City Council - Regular Meeting

Welcome ladies and gentlemen to the August 30 or August 21st uh full council meeting. call this meeting to order. At this time, I will ask Mr. Allan George to approach the microphone. He is going to pray and after that, please remain standing with me for a moment of silence and the pledge of allegiance.

Thank you, mayor. Please bow your heads and pray with me. Heavenly Father, we come before you today with grateful hearts. Thank you for the gift of this day and the opportunity to gather as neighbors and leaders in service of our community. We ask your presence to guide our thoughts, our words, and our actions. Lord, help us to work together in unity. Remind us that we are one community, diverse in background, yet united in purpose. Grant these leaders wisdom to make the decisions that uplift every resident, the courage to face challenges with with integrity, and the humility to listen and learn from our community. Let our actions reflect your love and bring hope and harmony to our city. bless this city, its leaders, its people. May prosperity, peace, and kindness flourish in our neighborhoods. And may all we do honor you. These things we pray in Jesus name. Amen.

Please remain standing for a moment of silence. Please join me for 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.

All right. At this time, Miss Gilton, would you give us a roll call? Mr. George here. Miss Wetszel here. Miss Young. Mr. Olsen here. Mr. Bradley here. Mr. Pearson, Mr. Gray here, Mr. Keller here, Mayor Teague here, Mr. Smith, and myself. You have a quum. All right. Thank you, Miss Gold. Uh ladies and gentlemen, have you had an opportunity to look over the minutes from uh the July 17th, 2025 meeting? Motion to adopt. Second. Have a motion and a second to adopt the minutes. Uh all in favor?

I. Any opposed? All right. Those minutes will be adopted. At this point in time, uh we will have Miss Britney Baker, our finance director, to give us a financial report.

All right. General fund revenue for the month of July total 2,463,640. Of that 1,176,716 was sales tax and state turnback. 531,936 was franchise fees and permits. 754,988 was all other revenue and that did include a federal grant as well. city and county sales tax year-toate analysis. And for 2025, the city received 3,255,528. The county was 3,945162. Per budget, both are just a touch below what was budgeted and that went way too fast. July expenditures for the month of July were 1,656,959. Of that 1,75,137 was personnel expenditures. 581,822 was utilities and other July revenue for the street fund was 1,621,61. Of that 694,373 was the 2021 street sales tax. 225,606 was state turnback and adalorum tax. 104,334 was interest. 400 was street cutting permits. 596,348 was all other revenue. Street fund expenditures for the month of July. Operational expenditures were 212325. Of that 140,200 were personnel related expenses. 72,125 were utilities and other. There was no street capital spending for the month of July. In the 2021 sales tax spending, 1,363,806. That was towards drainage maintenance, pavement preservation, downtown improvements, the raise grant project, US64 west sidewalk project, and the US64 east pedestrian improvements. And for the state turnback street project spending, which is fund 32,86,239 was all towards railroad crossing improvements.

In the economic development funds, July's revenue was 122,146. Of that, 99,196 was new sales tax and rent. 22,950 was interest. July expenditures were 44,247. Of that 40,647 was towards Arkansas Valley Alliance. 3600 was parking lot improvements at the soccer complex. Below are the various balances of the economic development funds as of July 31st. Those four accounts combined total 5,997,2652. Capital asset fund July revenue was $4,172. All of that was interest expenditures were 85,740 and that was in airport apron improvements. Below is a breakdown of the 2021 sales tax. You'll see what's received, what's been spent, and the balances remaining combined. That is 23,656.77. And that concludes the finance report. If there are no questions,

uh I do have a question. Sorry. In the July general fund expense, it said 5% above projection. Is it is that a regular or is there a specific reason for that? I know we've been kind of staying between two and 3% above or below. There's been some unexpected expenses that would come up. Um I can get you a specific breakdown. That way you can see exactly which categories are kind of running a little bit higher. Um, a lot of it is inflation prices increase and we base it on the best we can last year's numbers etc. But if there was if there's anything that sticks out like a sore thumb, it'll be in this report. That's what that was my assumption was inflation. I was just assuming. Yes, sir. Okay. Thanks.

Thank you, Miss Baker. All right. Moving on to the mayor's report. Um, item was consideration of appointment of Miss Terry Clear to the board of adjustment and planning commission. Motion to approve. Second. Second. Got a motion and second to approve. All in favor? I. Any opposed?

All right. Then that move forward. One thing I do want to cover. Uh I know we um just a public service announcement uh tonight. Uh I did make an announcement on social media today. Uh we are monitoring a situation at uh the Darnell Lock and Dam during a routine maintenance um at the Darnell Lock and Dam. One of the gates did uh was faulty and did not uh shut back properly. So we have a a free flow at this point in time uh at the Darnell Logan Dam. There is no uh possibility of flooding or anything. Everything is good. Everything downstream is good. The one thing that you will possibly see is Lake Darnell has the potential to get lower than what you and I have probably ever seen it. Uh we have taken precautions as uh the state at the federal level and the city level and we have closed down all boat docks to Lake Darnell with the potential that you could possibly get on the lake and the if the water did go down enough you might not get back off into onto your trailer. So that's a precautionary step. We've asked everyone to stay off of the lake and you know abstain from boating at this point in time. I have just want to let everybody know I've been in contact with operation emergency management. I've been in contact with uh the core of engineers. Their teams have been working for two days to work on this. They're working as hard as they can. Uh staying in constant contact with them. Our Russellville firebased EMS and fire department have been assisting as needed and and on standby. Uh we have been in communication with Arkansas Nuclear 1. As many of you know, Arkansas Nuclear 1 does depend on Lake Darnell to stay cool. So they are uh aware of everything. They're monitoring everything. Uh we're not at at a level that uh is of any issue. So just know that the community is fine and you are really honestly in some really good hands because there are genuinely a lot of people out there doing amazing things uh to make that happen. So, just want to

let everybody know of that and just let you know your your community is uh the the leaders and everything are a breast of this. We're watching it and I will be keeping everybody up to date as I do know more information uh on social media. All right. So, I just want to touch that. Does any of the council have any questions at all? No problem. Uh there's a lot of people doing a lot more than me. I can promise you that. So, I'm just grateful. Uh we we we really do live and when you're in a time like this, you realize how amazing we are. Uh, Mr. Gray, anything? Uh, no report this month. All right. Thank you, sir. Uh, Mr. Keller, you got anything on finance?

Uh, yes, Mayor. We do have a few items from our 5:30 meeting this evening. Item one is an appropriation from the parks and recck special fund in the amount of $9,000 to be uh to add a budget line for revenue and expenses for recreation programs. We present item one as a motion to adopt. I have a motion to adopt. All in favor? I. And any opposed? All right. Moving on item two.

Item two and 2 A. Item two is consideration of a resolution authorizing that special fund to bank account be closed. And item 2A is the appropriation in the amount of $585 uh to go ahead and apply that towards next quarter's expense reimbursement for uh the economic development uh with the uh Arkansas Valley Alliance. Uh we present items two and 2A. Motion to adopt. Have a motion for 2 and 2 A to move forward. All in favor? Any opposed? All right.

Item three is consideration of a resolution authorizing the transfer of money from special fund number 31 bank account to the general fund. miscellaneous and to close the special fund number 31 bank account. We present item three is a motion to adopt. I got a move motion to move item three forward. All in favor? Any opposed? All right.

From our meeting last week, was last Monday. Okay. Item one is consideration of a resolution authorizing the mayor and the city clerk treasurer to sign a lease agreement with the Russell Playhouse for 210 South Boulder Avenue. This was forwarded with no recommendation. We make a motion to table given we're still waiting on some documents as I understand. Second.

We have a motion in a second to table item one. Is there any discussion on item one? Have we has that discrepancy been discussed with Mr. Piston so that we know what we're waiting on? We have an idea how long that's going to take.

Uh Mr. Spiston is aware of that. Uh based on my past experience, this was probably if if if in order to get a corporation from the secretary of state and then to fill out the 1023 uh with the IRS for a 501c3 status, that could be about six to eight months. So, but they were asking for a a buffer. So, are we, and I guess maybe this would be for the city attorney, are we requiring that they provide both their 50 finalized 501c3 status and their incorporation is a domestic nonprofit with the state. I guess the 501c3 obviously from federal and then the domestic incorporation as a nonprofit from the state before we can enter into this agreement or are they going to be able to provide uh that documentation showing that these items have been applied for and that they are pending

until it's approved by the secretary of state. the corporation is non in existence. So would they need both of those items or would they just need to have the incorporating as a domestic nonprofit with the Secretary of State's office?

Guess it depends on whether you want to contract with a corporation or one that has the 501c3 status. It's up to you. as I understand it, they have a fiscal sponsor. Um would uh and that their plan to use the fiscal sponsor's 501c3 status until the uh 501c3 status is ultimately uh processed at the federal level. Um would that you know would would they be able to provide some sort of documentation that there is that agreement to be able to utilize that the fiscal sponsors 501c3 until that time.

I'm unaware of that. But again, until the corporation is approved by the Secretary of State, there's nothing to contract with unless you want to do it with somebody personally. Once that's in existence, whether you want to contract with the corporation without the official status or the fiscal one, again, it's to the council. Mr. Keller, what was the what was the other one called again? The financial what you call that? The fiscal sponsorship. Yeah.

Yeah. That's so what that is is uh so if you have a typically you have a larger nonprofit uh that has 501c3 status and they will act as a fiscal sponsor for a smaller nonprofit that wouldn't necessarily uh they either they wouldn't be at a point in time in their organizational life organization's life cycle where they have uh applied for their own 501c3 status. So they use the 501c3 status of their fiscal sponsor. There is some sort of uh legal arrangement that is done with the board of uh board of directors for both organizations and ultimately the fiscal sponsor would have the uh ability to enter into contracts and agreements on behalf of the organization that they're sponsoring. um since it's their 501c3 status that is being utilized in that case. So something that was done uh when I was running the single parent scholarship fund here in town, we actually did not have at that point in time uh our own 501c3 status. We used the state Arkansas single parent scholarship funds 501c3 as our fiscal sponsor and several affiliates did that around the state. Um, also with uh the uh a field of angels who now does have their 501c3 status but for years used the Pottsville Athletic Association's 501c3 status as their fiscal sponsor and we were able to enter into agreements with you know various organizations and signed contracts with our fiscal sponsors uh approval.

Okay. Thank you. So, were you saying just have a different you'd have to come back and bring a different resolution for a different name for a different contract or Oh, no. I was I was asking what I was asking was if they have a fiscal sponsor if

I guess the first question was are they going to need to have both the incorporating with the state as a nonprofit entity which can take very short amount of time and the 501c3 status from the IRS which can take a long time for that to be uh resolved. D or would they just need to be as Mr. Smith pointed out an actual incorporated entity with the state and be able to show that either that they have uh their 501c3 status is pending or be allowed to uh enter into an agreement with their fiscal sponsorship uh with this other organization that they're affiliated with.

Okay. Is that is that is that clear as mine? I'm sorry.

Yeah, it makes it Well, we met for two hours Monday night, so I guess I'm flumx that why didn't we hear this as a concern Monday while we were talking if that this was I feel I just feel like this would be something that would have been brought up either as a legal issue or folks experience working. I did not, pardon me for assuming, but I assumed that they had the documentation. So, I just requested it Monday night on via text. And so, I I I assume that it was that they had it. So, there's there's no reason in my my opinion to bring it up. I just I just assumed that they had it because they're they're they he has a board of directors and he's operating as such. So, I just assumed that's that's my bad if if I can take ownership of that one. So I just

No, I Well, you you opened and said you knew a lot about this. So I was just thought, well, what if this No, I No, based on He asked Mr. Mr. Bradley said the timeline and I said based on my experiences on the two nonprofits that I formed, that's how long it's taken. So Okay. Well, all right. I just we just talked a lot. We've been talking about this for months now. Yes. So, but just to make make sure, Mr. Smith, we are able to I mean I feel like we should have to have it the paperwork finished before we enter into an agreement. Personally, you're saying that's up to us if we want to require both because I feel like we should have both honestly.

Well, you have to have the Secretary of State has to approve the Arms of Corporation for the entity for you to contract with to come into being. Whether you want to contract with and whether they have the 501c3 status or not, that's up to decision this council. Okay. But but the other status exist, but they do. But if they have a fiscal sponsor that does have 501c3 status, then they do have 501c3 status through their fiscal sponsor. Correct. But then you would have to enter into the contract with the fiscal sponsor. Okay. So you could you could you could have a a re uh reward the resolution

uh and then Mr. Mr. Smith would have to redo the contract and it would be with the physical sponsor kind of um so yes the motion to table was made in discussion is there any further discussion on item one uh hearing none all those in favor of tableabling oh yes ma'am he's been oh I'm sorry Mr. Pastani, would you you approach the Please approach and then I know you've done it before, but just go ahead and state your name and your affiliation.

John J. Piston with the Russell Playhouse. Uh we have we had applied already to the state. Um we've actually applied several times for our our corporation. There were some errors. They got back with us. I was on the phone with them today. That should be cleared up by next week according to the the state. So we should have that. We do already have an agreement in place with the fiscal sponsor uh with a 501c3 that's got more than five years as a 501c3. So, we have that in place as well um just to cover us because we know the federal takes several months and that allows us that's the only way we were able to to generate any kind of donations or anything. That's all made through the other 501c3 and then passed through to us. So, that agreement is already in place. We've had that in place since June. So, so Mr. Smith, just to clarify, so that we don't do this again, we need to get the name of that physical sponsor so that we can enter into a contract with them. Correct.

Right. Okay. Yeah. So, just just bring that by my office and then we'll we'll get that contract worded and then the resolution can be worded in in the way that it they could enter into a contract with that physical sponsor. Okay. Do you also need the articles of incorporation from that 501c3 as well? Yes. Yes. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. I can email that over to you. Yeah. Okay.

Gosh, I don't even know how that works. Mr. Smith, Mr. Mr. Olsen asked if if there would have to be uh Mr. Olsson asked if Say that. Mr. Olsson, I'm sorry. Will there need to be a contract between the playhouse and the fiscal sponsor? Yes, we we have that and we can provide that as well. We've had that since June. So,

and typically like in in cases like this, you you've had um either someone from the fiscal sponsor would uh would sign or what they would do is they would provide um like minutes from a board meeting showing that they've given authorization to enter into the agreement using their their 501c3. So, could go either way on that. Uh if they are giving if they give Mr. Pastoni the authorization to sign it um on on their behalf. Yeah. Okay. All right.

Is there any other discussion on item one? Hearing none. All those in favor of tableabling item one, please say I. I. All those opposed say nay.

Item one is tabled. Okay. So, I actually do have a question real quick. This is parliament uh from a parliamentary procedure perspective. Uh Mr. Parliamentarian. So now that item one has been tabled, but it was discussed by the full council, will it go to an item of old business next month or will it still remain on finance for the full council like in this manner? It'll stay here. Okay. As the finance report to the council.

Okay. Okay. Thank you. Or would we need to next month if we have a new resolution with a new fiscal sponsor named would we need a new item? Would that be considered? I think it all falls under the umbrella of what you have.

Okay. Okay. Great. Thank you. Okay. Let's hop back in. Items two and 2 A. Item two is a resolution for the city of Russellville, Arkansas to accept a bid through Omina Partners for Geo Surfacing uh from Geocurfacing Incorporated to purchase new turf for the softball fields, new back stops for Shiloh Park uh in the amount of $676,135.95, and authorizing the mayor and the city clerk treasur to enter in the agreement for this purchase. And item 2A is the appropriation from the 2021 parks and recck special fund uh for those purchases uh in that amount of $676,135.95. We present items two and 2 A is a motion to adopt.

Have a motion to adopt. Uh item two and 2 A. All in favor? Any opposed? All right. Item three is an appropriation from the 2021 Economic Development Capital Fund 27 and the sum of $59,660 to be used to fund the construction of a 50x60 shop building to house equipment uh for the airport. We present item three is a motion to adopt. All right, I got a motion to adopt item three. All in favor? I.

Any opposed? All right. Item four is consideration of an ordinance approving the private club permit for OG Russellville 6538 incorporated uh required for the state private club permit application to the Arkansas Alcoholic Beverage Control Division. Are there any motions for item four? I move that we um re read by title uh only with a short explanation in one of one uh readings. Do we need a motion to suspend the rules first? Suspend the rules. Sorry, you forgot that part.

Okay, we have a motion to suspend the rules. Read by title with short explanation. One for one of one. It was two of two, wasn't it? Uh this they had requested one of one. There's one uh Apple will help us to This is requested 101. That's right. All those all those in favor of suspending the rules. Okay. So, do we have a motion and a second on that? Correct. We do have a motion. Okay. So, we have a motion and a second for one time only. For reading one time only. All right. All in favor? Any opposed?

All right, sir. An ordinance approving the city private club permit for OG Russellville 6538 incorporated required for the state private club permit application to the Arkansas alcoholic beverage control division per ACA section 3-9-222 as amended for other purposes this ordinance have passed would issue a private club permit for the aforementioned entity uh commonly known as the Olive to adopt. Second. Have a motion to adopt. Any discussion? All in favor? Point of order. Any oppos? We'll do what, sir?

Point of order. It's an ordinance. Oh, yeah. It will take a roll call vote since it's an ordinance. After after we have Yeah. After Yeah, we will have a after I say all in favor and then any opposed, then we do the roll call. Correct. Do you want to do it that way? Sure. Or no. What? What would you do? Yeah, I'll get you do a roll call. Okay, Miss Scott, can you just give me a roll call? Thank you, sir. Mr. Gray? Yes. Mr. George? Yes. Miss Wetzel? Yes. Mr. Olsen? Yes. Mr. Bradley? Yes. Mr. Keller? Yes. Six.

All right. Item five is a resolution recognizing the historic site, the Jackson House and O off. Yeah, we did do it. We did have a motion. We did have a motion to it. We had a motion and a second to adopt. Yes. Yeah, there was a motion in a second to adopt before that. Who was a second? Because Mr. Mr. Gray second. Okay. Yeah. Okay. Yeah, there was a motion in a second. So, Mr. George was the the first. Am I correct, Mr. George? Yes, sir.

Sorry, Mr. Keller. We're good. Item five is a resolution recognizing a historic site, the Jackson House, and authorizing the placement of a commemorative plaque at the historic site where the Jackson House once stood. We present item five is a motion to adopt. Have a motion to adopt. All in favor? Any opposed? All right. Item six is consideration of a resolution approving and adopting a set of standard operating procedures for the Russell Municipal Airport. We present item six as a motion to adopt. All right. I have a motion to adopt. All in favor? I.

Any opposed? Item seven is consideration of a resolution authorizing the mayor and the city clerk treasure to enter in an agreement with Post Oak Preservation Solutions LLC for historic district guideline updating services. We present item seven is a motion to adopt. I have a motion to adopt. All in favor? Any opposed? All right.

Items eight and 8A. Uh item eight is consideration of a resolution authorizing the mayor and the city clerk treasurer to enter into an agreement with Blackstone Construction LLC for the parking lot maintenance for the Dalton King building project 25006 and 8A is an appropriation in from the economic development capital fund 27 in the amount of $143,173.96. We present items 8 and 8A's. A motion to adopt. Have a motion to move 8 and 8A forward. Uh, all in favor? I.

Any opposed? Item nine is an appropriation from the fire department contingency fund 20 and the sum of $44,8941 and the fire department building act 833 fund 21 and the sum of $23,8941 for the design and construction enhancements to the live fire training facility located at 3036 E16th Street. And we present item Oh, I'm sorry. And the the whole appropriation is $68,788.82. Uh we present item nine. Is a motion to adopt.

Have a motion to adopt item nine. All in favor? Any opposed? All right, sir. Item 10 is consideration of a resolution authorizing the mayor and the city clerk treasure to enter into an agreement with Barrett Associates Incorporated for engineering services for

that's just engineering services for Glenn. What is this one or Glenn is not here. What is that up to? Oh is the hilltop. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Thank you. Thank you. Thank Thank you, Kenneth. It is for the Hilltop uh sidewalk project. Hilltop Sidewalk Project. Okay. All right. We present item 10 as a motion to adopt. I have a motion to move item 10 forward. All in favor? I.

Any opposed? Item 11 is an appropriation from the 2021 parks and recck special fund reserves in the sum of $79,550 to purchase two Ford F-150 trucks. And we present item 11 as a motion to adopt. Have a motion to adopt item 11. All in favor? Any opposed? All in favor? Got ahead of myself there. Any opposed? Yes, sir.

Item 12 is appropriation from the 2021 parks and recck special fund reserves in the sum of $6,277.25 to fund the purchase of epoxy floors for the Russell soccer complex restrooms. We present item 12 as a motion to adopt. I have a motion to adopt item 12. All in favor? Any opposed?

All right, sir. Item three is consideration of a resolution authorizing the mayor and the city clerk treasurer to submit an application to the Paul Brun uh historic revitalization subgrant program offered by the national park service for the preservation reser restoration and rehabilitation of the Latimore house on behalf of the city of Russellville. We present item item 13 is a motion to adopt. Have a motion to adopt item 13. All in favor? Any opposed? All right, sir.

And the last item on our list is item 14, consideration of reimbursement requests for the second quarter expenses for the Main Street Russellville in the amount of $15,000. And we present item 14 is a motion to adopt. Have a motion to adopt item 14. All in favor? Any opposed? All right. And that's the last item that we have. you. Back to you, sir.

Thank you, Chairman Culler. Moving on to unfinished old business. Item one is a consideration of an ordinance approving the city private club permit for Apple Hop R, Inc. required for the state private club permit application to the Arkansas Alcoholic Beverage Control Division. Uh, this is the second of two readings.

No, this is resolution. I have a motion.

I have a motion in a second to suspend the rules and read by title only with short explanation. Sir approving the city private club permit for Apple Hop R Incorporated required for the state private club permit application to the Arkansas Beverage Control Division per ACA section 3-9-22 as amended. for other purposes the source have passed. Would grant a city private club permit to the aforemented entity Apple Hop R Incorporated for the IHOP restaurants and Applebees that will be at 401 East Herald Drive. Motion to adopt. Second.

I have a motion and a second to adopt. Miss Skelton, can you give me a roll call? Mr. George, yes. Mr. Bradley, yes. Miss Wetzel, yes. Mr. Olsen, yes. Mr. Gray, yes. Mr. Keller, yes.

All right. Moving forward to uh item two. I'm assuming there's no names because we only have six here. Moving forward item two, consideration ordinance amending the physical code for the city of Rustville, Arkansas, adopted by ordinance number 2520 by amending the fixed assets inventory to increase the minimum limits threshold from 2500 to 5,000. This is a second of three readings and this is u sponsored by u the finance department. Move we suspend the rules. Dispense with the reading requirement. Read by title with short explanation only for the second of three readings. Second. I have a motion and a second on the reading. All in favor? I.

Any opposed? Sir, submitting the fiscal code for the city of Russell, Arkansas adopted by ordinance number 2520 by amending the fixed assets inventory to increase the minimum threshold from 2500 to 5,000. This ordinance have passed would uh amend the fixed ass inventory to where it will now be anything 5,000 or over will qualify for adding to that inventory list. All right. Thank you, sir. Um three is consideration or ordinance amending the that was second of three, correct? No, it was second of three. Second of three.

It was second of three. So yeah. So he looked at me and he had me confused. uh consideration ordinance amending the physical code for the city of Russell adopted by ordinance 2520 by establishing a process to remove fixed assets that depreciate below the minimum threshold uh from the fixed assets inventory and for other purposes. This is also a second of three reading. Move we suspend the rules dispense with the reading requirement. Read by title with short explanation for the second of three readings. Second. I have a motion in a second. uh to read. All in favor? Any opposed?

Sir Nord sub amending the fiscal code for the city of Russell, Arkansas, adopted by ordinance number 2520 by establish the process remove fixed assets that depreciate below the mem threshold from the fixed asset inventory list and for other purposes. This ordinance adopted would put in place a uh process uh and a formula to uh allow for depreciation and if it once it goes through past the depreciation of the minimum limit it would be removed from the list.

Thank you sir. All right. Moving on to new business. We have a consideration resolution in support for the establishment and dedication of a peace pole in the city of Russville, Arkansas. For other purposes, this is sponsored by uh Paul Gray.

Is it motion to adopt? Yeah, this motion is all I needed for this. Yeah. Motion to adopt. Second. Motion to adopt and second. Any discussion? All in favor? Any opposed? All right, I'll entertain a motion. Uh, mayor, before we do, I'd like to make a request um to the council. Um, I don't know if I need a motion for informal discussion. Just cover yourself with that. Yeah, I make a motion for informal discussion, please. Second. Okay, Mr. Um, do we need to vote on it? Yeah. Yeah, we have a motion and a second for informal discussion. All in favor? I. Any oppose?

All right.

Thank you, council, for agreeing to do uh I won't take but a minute. As you know, some of you know, I've been working about on the issue of premium protein products for about two years now. Um with thought we were having some success, but um lately you've probably gotten a lot of complaints about odor uh spillage on the highway out there. I know my truck got covered in it yesterday because I had a constituent call and say that happened and I wanted to go see if it really happened and by golly it did. So I the car washers are doing really well right now. Um they have been cited. I I enlisted the help of our um local elected state officials and they've been very helpful. Um, I just got a report from Department of Environmental Quality uh that they have taken 400 tons of um rerun, which you probably don't know want to know what that is, as well as raw product uh to the landfill. Um, it's a kind of a mess out there right now, but what I need from the council is when you to get people to fill out the odor form online and to send emails to um and make phone calls if you wish uh to premium protein products and demand that this situation change post haste. I will send you contact information, but I would appreciate um all the help I can get. the odor forms come to me and to Emily, but I've been responding to all the people that have been using that and I appreciate that. And this is another public form to to let citizens know that that odor form is on our website. Um, and so to please fill that out because it helps us with create data uh that we can use trying to solve this problem. All I want is PPP to be a good neighbor um and their operations out there and in my opinion they are not being a good

neighbor to this city and I would entertain any other comments anybody has. Is there a way that we can make that form like flash really big on the on our website at the on the Mr. Maj is there any way that you can put that on our home page with a little bit of a button that uh is a little bit more easy to find? It's pretty Yeah, it's pretty front and center right now. Oh, is it okay? Yeah, but any help we can get if you want to get your flashing light stuff going or what? Okay. Okay. So,

we could also make a social media post. Uh definitely all of you make social media post on your social media for your people to let them know where that's at and you could actually put a link in your uh you could link that to your social media post. Paul, do they answer you every time you email them? Because I've not been as lucky. some um I get I I was in communication with him for a long time and we we had lunch together uh and I would get it was it was a good relationship but when the wheels kind of came off here in the last couple of months I know you emailed me in the summer um I think it was in June late June I've had a bunch of terrible stories like

yeah and so it got to where I was getting emails that would say this operations are normal and it was clear things are not normal out there. So, there's no way. So, that's when I decided to um try to get some more help. So, I'd appreciate from the council if we could all work as a team um and get our citizens working on this so maybe we can get something done because it's it's a it's a mess out there on site if you've looked at it. And then the highway, I mean, Mr. Duvall had to call ARDOT yesterday. The mayor's been working with ARDOT just to come clean the road so our vehicles don't smell like, you know, decaying flesh. Uh just because you drive down the highway.

Is there any way that uh like if we're having to I know that in the past we've had to send like the fire department out to spray the spray the roads where they've spilled stuff. That's Oh, yeah. Not out there. I guess we could see if we could Well, no, no, no. My my my question was my question is exactly that. If we have to go out there and I know our DOT can do their thing, but if we have to go out there and clean this mess up at all, can we send them a bill? I don't.

I don't I don't I don't know how you would send a bill for a billing mechanism for a fire department. I don't I don't know how we would do that. Um, unless you I guess you could maybe I mean you could put an ordinance or something in place that if you did I I mean you could you could do that but right now uh Russell Fire Department does not have a billing mechanism for a firet truck. You know I I I see what you're saying. I like what you're saying one.

Yeah. Is there any at all legal action that we can take as the city of Russellville against this entity that has kind of held us hostage over this issue? I mean, multiple multiple mayors and councils have dealt with this issue and maybe have tried to mitigate with conversation or calling ADQ or prov you know having someone go there and try to well at some point like it's not going to work right

like they can do whatever they want to do. I if I remember right Mr. Smith early in my in my tenure said if we were willing to spend a half a million dollars for a lawsuit or something like that it was kind of crazy. Um it would be fightend yeah that's I mean that's was that am I am I correct that you said approximately that amount maybe less I don't know

depends whichvenue isolerts pay those They're going to know that it's going to cost them money too. Yes. Could we just like literally find them? I mean every if they don't do I mean can we just send them bills or they won't they won't they won't pay them if we find them. I mean it is like a public nuisance. I don't know cuz once it's off grounds, when it's on grounds, we have limited things we can do from what I've been told.

I mean, ADQ can ADQ doesn't consider odor a Yeah, odors. What about when that stuff is on the road? Uh, and you've brought it off the off premises. That's a whole other thing. Build them is what my question. I mean, it happens enough that we could honestly do it pretty often. So, I mean, if I was driving down the street and a bunch of trash came out of my car, I could be I could receive a fine for that. Is there I mean, I I guess that they could claim that if the officer's not there that it was some other truck full of guts that spilled all over the floor.

I don't think it's spillage. We're not having problem with spillage. I think they're just bringing stuff off their tires kind of. No, I mean, that's the problem is that there was There's a tremendous amount of material was out on the road to to create what you saw on the sides of the road and to for it to leave to bring that home with you. And then didn't you say there was something on my today? Somebody was behind Myra and it was leaking. That's not good. But you're right, Mr. Keller. We can get fined if something falls out of our car. So, I mean, I don't know what the legal avenue would be. And I know they have deep pockets, but maybe at least annoying enough to try to clean

their material is is subject to regulation by the EPA and by the DEEQ. So, it's not it's not a piece of paper flying out of the back of a of a of a pickup truck. So, right now the the odor complaint form entries go to uh council members Young and Gray. Is there any way I can get added to that? Mr. Hodge says yes. Yes. Thank you. Anyone else want to be added? Going once. I keep a log too. So, everyone that comes in, I keep a log of of complaints. So, and the citizens do have an option to for yes or no if they want to be contacted.

Anything else? I'll enterain. Thank you for indulging me. Entertain a motion. Motion. Second. We are journ. Thank you, ladies and gentlemen. Thank you, Mr. Knight.