On Tuesday, August 27, the Monticello City Council met at 6 p.m. for their monthly meeting. The roll was called and all of the Aldermen were present. Alderman Craig McRae led an invocation, and a special guest led the Pledge Of Allegiance.
Rashawn Marshall who attended Camp Benae, a summer program hosted by the Revival Center, was elected Vice President of the program. He is interested in government, so Mayor Jason Akers invited him to lead the Pledge.
The minutes from the July meeting were approved, and a motion was made to amend the agenda to add a last-minute item.
The council approved a resolution that would authorize Mayor Akers to apply for Great Strides/Trails for Life grant funds through the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage, and Tourism to develop a smoke-free public trail at Lake Monticello. If granted the funds, the City of Monticello will be responsible for providing the land needed and would sign a 25-year contract agreeing to provide the necessary resources to maintain the trail. The grant is 100 percent funded so Monticello will be out no money on the project.
Council members also approved a resolution amending the 2024 Municipal Airport Improvement Project Fund Budget. The amendment is to add $44,000. This will be used to purchase a 500-gallon, 25 gpm jet fuel pump for the airport. The city will receive grant funds which will reimburse 90 percent of the cost.
A resolution to place a lien on 122 Circle Acres was passed. This is regarding unpaid fees owed to the city for services performed at the property.
Resolutions were also passed to place liens on 544 S. Gabbert and 235 E. Jackson for the same reasons.
A resolution declaring 1232 E Railroad St. a nuisance was brought back before the council after being tabled last month. Andrea Thomas, daughter of the deceased property owner, said that the property had been cleaned up and that the structure had been secured. She said that with no one living on the property she and her siblings should not be required to have power, gas, and water hooked up just to avoid being declared a nuisance. This led to debates on what the codes of the State of Arkansas and the City of Monticello say regarding a property being habitable or not. Several Aldermen wanted to view the property and review the codes before making a decision. The resolution was tabled until the September meeting.
A resolution to amend Resolution 2015-24 was also approved. Resolution 2015-24 listed fees associated with services provided by the city’s water department. In the past nine years, prices have increased, but the resolution has never been amended to reflect these changes. This amendment will make the resolution and current prices match.
The council was presented an ordinance establishing procedures for approval of projects requiring street obstructions and boring under or excavating any city street, right of way, or easement. This ordinance was drafted in response to the multiple instances of the city’s infrastructure being damaged by companies who have come in and done work without the city’s knowledge or approval. The ordinance would require these entities to purchase a permit for $500 before any work on the project could be done. The ordinance will come back before the council for its second reading next month. There will be a few corrections and modifications made before then.
The council passed a resolution to execute an Agreement to Provide Financial Assurance or a Contract of Obligation. This is regarding the transfer station and is a requirement of the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality. The agreement states that the City of Monticello will have funds available to cover any corrective actions or costs that might be incurred in closing the facility.
In his closing statements, Mayor Akers stated that the city will begin moving the warehouse to the armory building soon. Roof repairs are complete and the a/c units have been installed. Interfor has donated lumber to build shelving. This should hopefully begin within the next week.
The Main Street water line relocation has been approved to go out for bids.
Mayor Akers also noted that nine out of 10 projects on the city’s 10-Year Infrastructure Plan have been completed in roughly 20 months. He credits this to the hard work of the city workers. The final project, located in the Western Pines area, will begin soon.
With no further business, the meeting adjourned at 7:01 p.m.
