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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2002-09-10 MINUTES OF COUNCIL SEPTEMBER 10, 2002 The Batesville City Council met in regular session on September 10, at 5:30 PM at the Municipal Building. Mayor Joe Biard presided over the meeting. Councilmember Watkins gave the invocation. Upon roll call the following Councilmembers answered present: Gerald Gaither, Jim Mitchum, Jerry Pectol, Paula Terrell, Jim Watkins, Jim Cargill and Robert Ford. R.L. Carpenter was absent. Also present were the Deputy City Clerk Brenda Riley and the City Attorney Scott Stalker. Councilmember Ford moved to approve the minutes from the last meeting. Councilmember Cargill seconded and all voted for. Councilmember Ford moved to approve the prepared agenda as amended. Councilmember Terrell seconded and all voted for. REQUEST FROM LEROY BENNETT TO ADDRESS COUNCIL Mr. Leroy Bennett, Landscaping Supervisor came before the council to inform them of his retirement due to health problems. Mr. Bennett wanted to thank the council and the city for the years that he had been employed. Mr. Bennett suffered a heart attack a couple of months ago and also had a stroke that has affected his vision, where he cannot drive. He told the Council that he would not be returning to work. SHERIFF'S REPORT Sheriff Dan Johnson gave the council the monthly departmental activity report for the month of August 2002. Sheriff Johnson told the council that there had been a decrease in comp time hours. Sheriff Johnson told the council that Independence County had been awarded a Cops Grant for three school resource officers totaling $285,513.00. One officer would be at Southside School, one additional officer at Batesville and one officer would split his time between Midland and Sulphur Rock. Sheriff Johnson gave the council an update on the Chapel at the jail. Sheriff Johnson said that the construction of the Chapel at the jail should be completed by November 2002. UPDATE ON MARVIN HOTEL PROPERTY Chad McClure, Code Enforcement Officer gave the council an update on the Marvin Hotel property located on lower Main Street. Mr. McClure showed the council pictures of the property and told the them that the owner, Mr. Lumpkin had been working on cleaning the property up. Mr. Lumpkin was not present when the council made the decision to give him additional time to remove the rest of the rocks and debris from his property, but did come in later and addressed the council. He told the council that the remaining rocks had been stacked and he needed additional time to find buyers for them. The council informed Mr. Lumpkin that the decision had already been made to give him additional time to move the rocks and the other debris. REPORT ON PROPERTY AT 2598 CASE STREET AND 1255 DAVIS LANE Chad McClure brought the council up-to-date on property located at 2598 Case Street owned by Jim Noordhoek. Mr. McClure told the council that since the last council meeting that Mr. Noordhoek had been approved for a loan, been granted a lot size variance and had hired a contractor to demolish the present structure. Mr. McClure brought the council up-to-date on the property located at 1255 Davis Lane. Mr. McClure said that the owners had hired a contractor to tear down the structure and the contractor has obtained a demolition permit. DISCUSSION OF PROPERTY LOCATED AT 5TH & VINE STREETS Mr. Butch Ketz, attorney for Doug Brodie, was present to answer questions about the property at 5th & Vine Streets. The council had instructed Chad McClure at the last council meeting to have a resolution ready to start condemnation proceedings on this property. Mr. Ketz informed the council that his client, Doug Brodie had obtained a permit to put a new roof over the garage. He told the council that his client had been working on cleaning up the property and that it looks a lot better. Mr. McClure showed the council pictures of the property and told the council that the property did look a lot better. The council told Mr. Ketz that they would give Mr. Brodie another 60 days to bring the property up to code. REQUEST FROM VITAL LINKS FOR FRANCHISE EXTENSION Myra Wood, Executive Director and David Hidy, Board Chairman for Vital Links addressed the council to ask for another five years extension to the current franchise agreement. The original franchise agreement was approved in 1992 and extended in 1997. The current agreement will expire September 23, 2002. After some questions from the council, that Mrs. Wood and Mr. Hidy answered, Councilmember Cargill made a motion to approve the franchise agreement for another five years. Councilmember Gaither seconded and all voted for. The agreement will be extended until September 23, 2007. MAYOR'S ANNOUNCEMENTS Mayor Biard told the council that the yearly Interlocal Law Enforcement Committee meeting would be Thursday September 12, 2002 at 3:00 p.m. at City Hall. Mayor Biard told the council that a brief ceremony would be held at City Hall on Wednesday September 11, 2002 at 9:11 a.m. in remembrance of the one-year anniversary of the terrorist attacks on the United States. The Mayor informed the council that the city had received a bill from the Independence County Transfer Station in the amount of$1,394.44, for disposal of waste from the structure that had been condemned and torn down at Craig and Pickens. He told the council that there had not been monies budgeted in the 2002 budget but this would need to be looked at for the upcoming year. The Mayor told the council that the Riverside Park walking &bicycling track was nearing completion and that the contractor's may need to briefly close the park at times. DISPOSAL OF FIXED ASSETS The council was informed of several items that were being disposed of. These items were 2 Air Packs from the Fire Department, a Mita copier from the Cemetery and a 1993 crown vic. Unit #510 from Metro. The metro car had been wrecked and totaled by the insurance company. The insurance company had sent a check in the amount of$2,903.16. PAID BILLS REPORT The council was given a copy of the paid bills for the month of August 2002. COUNCIL COMMENTS Councilmember Ford asked if something might be done to help with the litter problem at Riverside Park. He suggested that a dumpster be placed down close to the new river overlook. Councilmember Watkins said that there was already a large dumpster in that area. Councilmember Ford asked the Mayor about a memo that was sent out to all the local funeral homes about requiring vaults being placed over all caskets in Oakland Cemetery. He ask if this was a state law or just a policy of the city. He told the Mayor that he had received several calls from people that had complained about the additional expenses that this causes. The Mayor said that he was checking into this and would report back at a later date. There being no further business Councilmember Mitchum made a motion to adjourn. Councilmember Watkins seconded. All voted for. BRENDA RILEY, DEPUTY CLERK JOE M. BIARD, MAYOR