On the agenda
- Eliminating minimum parking standards.
- A 1-mill tax increase to hire 23 city employees.
- An economic development contract with the Fayetteville Chamber of Commerce.
- Rezoning 0.2 acres on East 7th Street.
- Rezoning 1.27 acres on Old Farmington Road.
A meeting of the Fayetteville City Council began at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2015 inside room 219 of the City Administration Building, located at 113 W. Mountain St. in Fayetteville.
Listed below are the items up for approval and links to downloadable PDFs for more information on each item of business.
Roll Call
Present: Adella Gray, Mark Kinion, Matthew Petty, Mayor Lioneld Jordan, Martin Schoppmeyer, John La Tour, Alan Long
Absent: Sarah Marsh, Justin Tennant
City Council Meeting Presentations, Reports and Discussion Items
1. 3rd Qtr Nominating Committee Report (PDF): Presented by Mark Kinion
- Board of Adjustments: Stephen Clowney – One unexpired term ending 03/31/16
- Construction Board of Adjustments and Appeals: No applicants
- Energy Improvement District: Cameron Baker – One term ending 12/31/17
- Public Facilities Board: No applicants
- Town and Gown Advisory Committee: Teresa Williamson – One Ward 3 Resident term ending 09/30/17
- Walton Arts Center Council: Doug Cummins – One unexpired term ending 06/30/18
– Pass 6-0
Consent
Consent items are typically approved in a single, all-inclusive vote.
1. Approval of the Sept. 1, 2015 City Council meeting minutes.
– Pass 6-0
2. Mason Company of Leesburg, Ohio (PDF): A resolution to authorize the purchase of thirty-six (36) kennel doors from Mason Company of Leesburg, Ohio in the amount of $19,554.00 plus applicable taxes to replace the existing deteriorating kennel doors at the Fayetteville Animal Shelter.
– Pass 6-0
3. Beaver Watershed Alliance Memorandum of Agreement (PDF): A resolution to approve a joint funding agreement with the U.S. Geological Survey for Water Quality Sampling on the West Fork of the White River at a cost to the city of $7,000.00, to approve a memorandum of agreement with the Beaver Watershed Alliance to fund the city’s portion of the joint funding agreement, and to approve a budget adjustment.
– Pass 6-0
4. Bid No. 15-46 Tomlinson Asphalt Co., Inc. (PDF): A resolution to award Bid No. 15-46 and authorize a contract with Tomlinson Asphalt Co., Inc. in the amount of $301,201.16 for the construction of the Lake Fayetteville Trailhead Parking Lot Project, to approve a project contingency in the amount of $30,000.00, and to approve a budget adjustment.
– Pass 6-0
5. Bid No. 15-49 United Rentals (North America), Inc. (PDF): A resolution to award Bid No. 15-49 and authorize the purchase of aluminum shoring from United Rentals (North America), Inc. in the amount of $29,561.54 plus applicable taxes for use by the Water & Sewer Division.
– Pass 6-0
6. Bid No. 15-50 Future Link of Illinois, Inc. (PDF): A resolution to award Bid No. 15-50 and authorize the purchase of seventeen (17) mobile computer systems from Future Link of Illinois, Inc. in the amount of $80,556.50 for use by the Fire Department, to authorize the purchase of additional mobile computer systems as needed through Dec. 31, 2015 in an amount not to exceed $17,000.00, and to approve a budget adjustment.
– Pass 6-0
7. 2015-2016 Selective Traffic Enforcement Program Grant (PDF): A resolution to authorize acceptance of a 2015-2016 Selective Traffic Enforcement Program Grant in the amount of $112,900.00, and to approve a budget adjustment.
– Pass 6-0
8. Arnold L. Hollingsworth Lease Agreement (PDF): A resolution to approve a two year lease agreement with Arnold L. Hollingsworth for the hangar located at 4568 S. School Avenue and office space in the Airport Terminal Building in the amount of $4,687.00 per month.
– Pass 6-0
9. 2015-2016 T-Hangar Lease Agreements (PDF): A resolution to approve T-Hangar lease agreements in 2015 and through 2016 at the current rental rate or as adjusted upward by the Airport Board for all T-Hangars rented at the Fayetteville Executive Airport.
– Pass 6-0
10. Real Assets, Inc. (PDF): A resolution to authorize a contract with Real Assets, Inc. to represent the city in selling approximately 1.25 acres of city-owned real property on Old Wire Road near Gulley Park for a six percent (6%) commission.
– Pass 6-0
11. GovDeals, Inc. of Montgomery, Alabama (PDF): A resolution to authorize a contract with GovDeals, Inc. of Montgomery, Alabama, pursuant to a National Joint Powers Alliance Purchasing Agreement, for the provision of online auction services for the sale of surplus or obsolete city property.
– Pass 6-0
12. Federal Emergency Management Agency Assistance to Firefighters Grant (PDF): A resolution to authorize the acceptance of a 90/10 Assistance to Firefighters Grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency in the amount of $65,883.00 for the purchase of washer extractors and drying cabinets for the Fire Department, and to approve a budget adjustment.
– Pass 6-0
13. Washington County Pre-Hazard Mitigation Plan (PDF): A resolution to adopt the Pre-Hazard Mitigation Plan for Washington County and the City of Fayetteville as required to qualify for future Federal Emergency Management Agency pre-hazard mitigation funding.
– Pass 6-0
14. Economic Development Consulting Services (PDF): A resolution to approve a six (6) month extension to the contract with the Fayetteville Chamber of Commerce for economic development consulting services in the amount of $82,500.00 and to approve a budget adjustment.
– Pass 6-0
Unfinished Business
1. Amend 172.05 (ADM 15-5088 UDC Amendment Chapter 172.05 Non-Residential Parking Requirements (PDF): An ordinance to amend section 172.05 of the Unified Development Code to remove minimum parking standards for non-residential uses.
– Left on the second reading
New Business
1. Special Needs Assistance Program Grant Agreements (PDF): A resolution to approve special needs assistance program grant agreements with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development in the total amount of $414,161.00 for the city to administer programs to assist homeless Fayetteville residents.
– Pass 5-1
2. Enact Article XXVIII City Board of Health (PDF): An ordinance to enact Article XXVIII City Board of Health in Chapter 33 Departments, Boards, Commissions and Authorities of the Fayetteville Code.
– Pass 6-0
3. RZN 15-5148 (402 E. 7th St./Niederman) (PDF): An ordinance rezoning that property described in rezoning petition RZN 15-5148, for approximately 0.20 acres, located at 402 E. 7th St. from NC, Neighborhood Conservation to RMF-12, Residential Multi-Family, 12 units per acre.
– Pass 6-0
4. RZN 15-5149 (2975 Old Farmington Rd./King Sievert) (PDF): An ordinance rezoning that property described in rezoning petition RZN 15-5149, for approximately 1.27 acres, located at 2975 Old Farmington Rd. from RSF-4, Residential Single Family, 4 units per acre to RSF-8, Residential Single Family, 8 units per acre.
– Pass 5-0
5. Millage Levy (PDF): An ordinance levying a tax on the real and personal property within the City of Fayetteville, Arkansas, for the year 2015 fixing the rate thereof at 2.3 mills for General Fund operations, 0.4 mills for the Firemen’s Pension and Relief Fund, 0.4 mills for the Policemen’s Pension and Relief Fund and 1.0 mill for the Fayetteville Public Library; and certifying the same to the County Clerk of Washington County, Arkansas.
– Left on the first reading
Becker said the increase would fund the hiring of 23 city employees, including public safety positions in both the police and fire departments. Positions in the parks, budget, and building safety departments would also be created, as well as one position in the city prosecutor’s office.
Fire Chief David Dayringer and Police Chief Greg Tabor gave presentations showing how the city’s growth and population increases have led to the need for more emergency responders.
Dayringer said a new fire company would help decrease response times in certain areas of the city where it takes longer than six minutes to respond to a fire, the nationally recognized response standard.
Tabor said it’s been nine years since the Police Department has added new personnel. He said the Police Department added a 5-week trial beat using paid overtime personnel and response times decreased on average by nearly a full minute (5:20 to 4:28).
Alderman La Tour said he was worried that city staff might be saying that the tax increase will be used for public safety positions, but will later work to move that money into other departments.
“I don’t want us to be playing smoke and mirrors here,” said La Tour.
La Tour said he wishes the police and fire departments could have their own separate mill to ensure the money is never used for anything other than public safety, but Becker said cities in Arkansas are not authorized to pass property taxes specifically dedicated to paying salaries for police and fire department employees.
Assistant City Attorney Blake Pennington said the state authorizes the following types of millages that can be levied on personal property: general government activities; bond indebtedness; library maintenance and operation; library capital improvements and construction; and police or fire pension funds.
Council members Adella Gray and Alan Long said only aldermen can make decisions about how to spend millage revenue, and the City Council doesn’t have a history of playing bait and switch with taxpayer money in Fayetteville.
Alderman Petty agreed.
“There’s only one way to hire new police and new firemen…according to state law,” said Petty. “This is the way to do it. We need new policemen and we need new firemen.”
Adjourned
This meeting was adjourned at 7:01 p.m.
