City Council - Regular Meeting

for radios.

Quite a bit. Sure. We've been working on that. drawing shows large. You're going to

scoot Is that going away? She's retired. She's It is 6:30 in the evening. I'd like to call this meeting to order.

Mr. Hall, would you give us a prayer, please? Let's pray. Living heavenly father, we are blessed to walk in your presence day in and day out, knowing you're ever present, ever able to help us in all things. Uh you know the smallest of things and things in our lives. Lord, we recognize that you need to be first in all those things. We thank you for the opportunity though to serve in the small things, the parts of our city and other things that we might have a part in. We just pray you give us wisdom, guidance as we as we make decisions and be a part of the leadership of our community. We pray in Jesus name. Amen.

Please join me in the pledge of allegiance. I pledge algiance 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. Thank you. Madame clerk, would you read the roll call, please? Council member Hall, here. Council member Chapman, here. Council member McMahon, here. Council member Hefner, here. Council member Brooke and Council Member Rub. All are present.

Council item. First item on agenda is review approval of the city council meeting minutes from September 16th. Have a chance to review them. I'd entertain a motion to approve as presented. Motion. We have a second. Second. Any input? Hearing none. All those in favor say I. I. Any oppose? Motion carries. Next on the agenda is the department of reports. Got a chance to review and entertain a motion to approve. Motion motion. We have a second. Second. We have a second. Any input? Hearing none. All those in favor say I. I. Any opposed? Motion carries. Also, council, you've had a chance to review the financials that were provided. I'd entertain a motion to approve financials. Motion. We have a motion. We have a second.

Second. Any input? Hearing none. All those in favor say I. I.

Any oppose? Motion carries. We did not have or planning commission not have a meeting September and the water commission water waste water advisory committee did not meet in September. Uh I would like to meet with them on October if you would please or next possible time of November. Yes, please. All right. Next on agenda is beginning of our old business ordinance 202517. Would you read the title, please? An ordinance authorizing the Ward Fire Department to charge for fire responses and other emergency responses outside the city limits of Ward. Council, this is on our third reading or any questions, inputs. Do any citizen input hearing? None. I'd entertain a motion to put the uh ordinance 202517 on its third reading.

Motion second. Roll call, please. Council member Hall. Yes. Council member Chapman. Yes. Council member Mcmmin. Yes. Council member Hefner. Yes. Council member Brooke. Yes. Council member Rubble. Yes. Orders 2025. 2025-17. Uh has been approved on a third reading. I would entertain a motion to adopt orders 202517. Motion. Second. A motion. Second. Roll call, please. Council member Chapman. Yes. Council member McMahon. Yes. Council member Hefner. Yes. Council member Brook. Yes. Council member Rubble. Yes.

And council member Hall. Yes. Orders 202517 has been approved and will go into effect if I remember correctly at the first of the year. Yes. Thank you councel. Next on the agenda is ordinance 202518. Would you read the title, please? An ordinance repealing and replacing ordinance 2022-02, an ordinance establishing a procedure for the purchasing, sale, or exchange of property in the city of Ward and for other purposes.

Council, if you remember, this is on its second reading with modifications. We increase the spending authority of me by to $25,000 on water and wastewater items only. With that, I'd entertain any questions, any citizen input hearing. None. I'd entertain a motion to put uh ordinance 202518 up for its second reading. Make a motion. A motion. We have a second. Second. Roll call, please. Council member McN. Yes. Council member Hefner? No. Council member Brook? No. Council member Rubble,

no. Council member Hall, no. Council member Chapman, yes. Orders 202518 has failed on its second reading. I will not bring this back up. Council ordinance 20259. Read title, please. An ordinance repealing and replacing ordinance 2002-02 establishing a general penalty where no specific penalty is provided or where adopted by reference and for other purposes.

We have to discuss this. This is up for its third reading. Any discussion? I I have I'm I'm sorry. I was at the I was at the hospital not not in the last meeting. Welcome back by the way. Thank you. Um, I was reading through it today and and well, I guess yesterday. Um, I'm I'm concerned. I don't understand the balance. So, we're talking about any city ordinance that violation or am I mistaken? Am I misreading that? Any any city ordinance that does not have already a violation or or a fine built within?

Okay. So, if I if I don't uh cut my grass and it's not if it's too too tall, are you going to I'm going to get a a $1,000 fine or is that already appreciated? That's already in that. We already got one for that, right? And that's up to,000. It doesn't have the judges has discretion on that. Okay. So, so it said up to Yes, sir. Seems like to me because it, you know, it said a,000 the first time, 2,000 the second time, 3,000 4,000 shall not exceed. Shall not exceed. Yes, sir. And I apologize. I didn't It's not on the screen, so I wasn't sure of the reading. I forgot about that. uh the uh so the lead to that is so it's just up to the judge and he could do the max or whatever there. So right I'm sure that he would be or she would be um in I think it'd be egregious.

Yeah. Yeah. To say that grass is $1,000. Well again the grass has penalties and fines already built into that ordinance. But an ordinance we had a noise ordinance one time or noise and we didn't have a fine to go with it. Right. Can we just have Chris come up and release his spiel? Yeah. my two cents again. Yeah.

So, Councilman Hall, this is in reaction to there are some ordinances out there that don't have fines in them that need them. We're working on updating those. It takes months to get them through context to get those established. So, somebody comes in, we had a permit violation fine or permit violation. There was no or stop work order, excuse me, and there was no no fine for it. Well, we can't retroactively apply one if there's none there. So, uh, and it took months to get it through context and we we're past our window to prosecute that. So, we this is a fall back and then as we come across an ordinance, if it doesn't have one in it, we can bring it to council and you guys can establish what it needs to be. Eventually, if we if we get them all with one item, then this one will be a moot point could be repealed.

Okay. Very good. Any further input? Any citizen input hearing? None. I'd entertain a motion to uh approve ordinance 202519 on its third reading. Motion second. A motion and a second. Roll call, please. Council member Hefner, yes. Council member Brook, yes. Council member Rubble, yes. Council member Hall, yes. Council member Chapman, yes. And council member McMahon, yes. Ordinance 20259 has been approved on third reading. I entertain a motion for to adopt ordinance 202519. Motion to adopt. We have a motion with second.

Second. Roll call, please. Council member Brooke, yes. Council member Rubble, yes. Council member Hall, yes. Council member Chapman, yes. Council member Mcm. Yes. And council member Hefner? Yes. Ordinance 20259 has been approved and adopted. They'll be in force in 30 days. Is there a need for an emergency clause on that? I did have the emergency clause and I did I not? Yes, I did. Yes, sir. Motion. Can I entertain a motion for an emergency clause? We have a motion to second. Roll call, please. Thank you for catching that. Council member Rubble. Yes. Council member Hall.

Yes. Council member Chapman. Yes. Council member McMahon. Yes. Council member Hefner. Yes. and council member Brook. Yes.

Ordinance 202519 emergency clause has been passed um which means the ordinance is effect immediately. Thank you councel. Next on the agenda is ordinance 202520. I'm going to table that for right now. We've had some other issues come up, some questions about uh some land uh zoning and we want to clarify that before we bring it back to you. So I'm going to table that to at least next month. All right. Ordinance 202521. Please read the title.

An ordinance amending ordinance 2025-05 establishing parking rules for the city of Ward, Arkansas concerning vehicles exceeding one ton and semi-trailt type vehicles establishing penalties and for other purposes. Guys, we've had this discussion. We've had we got dump trucks parking in residential areas and things like that and this is needed to uh that. I entertain any comment. I do have a question again.

Um so I have I I don't right now because I've got rid of it, but I'll be purchasing another RV before two. Um I I extended my driveway so it'd be sufficient to pull in my driveway, but however, there's times when I've uh backed it out and set it on the on the roadway. so that we could pack up or do other things. Um, and I would I be in violation because it exceeds the the weightage of the of the If you look, the ordinance calls for commercial vehicle parking. You're See, I keep missing these small things. I just see what speaks to me. So, thank you very much.

It only involves commercial vehicles. If if you have a um your RV, you're good, sir. Any further comment? Any business? Pardon me. I'm not using it for business. Okay. I would ask you for your business permit. Okay. Okay. Any uh citizen comment here? I entertain a motion to Oh, excuse me. I didn't I spoke too soon. Come on up. You did. You didn't give me the time to stand. Introduce yourself, please. Hey, I am Cheryl Ecman. I'm a resident of the Oakland Grove neighborhood on Ferguson Drive, which is the street that has the dump trucks. Um the other street SER drive is the one that has the huge semi, right?

And tonight actually it's this big huge dump truck as well. Um first of all, I want to say thank you all for changing this ordinance up. I know it started as just the parking ordinance. Um and we had addressed this issue with them back when all that began just because it is such a big problem. It definitely does affect the integrity of the streets. Um the I can speak on the dump trucks. The um the dump trucks are repaired. Their maintenance is done on them. So where they both are sitting, there's substances in the street. Um there's stains in the street. The police became involved, I don't know, few weeks ago, a month ago to where they were dumping their tires across the street in the field between Dollar General and our residents. Um, so this has become a big problem, not just with streets, but with things going on with them as well. Um, sorry, I made my little note so I'd be brief. Um, as far as neighbor issues, I live kind of caddy corner to where the dump trucks are. Um, so the neighbors right there by them. Difficult for them to get in and out of their driveway. Um, the dump trucks fire up between 5:30, 6:30 in the morning and they're loud. I don't need an alarm clock. They wake me up and then at 3:00 they're coming back home. Um, it impedes the flow of traffic most definitely. The dump trucks are parked on the street of course, but they're so big and they leave their driveway open. So, they're sitting in front of their neighbors yards as well. So, it definitely is a neighbor problem. Um, and definitely if somebody right there wanted to sell their house, I wouldn't want to live across the street from these dump trucks. So, definitely that would become a problem as well. I know that kind of gets more out of the street issue, but it's been a neighbor issue as well. Um, I guess I just have three

questions. I'll just ask them and if they can be answered, fine. If not, that's fine, too. I was wanting to know the date of the effectiveness as long as the third reading's passed. 30 days from today. 30 days. Okay. Thank you. And um will the substances on the street be addressed? From what I understand with dump trucks, they line the dump truck bed with diesel fuel. So when they have a load, it slides off easier. So when they're like sprayashing their beds out, all this is running out to the street. Um so I'll have code for take a look at it. And then this might be none my business kind of thing, but how will the residents be notified of the changes with the ordinance?

I plan on having a letter done up and code enforcement put on the uh windshields of those dump trucks. Okay. Notice that in 30 days, okay, you can no longer park there. Again, we really appreciate those and others too, not just right. I mean, our neighborhood, I know, is an issue, and I actually went back and watched the last two city council meetings, and our neighborhood was brought up, but no residential neighborhood should have to put up with all this. So, correct. Correct. Thank you for hearing me out. I appreciate it. That's why we're doing this. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you for talking. Thank you. I have one question. Yes, ma'am. Turn the mic back on. Is there any way they can get away with saying it's not commercial, not a dump truck?

Well, I'm just wanting to make sure. You know, if we run into a situation like that, we'll uh we'll in engage our city attorney. Okay. I can actually answer your question. There you go. The two dump trucks, it's a father-son operation that live there at the house. Both dump trucks. Mhm. the um flat bread flat bed semi-pop vehicle, dump truck, whichever it is. He owns his own business as well. So um has posted on the side of the tags on them. They're always there. Just want to make sure if we encounter that have names on the sides of their doors.

If we would happen to encounter that, we'll we'll get involved. Any any further comments, questions? Hearing none, I entertain a motion to approve ordinance 2025 21 for third reading. Motion, we have apparently a motion and a second. Quickly, roll call, please. Council member Hall, yes. Council member Chapman, yes. Council member McMahon, yes. Council member Hefner, yes. Council member Brook, yes. and council member Ruple. Yes.

Ordinance 202521 has been approved on third reason reading. Entertain a motion to adopt ordinance 202521. Motion and a second and a second. Roll call, please. Council member Chapman, yes. Council member McMahon, yes. Council member Hefner, yes. Council member Brooke, yes. Council member Rubble, yes. And Council Member Hall,

yes. Ordinance 2025 has been adopted. It will be in force in 30 days. Thank you, council. Next on the agenda is ordinance 202523, new business. Read title, please. An ordinance amending city of Ward Ordinance 2025-16 establishing policy concerning providing utilities to subdivisions outside the city limits of Ward and for other purposes. council. This ordinance uh just clarifies uh in the in this in the previous ordinance that it that it's amending uh what a a subdivision title is by defined by the city of Ward unified development ordinance implemented by city ordinance 2025-20. Once that's approved I enter any comments questions

say that one more time for you. Well, this or this um we passed an ordinance about how we deal with with subdivisions outside city limits and utilities. We weren't real clear on what a subdivision is. So, we're joining that with subdivision uh definition in the UDO which will be passed. So, this is the one that we were saying like the mile out. Is that right? Yeah. Right. Right. Uh even further than that if it's a subdivision they want to we just just further defines it. Make sure there's no questions water only any uh further questions comment any citizen comment

hearing none I entertain a motion to approve ordinance 2025-23 the first reading motion a motion we have a second roll call please. Council member Mcmmin. Yes. Council member Hefner. Yes. Council member Brookke. Yes. Council member Rubble. Yes. Council member Hall. Yes. And council member Chapman. Yes.

Orders 202523 has been approved on its first reading. I will carry it forward to next month on second reading. Next on the agenda is ordinance 202524. Please read the title. an ordinance establishing policy concerning providing city utilities to develop properties outside the city limits of Ward declaring an emergency and for other purposes. council. This is brought about uh in reviewing this other one for the subdivision. It dawned on us that if you don't want to put a subdivision outside city limits, it falls under the other ordinance, but if you just want to put a house outside city limits, when you want our utilities or a commercial property, a developed property, not a subdivision, so we include this so they go through the same motion as a subdivision. If you want to be have our utilities, annex in if you're connected to the city limits. If you're not annexed to connect city limits and you want our utilities, then you'll have to enter an agreement that once you connect, you'll be on the city limits or on and annex in or we uh will not provide sewer in this particular pro process. Uh they can get water but not sewer as they go through the motions.

Make my mic on. Is there not in question the need for ordinance? What I'm questioning is the need for two ordinances addressing the same situation. Okay. Is there is there a way that this these ordinances can be combined into one? Yes, you could do that. You could have I could have amended I could amended 202516 and include developed properties. just did not just say again that mayor I said I could have amended 202516 to include developed properties I did not I just included a new one

okay yeah it could you could do a section one for subdivisions and one for individual houses section one section two you could do that just thinking because of the the human nature you know like we've seen from Captain Hall down there you people miss stuff so if we combine it then I don't know it's like You got got one-stop shop for the ordinance for that and we can do that. It's not an issue. Just so anyway for writing it was just what I chose to do. So I mean we could approve it but it just combined to the other one. How's that work?

No, I'd have to you have to to write an ordinance amending 2516 with this language uh in order to make it. You can't say approve this ordinance and mail it in to 2516. Okay. So about to about to what we can do if it's if that's the wishes of the council, we can table this uh until maximum. But I did have a a emergency clause on this one. What about on 2523 that you just passed which amended 2516? Yeah. Right. Um we could add the language. You could we could you we could you could resend the uh first and second motion. Did you did you do you didn't do emergency on that one, right?

No. You can resend your first and second motion, discuss that, modify 2523 to include a second section with the language of 2524. Okay. And revote on it. Okay. And still add the emergency clause, right? We Yeah, that would put them both in emergency clause now. Okay. So, so whoever made the motion to approve ordinance 2523 on its first reading, we send your motion. And the motion on the last one rescended and second the second and that's rescended too. Yeah. Okay. So that never happened. So then then we can add an amendment. Is that basically what he's going to do?

What you want to do? So somebody's got a motion to amend 2523 to include this language motion where he said. Yes. Motion to amend 2523 with the language of 2524. Yes. Second. Okay. So, we have a motion and a second as amended. First reading as amend and then so forth and so on. Right. Right. As amended to include the language of 2524 into ordinance 2523. All right. We have a motion second on that. Roll call, please. Council member Hefner. Yes.

Council member Brook. Yes. Council member Rubble, yes. Council member Hall, yes. Council member Chapman, yes. Council member McMahon, yes. Ordinance 25 202523 is approved on the first reading as amended. I would entertain a motion to suspend the rules for a second and third reading on ordinance 25 202523. Motion a motion. Second. Second. All those in favor say I. I. Any oppose? Motion carries. Entertain a motion to approve ordinance 202523 as amended. Motion. Have a motion. Second.

And a second. Roll call, please. Council member Brooke. Yes. Council member Rubble. Yes. Council member Hall. Yes. Council member Chapman. Yes. Council member McMahon. Yes. and council member Hefner. Yes. Okay. Ordinance 2025 as amended has been approved on it as has been adopted. I entertain a motion to invoke the emergency clause on ordinance 202523 as amended. Motion. Second. Roll call, please. Council member Rubble, yes. Council member Tahal, yes. Council member Chapman, yes. Council member McMahon, yes.

Council member Hefner, yes. and Council Member Brooke. Yes. Ordinance 202523 as amended will go to in effect immediately as soon as I rewrite it. Okay. Thank you, council. All right. Next on the agenda is um resolution 202541. Read the title, please. A resolution authorizing the mayor and/or city clerk of the city of Ward to enter into a contract to purchase one 2026 Dodge Durango vehicle from Red River Dodge in Hebrew Springs, Arkansas for the fire department.

Council, this was approved by motion last month. This is just a formality put in a resolution form. I'd entertain a motion to approve motion resolution 2025 41. Second. Have a motion second. All those in favor say I. I. Any oppose? Motion carries. Next on the agenda is resolution 202542. Read title, please. A resolution authorizing the mayor andor city clerk of the city of Ward to enter into a contract with Wilks Communication to purchase five handheld AWIN radios. Council, these uh radios will be replacing those that are old and outdated and they are being bought with act 833 funds that are provided by the state.

Motion second. A motion second. Any comments hearing? None. All those in favor say I. I. Any oppose? Motion carries. Next on the agenda is resolution 2024 2543. Read the title, please.

A resolution authorizing the mayor to enter into an agreement with bond engineering to prepare an updated master water plan. council, we need to get an updated master water plan for city as it entails through Lon White uh as they're working through their master water plan to make sure we're all in the same and this will provide us with uh 10, 15, and 25 years projections on the needs for water. Motion entertain a motion to approve resolution 2025. Second motion second. Any comments? Any discussion? Hearing none. All those in favor say I.

I. Any opposed? Motion carries. Next on the agenda is resolution 202544. Please read the title. A resolution authorizing the mayor to enter into an agreement with bond bond engineering to design and manage a project to overlay and improve several streets. and the city hall parking lot.

Council, last month a motion was made for to go forward with this. Since that time, Bond Engineering has reviewed the areas and they determined Langford Street does not need to be overlaid at this time. So, I moved that out and moved that Spencer Street in, which is the short street between Highway um 319 and uh Campbell Street that would complete that area over there. And then the area down Marshall included that also. I just have a typo question. Yes, sir. Does this need to say the mayor andor city clerk or No. H. Yeah, it does.

I will make that change. Any comments? Entertain a motion to approve resolution 202544. Motion. We have a motion with a second. Second. All those in favor say I. I. Excuse me. Before we go to that, we have a comment. Yes, ma'am. Yes. Thank you for um Well, this is not what I'm here for, but I understand. Um What about Moon Road? Moon Road is uh in discussions with the county judge on a possible tap project to widen Moon Road from Brewers. Well, from what's that? Wilson Loop. Wilson out to 319. Yes. 38. Okay.

So, that is when near future years away, it it will be a process because when you get into TA, you'll see tonight we have a sidewalk project that was approved in 22. We're just now getting it going. Sidewalk. Okay. So, they they take some of that because that entire road's not in the city. Some of it's in the county and Yeah. And I know half of it is and half of it isn't Yeah. County and I, the judge and I have already talked about it. We we have a an agreement to start working toward this issue because of all the traffic that's going to be on Moon Road. That has been addressed. It's fixing to be 700 houses right there.

Close. Thank you. Yes. Okay. Uh we have a motion second on the floor, I believe, for resolution 202544. All those in favor say I. Any oppose? Motion carries. Next on the agenda is um resolution 202545. Read title, please. A resolution authorizing the mayor andor city clerk to dispose of the following vehicles.

These are all water wastewater vehicles that are outlived or useless and even run if I understand right. Bruce can clarify that. But um we just need permission to get rid of them. We're going to get rid of them on a sealed bid process. No, I'm not going to put these on gov deals. Motion. A motion with a second. Second. Any comments? Yes. Um, say seal build for all three or we're going to do them individually? Individually. Well, start.

So, I'll figure that out tomorrow if you guys approve it tonight. you know, we'll we'll advertise it, give, you know, two week or so uh time period and have a a public notice of when the seal bids will be open at the public. That's I have a question. What makes this different than the gov deals? Just because I really don't know. So, well, normally a lot of times we'll put things out of gov deals and then when they don't sell, we come back and do this after the fact 60 days later. We like to just go forward with the sealed bid just see if we can get rid of them that way. Gov deals is a process that sometimes is and and for what these will probably bring, it's probably not worth the hassle.

Be truthful. These are all non running pretty well. Correct. Uh the 074 does run, but it has low compression. So good to correct. We have a motion. Do we have a second? Second. Any further comments hearing? None. All those in favor say I. I. Any oppose? Motion carries. Thank you. Resolution 2025-46 is next. Would you read the title, please, Chief?

A resolution authorizing the retirement of police K9 Harmon and transfer of ownership to handler Shawn Barber. My only question on this is is there going to be a monetary thing like we sell that dog to him for a dollar? No, we did not pay for the dog. Well, I thought Jacksonville got into that thing with um one of their previous canines where they gave her the dog and then it caused havoc and it come back on the city. So, Sorry. Sidebar. Do what? You're having a sidebar?

Yes, I was. Okay. Anyway, question. Do you in your your opinion, do we need to put a monetary value of a dollar on this or I'll be honest, I don't know. I I would I my first guess was no. The gentleman back here said he heard where city uh Jacksonville got what I said. So, we can add allow me to look into that tomorrow. We can add sell it to him for a dollar. It's not going to hurt, right? Yeah, that's fine. It's definitely not gonna hurt. I, you know, I can pay for it. Obviously, I can I can afford that. Obviously, I can uh and the gentleman would like to speak also. Yeah. No, I'm just saying. Please identify yourself. Jeff Gibson. Uh I live here on Moon Ridge Road. Okay.

Um my experience with City of Jacksonville. That's who I work for. State Department. Oh yeah. Um Mr. Rubble, he is correct. you least do have to least purchase a dollar. That way if anybody comes back and says, "Hey, you didn't do this or you didn't do that." You got records that you sold them for a dollar. Because I mean, at the end of the day, it's still a city asset. It's still a city. Yes, sir. All right. I would uh I'd entertain a motion to amend resolution 202546 to add a dollar that that buys it for a dollar. Is a dog just old or getting cataracts?

Oh, I can relate to that. Motion. We have a motion for the amendment, right? To amend. Okay. Second. All those in favor amending uh resolution 202546 to include buying it for a dollar. All in favor say I. I. Any oppose? Okay. Now I need a motion to approve resolution. Motion to approve. Second as amended. Second. And we have a second. All those in favor say I. I Any oppose? All right. Resolution 202546 is approved. Thank you. Everyone in here has a dollar. [Laughter]

All right. Resolution 202547. Council, I threw this on to you tonight. We had a bid opening yesterday and the bids were certified today by the uh engineering firm. So, I apologize for the last minute putting this on, but uh read uh read title for resolution 202547. a resolution accepting Worooster Construction Company as the low bidder for phase four of the ward safe routes to schools sidewalk project and authorizing the mayor andor city clerk to sign appropriate documents for the project.

Council, we have um $276 from the um TAP project on this project and $341,000. We're about out about $55,000 which is less than what we had anticipated. So, same what no sir no we had we had seven had eight biders seven we opened one didn't follow the right procedures so he wasn't opened but uh no this is a new a new company they checked out by the engineering firm and they're fine they're out of green brier and this is from moon road to down to Wilson loop

this is no this is a chantelier and within Orchard Hollow and then down from Moon Road to um what's the name of that street down there? What's that little subdivision there? Pardon me. Sweetwater. No. Anyway, straight up down down down down Wilson Loop from Moon Road. Gold Medals. Thank you. Gold medals. Yeah. Thank you. Drawing a blank. Anyway, I'll make a motion to approve. Have a motion to approve. Second question. Yes, sir.

Mic on. Put your mic on. So, we we've been awarded already 276,000 with us. So, we're only going to be out 2,000. They'll come back and modify that. It's 80%. AR dot will come back since it's lower bid. They'll come back and modify what we get from them. Basically, we'll end up paying 20%. Okay. All right. Okay. Motion second. Any further comments? Hearing none. All those all in favor say I.

Any opposed? Motion carries. Thank you very much. Council, I didn't put it on the screen. I apologize. Um, I can have her read it. Uh, resolution 202548. Um, go ahead and read title, please. I apologize for not put on screen and not giving you Did I give you a copy of that? Oh, good. But I didn't put on screen. Go ahead and read title, please.

A resolution authorizing the mayor andor city clerk of the city of Ward to purchase water meters and meter transceiver units. This is to uh refill our SC our stock on meters. We have lots of meters going out or new new new areas. So I entertain this is from where we get them from. I entertain a motion to approve. So this is for like the new subdivisions and stuff. We're not replacing or even just anybody who is on our water system even out in the county who puts a new house in or whatever. We had to put a meter in. Well, I was just mainly looking at we're not having problem $28 $6,000 worth of problems out of the ones we got. Oh, no sir. Most pretty much all new stuff.

Okay. Yeah. No, all that's in the ground right now is all the warranty. Okay. Good motion. We got 70 plus that could go in any day now. It's been just about doubling every month for the last couple months. what Bruce was saying, not on the microphone. He's loud over here. That's true. Anyway, we had a motion. There a second. I need a second. We need a second. Second. All right. Any further comments? All those in favor say I. Any oppose? Motion carries. Please show Mr. Brook opposing. Motion carries.

All right. Annually we uh have to approve our millillage rate currently five mills dedicated to 100% to general fund. Yes sir. Can we back up one? Okay. Because I think uh council member Brooke had a comment before we did the eyes's and Mr. Brook. No comp was wondering was Bruce was saying that they're putting 70 out a month and stuff and he's only asking for 40. So why you only asking for 40 if you're putting 70 out.

Well cuz on the cuz cuz we do have some uh the reason why this one is this amount is cuz last month we saw a huge uptick and it uh diminished our supplies. So this should uh with what we have this should should get us by for six to eight weeks. We need to up this quantity. I mean that's just that's just guesstimating, right? We need I mean we we could go up on the meters but the um there's plenty of end points on there. I don't want to have to revisit this in two months though. We'd want to be repaid though, right? Like these are new. Oh, we

they're all they're all for pretty much new construction. So, just because I don't know what's the what's the point that you're talking about? What is that? What part is that that you say we don't need any more of those other than what you've got listed? The the uh the end point. So, there's meters on there and then there's two types of endpoints. Uh single points and the and the dual points. And I think we had 54 of each of those. So single point is like one house and then correct dual point two for a dual setter. Yes. Okay. And you have plenty of those. How many would we need to substantiate? Four months. Yeah. Four months for the rest of the year.

It's it's hard to say. you know, we haven't um it hasn't been that bad, but you know, probably less than 20 in August and then we saw double that in September and there's probably 70 or so coming up that could be any day. So, does are can our does our building inspector have a number on projected houses going in for this? They're they're going up like crazy. Can we not just double this amount? You know, part of it's the weather, too. You know, if we get into the rainy season, that that's probably going to slow down.

So, if we double to 40, is that I mean, what is that keep us from coming back in four months? And Bruce saying we need 40 more? Yeah, norm normally we would we would try to stay stay up on it. We just got hit with a lot more than normal last month and it's ask you this. Are we run into a warranty situation also where they sit on the shelf too long and not be in warranty? I think it's once I put in the ground. No, I mean not with that amount, you know, even if we double that, they're not going to sit on the shelf very and that's that's a concern when we do pumps. These ones are put in use. I don't think ones that bought weren't put in use.

Council, if you want to double the number of meters, we'll have to refigure the amount. Obviously, it's double. I make a motion to double the line one part of this purchase order. Not just line one. You got to also do one two and three, too. He said line. We didn't We don't need those. We got plenty of those. This is just replenishing stock. I know that if what I'm saying though is you're putting in if you're putting in a new meter and they don't have these other things with it, then you're not going to get the readings. Oh, we have to put them in at the same time. Yeah. I think there's like there's likeund So end points. So

he's got 54 singles and 54 I guess double. How many end points you have right now? I couldn't give you an exact number. Can't we table this? No, we need to get these on order. Yeah. I mean, because the other thing is is if you know, how long is it going to take? Sometimes we get them quick. Sometimes it it takes a bit if there's a lot of other people that are, you know, basically doing the same as us.

Who to answer Mr. Rub's question, our office processed 25 building permits last week alone. Um, I know, uh, Moonlight Meadows, uh, we had a pre-construction meeting, uh, with them this afternoon and, uh, they're digging their first footings in the morning. So, they'll be foreign footings within the next day or two. So, um, that's not a definite number, but we could see 25 houses start this week that we processed building permits for last week.

Bruce, give us a number that'll get you through the next several months. Well, if you if you if you double the amount of meters and um that should cover us for guesstimation, 8 weeks. But we can also put in, you know, like a a month from now, six weeks from now, we can put in a small order if if that's, you know, falling behind because norm normally we would stay up on this and we wouldn't even bring it to you. It's just that it's just so many happened last month that we need to make a big order. So if you double the meters that guesstimation that should potentially cover next eight nine weeks.

So are you saying to just the meters or just the meters? Yeah. All three lines. Just the meters. Okay. Motion. Okay. All right. We have a motion second to uh amend uh ordinance or res resolution 225-48 to double the meters. I have no idea what that price is going to be. So you have to give me authority on an open-ended u price. It add another $6,320 to it. Something like that. So uh so I need a motion and a second to approve the amending motion. We have a motion. We have a second. Second. All those in favor say I. I.

I need a motion and a second to approve resolution 202548 as amended. Motion. Second. All those in favor say I. I. Any oppose? Motion carries. Okay. I think we're back to the millage rate now. All right. I need a motion to approve our annual millage rate. Keep it as as it is and has been for ever. Motion. Have a motion for a second. Second. All those in favor say I. I. Any oppose? Motion carries. All right. Uh the Department of Justice um bulletproof res program in actuality we're not eligible. We got a grant in 2023. It's every five years. So scrap that.

Next on the agenda is Tanya Tanya Gibson and agenda. The microphone is yours. She contacted me and asked to be put on the agenda and I apologize that. So if you please uh identify yourself. Uh may I address the board with sure pictures? Thank you decision. Hey. Um, my name is Tanya Gibson.

Um, Bruce, you have one. This lift station [Applause]

and I live at One Moon Ridge Drive in Ward. Um, I've lived at this residence for the last seven years. Um, and basically it's my house, a privacy fence, and this sewage pump. So, um, when I came home on October the 13th, which was on a Monday, I came home to find the city workers working on the pump station, um, there were three workers on site and they were just dressed in the regular work clothes and work boots. Um but um closer to inspection um I could see that the sewage was running out of the manhole and that was located inside that fenced area. Um so when I asked one of the workers what they were doing, he says, "Well, we're trying to duct tape the pump again." In which I know this because I've been there seven years and I always go out there to ask them what they're doing and all of that. Um, so the workers were literally standing in the sewage because it was running down out over the sidewalk into the ditch. Um, and as you can tell in the pictures, um, I just wanted you to know what's going on. Um, and so when I asked one of the workers, um, you know, was this the proper thing to do? is this by code or whatever. He says, "Well," he said, "No, but we're going to put lime down." So, okay. I'm guessing the lime was supposed to suffice, take care of the environment and protection and all of that. Um, you know, I've got I've got all the codes. Um you know the method of disposal

how it should be taken taken care of the operation and maintenance of individual sewage disposal and treatment systems discharges from the sewage disposal how they are supposed to be done in the correct manner. Um you know I mean I've got them all Mr. Jones knows them. But I guess my thing is I want to know why a pump wasn't used to take the excess out and used for, you know, proper disposal. Why was it just overrun into the sidewalk in which when they left they didn't put up any barriers for, you know, the kids not to walk down the sidewalk? Here's the sewage in the ditches that whatever random dogs are going to drink out of. Um, you know, and I just I just wanted y'all to be aware of what's going on if you don't live in that area. And I feel that I've lived there a long time, like I said, and this is the first time I finally had enough to address it that it should be done the proper way. I'm not saying you got to go buy a 20,025 new pump truck, but you could have hired one for this purpose, just rented it, whatever paid a third party to come and do it. So, thank you for listening.

Thank you for bringing that to our attention and and coming forward to the council. Uh Bruce, would you like to address? Yeah.

Yeah. So that's, you know, since I've been a part of the city that, you know, that's been a problematic lift station. Um for lots of reasons. Um that's also why, you know, with Moonlight Meadows. Uh we have the that's going to be converted to a manhole there. So there will no longer be a lift station. and uh he gave me an ETA on that uh yesterday of approximately he's thinking 2 weeks to have that completely offline. Um I can say recently that was the one that recently got hit by lightning and burnt and melted down. Um, and so we've had a lot of issues there, which we are required to put down lime and report it to ADQ, um, which we did and we actually got to report it to them twice of everything that happened there and whatnot. Um, per their requirements and it's just it's just been problematic. You know, it doesn't have enough buffering capacity. it, you know, the the um the holding tank, if you will, is is too too small, which is one of the reasons why we wanted to uh take it offline. Um so there's no there's no room for error if something does happen. Um so yeah, so she's right. You have lots of issues.

So this will be uh decommissioned in two weeks, you said? Yeah, that's the that's the ETA gave me was was two weeks. And how will it be cleaned up? Well, current currently what we're required to do is pick up um any trash or debris and disinfect with lawn. Is there any way to get rid of Is there any way to get rid of all of it or cover it with dirt? Take the fence down?

Nope. The only thing you could do is you you'd have to scrape all the dirt, grass, everything if you wanted to go that route, which is not feasible, which is why they they typically have you pick up any trash or debris and disinfect the area. So, it can't be filled in or anything? Do what? It cannot be filled in. I have my mic on. Cannot be filled in or anything. The lift station when the new No. So, so that current that that current um lift station um will be converted to a manhole. Yeah. It's not going to have any pumps in it. Okay. So, there's not going to be any pumps. It's just it'll basically just be a manhole. It goes through.

So, can it all stuff that's not going to be used anymore that like the fence because you're not going to have a fence around a manhole, are you? No, there's no need to. All that stuff be removed and it cleaned up though cuz I've driven by there and it is Yeah, it can. and the uh the generator we moved to the new pump station up Moon and if you're a member council we partnered with the developer to upsize if you will that that lift station up there sole purpose was to for for growth and to get rid of that lift station on Moon Road. All be left be the concrete top. That's the little dome thingy. Yeah.

So when it's all said and done that problem won't happen again. I think the I think what the one issue she was having was that communication and the non awareness of the population that was there like roping it off or sectioning it off so that way nobody walks through the sewage that's on the ground and stuff like that. So maybe in the future. Yeah, I don't disagree with that one. So that's probably what she is more training. We also have some uh young uh workers who are a little flippant sometimes on their answers and we need to do some more training on that such as

I have a question. If you put lime down on it, it disinfectes it and renders the sewage neutral, right? But in on page six, it shows a fire hydrant back there. Could we not have washed it down after that application of lime? I don't believe you can wash it down. I mean, it's ultimately going to wind up in a storm drain anyway. You scattered it all over the ground. So,

yeah. I mean, if if if it if it's like, you know, if if it's like So, I've seen situations where if it if it gets like thick enough to where like you can't see grass, nothing, then then that the only way to remedy that would be to scrape everything up, grass and everything with the front end loader, which can be done, has been done. Well, I'm all I'm I'm just going off of what we see in the pictures and then I don't really see any debris like you would think from coming from sewer. I mean, I don't see any like toilet paper, toilet tissue or large solids or anything.

Yeah, it's mostly gray water. U solids in a wastewater system represent less than a tenth of a percent. So, well, what I'm was getting at is if it lime neutralizes it just for aesthetics and the fact I wouldn't want to walk down that sidewalk, right? I mean, future speaking, can we like wash that stuff down? I mean, if I lived over, I'd be mad, too. I mean, I understand. So the line wasn't put down until after all that water was dried up or sewage I should say was dried up.

Yeah. Typ typically how that works is once you you report it right and it is stopped that is when they typically you would put down the disinfectant. Not unless it's extended and it, you know, you got something that's overflowing for, you know, 24 hours non-stop, then then you have to take more drastic actions. But typically once the overflow stops is when you would put down the disinfectant.

Um, Bruce, like what? Okay. So, when you put the lime down, is that harmful to anybody? Anything? Dogs, kids, whatever. I I guess it could be like anything else if a dog decides to eat the lime. I don't I don't think it is in particular. Otherwise, the ADQ wouldn't have us doing that.

Well, I'm not disagreeing with that, but I mean I think the whole point is too like there's there hasn't been and this has been an ongoing thing because that's not the first time and it's happened at my home too that um there's no notification. It goes back to the whole thing about communication again. there's no notification to the families to let them know like this is what we had to do and it's safe or it's not safe or avoid it for so long. And that's I think that we keep coming back to that same thing when it comes to the water department that it's not great on communication about that kind of stuff, water and sewer because you don't know what you're coming home to. I mean areas get torn up and they're left that way or they're not evenly fixed and then it never comes back around.

She was talking about a truck. Do you have something like that or what could have Well, so there is a stand there. We did get we did put a standby pump there um which um comes from Austin which we kind of share it and it was not in use uh by them. So um we made the call and we went and picked it up and brought the standby pump in. We had a catastrophic failure and then we didn't have a pump. We have rented from rain for rent uh Morrison lift station we rented for probably 6 months.

But but initially we tried to we tried to make the necessary repairs to get it. I may be totally misunderstanding. I think she was talking about a pump truck to suck up the excess like in the tank to keep it from overflowing instead of the overflow going instead of it running down the sidewalk. I think is pretty well what she was getting at. And that's why I was asking could we have not have flushed that to where at least it didn't diluted. Yeah. Dilute it to where at least if your dog was Yeah. Typically the ATQ wouldn't want you to do that spray more. your your your opt is is to okay yeah I mean you want to minimize the spread you want to minimize the spreading right

you know but it in that case if you know if it's bad enough to where you think it you know need to be washed like that you just have to scrape everything up dirt and everything okay that that's where what I was I will tell you this we're going to take this instance as a training you know we're going to we're going to break this down and see what was right, what was wrong. Uh and then after action, you know, type of situation, uh and and see what we could do better to include communications. I mean, uh that is that is an issue. Always has been an issue. It continues to be an issue, but it's something that we should be able to fix. Well, and with our

close proximity, you know, to the to, you know, because that that lift station is just right there. It's like right there in the subdivision, right by the homes. And uh sure that could have been barricaded. I've asked for privacy fence. I have one last question. Do they make locking manhole covers? Yes. Okay. They're heavy. Oh, they're not like the old ones. No, they're like 100 pounds. Okay. Did the Ninja Turtles pop up? They are. Yeah, they are like 120 pounds I believe for a cam locking lid.

In any case, uh Ninja Turtles notwithstanding, um I just want to make sure the kids are safe. They're safe. But indeed, it has been a problem and has been a problem for years, which is why we went into um you know, the partnership to uh take that offline. So, Well, I would like to suggest when it is decommissioned and you get everything, get the fence out of there, make it pretty. Well, there's no reason to have the fence because ugly thing for how many years? The generator's not going to be there. It's going to go to the I know that generator is loud. You know, with all that gray water, it might grow good flowers.

But I'm not complaining about the noise. I'm just complaining about Does it smell? Oh. Okay. Lift stations do. Well, and then you even had people posting on Cab Strong about the odor in their house just from what was going on right next door that they had no clue. I didn't I didn't I didn't post anything. Nope, I don't do that. I came straight here. Wanted you to know what's going on and how it needs to be properly handled. He's estimating two weeks. Could you come back next month? I'm sorry.

He's estimating two weeks. If it does happen, can you come back next month and tell us how Sure. Thank you. Sure. I don't want to I'm not here to get anybody in trouble. It's just I want it done properly. I I have seen that place and it is ugly and I don't know. Blue stations are not meant to be pretty. Anyway, we'll take it and thank you very much for coming forward. I we do appreciate it. Thank you.

All right. Mayor's report for this month. Uh we've talked about SRTs four, obviously. SRTs five, we're waiting on a cultural resource survey before we can move forward with that. Uh we were disapproved on our starts six railroad crossing engineering. Uh we are discussing with the engineers and Ardot as to why did we get this approved and what can we do to get approved in the future possibly uh easement letters are still having some issues on the water wastewater. There was some question about u the wording of it. We've gone back to the uh engineering got new easement letters we we put them out. I'm going to uh actually schedule a public meeting with everybody involved in the in the um vacuum system on that particular project. Bring them in so we can explain everything and get easement signed and and all that kind of good stuff. Water tank rehab, I believe we're working the highway 321 tank now. That should be done in a couple weeks. The project's been going very well. uh street a committee. We're waiting for them to uh meet, of course, and we're still waiting for the LED replacement project, the ADA upgrade to the city hall and HVAC. We are have had a meeting with um uh the state on this. Still waiting for Metropan for their funding possibly come through, but that that process is going on. The live feed cameras for the parks has been delayed to first quarter 2026. They have offered and we've accepted to put static solar cameras in in there as a temporary measure. And of course, it will not affect the warranty of the uh PTC cameras until they are installed. And that is my report for today. And do we have anybody to speak on non-aggenda items? You signed up. Do you still want to speak?

Oh, I just Oh, you're good. Okay. Just want to make sure. Yep. I'm good. Thank you. All right. Uh having no further action, council, do you have anything we need to bring up? Hearing nothing. Motion hear nothing announcements. Oh, movies in the park this Saturday. Maybe. Probably not. Planning commissions next Monday at 6:30. Budget workshop council put on your agenda November 10th at 6 p.m. in the dining hall. Next city council meeting is November 18th. Cornerstone Church will be doing their annual Thanksgiving feed on November 22nd. Uh thanks Casey and hit his church members.

11 to one there. 11 to1. Thank you sir. And November 27th 28th we're are closed for Thanksgiving. And now if you'd like to I make a motion we adjourn. Okay. But a motion to second. Everybody in favor. Thank you everybody for showing up. I appreciate it.