Preparing for the coming year, city officials met for a City Council of the whole committee meeting at 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 5, with department heads to discuss each department’s budget.
The street overlay project is complete, Nathan See, street superintendent, told City Council members, who commended M.J. Hensley, a retired engineer, and member of the Planning Commission, who volunteered his time to oversee the project.
“M.J. was a tremendous help,” See said.
See also reported on the sidewalk project along Hayden Road saying that the Arkansas Highway Department has changed plans for the driveways. He told council members he did not know if the state would share in the additional cost the changes entail, but said the mayor was in consultation with the state Highway Department officials.
City Clerk Sandy Button chaired the October City Council meeting in the absence of Mayor Jackie Crabtree.
At the end of the meeting, as council members prepared to adjourn, city resident Boyd McNiel asked to address the council. He told city officials he had not been able to get on the agenda. To which Button said: “Maybe there is a reason for that.”
After a bit of discussion, it was agreed to hear him briefly.
McNiel complained that five signs he had printed in opposition to the school millage extension had been stolen by the police. He told city officials he received permission from Dollar General, Sonic and McDonald’s to place signs at their businesses and said: “I put the signs behind their property, right off their property.”
McNiel said he had called the prosecuting attorney, the sheriff, and the state attorney general complaining and that if the city didn’t do anything about it, he would sue the city.
“I’m going to be looking for a lawyer who will sue the city. I want an apology,” McNiel said.
“Is that a threat?” Howard Slinkard, city attorney, asked.
“Yes,” McNiel said, “I’m going to sue if I don’t get an apology from the city and the chief.”
As McNiel attempted to show photographs to the council, both Button and Slinkard told him to save his evidence for court if he intended to pursue his complaint. As McNiel left, he angrily said “thief” to Police Chief Tim Ledbetter, who was sitting in the back of the council room.
In other business, city council members:
◊Approved rezoning four acres on Klauss Lane from agriculture to residential as recommended by the Planning Commission;
◊Approved the new planning boundary as recommended by the Northwest Arkansas Regional Planning Commission and the Planning Commission;
◊Declared a 2001 Ford F350 surplus;
◊Agreed to let bids for the Peck Road bridge project;
◊Received a report that about 2,000 people attended the Mule Jump which profited about $1,500;
◊Approved Daniel R. McCormick, CPA, PA, as auditor for the Water and Sewer Department; and
◊Approved fees to the Arkansas Municipal League.
News, Pages 1 on 11/06/2013