City Council - Regular Meeting

I got six you only come to order let's pray Heavenly Father thank you for every blessing that's ours thank you for the freedoms we have thank you for our city for everyone that has a part in our city God just got us as we make decisions that are best for our city Thank you for everything you do for us. In Jesus' name, amen. Amen. I pledge allegiance 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.

Ms. Lisa, could you call the roll, please?

Baker?

Here.

Bradley?

Here.

King? Here. Rossinger? Here. Crystal Thompson? Here. Robert Thompson? Here.

Council, on the approval of the agenda, there's remove items from D&E, ordinance for the special election. That's not ready. We don't have it to present. And then the 24-25 audit, we don't have it. We thought it would be ready. It's not ready yet. Now, are we adding, Lynette, are we adding GH&I? Yes. Okay. So we appreciate a good motion for that.

So moved.

Second? Second. Ms. Lisa?

Bradley? Yes. King? Yes. Rossinger? Yes. Crystal Thompson? Yes. Robert Thompson? Yes. Baker?

Yes.

Thank you. Is there a motion for approval of the minutes? So moved.

Second.

Second. Sorry. Did you catch it? Yes. Okay. Would you call the roll, please?

King?

Yes.

Brassinger? Yes. Crystal Thompson? Yes. Robert Thompson? Yes. Baker? Yes. Bradley?

Yes. uh there's no unfinished business under new business ordinance for rezoning tower road miss lisa could you read that ordinance please do we have a public hearing oh yeah is there i thought we'd already done that last last month Council, let me back up.

Pull this up.

So the city of Clarksville, Arkansas has called for a public hearing on the closing portion of Harris Road, Clarksville, Arkansas. All public comments will be taken into consideration. Rules are all speakers must sign in, speak plainly, give their names and addresses, as well as the business they represent. If any, all comments should be addressed to the hearing body. Comments should be relevant to the topic. It should not be of personal nature. Please avoid repetitive comments. If there are a large number of speakers, including many who are part of a group organization, please ask for a representative to speak on behalf of the group organization. unruly behavior such as booing hissing harassing remarks are prohibited uh the public comment period is considered to be open at this time please your hand to be recognized anybody wish to speak on the closing of harris road miss penny is this is this what you were talking about before the meeting i only have a question okay all right thank you so no comments we will last chance any comments questions okay we will close the public comment period at this point And the public hearing is officially closed. Thank you.

Now, Ms. Lisa, would you read the ordinance? Resolution.

No, it's now we're going to move back to the ordinance.

An ordinance suggesting and amending the zoning map for the city of Clarksville, Arkansas, rezoning property on Tower Road. Whereas the city of Clarksville has heretofore adopted the zoning ordinance and official zoning map to gather the grants to allocation and arrangement of land uses. the development of land in the future building within the corporate limits of the City of Clarksville. And whereas the petition was filed in accordance with the provisions of said ordinance to rezone certain lands within the corporate limits of the City of Clarksville. And whereas the public hearing was held on said petition on August 27th, 2026. The Planning Commission approved the boundary change on August 27th, 2026 and recommended that the City Council adopt the change. And whereas said change was reviewed in its entirety and found to be wholly acceptable, Now, therefore, be it ordained by the city council of the city of Clarksville, Arkansas, that section one, the following described land is hereby rezone from zoning classification R1 to IT description part of the northeast quadrant of the northeast quarter with the following legal more or less parcel number 002-0938-002. All said property being located at Tower Road in Clarksville, Arkansas. Section 2, all ordinances or parts of ordinances in conflict herewith are hereby repealed. Section 3, this ordinance shall take effect 30 days after publication.

Stanley, you and Annette want to come up and just talk about the section road and why we're closing it?

This is the Tower Road. This is Tower Road.

Y'all got too many moving parts. Yeah, if you want to real quick.

house back there, the data center owns all that property. So, you know, we should be able to design it.

Is there a motion to spin the rules and place it on a second reading? So moved. Second. Ms. Lisa?

In order to

Call the roll, please.

Ratzinger? Yes. Crystal Thompson? Yes. Robert Thompson?

Yes.

Baker?

Yes.

Bradley?

Yes.

King?

Yes. Thank you. When you're ready, could you please read my title, please?

An ordinance adjusting and amending the zoning map for the city of Clarksville, Arkansas rezoning property on Tower Road.

Is there a motion to suspend the rules and place it on its third reading? So moved. Second? Second. Ms. Lisa?

Crystal Thompson? Yes. Robert Thompson? Yes. Baker? Yes. Bradley? Yes. King? Yes. Pressinger?

Yes. Could you read my title, please?

An ordinance adjusting and amending the zoning map for the city of Clarksville, Arkansas rezoning property on Tower Road.

Is there a motion to adopt the ordinance? So moved. Second? Second. Ms. Lisa?

Robert Thompson?

Yes.

Baker? Yes. Bradley? Yes. King? Yes. Ratzinger? Yes. Crystal Thompson?

Yes.

Thank you, council. Next item is going to be Harris Road. Ms. Penny, I got it wrong, didn't I? You were asking about Harris Road, weren't you? I'm sorry. I'll get you again. Ms. Lisa, could you read the ordinance for Harris Road? 6B.

an ordinance vacating a portion of roadway known as Harris Road within the city of Clarksville, Johnson County, Arkansas, and for other purposes, whereas the city council of the city of Clarksville, Arkansas, has received a request or petition for the vacation of a portion of the roadway known as Harris Road located within the city of Clarksville, Johnson County, Arkansas, and whereas the portion of roadway purposely vacated is more particularly described in a legal description, attached heretofore as exhibit A and incorporated herein by reference, and whereas the City Council has determined that the portion of roadway described herein is no longer required for municipal or public roadway purposes, and whereas the City Council has considered the vacation of city roadway and has determined that the vacation is in the best interest of the City of Clarksville and its citizens, and whereas the City has complied with the applicable notice and hearing requirements for the vacation of the roadway pursuant to applicable Arkansas law. Now, therefore, be it ordained by the City Council of the City of Clarksville, Arkansas, Section 1, Vacation of Roadway, the City of Clarksville hereby vacates and abandons for public roadway purposes the portion of the roadway known as Harris Road described as follows. Legal description Section A, Section 2, Exhibit A, the complete meters and bounds of legal description of the portion of Harris Road hereby vacated is attached to the ordinance as Exhibit A and is incorporated herein by reference as though fully set forth herein. Section 3, Public Roadway Status. Upon the effectiveness of the ordinance, the portion of Harris Road described in Exhibit A shall no longer be maintained or held by the City of Clarksville as a public roadway. Section 4, Authorization. The Mayor and City Clerk-Treasurer are hereby authorized and directed to execute such documents and take such actions as may be necessary to effectuate the vacation authorized by this ordinance, including the filing and recording of this ordinance in Exhibit A with the appropriate county recording authority. Section 5, severability. If any provision of this ordinance or the application thereof to any person or circumstance is held invalid, such invalidity shall not affect the remaining provisions or applications of this ordinance, but shall remain in full force and effect. section six repealer all ordinances resolutions or parts thereof in conflict with his ordinance are hereby repealed to the extent of such conflict section seven effective date this ordinance shall take effect 30 days after publication all right stanley let's walk through some more of that right there

That road there, the terrace road, what we're vacating back is a property on the data center itself, not the road behind the houses. It's a property strictly on their property. Not this road here, right? Yeah. Where the pavement pretty much ended right there. Oh, yeah. There's no need for us to maintain that road for them. So what we're doing is giving it to them if they want to do whatever they can to maintain it.

Are there any utilities that we need to worry about in there?

I didn't know if we needed to cap off any water lines. Mark, you got to come up.

You got to come up and say your name.

did that answer your question i got a question this has barbara blacker city clerk treasurer at the bottom of it what's it on on our ordinance we could we could edit it off and print it who did that that'll need to be in your motion to approve it with any change is there a motion to spin the rules placed on the second reading so moved second second miss lisa

Baker? Yes. Bradley? Yes. King? Yes. Ratzinger?

Yes.

Crystal Thompson? Yes. Robert Thompson?

Yes. Could you read my title, please?

An ordinance make heading a portion of a roadway known as Harris Road within the city of Clarksville, Johnson County, Arkansas, and for other purposes.

Is there a motion to suspend the rules in place on its third reading?

I just have a question. Yes, sir. Tower Road was ordinance 26 and now Harris Road is ordinance 26.

It's the dash and then they'll assign a number behind it. Okay.

So it is a different.

The first year is the year nomenclature 26 dash 01234. Okay. So she'll assign a number to it as it gets codified going to Little Rock.

Okay.

I'll make a motion we have it read for the third time.

Where do we leave off?

Yeah, I read the top.

We need a motion for the third reading. Is there a motion to suspend the rules placed on his third reading? So moved. Second? Yes. Now, Ms. Lisa.

Bradley? Yes. King? Yes. Rossinger?

Oh, yes. My apologies. I had a birdie whispering in my ear.

Crystal Thompson? Yes. Robert Thompson?

Yes.

Baker?

Yes.

Could you read my title, please?

An ordinance vacating a portion of a roadway known as Harris Road within the city of Clarksville, Johnson County, Arkansas, and for other purposes.

Is there a motion to adopt the ordinance?

So moved with the stipulation that it be changed. And the date.

I just noticed that. With no changes.

It's 2024. It should be 2026.

Well, now you're fired. Is there, with that motion, is there a second? Second. Is there a second?

Ms. Lisa? Yeah.

Yes. Rossinger? Yes. Chris Thompson? Yes. Robert Thompson? Yes. Baker? Yes. Bradley?

Yes.

Thank you, council. Skipping down, it's going to be a side MF, Dunwood Drive improvements. Yes. Oh, C, resolution to reestablish millage for 26 months. Lisa, could you read that?

The City of Clarksville, Arkansas wishes to reestablish a millage as authorized by Arkansas Constitution Article 12, Section 4. Now, therefore, be it resolved by the City Council of Clarksville, Arkansas. First, a millage rate is hereby established for the tax year 2026 as follows. City General Operations and Maintenance, two mills and two-tenths of a mill, .0022. Second, that a certified copy of this resolution be filed with the County Clerk of Johnson County, Arkansas on or before the time fixed by law for levying of county taxes. past this 14th day of September, 2026.

Let's make sure we've got the right dates and the right people assigned in here.

Yeah, it's right.

OK, Lynette, you're unfired. All right, council just needs a good, needs a vote of affirmation on this one.

Make a motion to pass resolution.

Second? Second. Miss Lisa?

Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes.

Thank you, council. The next item is going to be F, Dunwood Drive Improvements. Stanley, you want to come up and walk us through this one? What we're talking about Dunwood and why we're doing it?

Well, one way in and out of it. Try working on the color, you have to close down the whole street. It's terrible. Or, you know, if anything ever happens, we've got another subdivision coming in, we have a truck stop coming in at the intersection. If anything happens, there's nobody in or out for fire or anybody. So what I want to do is connect Dunwood to Valley of States. There's two Dunwoods right across. It's a short section through a swamp, basically. But that way allows access for both subdivisions, basically, to come in and out instead of one single access. what do you need stanley you need to you have the bid we have the bid package which is about special needs one was five hundred nine thousand eight hundred sixty five forty one but we need to add because we have our own asphalt we did you know we did that year to get the lower price so you add 150 to that for the total project six hundred fifty nine thousand eight hundred sixty five forty one for the whole project

Does that include the engineer costs that you have on here?

More than that.

OK.

So it'll actually be six hundred nine thousand.

Six hundred fifty nine thousand. Say it again. Six hundred fifty nine thousand eight sixty five forty one.

Is that on this picture?

It's not required. together and all that on that that is uh rich smith properties which we have easements which will have to approve the easements with this as well yeah that's the next item in there yeah yeah they were very much on board with that too because hopefully we hopefully it helps them build some more housing which we're much needed as well y'all bid it out you got you got bid bonds performance bonds part of this too right okay it's all in the back and then we're responsible for I see water on here but well what that is that's I was gonna say we don't have a drainage problem they should actually help there's a drainage problem save it yeah there's been a battle I know some of that pull it around from that subdivisions there and put it back in the pond

And the main issue there is someone owns the land, someone owns the water rights, and they don't get along.

There's only one good way to fix the total problem there. This will fix that.

And potentially save those houses on metal plates?

Yeah, it's a forest drive. And what happens, that's right there where all that water comes down that drive. Putting curb and gutter should make that water go back. Is there a motion or questions? I'll make a motion that we approve the $659,865.41 for the Dunwood Drive Roadway Drake Estates project.

Is there a second? Second.

Is that coming out of street fund?

Out of street improvement. And adjust the budget. And adjust the budget, yes. All right, Ms. Leeson.

Crystal Thompson. Yes. Robert Thompson?

Yes.

Baker?

Yes.

Bradley?

Yes.

King? Yes. Ressinger?

Yes. Thank you, Council. Next item is going to be the easements.

So we've talked about the easements. I've spent probably three to four months trying to get easements from Bruce Smith, and they're very pleased with what they're doing. I mean, like Rob was saying, it's really a good benefit to them, and hopefully it encourages them to build some more of their value-added properties.

So this is picking up new roadway for the city. This will be new streets on the master street plan. Puts it in the inventory and more responsibility on the city, correct?

It definitely does. It's no maintenance. Like I said, it's much, much easier. Especially with the truck stop. Oh, like a quarter mile.

Yeah.

Well, like I said, it probably should have been done.

Robert the biggest thing over there is it opens up that acreage to the west to be able to build 60 townhouses in there which is a much needed housing in this community as much needed things and it allows us emergency access egress and regress off of that so Clay we just need a motion to accept these easements correct is that motion

I'll move.

Second? Second. Ms. Lisa?

Robert Thompson? Yes. Baker? Yes. Bradley?

Yes.

King? Yes. Risinger? Yes. Crystal Thompson?

Yes.

Thank you, council. Stanley, thank you. Next item is going to be H, council approval to send Ms. Howard to the clerk's institute training. Ms. Lisa, you want to walk us through it?

Yes. This is every year they have clerk institute training. It's a week long. I went last year, and it's a lot of a lot of stuff crammed into a week and she'll make a lot of contacts that will help her along the way and the class hotel mileage and meals not provided the total would be about fourteen hundred and forty dollars and we don't need to adjust the budget it's already in there for training because she would be going in that place

and clay just i know because it's an election i gotta ask the question us sending someone who's not on the city payroll to this class is it's legal to do if she's gonna i mean if she's going to she's a presumed clerk i mean but it's it's fine there's no

If y'all find that's appropriate, then there's nothing wrong with that. It's going to benefit the city. That was going to be my question.

Well, it's already been out there in the social media world, so we're going to head that off so you guys understand that it's okay to do it, legal to do it. All we need is a vote of affirmation from you, and we'll get it trained. or at least start the training anyways. I don't think it's the right thing to do. So is there a motion? So moved. And that motion, just to be clear, is to pay Katie Howard to attend the clerk's institute from the training funds of the clerk's office, correct? Correct.

Well, not paying her, just paying her way to go. Paying the cost of it. Yes. She's not getting compensated. She's just getting her training paid for. Paying for the cost. Yes.

All right. So moved? Yeah. Is there a second? Second. Ms. Lisa?

Baker?

Yes.

Bradley?

Yes.

King? Yes. Risinger? Yes. Crystal Thompson? Yes. Robert Thompson? Yes.

Thank you, council. Next item is going to be the federal audit on the Monroe Building. Ms. Lisa, do you want to take that one, walk us through it?

Yes. This is any year that you spend more than a million dollars in grant funds. Even though this was an AEDC grant, it is a federal program. and we spent over a million dollars. This was for 2025 for the Red Wings building. The total there was 1,307,547. They also have to list what we spent on the airport that year. We may spend a million this year on the airport, so we may have to have one next year. It's just any time you hit that threshold. We had no findings. This was done by Hubs and Whitehead. They were recommended by Dana. uh, Brazil, they did CCUs and he did a good job.

So, so what, what does, uh, what do you need from the council?

I'll make a motion. We accept the audit report.

We got a motion to accept the audit report. Is there a second? Ms. Lisa, could you call the roll?

Bradley.

Yes.

King. Yes. Rossinger. Yes. Crystal Thompson. Yes. Robert Thompson. Yes. Baker.

Yes. Thank you, council. CCU. Wake up, Eric.

I wasn't snoring.

Your predecessor would have made Dana come and do it.

Well, really just to keep this on. And for it to pass, it takes the first We've got our reports. Do you have any questions? Is there anything you all see that I haven't this month?

I sent you a couple emails about some sewer locations in town. We need to look at, you know, they've been paying for sewer for umpteen amount of years and there's no reason for them to not have it when the neighbors to the north have it too. So we need to figure that out. i'm sure there's a reason for it but yeah so i got that part of that and they extended see maybe you didn't want that that tap no you could you could say no you don't want it well the the first time that i come across that it required a lift station and there was only two houses that would have there was the finance part of that just didn't make sense and this one there's sewer to the south and sewer to the north just don't understand why that street in the middle don't have it. So it's probably something to look into. Yeah. Other than that, thank you.

Thank you. Chief.

There were eight agency assists. There was one Narcan application. There were four arrests for possession of controlled substance. There were two K-9 deployments in the month, and there were 32 served warrants. There were 150 code enforcement tasks. 145 were completed for a completion rate of 96.66%. There were two drone flights for a total of .61 hours of flight time. Any questions?

Thank you, Chief. Thank you, Chief. Steve, airport.

There's no significant visits I didn't bring.

Stanley, street engineering. council have any questions for stanley parks streetwise and i know i know uh one councilman needs to talk to you after this meet for sure and so do a few of my friends over there that they ain't too happy we got to figure that out

What? Way to miss your opportunity. September 26th, Eddie's mentioned the barbecue contest, and you've got to thank you for the barbecue. You need to come and try it out.

Oh, I thought we'd have something for us to eat.

Oh, we will. Yeah, you can eat all you want. Every contestant's worth there, a certain amount of it, and he goes to that one show.

Is that part of Rob's? Yeah, Rob's.

I'm the tester.

And animal control.

It is really a good event. Proceeds going. Proceeds going to. When's the cutoff to sign up to compete? The week of. Well, I mean, we try to. I've got to give you some shirts. We have several from out of town.

There's no sense in signing up. There's a man in the room who's already got guaranteed first place.

You can do chicken, pork, or ribs. You can do them all for you. Pretty good cash prize. You could win a total of $2,200. Well, I know when I entered the chili cook-off, I was humiliated by Aubrey. I don't know if... I know. I'd probably be humiliated again. Oh, my God. I wouldn't have told that.

Yeah, I wouldn't have either. I don't think I told that. I did eat a lot. Especially on election year, man.

You guys come on down and do it. There's a lot of good food. It'll be in the fairgrounds. It'll start. Well, the music will start to rip off.

And I'm going to plug that right behind that. Safe Treat's coming. And we're moving that to the new baseball field. Unless it rains, we'll move it to the market.

It went really well last year.

I think it'll be great out there.

Thank you, Stan. Thank you, guys.

I think we're down to AP. Yep, AP. Ms. Lisa?

I don't have anything.

Is there a motion to adjourn? Bronco, by the way, he's Bronco Buster. When you see that on there, pressure's on.