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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2005-04-12 MINUTES OF COUNCIL APRIL 12, 2005 The Batesville City Council met in regular session on April 12, at 5:30 PM at the Municipal Building. Mayor Joe Biard presided over the meeting. Councilmember Matthews gave the invocation. Upon roll call the following councilmembers answered present: Carpenter, Cooke, Krug, Matthews, Mynatt, Pectol and Terrell. Councilmember Mitchum was absent. Also present were the City Clerk and the City Attorney. Councilmember Pectol moved to approve the minutes from the previous two meetings and Councilmember Krug seconded. All voted for. Councilmember Terrell moved to approve the prepared agenda. Councilmember Carpenter seconded and all voted for. MAYOR'S ANNOUNCEMENTS —PART I Mayor Biard made a public statement regarding the Hydro Project. The Mayor wanted the public to know that the City has nothing to do with the Hydro Project, that it was a county project. REPORT AND UPDATE BY PUBLIC FACILITIES BOARD Mr. Joe Don Reynolds with the Public Facilities Board and Mr. Gary Britten with White River Medical Center addressed the council. Mr. Reynolds gave the annual report for the Public Facilities Board. Mr. Reynolds also explained to the new councilmembers the function of the board. Mr. Britten gave the council an update on the construction of the new Ray Rodgers Women's Health Center. DISCUSSION WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF EAGLE MOUNTAIN PROPERTY OWNERS ASSOCIATION AS REQUESTED Ms. Susan Rueter with the Eagle Mountain Properties addressed the council to express some concerns regarding snow removal, speeding, and only one entrance and exit for Eagle Mountain. Mayor Biard showed Ms. Rueter the current snow route for the city and they also discussed that the current speed limit in front of the Eagle Mountain School is 20 MPH. The Mayor said the next item on the agenda regarding annexation also addressed a new street that would access Eagle Mountain from Gap Road. PROPOSED ORDINANCE TO ANNEX PROPERTY IN EAGLE MOUNTAIN Mr. Steve Bell addressed the council asking that the 299.1 acres that is attached to Eagle Mountain and runs along the White River be annexed into the City. The ordinance also contained a plat of proposed streets which will provide ingress and egress to the annexed area and a plat of a new sub-division. There was a lengthy discussion regarding Section 4 that addressed the sub-division plat for the annexed land. The council discussed that they should not accept a sub-division plat that had not been approved by the Batesville Planning Commission. Councilmember Carpenter introduced the ordinance to be read with the deletion of Section 4. Mayor Biard read the ordinance and Councilmember Terrell moved to suspend the rules for the second and third readings. Councilmember Carpenter seconded and the roll call count was 7 for and 0 against. Councilmember Carpenter moved to adopt the ordinance and Councilmember Pectol seconded. The roll call count was 7 for and 0 against. The ordinance was given#2005-4- 1. EXECUTIVE SESSION Councilmember Mynatt moved to go into executive session. Councilmember Matthews seconded and all voted for. Upon returning from executive session, Councilmember Terrell moved to appoint Mr. Steve Case to the Utilities Commission. Mr. Case will replace Mr. Dave Stallings whose term expires May 10, 2005. Councilmember Krug seconded and all voted for. Mr. Case's term will expire May 10, 2010. CODE ENFORCEMENT REPORT Code Enforcement Officer Chad McClure had several properties to discuss with the council. The first, 1033 Elsie Street, owners Dennis and Wreathie Cohrs. Mr. & Mrs. Cohrs said they were in the process of repairing the property to sell. The council saw pictures of the property and told the Cohrs' to have a large limb that is about to fall removed and clean up the outside and yard immediately. The council also told them they needed to start the structural repairs inside and out as soon as possible and for Mr. McClure to report back to the council in 30 days of the progress. 315 and 325 Lilly Street, owner Clyde Lampp. The council saw pictures of the two properties which are in bad need of repair and cleaning up. Mr. Lampp said he has renters in the properties that he could not get out. Councilmember Pectol moved to begin the condemnation process. Councilmember Terrell seconded and all voted for. The public hearing will be set for May 24. 1341 and 1351 Lyon Street, owner Jacquelyn Earls. Ms. Earls said she has had estimates on having the structures repaired on the outside and was going to go to the bank to see about financing. Mr. McClure will keep in touch with Ms. Earls and report back to the council in 30 days. 9th Street property owned by Pearl Flemming. This property has already been condemned but nothing has been done to repair or remove the structure. The council instructed Mr. McClure to notify Ms. Flemming that the property needs to be fully repaired or torn down. 755 Central Avenue, owner Billy Marlin. Mr. McClure said Mr. Marlin is working and has almost completed moving the beauty shop into the adjacent building and when that is complete the old building will be removed. Mr. McClure said he would report back in 30 days with the progress. Mr. Terry Chandler addressed the council regarding the status of the Landers Theater. Mr. Landers assured the council that rock was not falling off the building. He said that he is in the process of have a portion of the roof removed and that he has done considerable work on the inside. He also said he was going to again apply for a grant to restore the building and would like to turn it into a dinner theater. MAYOR'S ANNOUNCEMENTS —PART II Mayor Biard explained that a wheel came off of a pavement roller and hit a house causing damage to the porch and siding. An estimate of$100 was turned into the City along with a police report. Councilmember Terrell moved to pay for the damage and Councilmember Cooke seconded. All voted for. Mayor Biard asked for the council's approval to send a letter to Mr. Dan Flowers with the Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department to ask for a traffic signal to be installed at 30th and Harrison Streets in conjunction with the widening of Harrison Street. Councilmember Carpenter expressed his concerns with the widening of Harrison Street. Mr. Carpenter said he felt the widening will cost a tremendous amount of money and actually hurt the business on Harrison Street by taking away their much needed parking spaces. He also said that the widening will only make it easier to speed. Councilmember Pectol moved to send the letter and Councilmember Cooke seconded. All the council voted for except Mr. Carpenter. The Mayor asked the council to decide on a temporary name for the new amphitheatre. The council discussed several options. Councilmember Krug thought the name Batesville should be included in the name because White River could mean lots of areas in the State and does not tell you where the amphitheatre is located. Councilmember Carpenter moved to use White River Amphitheatre. Councilmember Pectol seconded and all voted for except Councilmember Krug. PAID BILLS REPORT The council was given a copy of the paid bills report for March, 2005 SHERIFF'S REPORT The council was given a copy of the March Departmental Activity and Status Report. LIAISON REPORTS Councilmember Carpenter said the newly appointed Special Planning and Projects Committee met for the first time on April 5. He said the meeting was very positive and everyone was on the same page for the betterment of Batesville. Their next meeting is scheduled for April 20th at 5:00 PM. COUNCIL COMMENTS Councilmember Carpenter made a motion to form a new Budget Committee to consist of Dr. Matthews as chairman, John Cooke, Jerry Pectol and himself. Councilmember Matthews seconded and all voted for. Councilmember Mynatt brought concerns with the cleanliness and safety issues with the North Complex during a recent ball tournament. Ms. Mynatt said she felt the Parks Commission should be more involved with the day to day operations of the Parks Department. There being no further business, Councilmember Matthews moved that the meeting be adjourned. Councilmember Mynatt seconded and voted for. Joe M. Biard, Mayor Denise M. Johnston, City Clerk