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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2015-11-10 MINUTES OF COUNCIL NOVEMBER 10, 2015 The Batesville City Council met in regular session on November 10th, at 5:30 P.M. in the Municipal Building. Mayor Rick Elumbaugh called the meeting to order. Utility Billing Supervisor Nick Baxter gave the invocation. Upon roll call, the following councilmembers answered present; Chris Beller, Tommy Bryant, Sonya Crafton, Margarett Henley, Paige Hubbard, Doug Matthews, Chris Poole and David Shetron. Also present were the City Attorney Tim Meitzen and City Clerk Denise Johnston. Councilmember Bryant moved to approve the minutes from the previous meeting. Councilmember Beller seconded and all voted for. Councilmember Bryant moved to approve the prepared agenda as amended and Councilmember Shetron seconded. All voted for. CITIZENS COMMENTS None UNFINISHED BUSINESS None NEW BUSINESS A) POLICE DEPARTMENT MONTHLY REPORT Police Chief Alan Cockrill address the council with the Police Department monthly report. Chief Cockrill said October was a busy month. The department assisted with the haunted house on Main Street and estimated 5,000 Trick or Treaters enjoyed downtown merchants and residents on Halloween. The Chief said he has 3 officers who will be graduating Friday night from the police academy. He also said they just completed their first reserve officer training with 21 attendees. B) ENGINEER'S MONTHLY REPORT City Engineer Damon Johnson addressed the council with his monthly report. Mr. Johnson said the City is running as usual. The construction department is making progress on the sewer line replacement in Westside and Eastside of Batesville. Construction crews were, as always, repairing water leaks. Street crews are working on drainage issues and patching pot holes before winter weather hits. Water Treatment Plant is making good water and the new Wastewater Treatment Plant should be on line in the next few weeks. C) HEAR AN UPDATE FROM THE IMPACT INDEPENDENCE COUNTY TOURISM COMMITTEE Ms. Crystal Johnson, CEO of the Batesville Chamber of Commerce, addressed the council regarding the recent Impact Independence County Tourism meeting. Ms. Johnson said the meeting resulted in around 1100 survey responses and 130 volunteers. A committee was formed and several of those members were at the meeting. The committee took the surveys and put the results in four categories; education, economic impact, healthy living and tourism. Tourism is the second largest industry in our state bringing 6.7 billion dollar a year. The group noted that Batesville is sitting on a "gold mine" with the White River. The year 2020 with be the 200th anniversary for Batesville, a feat no other city in Arkansas has accomplished. The committee said Batesville is on the move and to keep the momentum going, they would like to see the city hire a tourism director. D) CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND THE BATESVILLE ZONING CODE Councilmember Matthews introduced an ordinance to amend various provisions of the Batesville Zoning Code. Code Enforcement Officer Chad McClure and Ms. Diane Tebbetts addressed the council to answer any questions about the ordinance. The changes are to permit residential apartments above the first floor of a commercial structure and to address parking. Ms. Tebbetts said the changes will allow residential apartments downtown without the property owner having to apply for a conditional use permit and go through about a three month process. Councilmember Bryant said he was on the planning commission when the code was written regarding residential apartments downtown and agrees with the recommended changes. Councilmember Beller moved to read the ordinance by title only. Councilmember Matthews seconded and the electronic roll count was 8 for and 0 against. Mr. Meitzen read the ordinance by tittle only. Councilmember Matthews moved to further suspend the rules and waive the second and third readings. Councilmember Bryant seconded and the electronic roll count was 8 for and 0 against. Councilmember Matthews moved to adopt the ordinance and Councilmember Bryant seconded. The electronic roll count was 8 for and 0 against. The ordinance was given #2015-11-01. E) CONSIDER A RESOLUTION TO REVISE THE BATESVILLE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN Councilmember Beller introduced a resolution to revise the Batesville Comprehensive Plan as recommended by the Planning Commission. Councilmember Matthews moved to read the resolution by title only. Councilmember Shetron seconded and the electronic roll count was 8 for and 0 against. Mr. Meitzen read the resolution by title only. Councilmember Matthews moved to adopt the resolution. Councilmember Bryant seconded and the electronic roll count was 8 for and 0 against. The resolution was given #2015-11- 01-R. F) CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE TO REZONE PROPERTY FROM R2 TO LIGHT INDUSTRIAL LOCATED ON HARRISON STREET Councilmember Matthews introduced an ordinance to rezone certain property located on Harrison Street from R2 to 1-1 (Light Industrial). The property being considered is the old White Rodgers building now owned by FutureFuel. Councilmember Beller moved to suspend the rules and read the ordinance by title only. Councilmember Bryant seconded and the electronic roll count was 8 for and 0 against. Mr. Meitzen read the ordinance by tittle only. Councilmember Matthews moved to further suspend the rules and waive the second and third readings. Councilmember Bryant seconded and the electronic roll count was 8 for and 0 against. Councilmember Matthews moved to adopt the ordinance and Councilmember Bryant seconded. The electronic roll count was 8 for and 0 against. The ordinance was given #2015-11-02. G) CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING RITTER COMMUNICATIONS TO OPERATE A COMMUNICATIONS NETWORK WITHIN THE CITY OF BATESVILLE AND TO LEVY A FRANCHISE Councilmember Shetron introduced an ordinance authorizing Ritter Communications to operate a communications network within the city limits of Batesville and to levy a franchise tax. A representative with Ritter Communications addressed the council and said his company concentrates on businesses and not residential customers. Councilmember Bryant moved to suspend the rules and read the ordinance by title only. Councilmember Shetron seconded and the electronic roll count was 8 for and 0 against. Mr. Meitzen read the ordinance by tittle only. Councilmember Bryant moved to further suspend the rules and waive the second and third readings. Councilmember Shetron seconded and the electronic roll count was 8 for and 0 against. Councilmember Bryant moved to adopt the ordinance and Councilmember Henley seconded. The electronic roll count was 8 for and 0 against. The ordinance was given #2015-11-03. Mr. Meitzen read the emergency clause. Councilmember Bryant moved to adopt the emergency clause. Councilmember Shetron seconded and the electronic roll count was 8 for and 0 against. H) CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE TO WAIVE COMPETITIVE BIDING FOR A COMMERCIAL SANITATION TRUCK Councilmember Beller introduced an ordinance to waive competitive bidding and authorize the city to purchase or lease a front load refuse collection truck. Sanitation Supervisor Marty Thompson said the current back-up commercial loader truck is a 2004 and is in need of extensive bed and engine work. Our commercial trucks run 6 days a week and if the truck goes down, they have to have another truck to take over. Mr. Thompson said if approved, the crew will switch the trucks out weekly to keep them in good working condition. Councilmember Beller moved to read the ordinance by title only. Councilmember Bryant seconded and the electronic roll call count was 8 for and 0 against. Mr. Meitzen read the ordinance by title only. Councilmember Matthews moved to suspend the second and third readings and Councilmember Bryant seconded. The electronic roll call count was 8 for and 0 against. Councilmember Bryant moved to adopt the ordinance and Councilmember Henley seconded. The electronic roll call count was 8 for and 0 against. The ordinance was given #2015-11-04. 1) CONSIDER A RESOLUTION TO PARTNER WITH A SISTER CITY IN WEST AFRICA Councilmember Bryant introduced a resolution to establish a sister city partnership between the City of Batesville and Asunafo-North Municipal District of Ghana. Councilmember Beller moved to read the resolution by title only. Councilmember Henley seconded and the electronic roll call count was 8 for and 0 against. Mr. Meitzen read the resolution by title only. Councilmember Matthews moved to adopt the resolution and Councilmember Bryant seconded. The electronic roll count was 8 for and 0 against. The resolution was given #2015-11-02-R. J) CONSIDER A RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF UAMS Councilmember Bryant introduced a resolution proclaiming Thursday, November 12th, 2015 as UAMS North Central Appreciation Day. Mr. Meitzen read the resolution in full. Councilmember Beller moved to adopt the resolution and Councilmember Bryant seconded. The electronic roll call count was 8 for and 0 against. The resolution was given #2015-11-03-R. K) REVIEW OF THE OCTOBER, 2015 PAID BILLS REPORT The council was given a copy of the October, 2015 paid bills report. MAYOR COMMENTS Mayor Elumbaugh asked for out of state travel for Mr. Johnny Abbott to go to Nashville, Tennessee to pick up new Christmas decorations for the City's Tour of Lights display. Councilmember Bryant moved to approve the out of state travel. Councilmember Shetron seconded and all voted for. The Mayor expressed his sorrow in the passing of Mr. Harold Wilson this past Saturday. He listed several of Mr. Wilson's accomplishments and spoke of his leadership in our community. He asked the council to keep the Wilson family in their prayers. LIAISON REPORTS None COUNCIL COMMENTS None ADJOURNMENT There being no further business, Councilmember Bryant moved that the meeting be adjourned. Councilmember Henley seconded and all voted for. RICK ELUMBAUGH, MAYOR DENISE M. JOHNSTON, CITY CLERK