provide funding for the purchase of two 2026 Chevrolet 1500 crew cab 4x4 trucks for the Jonesboro Fire Department, whereas portions of the fire department, fire departments currently have reached an age and condition that warrant replacement due to increased maintenance requirements. reliability concerns and the need to maintain a safe and dependable emergency response fleet. And whereas the Jonesboro Fire Department has identified the need to replace two aging fleet vehicles with two new 2026 1500 crew cab four by four trucks available through the state bid vehicle purchasing contract at a total cost of 65,000 including all necessary associated equipment. and uplifting, and whereas the availability of these trucks is limited due to low inventory under the Arkansas state vehicle purchasing contract, making timely authorization and purchase necessary to secure the vehicles before available inventory is exhausted. And whereas, okay, I think this may need to be a word added here, because as in the I guess the second paragraph says at a total cost of $65,000 included on it. That should be $65,000 each. Because here it says, whereas the Jonesboro City Council supports submitting the FY2026 City of Jonesboro slash Fire Department budget by $130,000 for the acquisition of two vehicles and necessary associated equipment, Now, therefore, be resolved by City Council, City of Jonesboro, Arkansas, Section 1, FY 2026, annual operating budget of the City of Jonesboro, Arkansas, is hereby amended to appropriate $130,000 for the purchase of two 2026 Chevrolet 1500 Crew Cab 4x4 trucks and associated accessories from Superior Automotive Group. Section 2, the purchase shall be made in accordance with all applicable city purchasing policies. ordinances, state law, and terms and conditions of the Arkansas State Vehicle Purchasing Contract. As applicable, section three, the Mayor Harold Copenhaver and City Clerk April Leggett are hereby authorized by the City Council of the City of Jonesboro to execute all documents necessary to infatuate the above purchases pursuant to city purchasing guidelines as stated above.

Move forward to full council. Second.

Motion to sign for full council. Any questions or comments from the committee other than whoever wrote these resolutions are over to. I do have a question, Chairman.

For the record, it was not me. And it was not the clerks.

This Dr. Coleman has the floor.

When you buy these trucks, I guess my question, when you buy these, are they fully equipped with everything that you guys need? Or do we have to do something different?

Yes, sir, they'll have everything other than the radio and the graphics for the outside. So that's all included in that upfitting cost. That takes care of our emergency lighting, sirens, bed topper, and a slide out for the back.

I was wondering about that. Do they have to go to a certain channel to get that done, or do they just come equipped like that?

They do it at the dealership. They have an upfitting shop there.

Okay, okay. That's all.

Okay.

Dr. Anthony, do you have any questions? How long, and I just wonder, it's two questions. One, how long do y'all keep these? Because you said the aging. So I was just wondering how long these are before you change this particular one?

Yeah, typically what we're replacing is a 2012 and a 2011 Model Explorers. that were relegated down, so we'll step them down. These will actually be going into frontline service as battalion vehicles. The two battalion chief rides right now are 2021 models, so they will go down to staff vehicles and we'll get rid of the explorers.

Gotcha. I also thought about the new trucks. I know we did this a couple of years ago, maybe a year or two ago, and I was just I don't know if it's I wanted to ask this, but I was just wondering what the deal with that. Have we gotten those? Have they come in?

Which ones? Big ones. Oh, the apparatus we purchased? Yeah. We've got the last Pierce apparatus that we purchased in 24. It should be here this fall. They have started building that one. The two that we purchased first this year, probably late next year when we'll see those two. Wow.

Okay. Great. Anything else for Chief while he's up there? All right, thank you, Chief. Any other questions regarding this resolution? Anything else from staff or the public in attendance? Please cast your vote on whether or not to afford Resolution 26104 to full council. That was the last item under new business. I'm not aware of any pending items. Does anybody have any other business for the committee today? If not, we'll move into public comments. It gives the public a chance to comment on something we haven't already discussed on today's agenda. No takers. Next item's adjournment. So moved. Second. DAVID BURRAGE, JR.: All in favor, say aye. Aye. DAVID BURRAGE, JR.: Any opposed? We stand adjourned. April, can you nominate?