City Council - Regular Meeting

Heat. Heat. N. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat.

Good evening everyone. We're going to have a committee meeting after the uh discussion at the last council meeting about the Hendricks College in their entertainment district. The city's had our entertainment district up and running roughly a year now. I think it's probably time to revisit it and see if there's any tweaks or anything that the council wants to do different. So, uh, at this point in time, we will open the floor. I do know that I talked to the chief about it briefly and he agreed there's some there's some areas where we just don't need to worry about police protection, you know, like the art walk and things like that and family things. But if you have a large group, maybe a large contingent coming for, we'll just say Mark Led Better's homecoming at Conway High School.

Yeah. Yeah. Then then maybe we want to. Yeah. Yeah. [laughter] We're all in bed by 9:00.

Yeah. Yeah. So anyway, Felicia, if you would step up, pull the microphone down. So, just a quick update on the downtown entertainment district uh that you guys approved last year. Uh we started in March with the artwalk. Uh Rogue Roundabout has been uh one of the major uh contributors to the artwalk as the entertainment district. Um it has been amazing. Um we did it from March through November. We had uh an entertainment district every month. Um and then a couple of months uh May and then July and then October for our birthday party. We had multiple vendors and then Rogue Roundabout has done some separate entertainment district just closing down Chestnut in their street and using it. But the entertainment district um I feel like has been a success this first year. Uh we did have logistic issues with like the flags. We don't have permanent markings. So we do temporary flags. We mark the streets. uh logistics of how we get cups and wristbands to each of the individuals and then if they run out are they able to get more during their event. So we had a lot of logistics that we worked out um as we went along. Um they worked with um we had a rain date in April and so just having that rain date already planned for the artwalk so that CPD for security wise they can go ahead and book everyone in advance. Um, so just a few things that we worked through as we went through it. But overall it was a great it was a great year uh for the entertainment district and hopefully uh we get more people to engage with us to do it. I think the cost is a driver of that. Uh we did um they have to pay for security and they have to pay for the cups and the wristbands and so um just looking at it overall getting it you know to feel like

where we can get more people involved with it I think would be great for downtown for sure. I I attended the one in October that was conjunction with the birthday party. Yeah. I was amazed. Never dreamed there'd be that many people there. It was good. That one was good. We all the vendors were busy. The entertainment district stretched Kings was part of that entertainment district. So it stretched from Kings, that was the largest one from Kings all the way back to Main Street. So we had the entire uh area blocked off as an entertainment district. council, what have you heard from individuals as far as any tweaks that they might want to make or something needs to be done different?

Well, I'll I'll speak a little bit about that and full and for full disclosure, I'm a part owner of the Rogue Roundabout. Um, so we we have been the sponsor for ArtWalk each each of the meetings and it's been it's been it's been fun. It's been good. The patrons like it. intended to do drive business to downtown and to the the sponsor of the of the art walk or of the entertainment district. It's um as opposed to the Hendricks Village where you've got a open area, you know, logistically it's a little different downtown because you've got streets um and it's not just a big open area. So fortunately for the Rogue Roundabout, the block of Chestnut to the west of the restaurant is easily closable because it's not really a through street. It's not not a big east west through street. So it's easily closable for we have a one night different event which we've had a few times that was not our or works well. So you know it it it may not work for every restaurant downtown that has a liquor license if they don't have a a good place to do it. I mean, if there's not a good outside place for them to do it, then it doesn't make any sense. Now, when we get the pocket park finished back there, that might provide some opportunities. You know, you have to have an avenue to get there, but there's ways to make that happen. I've just been a little surprised there's been fewer people actually do it. But again, you have to have a a place to be able to do it. You have to have a place you can shut down the street, and not everybody necessarily has that.

That's true. Yeah. Npocket Park I think will help because it'll be we bought that building so it's a little bit bigger in there now and so to drive you know people to that park there'll be seating I think will be pretty cool for the alleyways the what's worked well for the artwalk is you know the foot the footprint of artalk was already established and the only restaurant in that footprint you had to extend it out about a half a block was a road roundabout so it made sense you if you're at the far end of the artwalk it doesn't make sense to do that now we saw though it can work at the city's birthday party. Kings was a sponsor and Rogue Roundabout was. So everything in between, you could walk

between there and it worked out great. So So it it can work. Probably need a little more coordination maybe with some of the restaurants to come up with an event that you know and here's the thing too. You you you could have a an entertainment district event is that it's an event. It's not just, hey, we're going to open up the street tonight and walk out with your drink. I mean, you'd have another reason for somebody to really come down there like Artw Walk or the city's birthday party. And so it it that falls upon, I guess, downtown restaurants who want to do something to come up with a something to do. Leic, I know you got some items here highlighted. You want to discuss these?

Uh, they're just point of reference. Okay. for council just to please the people that I've talked to said what Mr. Leadb better says that they were amazed at the number of people and I think that they had been to that October one uh where there just was a lot of folks and so I think it's a good start. Uh I is that the one or do they all have fireworks? That was the fireworks. They had fireworks. That particular That was the birthday party. So that was just the birthday party. That was just for the birthday party.

Okay. Thank you. I I just wanted to check on that. And the reason that I asked that question is there might be a tinder box or two down there that if Spark got in the wrong place, we might have an issue.

I just suggestion as much as anything else. Council, if you would take just a moment to kind of read through this and see if anything stands out to you, we can go back and talk about uh police presence if y'all want to make any changes there. I will say um um so Conway PD um originally the artwalk already has security and so they were providing security with the artwalk and then with the vendor holder of the entertainment district and so I think they have now since we have kind of went through the year I think they um they reduced it by one because it was a a lot of of security out there and so I think they reduced it by one I think now for Rogue Roundabout and then one for ArtWalk. Um and if there's another event like Kings and that would be an added security on it.

That's just for that area. So we still have regular patrol. Absolutely. Going Yes. making the rounds. Yes. That's extra folks. Yeah. They're designated in that area. Yes.

Uh we have two. We have um well it depends on how many people are within the entertainment district. So ArtWalk has one I believe and then Rogue Roundabout has two and so with all the events and the amount of people CPD um has went down to one now for each one. Artwalk gets one and then Rogue gets one because they're looked at separately. So, the art walk people and then the entertainment district.

I haven't really heard anything at all similar to what they said. I've heard good things from ArtW Walk, but and I mean good feedback there and I know I I know they appreciated and have posted about that a good deal, but I don't know anything more. Felicia, are you What are you looking for tonight? Is there a proposed change or are we just talking about what we may want? I think we just an update on where we were um for the year because this is the first year that we've we've done it. So year one downtown I think for us again it went well. So this was informational. I'm sorry Mr. Go ahead. Go ahead. M I'm good.

What's our notification requirement to the city to be able to do one of these? So, um, they fill out a special event permit, uh, to CPD and then CPD goes through the process of making sure they have, you know, the insurance, what areas they want to block off, if there's any permissions needed from the neighbors, it goes out to us and then they sign off on it. So, it takes a couple of days to put one of these together.

Yes. The notification is we would like at least 30 days notice for these. Um, again, ArtWalk is one that they have a set schedule, so we know it's the first Friday of every month. We've had a few special ones. They've sent them in 30 days, gave us the area that they're blocking off. They've been turning them around pretty quickly, though. It's not been um too big of an issue. I remember when we were going over the form, didn't we go through looking at at the Yes. request form and all that quite a bit.

Could we reach out maybe to And I mean just like an email, not not any kind of anything bigger formal, but to all the um alcohol license holders in downtown and just say, "Hey, we're looking this over." So that's on Is there a reason why you didn't do it or you wanted to do it or

It's on my list to um I have a a meeting next week with create with ArtWalk to just get a debriefing on how their year went and then I'll get with Kim at the downtown partnership and see how we can look at engaging the businesses um even even the ones without alcoholics like what would make that experience if someone did an entertainment district what would make you stay open? Um and so we have those um on our on our list of things to do. That's a good point. It does not just benefit the restaurant who sponsors it. It benefits the other businesses, clothing shops, um other restaurants in the area where people come um for whatever reason. Yeah.

So I've got a question. So the permits are $100 and that covers a 100 wristbands or 100 people. What is the average number that we're seeing people I mean just 100 or have we had more where they've gotten two or 300 or Yes. So we had um so averaging about uh maybe 150 to 200 and then of course for the birthday party um it was it was more so I got a question. You said uh I I don't know anything about it. You said people go into businesses and stuff while they down there. Can you go into a business without owning? Uh, no. I mean, I think it's only up to each indiv.

So, it's up to each individual business. We've not had any business opt out. I'm talking I'm talking legally. Can you walk into a in the entertainment district? Yes. Unless they opt out. Yes. If a if a business opts out, would they put a sticker? Okay. They would get a sticker. What other questions? Just a second. I'm full of questions. What about carry? Are you allowed to carry down there in the entertainment district? That would be I would assume yes because Arkansas is open carry carry open carry. Okay. But with alcohol

I will have to run that by Mr. Finenbinder. We'll get an answer on that and that's a good question. But I would I would think so because you can carry in our parks now, our city parks as well as uh national parks. But that's a good question, Mr. Jones. I'll find out. When they carry into the restaurants whenever they're in the restaurants, do the restaurants don't say anything. Yeah, it might it might seem the same, but it's different when you walk around outside one and going in a closed area. I would think I could be wrong. My opinion. No, we need to get an answer on that.

I think state law would apply to that, but I we do get need to get an answer. Anything else? Hey, council, we'll take about a 14m minute break and kick off at six o'clock. Thank you, everybody.

Exactly. We proceed each council meeting with a word of prayer, the pledge of allegiance. If you'd like, please feel free to join us. in heaven. There's so many things to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

I'll call this meeting to order. Miss herd, would you call the role, please? Mr. Hawkins here. Mr. Grimes here. Mr. Spurgers here. Miss Mills here. Mr. Led Better here. Mr. Hawks here. Mr. Jones here. Missby here. Okay. You should have received copies of the November 11th, 2025 city council minutes. Any corrections, changes, or comments? Make a motion for approval as submitted. Second. Have a motion and a second to approve the minutes as submitted. No further discussion. All in favor say I. I. Any oppose? Passes 8 to zero. Next up we have our monthly financial report which ended October 31st. Mr. Winningham. Good evening everybody. Good evening.

Good evening.

We are looking at the month of October. I don't have a whole lot to go over with you tonight. Uh is kind of a low news month, so to speak. Hit the same kind of high points we hit every month. We we already mentioned what our sales tax did at the last meeting, but I'll reiterate it. Uh in the month of October, it was up 6.6% which put us up 1.6 year to date. uh the numbers we got for November up 4%. Which put us up 1.8. So unfortunately December has to be up 16.5%. For us to hit our budget number, which not saying it won't happen, not saying it's not possible, but it's not likely.

Before we move on, let's clarify. Hit our sales tax budget number, not our overall revenue budget number. We are on track to hit our overall revenue budget number because other things are up,

right? Yes. Yes, sir. Yes. I was just speaking of sales taxes. And then going off that comment, our adval uh looks to be up about 5% over what it was last year. So due to increasing excuse me, property values if there were reappraisals uh increased properties overall that are taxable to the city. So, that's that's a good sign that you you always want your your property value to be uh increasing. And uh if you go through and look at all of our uh balance sheets, which shows like our cash balances and uh receivables and everything, all of our our fund balances are in what I would call a healthy state. So, I think we're in good shape. That's all I've got. Mr. Mayor,

any questions, Mr. Winningham? I'm curious on the uh looking at October just at revenue uh year-to- date on beverage seems a lot lower than budgeted. That one there's a bit of a time lag in that one in the accounting firm getting everything, processing it, and then sending us the information and the check. So, uh nothing to be concerned about there. It's just a timing. So, you expect when we get to February or March that's going to have land close to budget? Yes. Okay. Yeah. Council, if no other questions, I'll take a motion. So moved to accept the Have a motion and a second. I'm sorry, M.

No, I was just saying so moved to accept the financials for October. I have a motion and a second to approve the monthly financials which ended October 31st. Any further discussion? Missurd. All in favor say I. I. Any opposed? Passes eight to zero. Thank you, Tyler. Next up, we have a public hearing for the telecommunications revenue improvement bonds for Conway Corporation. I think Mr. Wilburn is here to speak to that tonight. And Mr. Carol is also here should you have any questions for him. Good evening. This is the I'm Gordon Wilbur with QA Rock Law Firm. Uh this is the telecommunications project we talked about before when you adopted a reimbursement resolution.

I declare this public meeting open. I'm sorry, Mr. Go ahead, Gordon. So, not you've heard about the project before, but tonight uh you'll have before you the ordinance that would approve the issuance of these bonds in a not to exceed principal amount of 37.8 million. It all also has a not to exceed interest rate, a not to exceed final maturity. Uh you'll note language here in the hearing notice and in the bond ordinance that said there would be municipal bond insurance and uh debt service reserve insurance policy if those were economically advantageous and we have determined today that they are and so those will be components of this issue. Uh happy to answer any questions and um Mr. Carol can answer any questions about the um project itself. I will just ask again like I always do to verify this is not a debt taken on by city of Conway. Correct. It will not be repaid by city of Conway.

It is secured solely by telecommunications revenues. McConnell Corporation. McConnell Corporation. That's right. Any questions, Mr. Will? No, I I I need to correct myself. It is secured by telecommunications primarily and secondarily by surplus electric revenues. That's okay. Thank any questions for Mr. Wilbert? Mr. Carol, would you like to say anything? Not other than the fact that that I am for in the public hearing, I am for the issuance of these bonds to complete this project. Again, as Mr. Wman said, we've been talking about this project for some time and and uh when we did the reimbursement resolution, but uh but just to officially be on record saying I am for uh this this this bond issuance. Thank you.

But I'd be happy to answer any questions that you guys might have about the project. Would anyone in the audience like to speak for or against? At this time, we'll declare this public hearing closed. We'll move to the next one. Next is a public hearing for the electric revenue improvement bonds for Comic Corporation. Mr. Wilbur also approved a reimbursement resolution on this. This is for the Comic Corporation share of the replacement gas generated uh turbine facility up Independence County. Uh again, you'll have a ordinance in front of you with a parameters ordinance. This is not to exceed 48.6 million. Uh again, we've determined today that the municipal bond insurance and debt service reserve insurance is economically advantageous. These bonds are secured solely by electric revenues uh on a parody basis with the outstanding electric revenue bonds. Happy to answer any questions.

Thank you, Mr. Wilbert. Would anyone else like to speak for or against Mr. Carol? Yes. Just want to be on the record as being for this this uh bond issuance as well. Uh and and just to remind you, I know I maybe mentioned it before, but you know, you have to spend the bond proceeds in three years and so the project won't be completed in three years. So, we'll be coming back uh for more for more for more bonds in the future. But I just want to make you guys aware of that. So, Mr. Mr. Carol, sir. Is this just the Conway portion of the financing? Yes, sir. Other communities will have their own Yes, sir. financing agreements.

They will. They will. Yes, sir. Absolutely. Yeah, there are a number of coowners, five or six to be to be exact. What happens if one of them defaults? Yeah, that's a good question. We talked about it a little bit at at one of the other council meetings. And so if somebody defaults then then the other co-owners would have an opportunity to purchase their share of the natural gas plant. Yeah. Yes sir. But but to let you know um their their uh bond purchase agreements their all their bond trust and interest they require them to evaluate rates to make sure they can pay these bonds off. So they're required to do that just like we are. Good question.

Any questions Mr. Carol? Would anyone else like to speak for or against? This time we'll declare this public hearing closed. Thank you, gentlemen. First up on the agenda, we have the economic development committee. First up is consideration to approve the waving of all readings, all three readings for ordinances on the November 25th city council agenda. Make a move that we ra wave the readings. Second. Have a motion and a second that we wave three readings for our November 25th council meeting. Any further discussion? Missurd. In favor say I. I. Any opposed?

Passes 8 to zero. First, next up is an ordinance to approve the telecommunications revenue improvement bonds for Conway Corporation. Mr. Carol and Mr. Wilburn are here. Again, if you have any questions, make a motion for adoption of the ordinance. I have a motion and a second to approve this ordinance for the telecommunications revenue improvement bonds for Conway Corporation. Any further discussion clause or number? I do not see one. Yeah, it does say. Okay. I do not have it on my both of these do. Okay. All right. with the emergency clause. Ordinance number is

uh 025106. Thank you, Missurd. Mr. Led Better. Yes. Mr. Spurs. Hi. Mr. Hawkins. Yes. Msby. Yes. Miss. Hi. Mr. Grimes. Hi. Mr. Hawks. Yes. Mr. Jones. Yes. And the emergency clause. Mr. Lead Better. Yes. Mr. Spurs. Hi. Mr. Hawkins. Yes. Missy. Yes. Miss. Hi. Mr. Grimes. Hi. Mr. Hawks. Yes. Mr. Jones. Yes,

those both pass with that passes with the emergency clause 8 to zero. Next is an ordinance to approve the electric electric revenue improvement bonds for Conway Corporation. Again, Mr. Wilburn and Mr. Carol here if you have any questions. Make a motion for adoption of the ordinance. I have a motion and a second to adopt this ordinance with the emergency clause uh to approve the electric revenue improvement bonds for Conway Corporation. Any further discussion? Missurd. Mr. Jones. Yes. Miss Mill. Hi. Mr. Grimes. Hi. Mr. Spurgers. Hi. Mr. Lead Better. Yes. Missby. Yes. Mr. Hawks. Yes. Mr. Hawkins. Yes.

And the emergency clause. Mr. Jones. Yes. Miss. Hi. Mr. Grimes. Hi. Mr. Spurs. Hi. Mr. Led Better. Yes. Mrs. Yes. Mr. Hawks, yes. Mr. Hawkins, yes. That passes 8 to zero as well as the emergency clause. Thank you, gentlemen. All right. Next up, we have the community development committee. Mr. Hawkins, I'll turn this over to you, sir. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. First item on this portion of the agenda is an ordinance to approve an old Conway design overlay district for the planning and development department. And good evening. What you going to tell us?

Good evening. So what we've been working on here is we have the historic preservation plan which was adopted into the comprehensive plan a few years ago and one of the recommendations in that historic preservation plan was to have more administrative reviews in the old Conway design overlay district. This is not the Robinson historic district. We are not touching anything in the Robinson historic district. This is for the overlay and what it will do is if something is we have the regulations which are outlined in the ordinance and the changes that we have made is that if something is fully compliant it means all of the standards that are out um outlined there such as building materials, height restrictions, um landscaping then it does not need to go before the historic district commission. It can be reviewed administratively. would be something similar to what we have for site development review where planning staff reviews commercial development administratively. Then an applicant will have the opportunity if say the um administrative official denies the application, they can then appeal that to the historic district commission. Likewise, if something is not fully compliant, then it will need to go to historic district commission and they will then need to um make the application 30 days in advance and go through that process. Um this will anything that is a primary structure will also need to go to historic district commission. So any new structure on a lot you will still have the neighbors will be notified. That's one of the processes for historic district commission. And then they will be able to um attend the meetings. So even a primary structure that's fully compliant will still need to go to historic district commission. Um some of the language was changed from shoulds to shall just to assist the administrative official to know like this it has to look like this and if it doesn't look like this it needs to go to HDC. So there was adding a lot more um specifics

into the language to help the administrative officials and that that's concludes my presentation on that. Do you have any questions? Sounded official. I like the idea of changing from sh to sh. That's a big difference. Yeah. Thank you. Yeah. You're welcome. Appreciate all the work that was put in on this because this is obviously not something that's easy to do. Thank you. Welcome. Let me tell you something. Tara has been a tremendous asset in in the planning department. That whole department does a great job. But yeah, she uh she she understands the historic district very well.

Council, any questions? This be ordinance 025108. Make a motion to approve. Second. Have a motion and a second to adopt this ordinance for the old Conway Design Overlay District for Planning and Development Department. Any further discussion? Heard this? Yes, Smel. Hi, Mr. Jones. Yes, Mr. Hawks. Yes, Mr. Spurs. Hi, Mr. Hawkins. Yes, Mr. Grimes. Hi, Mr. Lead Better. Yes.

Passes eight to zero. Mr. Hawkins, next item, Mr. Mayor, is an ordinance uh amending the Conway zoning code. It's 02587 was the old ordinance. Uh this is for the purposes of building and lot coverage for the planning and development department. And Tara, they're going to let you do this again. That's right. I'll be here for for a few. Go.

Um so this will goes ties into the next few ordinances. I'll have to do with the development review um amendments. And then this is just specifying the difference between lot coverage and building coverage, especially for the different um commercial districts. So that review those doing the review can the um can look at building coverage what that maximum is and then the lot coverage which includes driveways and any uh surface in which water cannot go through there qu a procedural question here. So Mr. Hawkins you mentioned this was the old ordinance. I believe tonight is the third reading of the new ordinance. So I think do we need to read it again Mr. Pinkiner?

We do. It's the third reading. Yes. I that was the question. We have to do that. That's what we were talking about. We have to do that third reading. Okay. So, well, Ter, you read you read you've done it past. Okay. All right. An ordinance amending the Conway zoning code O-9454 as amended for the purposes of distinguishing between building coverage and lot coverage. Remove duplicative requirements addressed through other code section and for other purposes. I'll make a motion for the adoption of the ordinance 02587. Second.

I have a motion, a second to adopt this ordinance to approve amending the Conway zoning code article 3 for building and lot coverage for the planning and development department. Any further discussion? Does anybody else want to have any comments on any of this? I I think we've kind of done that each time. Okay. So, is there anyone that would like to speak out for or against either of any thoughts on this or questions? these some of the items that y'all saw at your meeting at our committee. Yeah, the working group. I think Spencer, you came to one of the public hearings. They've had public meetings. I mean, there's been a lot of due diligence to make sure this is out there. Yeah. All right. Missurd. Mr. Hawks.

Yes. Mr. Grimes. Hi. Mr. Hawkins. Yes. Missy. Yes. Miss Mill. Hi. Mr. Spurs. Hi. Mr. Jones. Yes. Mr. Le Better. Yes. That passes 8 to zero. Mr. Hawkins. Next item, Mr. Mayor, ordinance 02588. This will be the third reading, and this will be amending the Conway zoning code for the purposes of eliminating conflicts between article 4 and article 10 providing flexibility in parking requirements, simplification of language for the planning and development department. And Tara, translate that for me. Yes.

Thank you. So um article currently article four is our parking um section and then article 9 is the movement of buildings and then we wanted to take all of the parking and access and put it into a single code section and so that has become that um article 9 and we moved it from article 4 just so that for ease of reference when there a developer comes into the office and then you know we need to give them these are your regulations it's nine and 10. It really was, you know, for as simple as a reason as that just so that we can also, if someone wanted it, you know, in their hand, we have those two code sections right next to each other. Some of the main points there is, uh, reducing the minimum and maximum parking requirements, as was mentioned before. We had the advisory committee met um, multiple times for all of these amendments that I'm about to go through. And we also had the public hearing uh, planning commission, a public input meeting. And there's that was one of the major differences or one of the major changes was the minimum and maximum parking requirements and then also ensuring that on we have um appropriate distances on major collectors for driveways. So just kind of um refining some access requirements and then those parking kind of going with what's going through on throughout the nation with minimums and maximums re um taking those away. Would anyone in the audience like to speak to this? Have any questions for or against?

I'm sorry. Are you ready to read for the third time? The third reading. All right. An ordinance amending the Conway zoning code 09454 as amended for the purposes of eliminating conflicts between article 4 and article 10, switching the contents of article 4 with the contents of article 9 for ease of reference, providing flexibility and parking requirements, simplification of language, and for other purposes. Make a motion for the adoption of the ordinance 02588. Second. Have a motion and a second to adopt this ordinance. Any further discussion?

Yes, Mr. Mayor. I did when I I found a screenshot I'd saved for a long time and forgot I had it, but this made me remember that I had it. And it it it really pertains maybe more to C1, but really all these things were talking about and the great driver planning department does. This was a text I got from a family friend a year or so back. They're they grew up in Springdale. They now live in Austin, Texas. They were here to visit and they she drove from Midtown Conway, which is I guess Salem area to the downtown. And she texted me later. She said, "I love it. I love your town. I love the old homes that nobody tore down and the 60ft trees lying the streets. Love it." So what what we do does make a difference.

Missurd. Miss. Hi. Mr. Jones. Yes. Mr. Hawks. Yes. Mr. Mr. Grimes. Hi. Mr. Lad Better. Yes. Mr. Spurgers. Hi. Mr. Hawkins. Yes. Mr. Yes. That passes 8 to zero. Mr. Hawkins.

Next item, Mr. Mayor, is an ordinance amending the Conway zoning code for ordinance 02589. And this has to do with article 10, which clarifies site development review scope, process, and fee schedule for the planning and development department. And Tara, you're on a roll. All right. Um, the article 10, this is the the meat of the development review regulations, and this is where we're going to see more flexibility in the building materials, the different types of classes of materials, so that people um will not necessarily have to adhere to the 50% masonry requirements, but we'll be able to show um high high quality materials that are not necessarily masonry. Um, it also changes some of the application requirements to be in conformance with state law as well as the fee schedule. And the reading, the third reading is an ordinance amending the Conway zoning code 09454 as amended for the purposes of clarifying site development review scope, process, and fee schedule, providing flexibility and diversity in building material requirements, simplified language, and for other purposes. Make a motion for the adoption of the ordinance 02589. Second.

We have a motion and a second to adopt this ordinance. Would anyone like to comment? Just a strong appreciation for all the work that went I mean like oh yeah literally like uncountable hours that you guys and the committee put into this. Thank you. Thank you Mr. Sp. Missurd. Mr. Grimes. Hi. Miss. Hi. Mr. Hawkins. Yes. Mr. Spurs. Hi. Missby. Yes. Mr. Le Better. Yes. Mr. Jones. Yes. Mr. Hawks. Yes. Passes eight to zero. Mr. Hawkins.

Let's see. The next item, Mr. Mayor, is uh an ordinance amending the zoning code. This would be 02590, zoning code 13 as amended for the purpose of defining or redefining terms for the planning and development department. This is uh just making sure we have uh definitions that fit all of the amendments we've just made. So the third reading is an ordinance amending the Conway zoning code 09454 as amended for the purposes of defining or redefining terms.

Make a motion for the adoption of the ordinance 02590. Second. We have a motion and a second to adopt this ordinance defining or redefining terms for the planning department. Any further discussion? Would anyone like to address this? Yes. Heard. Mr. Hawkins. Yes. Mr. Le Better. Yes. Mr. Jones. Yes. Mrs. Yes. Mr. Hawks. Yes. Miss Mill. Hi. Mr. Spurgers. Hi. Mr. Grimes. Hi. That passes eight to zero. Great job, Terry. You're going to need to speak up a little bit more clearly. [laughter]

Thank you council for approving all of that that we'll have another wave coming in 2026 Mr. Hawkins. Yes ma'am. Thank you and and your staff and the committee Miss Mill. Final item here, Mr. Mayor's consideration to approve a conditional use approval to allow relig religious activity and retail general uses in the I3 zone for property at 700 South South German Lane. You have to make that distinction, don't we? It is South German Lane. Okay. Yeah, South German Lane. Maybe a little typo. No problem. Um, and Miss Tucker, are you the second team to

I am the second team. I'm I'm the relief. Um, yes. So, Mr. Cington asked to he that is currently in an I3 zone. This was presented to uh planning commission last week and they approved it seven to nothing with very little discussion to tell you the truth. But Mr. Cington's intention is to allow a church to occupy two of the um spaces in that strip. and we advised him to go ahead and ask for general retail for the for the vacant spots just in case to keep him from having to come back. I don't think that he has anybody concrete in mind for those spaces, but in an I3 it's kind of restrictive. So, we wanted to give him, you know, a chance to use that space. And, uh, he's here to speak if you'd like to hear from me.

Mr. Covington, could you come up, please, sir? Council, do you have any questions of Mr. Coington? How you doing, Jason? Jason Coington, 2400 Robinson Avenue. And Tara does a great job.

She does. She does. So, it's just uh 10 small suites on this huge building. Most of the building's warehouse space. Uh it's mainly lawyers over there, but the someone had built out a space for insurance agency. Worked good for the church. They've just small group of 15 to 30 people uh meeting. So, and we we're not going to expand the offices into the rest of the warehouse. Just tried to fix up the front of the building. Make a motion to approve the conditional use permit.

Second. Have a motion and a second to approve a conditional use permit to allow religious activities and retail general uses in I3 zone for property located at 700 South German Lane. Any further discussion? It's heard. All in favor say I. Any opposed? Thank you. Thank you Jason. Thank you. Thank you Mr. Hawkins. Yes sir. Next we have public service committee and we have an ordinance to appropriate grant funds from Best Friends Animal Society Society for the Conway Animal Shelter. We have Mr. Clawson here. Hey, Spencer. Amazing.

So, I've got a thousand check from Best Friends Animal Society that we need to appropriate. This was a grant money for a social media boost grant that we participated in and we're happy to take their thousands. We like grants. Love them. Make a motion for the adoption of the ordinance 025109. Second. Have a motion, a second to adopt this ordinance to appropriate grant funds from the Best Friends Animal Society for the Conway Animal Services. Any further discussion?

We were at a conference last week and saw them and uh they were thrilled to see folks from Conway and the presenter, Wrangler, handler, whatever was also from Conway from here. Anyway, so big fans. Appreciate the work you guys are doing. Yeah, absolutely. I appreciate you saying that. So they've been tremendous allies for us that uh they have a lot of good opportunities and we've been able to seize many of them. So it's hard. Mr. Spurgers. Hi. Mr. Grimes. Hi. Mr. Jones. Yes. Mr. Hawkins. Yes. Mr. Hawks. Yes. Msby. Yes. Mr. Lad Better. Yes. Miss Mill. I. That passes eight to zero. At 109. Yes. 109.

Thank you. Next on the agenda, we have public safety consideration approve inventory disposal with the Conway Fire Department. Chief Wter, good evening, council. We need to remove engine 9 and engine 10 from an inventory list so we can get those things traded in. No, [clears throat] Mike, what what they going to give us for those? 15,000 each. Amazing, isn't it? Oh, just not worth it. I understand. And that's Would someone community want it? Actually, I believe one of the uh volunteer departments within the county is going to purchase one of them.

Okay. Any useful life left? Why wouldn't we want to get it in somebody's hands that could use it? We've spent a lot of money recently on keeping those on the road. You're talking about donating, Mr. Oh, okay. I'm sorry. [laughter] Just going to be clear. I just want to be clear. I make a motion that we allowed the uh disposal of these assets from the inventory. Second. Although that's not a bad idea. Have a motion and a second to approve the inventory disposal for the Conway Fire Department. Any further discussion? Is heard? All in favor say I.

I. Any opposed? Passes eight to zero. The last item on the agenda, council, is resolution approving the reallocation of the pay as you go funds for the city of Conway. Mr. Winningingham is here. And this is that $500,000 that has been split between police and fire to pay for police cars and make a a slight dent in fire truck cost. Uh since the uh sales tax passed for police and fire equipment, I asked Mr. Winningham if we could move that uh into a different fund so that it could be used uh in a different way. And so that's what basically we're asking tonight. Is that fair summation of Mr. Wingham?

Yeah. That that quarter cent became a permanent u non-committed sales tax through the course of rededicating it over the years with various bond issues. And then once it became a permanent non-committed revenue source, it can be spent at at the discretion of city council for any any legal municipal purpose, 500,000. And then that tax brings in, you know, over 5 million. And what it brings in over and above the 500,000 is spent on major street projects. Um, go back over that again. Okay. Do you mind?

Not a bit. If you would from the beginning, okay, tell me what this is, where we're going with the money. Mhm. If you would. So, this is the It's a quarter cent of our total current 1.75 cents sales tax. That's already in effect.

That's already in effect. And uh it was originally part of a sales tax dedicated to a bond issue goes back to I think 2006. Through the years as that tax was rededicated to subsequent bond issues that quarter cent became a permanent general tax. So once it becomes a permanent general tax it can be spent by the city city council for any legal municipal purpose. So, it's not it's not dedicated to something specifically.

It was dedicated by resolution. And the resolutions referenced on this resolution were resolutions that the city council passed that said, "We're going to spend this quarter cent on this. It's not uh restricted by law. The Conway City Council has restricted it themselves."

And where and where is this money going to go now? If this resolution passes, 500,000 of it will go to the general fund each year. And then anything over and above 500,000 up to what that quarter cent brings in is going to be spent on major street projects, which is the major street project portion is not going to change. That's been spent, that portion of that quarter cent has been spent on major street projects since that resolution was first passed back in for March of 2018. Oh, well this is

right. Yeah. Yeah. It was the first resolution that dedicated these funds, so to speak, was 2011 and then we came back and amended that in 2018. And now that we've got this permanent tax going forward for public safety capital, police cars, fire trucks, we're asking to reallocate that 500,000 to the general fund for any specific purpose in the general fund. No, just the general fund. General fund.

Yes, sir. Yeah, it'll just assist the overall general fund in in balancing its budget each year. Thank you, sir. Anybody else? So, um I would really feel much better about this when and I know we've got a draft budget today. I would feel much better about this when if I I I don't want to reallocate anything to the general fund until I know that it's going to people at this point, right? And that's my personal preference. the rest of the council may feel differently, but based on what was shared with us uh at the special meeting in I think October, if [clears throat] we see a big gap citywide, to me that's where the priority needs to be. I also believe that our voters spoke pretty loudly in favor of public safety last week and I don't like I don't like the look of switching money away from that. I understand that this was by the council and not by voter. I understand we're not doing anything wrong. just doesn't feel quite right to me until if we say, you know, we know when we see the budget that our public that our our public safety officials are going to get a raise of Y amount and it exceeds that, I'd feel fine with it at that point. Just tonight, I I'd rather us prove that we're going to do what we said we're going to do, basically.

And the money that goes into the general fund is where we get raises for our employees. I I understand completely. Yeah.

Well, to take that a step further, what I had intimated during the discussions about the capital sales tax that was passed. If it can free up other general fund monies to look at supplementing the fire department as far as staffing and pay, that's what we need to do. And to me, this is a textbook example of doing that. Here's 500,000 that won't be spent on police cars and fire trucks because we're going to spend it with the new money. So to me, this $500,000 needs to be earmarked. And now and I'm not saying how we do it yet. I'm not this bucket that bucket of, you know, staffing or raises, whatnot, but here's $500,000 that goes towards that in my opinion. So that's what I would like to see us do with that when we finalize our budget.

And I I agree. I I do agree with that. Absolutely. Um have no problem with that at all. I do want the council to be aware that budgetwise we've still got to make about $4 million in cuts. That that's absolutely fine. But this four this 500,000 can't go towards that in my opinion. Needs to go towards what we Oh, I agree. And and that was that was my intent. Yes. Yeah. But but I have no I have no problem with and we haven't got that far yet. I just think what Mr. Burger said, "What I'm saying is I want to make sure that I speak for myself that that's that's what I would like to see it go for." Oh, and I think you're absolutely right. Take another next step towards addressing the issue. Yeah. So,

yeah. See if we're saying the same thing, Mr. Grimes. If this was with a budget that was increasing in that amount or more for public safety, it'd be a yes for me. Well, again, we're saying the same thing. I think until we allocate it away from its current purpose, they can't do with it what you're wanting to do. Sure. So, this is the first step to freeing up that money and then we have final say, you know, of where it goes ultimately. Um, if that 500,000 isn't going to what you think you want it to, then we'll we'll hash it out. But I it sounds like we're all on the same page of where we want it to go. Yeah.

And we just need to get in general fund. No, it needs to go to public safety salaries. Yeah. So, I guess my question is, do we need to take action on this tonight, Mr. Pink M, or do we need to come back and do something different? Is the council as a whole, are y'all okay with us putting it into the general fund with everyone with the knowledge that we're going to use that for for salaries? Yeah, I am. Because again, you you can't do that until we put it in the general funds. You're you're putting the cart before the horse. If you're putting together a budget that has it spent on something that you can't spend it on yet,

is there any I mean I know we we just got the working document which isn't done yet um for the budget. I guess I would feel a little more comfortable if we're a little closer to finalizing the budget. And the primary reason we brought this before you tonight is if this did pass, then we could know how to prepare, how to put together the budget to bring to you for approval. If this resolution doesn't pass, that 500,000 is still staying allocated towards police and fire vehicles and not available to use for public safety salaries in the general fund. is the new the new sales tax will go into effect April March.

April one. April one. So, we won't be able to collect a whole year's worth. Correct. What do we think our monthly collections be on that dollar ballpark? The quarter cent is like 475 475,000 a month, I think. Okay. And the 8 cent would be half of that for streets and drains. That was a large one I think of the of the 5 I mean was it projected well 5.7 for a year but we won't collect a whole year but it would be prorated.

So your 2026 number I shared with Mr. Hawks uh it's 4.2ish and then the streets and drainage portion would bring in about half that next year I think with the with both Mr. Grind and Mr. Burgers have said, you know, making sure that it is going to [clears throat] address those public safety personnel um a little more comfortable.

Can we I mean, can we amend this to earmark for that? I understand it's where it's going, but and I mean I understand that's the intent. I don't disagree with it. I'm I'm thinking about how how this can look to it's really optics more than anything else for me, right? As long as it goes where I think the voters spoke that they want it to go and what we're saying, I'm good with that. However we get there, y'all tell me. Make a motion to approve resolution. Second. Second. I have a motion and a second to approve this reallocation of the pay as you go funds for the city of Conway. Noted that we all agreed what what we want to do with it. So, any further discussion?

I think it's just cleaner if we do it as is. Yeah. And then knowing what we want to do with that. And with that, we've fully discussed when we talk about budgets. And that that's why I'd asked Tyler about how we need to go forward with this. Missurd. All in favor say I. I. Any opposed? Passes 8 to zero. Thank you, Tyler. That's all we have for tonight. Couple of Yes, sir.

Couple of things. Council Illuminate is on schedule for Saturday night. However, the rain may change that to Sunday night. So, uh, bring your families and come on down. Also, council, our second meeting in December is December 23rd. Historically, we have not had held that meeting. So, I want y'all to tell me what you want to do tonight so that anyone who wants to get on the December 9th visit, the second meeting, the first meeting in December, they will they will know that and we'll be able to uh to get on the December 9th agenda. So, it's up to you guys if you want to meet on December 23rd or not. I've got family coming in from out of state. with you. I'll be here. But

either way, I'm happy to I would I might not mean that day, but I would maybe hold in our back pocket Tuesday. Yeah, we can have a special meeting if we need to. Yeah, I'm okay with that. I'm okay with that. Meeting yet, but Yes, absolutely. Yeah. Good. All right. So, we'll we'll move forward those plans that uh if there's some budget questions or concerns on the 9th and we'll we'll have a special call council meeting with that. Council, I'll take a motion to I'm sorry, Mr. Mr. Finen.

I just wanted as the budget process comes up just to remind everyone that um when we talk about public safety, um y'all have two criminal prosecutors working for you in the city attorney's office and they're an essential part of the public safety system. So, I hope that y'all will remember them when we talk about public safety and retention. Um, they're first rate prosecutors. Put them up against anybody in the state and I regularly do and they regularly prevail. So, you want a Christmas stocking? Is that what you want for those two? Yes. I'm good. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Pinkin. Mad counsel, we are adjourned. Yeah. Happy day.