City Council - Regular Meeting

Smith. Okay.

Yeah,

I already did. Oh, I didn't turn it on. All right, we ready. Where's my Where's my agenda?

All right. Welcome, ladies and gentlemen. This is uh first full council meeting of the year 2026, Thursday, January 22nd. Uh at this time I would like to uh invite uh David Bice to the uh podium. Mr. Bice, what you'll do you you can pray and then we'll remain standing for a 30 minute or 30 30 second moment of silence and then we will uh if you would join us with the pledge of allegiance. Yeah. Yeah. I don't think I can stand that long.

Yeah. Let's pray. Gracious and loving heavenly father, hallowed be your name. I thank you for the council that's before us. And as you're well aware, this meeting will involve several decisions upcoming. And we realize that we see but through a glass family. And we hope that we will not lean on our own understanding, our own wisdom, but will trust in you so that your promise may be fulfilled to us that you will direct our paths. Thank you so much for everything you've done for us. Forgive us of the our trespasses and glorify your name in this meeting. It's in the name of Jesus we pray. Amen.

Please join me for moment of silence. All right. Thank you. Please join me in the pledge of allegiance. 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.

For those of you in attendance, we do have uh the fire fire crew going through the building right now because we do have a gas leak out front, but we're making sure that everything is safe for all of us in attendance right now. So, fire department is on the scene and if they do advise us in anything different, we will we'll notify you. So, all right. Uh, Mrs. Skelton, can we have a roll call? Yes, sir. Mr. Here

Mr. Pierce here. Mr. here. Here. I All right. Thank you. Ladies and gentlemen, have you had the opportunity to review the minutes uh from the meeting December 18th, 2025. Motion to adopt. Have a motion and second to adopt uh the minutes from December 18th, 2025. All in favor? Any opposed? All right. The minutes will be approved at this time. from uh finance director Britney Baker will give us a little rundown on our finances.

All right, for your view and pleasure, general fund revenues for the month of December were 1,832,855. Of that 1,127,134 was sales tax and state turnback. 43,817 was franchise fees and permits. 661,904 was all other revenue. That number is a little bit bigger this month. that included the EMS supplemental transfer for the end of the year as well as some federal grant revenue for the airport. A tax revenue comparison. This is year to date.

The city was 5,581,783. The city's portion of the county tax was 6,850,139. Both of those were just a touch below budget and right at what last year were. General fund expenditures for December totaled 1,878,283. Of that 1,467,398 were personnel expenditures. 410,885 were utilities and others. Street fund revenues for December totaled 1,76,814. Of that 692,497 was street sales tax. 272,457 was state turnback and adalorum tax. 87 8 was interest and 700 was street cutting permits. Street fund expenditures for December operational expenditures total $185,410. Of that 145,285 were personnel related expenses. 40,125 were utilities and other capital expenses were $25 for concrete hangers. 2021 street sales tax spending totaled 1,121,597. That was for South Waterl Avenue drainage maintenance downtown improvements raise grant project US64 west sidewalk US64 east pedestrian improvements US7 south and second street signals and US7 south and reasoner signals state turnback street project spending total 353,262 that was towards Russville trails general sidewalk traffic signal improvements and US64 pedestrian improvements in the economic development funds December revenue totaled 122,95 of that 1034 428 was new sales tax and rent. 18,667 was interest expenditures total 135817. That was towards workforce development services, hanger maintenance and parking lot improvements. That was the downtown parking lot and fire station to overlay parking lot.

Below are cash balances of the various economic development funds. They total 5,558,12969. Capital assets December revenue was $553. That was all in interest. Expenditures were $12,266. That was for airport apron improvements. Lowe's breakdown of the 2021 cent sales tax. You'll see what's been received in each, what's been spent in each, and the cash balances of each at the end of December. Together, they total 22,193 95440. If there are no questions, that concludes the finance report.

All right. Thank you so much. Appreciate it. I do want to jump in here real quick. I know there's nothing on the mayor's report, but I do want to mention a few things. Uh for those watching, uh you may have seen some uh updates on social media, but we are anticipating some type of s significant weather event this weekend. We really don't know. Uh if you're from Arkansas, you realize we could get a lot. We could get a little or we could not get anything at all. I don't we really feel like we're going to be getting something. So, I just want to assure the citizens that uh Russellville Police Department, Russellville Fire, Firebase, EMS, uh public works, animal control will be working around the clock, making sure that you're safe, uh and being able to try to keep your streets as clean as possible. That will all depend on what kind of uh accumulation precipitation that we get, depending on how well we're going to be able to do that. But um when you pick up the phone and call 911, I want you to know that uh you're going to get the response that you need. We've done several things to prepare for this. Uh I know Russville Fire Department EMS has station we we're stationed in an ambulance at station two due to the fact of the the mountain and getting up the hill there. So we we're going to be able to respond. Uh we was not going to take us by surprise. We we've been working on this all week and uh starting tomorrow your uh public works will be out there uh working with plows, salting, sanding. You'll see uh biggest thing is if you see signs that say don't go past here, don't go past there, please. We don't need you in the ditch. Uh if you uh if you have to get out, we encourage you not to get out. If you have to get out, please bundle up. Make sure you got fuel in your car. Make sure your phone is charged. Check on your neighbors. Uh, make sure if you've got outside pets, please bring them inside if you can. If you can't, please make sure they've got shelter. Make sure that they have something to try to stay warm, whether you can put a light or something out there. Uh, use straw instead of hay. Uh, we will update you as much as possible on social media. And as always, our

partners at River Valley Radio 102.3, KCJC, uh, I will be in communication with Johnny Story getting things out. And uh so we anticipate uh trying to do the best we can and we also will have warming centers open thanks to our partnership with Russville school district. Uh we will have Dwight and Crawford starting tomorrow afternoon at 400 p.m. until Russville schools go back into session that morning at 7 a.m. we will have uh warming centers open. So thank you for the community and all you do and all of the essential workers that have to show up whether it's snowing or not. We do appreciate it. Thank you. Mr. Mayor, what shelters will be available?

Dwight and Crawford elementary safe rooms. Okay, they will be open. We anticipate them uh opening somewhere around 400 p.m. on Friday and then they will be open until the morning that Russellville schools goes back in. And if they go back in Monday, then we would have to close at 7:00 a.m. If they go back in Tuesday, whatever that day is, we we have to have them clear by 7:00 a.m. Uh, so like I say, we're just we're working hard to make sure that everybody has a place. And so we do appreciate um I can't say enough to the appreciation of Resville School District and what they do. So all right, departmental reports. Um personnel committee. Uh you got anything there, Mr. Gray? We had a meeting tonight getting organized and they elected me chair again for another year. So, u we also had some discussions on um future things that we're going to look into with the personnel with our HR director. Okay.

All right. Fin training if that didn't make s. Thank you so much. Good [clears throat] to have you back as chairman. uh finance committee. Mr. Keller. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Uh good evening, everybody. Uh from our 5:30 meeting this evening, item one is an appropriation to purchase parts to repair existing pieces of playground equipment in the amount of $9,72143. We present item one is a motion to adopt. All right, I have a motion to adopt on item one. Any discussion? All in favor? I.

Any opposed? All right, moving on.

Uh, item two was tabled. So, items three and 3A. Item three is consideration of a resolution for the city of Russellville to accept a bid through Sourcewell and tips from PLD LLC to purchase performance sports lighting for fields at Pleasant View, Hickey, and Shiloh Parks on behalf of the city of Russellville. uh enter in an agreement the amount of $177,000 to authorize the mayor and the city clerk treasure to enter into the purchase agreement uh an agreement of any other necessary documents uh to execute this partnership. And item 3A is the appropriation and from $177,000 uh for this project from the parks and went sales tax which is fund 08. We present items three and 3A is a motion to adopt. All right, I have a motion to adopt. Uh, any discussion? All in favor?

Any opposed? All right, motion three and 3A will pass from our finance meeting last week. Uh, item one is discussion of poss and possible consideration of a resolution. Uh, the city has been awarded the safe streets for all grant in the amount of $463,380. uh would require an 8020 local match approximately $100,000. This was forwarded with the recommendation to not approve. So, do we present a motion to decline or what is a

in this case or would it be a motion to adopt and then a motion to not pursue the grant? I don't think Yeah, you can do that strip. Motion to deny or motion. So we present item one is a motion to deny. I have motion n. Any discussion at all?

Yes. Um I had a call today from a constituent and so she got me thinking. So I I do want to ask two clarifying questions. Um, so if we can if we're going to do this inhouse, I have no doubt our guys have the expertise to do this inhouse, but it will be an added item on their plate. So, is this something we're going to they're going to have the tools and the materials and and the time and the resources they're going to need to get this um this safety action plan developed in house?

I believe they will. Now, the what we're not going to do is we're not going to dedicate every minute of every day to it. You know, we it will be a situation where we're able to do it over a longer period of time due to the fact that we feel like we have a longer period of time before we're going to be seeing the grants that come become available before this is going to be an item that's needed. So, I I would probably see in I would say in a couple years, you're probably going to see somebody come back and say, "Hey, we've got a safety action plan." And I'm not I don't think you're going to see it in six months to a year, but you know, if if we were going to ask that then I would say yes. But I think you're going to you're going to see over a period of time they're they're going to be able to come in and bring this in.

So that that creates a followup that kind of going where I was going my my second question and then I promise that's my last one. So if the do we have does that timeline fit with this grant then if we come back in two years is are we still eligible? Well, it's not this the grant is to get to do the safety action plan. The grant is no money to a it's for the that's basically for the document. Okay, that's what this grant is for. It's for the document. We're not losing We're not losing a grant for a street or a trail or anything like that. That grant is simply for that document. Okay. And then I think Mr. Keller asked this last week. Um so if we do it in house, we can still it still qualifies us for those federal grants in the future.

It doesn't have to be done by an outside firm. No, it will we will go back and you once you you will present it to a traffic safety engineer, they will put they will say yes, this is good and like I say, they'll give us their feedback on it. Yes. Okay. That's that's what we're seeing. So, thank you. Thank you for listening to a question and bringing it to us. I appreciate that. All right, Mr. Keller. Okay. So, okay, we did have we're in discussion. Never mind. So, we had a motion, second to deny. Any more discussion? All in favor of denial. [laughter] Yeah. Any opposed to denial? Okay. All right. Moving on. Mr. Killer, I'm sorry.

No, no, not at all. It was that made. It was a It was a a novel moment. We We all got to learn. Uh item two is a consideration of a resolution that authorizes the mayor and the city clerk treasur to execute the 2026 contract between the city of Russellville and the alliance for uh the Arkansas Valley Alliance for Economic Development. We present item two is a motion to adopt. All right, I have a motion to adopt. Item two. Any discussion? All in favor?

Any opposed? Item three is consideration of a resolution authorizing the mayor and the city clerk treasur execute the 2026 contract between the city of Russellville and Main Street Russellville. We present item three is a motion to adopt. Have a motion to adopt. Any discussion? All in favor? I. Any opposed? Item four is consideration of a resolution to authorize the mayor and city clerk treasure to execute the 2026 contract between the city of Russellville and the Boys and Girls Club. We present item four is a motion to adopt. All right, have a motion to adopt. Any discussion? All in favor? Any opposed?

Items five and 5A. Uh item five is consideration of a resolution to enter an agreement with Tyler Technologies for services and goods. And item 5A is the appropriation for uh the contract in the amount of 360,2 fund 7. Uh this would fund the city's portion of the project. And we present items five and 5A is a motion to adopt. Have a motion on 55A. Any discussion? All in favor? I. Any opposed? All right.

Items six and 6A. Six is consideration of a resolution authorizing the mayor and the city clerk treasur to execute a contract with HTW architects and engineers for design services for the renovation of Shiloh Park facilities. And item 6A is appropriation from the 2026 park parks and wreck special fund reserves in the sum of $52,000 for those design services. We present items six and 6A is a motion to adopt. All right, a motion to adopt. On six and 6A, any discussion? All in favor?

Any opposed? Item seven is consideration of a resolution to execute anou with the friends of the Latimore tourist home. We present item seven as a motion to adopt. Got a motion to adopt on item seven. Any discussion? All in favor? Any opposed? All right. Item eight is consideration of reimbursement request from the Boys and Girls Club for the fourth quarter of 2025 in the amount of $33,580.65. We present item eight is a motion to adopt. All right, I have a motion to adopt. Any discussion? All in favor?

Any opposed? All right. Items nine and 10 are both line item transfers uh to uh fix uh some negative balances in certain line items from last year's budget. Uh we present items nine and 10 as a motion to as motions to adopt. Got a motion to adopt items 9 and 10. Uh any discussion? All in favor? Any opposed? And item 11 is discussion of the card CPI rate increase. Uh Mr. Mayor, I will yield the floor to you.

Uh, last minute I did I did send you guys a um the link Mr. or Miss Young presented to uh she looked and found the CPIU index uh where they the 5.4 was and so that's in your email. There's a link there. U there is Mr. Olson did bring up that that's kind of a odd column that was being used as a CPI. So, if you guys would like for us to go back to them and have some conversation and ask why they came up with that number and why they're using that column. Uh, I needed to if you guys would like us to do that, I would do that.

I would because I've been using the search function on this document. Can't find solid. Can't find waste. Can't find So I'm still not sure what I'm even looking. Oh, it's it's it's a waste down there. It's garbage in garbage trash service. Yes, sir. Yeah, it's at the far this far corner. So, but yeah, I'm I'm completely fine with reaching out and having that conversation. Uh, and

Mr. Olsen is uh much more versed on the CPI because of his because of his profession. And so he he mentioned that he had never seen that column used. And so, uh, with your with with your recommendation, I'd be happy to reach out and ask them, hey, why, you know, are we have cause for pause on why you're using that particular, uh, that particular u column. Yeah. And that index, now that you tell me where it is, that index is from December 1983. If you look at the uh Well, no, that's Well, the dates at the top are not from 19

Well, no, no, I know that, but where they're using as their citation. Okay. It's citation 12 and it is it takes you to a n it's the oldest one on there and I I really don't understand this. I guess I'd like to know more. I'll I'll I'll reach out with your recommendation and talk to them. I I remember in our discussion with them there was talk back and forth between the regular CPI or the CPIU. My concern because we have contracted with them to an increase up to 5%. Um, I'll be I don't want to have to pay the extra if we don't because, you know, everybody has hard times.

Well, Mr. Mr. I think Mr. uh Smith made sure that we're not going to pay over 5%. Right. That's what I'm saying. Like that we are contracted up to 5%. 5%. Yes.

So, uh, my concern is that we are not getting the services that we originally agreed to. Okay. And so, uh, if we have a discussion with them, if whether or not the 5% is amanable to us or to them, uh, we need to be making sure that we have our trash and recycling picked up, that we are communicating to our citizens which ones are for trash and recycling, uh, all of the things that we had discussed with them originally. so that we know what's going on and that they're doing what we're paying them for.

Would you would anyone object with me having cards at the agenda prep to have their leadership at the agenda prep for us to discuss this item plus the services in question? No, I I think I think that everyone here wants them there. I think that I I don't think I'm the only one who's a little I say concerned that they've now been on our agenda twice and they don't have a representative here to speak with us personally and only wants to do everything over email and so I would love to have someone here. Yeah, I'll request them to be at agenda prep

and would please add onto that agenda is uh local our contract says a local person answering the phone and I have called several times and I it's Northwest Arkansas. It's who I'm talking to each time. So that would be an agenda item as an item within that agenda item. I would appreciate that being on there as well. All right. Well, it's just a discussion. So, I'm going to have them uh I'll reach out and have them at at agenda prep. Thank you. And mayor, that is the last item on our agenda.

All right. Okay. Uh moving on to unfinish unfinished old business. Item one is consideration of an ordinance amending the current zoning code for the city of Russellville, Arkansas, which is adopted by the ordinance of 2443 and for other purposes. This is the second of three readings. I move we suspend the rules. Dispense with the reading requirement. Read for the second of three readings by title with short explanation. Second.

All right. I had a motion and a second on the reading. Miss John, I apologize. I need you to exit the other side of the building. We can't exit the front of the building right now. So, if you would go down the back stairway. Thank you. I apologize about that. So, uh I do I'm sorry. I'm sorry if anyone does need to exit the building. We need to exit the south the southside here. So if you good. So um okay, sorry about that. I apologize. Just second through. I got a motion to second on the readings uh suspending the rules reading by title only. All in favor?

Any opposed? All right. Thank you, sir. An ordinance amending the current zoning code for the city of Russell, Arkansas, adopted by ordinance number 2443. And for other purposes, this past would amend the following articles. Article one, section 12, extension land use authority. Article 3, section 14.1, sub 2, new auto repair. Article 5, section 12.2, tree preservation, credit tree option reduction of required trees. Article 7, section 4.1, sub 3, temporary signage. Article 7, section 8, digital signs.

Thank you, sir. Moving on to item two, consideration ordinance accepting the dedication of rideaways and easements to the city of Russville in the plat of the Hunt estates minor subdivision incidental subdivision plat for amuland place and for other purposes. This is also a second of three readings. Okay. All right. All right, ladies and gentlemen, sir, we've got to evacuate the building. I don't know what to do right now, but I just got noticed some is on scene and they've asked me to evacuate the building. All right. We will adjourn, ladies and gentlemen. We are going to exit back here on the south.