And we are live. I'll go ahead and call
to order the regular meeting of the city
council for August 17th, 2026.
I see we have a quorum. Uh first order
of business is invitation and pledge of
allegiance and that will be led by
council member Shin.
Our father we come to you tonight
our city and make decisions
to us all. Please give us wisdom
that you protect our first responders
with us now.
» Amen.
To the flag of the United States of
America and to the republic for which it
stands, one nation under God,
indivisible, with liberty and justice
for all.
» Thank you, sir.
I don't have any um
special guests or announcements tonight.
Uh so we'll move on to minutes. Uh, you
all received a copy of the August 3rd
regular meeting minutes in the packet.
Open the floor for discussion.
If there is none, I'd entertain a motion
to adopt.
>> So moved.
>> Second.
>> I've got a motion and a second to adopt
the minutes from the August 3rd council
meeting. Any discussion on that motion?
Seeing none, all those in favor signify
by saying yes.
>> Yes.
>> All oppose. No.
>> Motion carries.
We will move on to the financial
statement review. Brad, come on down.
>> Good evening. We'll be going uh looking
at the July report.
Uh starting with page one, the general
fund uh tax collections and franchise
fees year to date are all showing
increases compared to to this time last
year. Uh the state turnback decrease you
see is simply a timing difference. has
been the difference has been received as
of August. It was it was a uh
stabilization trust fund distribution
that we received a month earlier last
year. So uh the legal and judicial
decrease was uh due due to the year-to-
date fines being down, planning and
permits is is down due to the building
permits and licenses being down.
Investment income is down due to the
cash balances uh being less and the
interest rate has decreased from last
year. The miscellaneous revenue large
increase. We had an operational transfer
from the FEMA grant fund of 1.6 million
and $184,000
of dis dispatching reimbursement from
North Little Rock. Most all the other
revenues are are comparable to 2025.
On the expenditure side, year-to- date,
26 expenditures are generally in line
with 25 uh with with many of them
showing decreases. Uh I'll just touch on
a few. The city attorney decrease uh was
dealing with the uh settlement of a land
valuation suit done last year. So that number is lower this year. Uh the
decrease in courts is due to salaries
and related items there. uh increase in
police is due to personnel cost
increase, vehicle maintenance cost
increase and increased fuel costs. There
were decreases in dispatching cost,
vehicle lease expense, and telephone
expense. The large decrease in fires
primarily due to the operating transfer
in 2025 for the new fire engine that's
on order. Uh although their personnel
costs are up, but it still shows a large
decrease there. Animal control increases
primarily due to the building
maintenance, water and sewer. They had a
big water leak earlier in the year and
personnel costs. Planning increase uh is
due to increased personnel costs,
travel, and uh there were some fees that
were budgeting different this year than than in 25 that would cause that to
show an increase.
Uh going to page two,
uh the balance sheet as of July 31, the
total fund balance is 5.5 million.
Have committed funds for 158,000 in
purchase orders, leaving a net fund
balance of 5.4 million and cash balances
of 5.7 million. The ordinance 438
requirement, uh the city has
approximately one $1.2 2 million of
unassigned funds above that requirement,
which puts us at about 26% instead of
the 20 that's required.
Going to page three,
overall in the street fund, overall
revenues
continue to show slight increases over last year. The year-to- date
expenditures in the street fund are up,
and it's primarily due to wages,
overtime, and related costs. uh vehic
vehicle maintenance costs are actually
down. The senior services increase in in
the street fund is is in salaries and
related related items to salaries. The
street fund balance sheet as of July
31st, the total fund balance is
approximately 3.8 million. The city has
designated funds of $356,000
for purchase orders, leaving a a net
fund balance of three approximately 3.4
4 million. Cash balance is approximately
3.8 million.
Going on to page four, the sanitation
fund. Year-to- date revenues continue to
be slightly ahead of 2025 for the
sanitation fund as well. Uh year-to-
date 26 expenditures are up primarily
due to increase in salaries, overtime,
and related items, vehicle maintenance,
and and fuel.
the sanitation fund balance sheet. As of
July 31st, the total fund balance is 1.1
million, the same as the net fund
balance. Most of the fund balance in
this fund uh is invested in fixed
assets. The cash balance is $283,000.
And if you remember, we had a $275,000
loan. We've made two of the payments. We
got it down to 225. We've got another
one scheduled for this month. So, we're
starting to to knock that down.
Uh,
page five is just for information
purposes is police and fire fund.
There's no fund balance there. Uh, it's
just there for you for your uh for you
to have. Uh, that's all I have. If you
have any questions, I'll be glad to
take them.
>> Thank you, sir. Are there any questions
or comments for Mr. Ashford.
If not, I'd entertain a motion to accept
the financial report.
>> Motion to approve.
>> I've got a motion and second. Is there
any discussion on that motion? Seeing
none, all those in favor signify by
saying yes.
>> All oppose, no. Motion carries.
That brings us to a procedural motion.
At this time, I'd entertain a motion to
have all ordinances and resolutions read
by title only. So move. Second.
>> Got a motion to second. Any discussion?
Seeing none, all those in favor signify
by saying yes.
>> All oppose, no. Motion carries. With no
unfinished business, we'll move right on
to new business. The first item of new
business is the first reading of
ordinance 1180. Madame city clerk
treasure, if you could please read that
by title only. being enacted by the city
council of the city of Mamel County of
Plasky, state of Arkansas, an ordinance
to be entitled ordinance number 1180, an
ordinance a submitting chapter 82,
article one of the Mamel city code to
add a new section entitled parking and
designated bicycle lanes prohibited,
identifying the streets upon which the
prohibit the prohib the prohibition
applies, providing a procedure for
adding future streets, providing
enforcement, removal, impoundment, and
penalties, and for other purposes.
>> Thank you, ma'am. Uh, this is an
ordinance uh that council member
Williams uh is sponsoring, so I'll pass
it to you.
» Yes, ma'am.
>> Okay. Uh, this was uh brought about this
was brought to my attention by one of
our constituents that uh There has been
a problem, not a major problem, but
could be in the future a major problem
with people parking in bike lanes that
uh we have um this ordinance covers only
two streets. One is the Country Club U
Parkway and the other is Arnold Palmer.
And um we just I just felt like and uh
this particular gentleman that I have
had these conversations with made me
believe that um in the future with the
greenway coming through, this is a
proactive way to um bring about a public
safety issue to the attention of all of
us that could possibly be uh taken care
of on the front end before the greenway
comes through. And um this ordinance
gives us a posh
future streets as we grow that become
more and more as we become more and more
bikable and more and more walkable and
we add streets with bike lanes and and
um pedestrian lanes u we will at that
time probably have to ad uh amend this
ordinance at that time but this this one
just covers those two thorough affairs.
>> Thank you ma'am. I'll go ahead and uh uh
open the floor for discussion.
Council member Gardner.
>> Thank you, Mayor. Um, has do we have any
record of uh
the police? I guess they couldn't site
anyone currently, could they?
>> There's no there's no law,
>> right? Okay. Has it has it been an
issue? Like, had the police gone out or
has the city gone out? I'm just curious
if they I guess they if there's not an
ordinance in place now, I just wonder
what we do in that situation. Do we not
do anything?
>> Correct.
>> Okay. I mean, so there there's a couple
folks that live on both of those roads
that regularly park their car there. Um
on Country Club Parkway, especially on
the portion nearest um on the boulevard,
some of those homes don't they don't
take access from the front, they take
access from a rear alley. And so uh they
routinely park up there.
>> So um drove down Arnold Palmer is the
other one. Um, and I it seems like most
of those houses actually spur off of
like a a side street or a culde-sac, but
there are some not as many, but some do
take access from Arnold Palmer, don't
they?
>> Their driveways,
>> but their driveway. Right. Right. But
they don't they wouldn't have street
parking at that point. Right. Okay.
>> It's not a serious problem. It's just
one to kind of keep our eye on in the
future with uh with our growth.
>> Yeah. at least gives you a tool that we
don't have. Okay.
>> Thank you.
>> All right. Is there any additional
discussion?
» Seeing none, this will be on second
reading at the next council meeting,
which brings us to the first reading of
ordinance 1182 establishing improvement
district. Madam city clerk, if you could
please read that title. Be it enacted by
the city council of the city of Mamel
County of Palaski, state of Arkansas, an
ordinance to be entitled ordinance
number 1182, an ordinance to establish
and lay off the city of Mamel municipal
property owners multi-purpose
improvement district number 2026-01,
the Mamel Gateway project, and for other
purposes.
>> Thank you, ma'am. All right. Uh, I've
asked the city attorney to explain
what's going on here. Yes, the city
received a petition to create to form a
new improvement district. You'll see
that the petition is also included in
the packet. It's signed by Cypress Bay
Development LLC, which they have
included a title company search letter
saying that they're the sole owner of um
the property to to create the
improvement district. We received an
email asking what an improvement
district is. So, I'll just explain
briefly. Improvement districts are
governmental entities that are created
by local government
primarily to build improvements which
are streets and drainage and it could be
parks, could be a variety of things and
then to um they'll typically issue bonds
that are pledged to special tax
assessments to cover the costs of those
improvements.
That's the that's the big power that
they have is to is to
special assessments for taxes, but
they're localized just to the property
owners in the district.
» Council member Williams,
>> um do we have other multi-purpose
improvement districts in the city? I'm
assuming uh Country Club of Arkansas
maybe maybe one or DVO.
>> We do have other um improvement
districts. Yes. Like municipal
improvement districts.
I uh
>> I can't think of any off the top of my
head.
>> The last time they were created was in
2023. I know. I think Cypress Bend was
one of them and there was another one
created that year.
>> That's right. That's right. I remember
that now.
» And we we we did we that passed, right?
>> Oh,
sorry.
Um
the city council's role is to determine
whether 100% of the owners have signed
the petition.
And then it's also to hear if a mortgage
ee comes and objects at the public
hearing to the creation of the district.
That's the city council's only role.
It's just determining that 100% of the
owners filed the petition.
>> I remember that
>> and to hear a mortgage e who comes to
object.
>> Okay. Yeah, we kind of tried to overstep
a bit
>> a couple of us.
>> Thank you, ma'am. Council member
Tierney.
>> Uh well, I think my question just got
answered. 100% of the property owners
have all signed the petition and
confirmed that they support this.
Correct.
>> That's correct.
>> All right. Thank you.
>> It's all by one.
» Thank you. Is there any additional
discussion on ordinance 1182?
Seeing none, this will be on second
reading at the next council meeting. The
next item is uh uh a resolution
approving the Chamber of Commerce
contract. I'm asking that we table that.
I might have jumped the gun a little bit
and and got it on the agenda before
making sure everyone was in agreement on
all the terms. So, I'd entertain a
motion to table this to the next council
meeting.
>> So, move.
>> I've got a motion and second on that.
Any discussion?
Seeing none, all those in favor signify
by saying yes.
>> I'll oppose. No. Motion carries. We'll
hear that at the next council meeting.
And that brings us to resolution
2026-27.
Madam city clerk, if you could please
read that by title.
>> A resolution of the city council of the
city of Mamel County of Plasks, state of
Arkansas. A resolution to be entitled
resolution number 2026-27,
a resolution to amend the 2026 general
fund budget.
>> All right. Uh first of all, kudos to
Chief Ivy uh for this one. For uh years,
the city of ML has provided at no cost
to either academics plus charter school
or Palaski County Special School
District uh school resource officers
that just came from the the rank and
file of the police department. Chief Ivy
um took the initiative and negotiated
with both of those entities, both of
whom saw the value and have agreed to
pay 75% of um the uh salaries of each of
those uh school resource officers. And
so I told him that what better way to
spend that extra revenue than by adding
a a new police officer. Um, and so this
is the budget resolution that would
allow them to be able to do that. I'll
go ahead and open the floor for
discussion or questions.
Council member Gardner,
>> is this going to be an additional police
officer just out in the field or at the
schools?
>> Chief Ivy.
» Good evening. Uh, that's up for
discussion between me and my command
staff right now. We talked about it
because I do have officer right now in
every school. So, a charter school and
all three Pine Forest schools in town.
So, there's four. So, we're trying to
work and see where they where it best
fits in. So,
>> Okay. But they could be used anywhere.
They don't have to be used in a school.
>> Correct. We're going to
>> Okay. Okay.
>> What makes the most sense and and look
at staffing and where someone's needed,
but it might be in a school. Okay.
>> Thank you.
sir. Any additional
questions, discussion? If not, I'd
entertain a motion to adopt resolution
2026-27.
>> Motion to adopt resolution number
2026-27.
>> Second.
>> I've got a motion and second. Any
discussion on that motion?
>> Seeing none, all those in favor, please
signify by saying yes.
>> All oppose? No. Motion carries.
The final item of new business is
resolution 2026-28
amending the general fund budget. Madam
city clerk,
>> a resolution of the city council of the
city of Mamel County of Plasky, state of
Arkansas, a resolution to be entitled
resolution number 2026-28,
a resolution to amend the 2026 general
fund budget. Really quickly, while I'm
generally describing this, uh if Philip
or Gordon wants to come down, uh this uh
amount of money in the budget addresses
the units that are currently out. We
know that there are others that are
getting older. Those are still lingering
and will be a topic for discussion uh
this goound in budget. Um, Phillip,
which unit, correct me if I'm wrong,
this is the uh lobby unit and the um wait room level. Is that correct,
Gordon?
» Good evening. We just uh flipped a coin
and I lost. Um, [laughter] so the unit
that is out right now is in the health
club and then we have the upper lobby
unit and the lower lobby unit um are
also
almost totally out. So we got three
units that need replacing at this time.
» All right. Thank you. Um, Council Member
Gordon Gardner
>> Gordon, you may want to hang on since
you lost. Yeah, I know. So, and this may
be a mayor question, too. So, when we
looked at that this in the budget
process, wasn't it like a million bucks?
>> I want to say
>> it was over $850,000 to replace all the
units at one time.
>> Okay. So, that was my question because
we were looking at such a big number and
we all kind of had sticker shock and
then I saw this number for only 126 and
I wondered what had changed between, you
know, December of last year and now,
right? But, so this is only a portion
>> of the units. We have uh 15 units on the
roof. Six of which are split units. Um
seven of which are RTUs, which are the
larger units. And then we have two
package units. The two package units, if
those go out, that'll be the majority of
that $850,000.
>> Gotcha. Okay. So, these are isolated to
specific portions of the community
center. Yes, sir. That's why it's so
much less. Okay, that makes sense. Very
good. Thank you.
>> Yeah.
Any additional discussion on this
resolution? Thank you, sir. If not, I'd
entertain a motion to adopt resolution
2026-28.
» I've got a motion. Do I hear a second?
>> Second.
>> Got a motion and a second.
Is there any discussion on that motion?
Seeing none, all those in favor of
adopting resolution 2026-28
amending the general fund budget, please
signify by saying yes.
>> All oppose. No.
Motion carries.
I know there will be some folks that are
happy to hear that.
>> Yes, ma'am.
>> Sorry.
>> One question just came to me. Is there
um is there an ETA on how long it would
take to fix this?
>> Um
» okay.
>> Just in time for winter.
>> [laughter]
>> Everyone will have their their
jacko'lanterns out by that point in
time, I'm sure. Uh because it has been
pretty hot outside. Um I know even just
getting quotes on these at this time of
year with this level of heat has there's
the um it is a sellers market in the
HVAC industry right now. So getting them
out is not easy.
>> Um
>> Yes, sir.
Oh, now that it passed. [laughter]
>> Now, just on that, there will be those
units are so big. It's going to take a
crane and it was either a crane or a
helicopter and the cost was kind of
close to either one.
>> That's just how big some of those
package units are. I just wanted
>> Thank you, sir.
All right, that concludes new business.
We'll move on to mayor's comments. For
those that don't know, there was a trash
can fire at Milwood Station that did a
number on the the side of the building.
Um primarily the exterior and I know
Parks is happy to have an air
conditioner and to fix uh Milwood
Station. Um it fire started by somebody
um putting out a cigarette and they they
kind of smothered it and then threw it
in the trash can and about 30 minutes
later it it was full. Um for uh so just
to give you all an update on that and
also I just wanted to give this is this
is a weird one the the the mayor's blood
drive I want to give a shout out to the
people most of them are not here who who
give blood at these we continually they raise the uh our target goal and
then we seem to exceed it all the time
uh and so that was brought to my
attention today when they sent us these
certificates to pass out to uh people uh
that are in the top 10 of uh donating. I
know Mr. City Attorney, you were in
there uh and Deb [clears throat] Deb and
was there and and I probably should have
asked your permission, but I didn't want
to name those people unless I talked to
them and most of them are just
residents. Um but uh just in the last
one we recently had we got a letter back
saying that that saved 69 lives. Blood
is always in demand and because I'm o O
negative, if I am two days past my
donation time, they call and harass me.
So help me out uh and go donate blood so
they don't need as much as mine. I kid.
Um so uh um first of all, I kind of
wanted to to give a shout out. There
were three of the elected positions that
went unopposed. Uh and I just wanted to
introduce those. I guess first of all to
Christine Growald went unopposed. I'm
not sure how she's managed that but uh
only because I never have even with
massive victories every time. But the uh so congratulations on that. Um and
then Ward 4 city council member will be
Travis Matthews who I guess we can call
him uh council member elect Travis
Matthews. And then city
>> oh Henderson too. Okay my bad. I knew
that.
How embarrassing. Tra, you didn't know
you had another Travis opponent. Pardon
me.
>> What's his name?
>> Travis Henderson.
>> Henderson.
I said that wrong.
>> Okay.
>> And now I'm turning red and pink. So,
let's move on to one that I'm fairly
confident about. Uh, our city attorney
uh in January will be Oliver Cushing,
who's here as well. If you haven't got a
chance to say hi to either of them,
please do that. The uh wards two and
three are contested positions as are the
mayor and city clerk treasurer. So
election season is upon us and
um
good luck to all involved. That
concludes mayor's comments. Are there
any council member comments?
>> Yes,
>> council member Shin.
>> I wanted to see a update on getting the
street lights fixed over in work for
we've been doing this for a year now.
Which ones?
>> Uh part of them around ODM.
>> The ODM lights are done inhouse. Uh we
got a quote recently
um for the issue is some of the wiring.
The quote we got was $1.1 million to fix
that string because they claim they
needed to redo all the wiring. Um, we
suspect that that is not actually going
to be the cost.
>> Didn't want to rewire my wife's
ex-wife's house.
>> Well, pardon me.
[laughter]
» My ex-wife contacted an electrician who
told her that she had to have a whole
new box. It's going to have to be moved
over because it was too close to the air
conditioning units and all this stuff.
And I called zoning and permits and
said, "So, what's the deal?" And they
said, "When was the house built?" I told
them, they said, "That's grandfather.
None of that has to be done." took a
fuse.
>> Yeah, ours was the the wiring. So, the
ODM Boulevard lights are city-owned
[clears throat] and the the rest uh more
or less are Energy owned. The ones that
we're doing, we're trying to figure out
what that wiring issue more specifically
is. Uh everybody loves underground
utilities until they go wrong. And you
know, if there's a a broken line, you
can visually inspect those a lot easier
than you can underground. So, we're
trying to figure out a a a more
realistic avenue to get that replaced.
Those that are in the neighborhoods
themselves, um we I know we just closed
out a bunch of street light tickets. Uh
for those if there's particular ones,
make sure we know about it and it's on
CClick Fix or people can report them
directly to Energy. That's all we do is
report them to Energy and then just
follow up with them on that. Uh, and
that is always a joy.
>> And one more question. Yes, sir.
>> The bridge at Willistine, do we know
when it's going to be repaired or
replaced?
>> Mr. Raburn,
» I guess you're talking about the
spillway bridge.
>> Yes, sir.
>> Yeah. That's that all that wood for that
bridge is mil. So, it's not like 2x4s, 2
by sixes.
My what I would like to see happen would
be it's about a 60 foot span. The
concrete's already there and just put in
a metal a metal type uh bridge would be
my
>> guess. So, you'd rather replace
>> I'd rather replace it with metal that's
going to last
while I'm gone. [laughter]
But that's that's where we stand on it.
It's just it's hard to mix in straight
cut lumber into what's been milled. I
understand.
>> Okay.
>> Thank you, sir.
>> Council member Gardner,
>> following up on Mr. Shin's question
about street lights, where does the LED
grant uh the conversion fit into all of
that for ODM? Well, that is one of the
reasons that we've been delaying that a
little bit is because until we can get
the electricity to those lines, we
don't want them installing new lights
there,
>> but uh we are proceeding with the um um
bid process. The dollar amount is there.
So, in fact, I was reviewing the bid
today and the specs and gave the
go-ahhead to publish that bid. Anyways,
I don't know what we're going to do if
we're ready for the installation of
those, but we don't yet have electricity
to that stretch there. We may just have
to install them and come back later and verify that that is still good to
go.
Council
member Growald,
>> I just wanted to share some positive
feedback um from an email that I
received from a resident who was glowing
about um Venue 10. She apparently lives
um she apparently lives right across the
street and she's just over the moon
about how beautiful it is and and what
um a great addition it's it's brought to
our community. Um she just loves the the
beauty of it. She says, "I look at it
every day and I've never had a negative
impact." So, just wanted to brag about
that.
>> Awesome.
Thank you very much. Any additional
council member comments? City attorney
comments.
>> City clerk treasurer comments. If
there's nothing further, I'd entertain a
motion to adjurnn.
>> Make a motion to adjurnn, Mr. Mayor.
>> Second.
>> And a second. I've got a motion second
to adjurnn. Is there any discussion? I
didn't think so. All those in favor,
please signify by saying yes.
>> All oppose, no. Motion carries. We are
ajourned.