[0:02] Who do I hatch?
[0:05] >> Don, you going to lead us in our
[0:07] invocation tonight?
[0:11] » Father, we thank you for this day for
[0:12] this time that we can come and do the
[0:15] city business. Lord, we thank you for
[0:18] each and every person here for the
[0:20] interest in our city. Got to pray as we
[0:24] make decisions that they'll be with
[0:28] good decisions and and things that that
[0:31] you want us to do in Jesus name. Amen.
[0:33] >> Amen.
[0:35] >> Samantha will lead us in the pledgece
[0:38] to the flag of the United States of
[0:41] America and to the republic for which it
[0:44] stands. One nation
[0:47] indivisible with liberty and justice for
[0:49] all.
[0:51] right, we'll go ahead and convene
[0:53] our meeting. We'll start with roll call.
[0:55] Misty Codle
[0:56] >> here.
[0:57] >> Jeff Upton
[0:57] >> here.
[0:58] >> Jan Throgmorton.
[1:00] Marty Lindberry.
[1:02] John Collins
[1:03] >> here. [snorts]
[1:03] >> Dana Mcnite
[1:04] >> here.
[1:05] >> Don Rollins
[1:06] >> here.
[1:07] >> Anthony Foster
[1:08] >> here.
[1:08] >> Our city attorney and city clerk are
[1:10] both present. First item on our agenda
[1:12] is the adoption of the agenda as it was
[1:14] mailed. Are there any changes or motions
[1:17] concerning the adoption of the agenda?
[1:19] I'll make that motion to approve as mil.
[1:21] >> Second.
[1:22] >> We have a motion and second. All those
[1:23] in favor say yes.
[1:25] >> That [snorts] motion carries.
[1:27] >> All those
[1:29] who opposes
[1:31] say no. Okay, that motion car. There we
[1:33] go. All right. I got a little
[1:35] presumptive there.
[1:38] [clears throat] Uh, next is the approval
[1:39] of our meeting minutes from July 14th.
[1:42] Are there any changes [cough]
[1:44] to those or motions concerning them?
[1:47] I make a motion that we approve the July
[1:49] the 14th meeting minutes.
[1:53] >> Second.
[1:53] >> We have a motion and second. All those
[1:55] in favor say yes.
[1:56] >> Those opposed, no.
[1:58] >> That motion carries. Next is our public
[2:00] forum where we uh welcome anyone who
[2:03] would like to come and address uh myself
[2:05] and the council. We do ask that you keep
[2:07] your comments to around two minutes and
[2:11] keep them directed to the the council
[2:13] and not anyone in the audience. Would
[2:15] anyone like to address the council
[2:16] tonight? Yes, ma'am. Come up and tell us
[2:18] who you are.
[2:19] >> My name is Barbara Berg like iceberg and
[2:23] um I live in the proposed area for
[2:25] annexation
[2:27] and I only heard about it on Saturday
[2:28] when I opened the letter from the
[2:30] Washington County clerk informing me of
[2:32] my right to vote on this issue. So
[2:34] that's why I wasn't here the last three
[2:35] months and why I'm here this evening.
[2:38] I'll give my two minutes. I have a
[2:40] little bit more than two minutes to say.
[2:41] I'm happy to come back in September to
[2:43] finish. And I also have a couple other
[2:45] people who are willing to like take my
[2:46] two minutes and finish what. So, however
[2:48] you want to work it, that's legit. Um, I
[2:51] spent the weekend listening to the three
[2:53] West Fork City Council meetings. So,
[2:55] those are very well archived. Thank you.
[2:58] And locating and reading the ordinance.
[3:00] And on Monday, I visited West Fork City
[3:02] Hall. And um, finance director Christy
[3:05] Dryman was very gracious and patient and
[3:07] spent, I would say, a good 20 minutes
[3:08] with me. So, thank you, Christie. Um, I
[3:11] want to be clear that I understand the
[3:12] predicament of West Fork and from that
[3:15] perspective, I do support the
[3:16] annexation, but I'm not sold in the
[3:18] manner in which it's currently being
[3:20] pursued and I'm hoping you can help me.
[3:22] Um, first off, the poster board map has
[3:26] my private drive incorrectly labeled.
[3:28] So, I would really appreciate if in it's
[3:30] in the minutes that I'm requesting that be corrected. It says Hin Road,
[3:35] which is actually north of us, and mine
[3:37] is Evans Lane. So there are two horn
[3:39] roads on the poster board map and the
[3:42] southern one is my Evans Lane. All
[3:46] right. You mentioned in past meetings
[3:47] that those of us currently under
[3:49] Washington water authority will remain
[3:50] so. But something was said that sounded
[3:53] like the water would still like come
[3:55] through West Fork as a third party or we
[3:57] would still be [snorts] directly with
[3:59] Washington water.
[3:59] >> You will still be directly with
[4:00] Washington water.
[4:02] >> Okay. Um, regarding the ongoing property
[4:04] tax conversation, I just wanted to
[4:06] clarify that this now famous 5 mil
[4:09] increase in property tax, which has been
[4:11] described in these meetings as about an
[4:13] average of $100 per residence,
[4:15] >> per 100,000 of value.
[4:18] >> Okay. I remembered you saying something
[4:20] about
[4:21] 80 people and $8,000 of revenue. And so
[4:24] it would be like about $100 per
[4:27] residence on average. And so, um, I
[4:30] probably did say that trying to
[4:32] generalize.
[4:33] >> Yeah.
[4:34] >> Uh, I've I filled in a lot of questions.
[4:36] Um,
[4:37] >> yes. Yes, you did.
[4:39] >> So, [cough] the way that works out for
[4:42] five meals, that will equate to
[4:44] approximately $100 per $100,000 of
[4:48] assessed value. So, if your if your home
[4:51] if the assessed value on your home is
[4:53] $100,000, it would be about a $100
[4:55] increase.
[4:56] >> Yeah. Right. And so since we pay 44 45.4
[4:59] mills right now, it's about a 1 nth or
[5:01] an 11% increase. So it makes it pretty
[5:04] easy for us to calculate if we just take
[5:06] our base and increase it by 11%. And I
[5:08] just thought it might be helpful to say
[5:10] that because as you probably know, I
[5:13] mean, the signage coming in here from
[5:15] >> um where I live made it very clear that
[5:17] there are some people who are pretty
[5:18] upset. Um and I think that clarity might
[5:21] be helpful, too, because people are
[5:23] throwing this $100 number around. Um,
[5:27] okay. During the May city council
[5:29] meeting, I think it was stated that the
[5:31] lot splits, if they happen in the
[5:33] future, annexation happens and someone
[5:35] wants to split their lot, each lot split
[5:38] would have to be a minimum of 5 acres.
[5:43] >> I think what you're seeing there is for
[5:47] agricultural zoning,
[5:48] >> okay, which we would be,
[5:50] >> we require a 5 acre lot.
[5:52] >> Okay? So, we would have to reszone in
[5:55] order because I asked because I had a
[5:57] family member take a one um acre split
[6:01] just like two years ago from us and we
[6:04] have a few adult children who hope to do
[6:06] the same in the near future. But a 5
[6:08] acre split is a you know a different um
[6:10] kettle of fish and so it sounds like if
[6:12] we stay agricultural zoning wise we
[6:15] would have to make each split a minimum
[6:18] five or is there any exception for
[6:20] family lot slits?
[6:23] look at the code. I don't know.
[6:25] >> So, we we just re rewrote our entire
[6:29] zoning code.
[6:30] >> Okay.
[6:30] >> And so, what we what we were trying to
[6:32] do is and I [clears throat] don't know
[6:34] that that's going to be the case. I
[6:36] think if you were reszoning to
[6:38] agriculture, you would have to zone or
[6:42] you would have to split out five acres.
[6:44] If you're already zoned agricultural, I
[6:46] do not think that is a requirement, but
[6:48] that's something. Do you know, Walter?
[6:50] For sure.
[6:50] >> I don't think so. you would just resone
[6:51] as either a residential estate, which
[6:53] that's down to two acres, I think, and
[6:55] pretty well just provides for everything
[6:57] agriculture except commercial
[6:58] agriculture.
[6:59] >> Right. And
[7:00] >> but if if if she's just splitting a lot
[7:03] and not wanting to reszone,
[7:05] >> right? Right.
[7:06] >> Right. You're just splitting a whole
[7:07] lot.
[7:08] >> I don't I don't think that's I don't
[7:09] think that's the case. I believe you can
[7:11] >> Uhhuh. It would just remain original
[7:13] zoning. Yeah. But then of course if
[7:16] anyone in that splitting subdivid then
[7:19] you end up with like resold lot you know
[7:22] if anyone ever like if we split like our
[7:24] current situation I've got 19 the family
[7:25] member has one um if they ever sell then
[7:29] we end up with a lot that's agricultural
[7:31] that's only one yeah
[7:32] >> that gets grandfathered in.
[7:34] >> Yes. Okay.
[7:34] >> And it's only if you're subdividing it
[7:36] and so that would be four or more
[7:38] >> lots that you're creating. If you're
[7:40] just creating one lawn off of it, that
[7:41] that's not a subdivision. And so that
[7:43] doesn't
[7:44] >> I see. And then there's like a
[7:45] three-year minimum except for families
[7:48] at the county level. Yes.
[7:49] >> And does that continue at the city level
[7:51] if we become West?
[7:52] >> We follow the county on that.
[7:54] >> Okay. All right. Thank you.
[7:55] >> And so the reason for that, just to give
[7:57] you a little bit of
[7:59] >> background on it, is what we've had in
[8:01] the past is a family
[8:03] >> decides they're going to split three
[8:05] lots for family members. And then those
[8:08] family members a couple years down the
[8:09] road decide, well, I don't like living
[8:11] here. I'm going to move and I'm going to
[8:14] respplit this four more times. And so
[8:16] then the city ends up with a a dirt path
[8:20] that they are uh expected to maintain
[8:22] that we can't get fire trucks down that
[8:24] now serves eight or 10 people. So that
[8:26] that's where that one came in.
[8:27] >> Yeah. Okay. All right. Thank you again
[8:29] for your generosity here. Now, the two
[8:32] main things. So those were kind of the
[8:34] nickels and dimes. The first is that as
[8:37] you know this annexation if it passes
[8:39] will more than double the geographic
[8:41] area of West Fork. And that means that
[8:45] police department, fire department, road
[8:47] maintenance, um solid waste is covering
[8:51] twice the area. Not twice the
[8:53] residences, but but twice the area. And
[8:56] I've not seen anything I've not been
[8:58] able to find anything in writing about
[9:00] how that's going to be financed. You've
[9:02] been clear that this isn't bringing in
[9:04] much money to the city, but surely
[9:07] there's a plan to increase the number of
[9:09] police officers, cruisers, fire
[9:11] department members, and then the road
[9:14] maintenance. I live off off of Campbell.
[9:17] That's that's a huge liability that the
[9:19] city's taking on honestly in its current
[9:21] condition, southeast and northeast. Um,
[9:24] so is there a plan in writing that I can
[9:26] look at?
[9:27] >> There is not at this point.
[9:28] >> Okay. So one, it hasn't passed. Um
[9:32] >> the annexation has not passed. So
[9:35] >> yes, we have looked at the police level
[9:38] and the fire level um as to what does our budget currently cover per
[9:45] citizen or per household? What does that
[9:47] cost us? Right.
[9:49] >> Um for the fire department, we're
[9:51] currently covering that area anyway.
[9:53] True. Right. So we've got a partnership
[9:55] with rule.
[9:56] >> That's not going to change a whole lot.
[9:58] uh the police budget may very well
[10:00] change
[10:01] >> and we know that the the road and street
[10:03] department budget is going to change
[10:04] significantly and so yes we have looked
[10:07] we have driven those roads we have
[10:09] looked to see
[10:10] >> what roads are in need of some help uh
[10:13] what roads need some help just to get a
[10:15] fire truck in and out properly
[10:18] >> u we have looked at what would it cost
[10:20] if we we subbed that work out
[10:24] >> um currently the county does some work
[10:26] like that for city. So, uh we
[10:29] [clears throat] we contract with the
[10:30] county and they actually do the grading
[10:33] work since they already have their
[10:34] graders and stuff. So, do we have it in
[10:36] writing and uh a written proposal of
[10:39] what that expense is going to be? No, we
[10:40] don't. Uh but we are preparing for that.
[10:44] >> Yeah. Okay. So, I mean, I knew that
[10:46] you'd done the driving around and um and
[10:49] looked at it. And I think what you can
[10:51] probably understand from my perspective
[10:54] is first off I do see that it's not a
[10:57] matter of if but when for annexation and
[11:00] it's really a matter of West Fork or
[11:02] Greenland like like we pick um and
[11:06] it would be really helpful if we felt
[11:09] like there was some real um intention
[11:14] not not just intention but planning
[11:15] about how this is going to be paid for
[11:17] because what can happen is that we're
[11:19] kind kind of the annoying stepchildren
[11:22] where there's like Westfork that's
[11:24] already being served that already has
[11:26] its regular maintenance and then there's
[11:28] just not the money to cover this and
[11:32] with this desire not to um increase
[11:35] taxes obviously you can't up the 5 mil
[11:37] and so it would have to be sales or
[11:38] whatever taxes but
[11:41] hopefully you can see from our
[11:42] perspective that there's a concern of if
[11:44] there's not a real plan in place like if I'm running a household I can't
[11:49] just hope that I'm going to be able to
[11:51] maintain I don't know I'm not running a
[11:54] household I'm running a rural household
[11:56] the animals that I decide to acquire.
[11:58] >> Um and I get that you can't just plan
[12:02] for something you can't put anything
[12:05] >> into law or ordinance if the annexation
[12:08] hasn't yet passed but surely there must
[12:11] be some kind of plan going forward like
[12:13] we would take money from this or we're
[12:15] thinking of that. Is that happening? Um
[12:18] I think you will see some some more
[12:20] detail uh some more written um examples
[12:23] of this. So we are just coming into our
[12:25] budget season for 2027.
[12:27] >> Okay.
[12:28] >> Uh so no we don't currently have
[12:30] anything but yes you can you can uh rest
[12:33] assured that as that 27 budget gets
[12:35] worked on which is starting next month
[12:38] um that will you will definitely see
[12:40] some increases in road uh in in the
[12:45] police budget. I don't know about fire
[12:48] yet. Um how that's going to impact.
[12:50] Okay. But
[12:51] >> Right. Because we do already, like you
[12:52] said. Yeah. Okay. And then
[12:54] >> and then then just a correction. So your
[12:56] solid waste,
[12:58] Christy, [clears throat] is their solid
[12:59] waste going to change.
[13:01] >> We privately contract and it says in the
[13:03] ordinance. Sorry.
[13:05] >> Yes. Most likely they I have not talked
[13:07] to LR. They're not LRS now. They've
[13:10] changed names again, but I have not
[13:12] talked to them and let them know that
[13:13] this is coming. Um, but my assumption is
[13:16] that they will want to add that to the
[13:20] contract with them. So, okay. But I
[13:22] don't have
[13:22] >> So, we'll get more information on that
[13:24] once we've talked to them.
[13:25] >> Um, so are you guys currently with
[13:28] Trashaway or
[13:29] >> We privately contract with Trashaway.
[13:31] So,
[13:31] >> and when you say privately, each
[13:33] individual basically. Okay.
[13:35] >> Yep. Exactly. And um so in the ordinance
[13:39] it says that effective immediately once
[13:41] the annexation is like um verified and
[13:44] finalized that fire, police, solid waste
[13:49] and road maintenance are effective
[13:50] immediately under West.
[13:53] >> Yeah, I feel like that's the one that
[13:54] would impact me immediately and I'd
[13:56] rather stay with trash away. Is it is
[13:58] that an option or
[14:00] >> if if LRS says that they want that
[14:04] contract? So we contract that everything
[14:06] in the city limits currently is with
[14:07] them.
[14:09] >> So it would be a change. Yes.
[14:11] >> Yeah. Okay. So then that brings me to
[14:14] the final question. Um which is that
[14:17] >> I know based on the last three meetings
[14:19] that people in my area are very
[14:21] interested in changes to the ordinances
[14:23] that reflect more the lifestyle and
[14:26] needs of our rural community. Um and I
[14:29] know that you have said that well we
[14:31] don't have an annexation yet so we can't
[14:32] really change those.
[14:34] um that makes it very difficult for us
[14:36] to choose annexation because we're
[14:39] choosing something and we don't know
[14:40] what it is. And so even something like
[14:44] being given the choice between trash
[14:47] away and LRS, like not a blanket, yes,
[14:49] you guys get this and you have to take
[14:51] LRS, but that you could choose. These
[14:54] are things that would be very helpful
[14:55] towards us supporting this annexation.
[14:58] some of us. Um, and I respectfully ask
[15:02] that there could be a committee of some
[15:06] sort even now composed of members of
[15:09] your council and members of our area who
[15:12] could talk about the things that we're
[15:14] concerned about and the ordinances that
[15:16] we think are going to be problematic and
[15:18] ways that we think would solve it. I
[15:21] know you've encouraged people to come
[15:22] here and be part of this conversation,
[15:23] but it's very different to come here and
[15:26] just do what I'm saying for a few
[15:28] minutes and it's another thing to invest
[15:30] hours together trying to explain what
[15:32] our life is like, what we need, why this
[15:34] particular ordinance would be
[15:36] problematic, why trash away might be
[15:38] better, because if I have to walk my
[15:40] garbage out half a mile every week,
[15:43] which is what people who were
[15:45] contracting with trash away had to do
[15:48] until we contracted for a communal
[15:51] dumpster and they'll come and get the
[15:52] dumpster so we don't have to walk our
[15:54] trash half a mile. They'll come the half
[15:55] a mile. So things like that. Um so I
[15:58] just leave you with that. I know this is
[16:00] not an actionable time, but it would it
[16:02] would go a long way if right now there
[16:04] already was a committee working towards
[16:07] um alleviating those concerns so we can
[16:09] choose something known.
[16:10] >> I think that's a fantastic idea. So I
[16:13] 100% support that.
[16:17] I want you to look at at the audience.
[16:21] [laughter]
[16:22] So, four months ago, this was standing
[16:25] room only.
[16:27] >> And as soon as we finished up discussion
[16:30] on that annexation, this room cleared
[16:33] out.
[16:33] >> Sure.
[16:34] >> Three months ago, as soon as we finished
[16:36] up discussion, the room cleared out.
[16:39] >> Here we are four months later, and
[16:41] there's very there's very few of you
[16:43] guys here,
[16:44] >> right?
[16:45] I ask multiple times. You've heard me
[16:47] say that, hey, we want input and and we
[16:50] do have a list of of what little input
[16:52] we have,
[16:53] >> but I would 100% support a a committee
[16:57] of some council [clears throat] members
[16:59] and some residents in that area to to
[17:02] discuss that.
[17:04] I was very clear that we don't have all
[17:06] the answers that right
[17:08] >> that you guys want answered, right? As
[17:10] far as how do we how do we draft that
[17:12] ordinance? Um, Chief Gogggins sent me a potential rewrite of the maintenance
[17:18] of real property ordinance
[17:20] >> that
[17:21] >> uh very much concerns you guys and
[17:24] >> my response back to him was I think we
[17:26] need some more input before we finish
[17:28] that up. Right. So, we
[17:30] >> which we desire, right? I mean, we want
[17:31] to be in on that.
[17:33] >> Yeah, I would hope so.
[17:34] >> Um,
[17:35] >> I desire. [laughter]
[17:37] >> So, yes, it's very much something that
[17:40] we don't want to be dismissive of that.
[17:42] Um, we do have to factor in that
[17:46] anything we change for you guys does
[17:48] change everybody else in the
[17:50] agricultural zone, right? And we have a lot of land that's zoned
[17:54] agriculture that's currently in the city
[17:55] limits. Y
[17:56] >> um, and
[17:59] >> I think if you talk to them, you would
[18:01] find that they're treated very fairly,
[18:03] right? I mean, as far as agriculture
[18:04] within the city limits goes.
[18:06] >> So, yeah, I definitely support that. And
[18:09] if you can get a couple members from out
[18:13] there, um,
[18:16] >> let's let's do something. Yes.
[18:17] >> Okay.
[18:18] >> We will we will definitely put something
[18:19] together to discuss that.
[18:21] >> You're the president of that committee.
[18:23] [laughter]
[18:25] >> So, I have a question.
[18:27] Is your trash concern
[18:30] the company or is it how it's picked up?
[18:33] I mean, if LRS is willing to come and do
[18:36] a dumpster half a mile down a they do a a grapple road and
[18:42] >> I don't know what their pricing is.
[18:43] >> I don't need to.
[18:44] >> So, here's what I can tell you. There's
[18:45] a reason we switched.
[18:47] >> Mhm.
[18:48] >> Um, and it was pricing, it was options,
[18:52] and it was
[18:55] equipment.
[18:56] >> I'll put it that way.
[18:57] >> Okay. I mean, I appreciate you asking
[18:59] that question because I had assumed
[19:01] having lived in a non-rural area that
[19:05] this would be like bins on wheels, which
[19:08] when you drag them down a half a mile
[19:09] gravel road, they
[19:10] >> were a driveway, but in your [laughter]
[19:12] case, I don't see your position.
[19:14] >> Yeah.
[19:15] >> And that's
[19:17] the method which it's collectible.
[19:19] >> Yeah. I had not thought about that. They
[19:21] might give me that.
[19:21] >> So, they do do those.
[19:23] >> Yeah. Okay. Thank you for that. And so,
[19:26] um, you haven't been here, so I want to
[19:29] make sure that you get the full,
[19:34] um, the full idea where I'm coming from,
[19:38] I guess.
[19:39] So, and I don't know exactly where you
[19:41] live, but I know that just north of you, drive past it occasionally on
[19:47] Interstate 49, you see an industrial
[19:49] Yes.
[19:50] >> park developing.
[19:51] >> Yes.
[19:52] Do you think that an industrial park
[19:54] along the along the side of a of a major
[19:57] interstate should be developed without
[19:59] sewer?
[20:01] [laughter]
[20:04] » So I don't
[20:05] >> No. And like I said, I really appreciate
[20:08] what you're doing. And I do feel like,
[20:10] and I'm on record here,
[20:13] >> that you are doing a good job for your
[20:17] city of trying to annex us. And I won't
[20:22] go on record about my preference, but I would rather that this council was
[20:29] overseeing the development of that
[20:32] corridor than the county. And for so
[20:34] many reasons. I mean, I do believe in
[20:36] subsidiarity and the fact that you know
[20:38] what is needed here, right here. And so
[20:41] I think we just need that extra step to
[20:44] also know what's happening, what's
[20:45] needed where I live, which isn't that
[20:48] far from you.
[20:48] >> I think more importantly, we know what
[20:50] is not needed here. [laughter]
[20:53] >> Yes. Well, and I I've lived in large
[20:56] cities, so I there's a reason why I live
[20:58] where I live.
[20:59] >> Yeah.
[21:00] And um I also when you said that
[21:04] everything will come in agriculture, I
[21:06] thought that large plot of land that was
[21:09] bought by Hogbox that's across the
[21:11] street from me would then be zoned
[21:14] agriculture. I mean, I think it is still
[21:16] right now, but then they would have to
[21:18] come to you for permission. Again, I
[21:21] realize I'm on record here, but I
[21:22] thought, no, this this could be a good
[21:25] thing.
[21:25] >> Yeah.
[21:26] >> Okay. You have been very generous and
[21:28] I'm grateful to you. Thank you. Thank
[21:30] you for coming.
[21:31] >> Thank you.
[21:31] >> I'm sorry that you just now found out
[21:32] about it.
[21:33] >> Me, too. But it's all right. We're
[21:35] starting from here.
[21:35] >> Okay. So,
[21:38] >> you can get my contact information from
[21:40] Christie.
[21:41] >> Um, if you could get a couple people
[21:43] together, um, say three or so.
[21:46] >> Uh, and let us know. We will definitely
[21:48] put something together and start
[21:49] coordinating on some meetings and
[21:51] working through that.
[21:52] >> Okay. Thank you.
[21:53] >> You're welcome. Thank you. Would anyone
[21:56] else like to address the council
[21:57] tonight?
[21:59] Yes, sir. Come on. Tell us who you are.
[22:03] >> My name is uh Andrew Rendall. Uh and
[22:07] apologies in advance for the lack of eye
[22:09] contact. I just want to make sure I
[22:10] squeeze this in under the two-minute
[22:12] buzzer.
[22:13] >> Yeah, go ahead. Um, so I wanted to just
[22:16] uh acknowledge what Cabbat and Mayflower
[22:19] and Peridge have all done in I think
[22:22] just the past month,
[22:24] >> which was roll back or cancel entirely
[22:27] their business with the ALPR companies,
[22:31] uh, Flock in this case, which is the
[22:32] main
[22:33] >> Oh, okay.
[22:33] >> the big one. Um, but I know there's
[22:35] other ALPR companies like Axon or
[22:37] Leonardo who would be more than happy to
[22:39] take Flock's place. Um, and so my my
[22:42] only comment, and this was more of a
[22:43] just I I know this is not an actionable thing to my knowledge. It was
[22:46] more just getting it off my chest and
[22:48] making my opinion known that my hope is
[22:50] that Westfor uh would follow suit. Um
[22:54] because I I I believe just looking
[22:55] online at Facebook, others have already
[22:57] pointed out that ALPR itself is kind
[23:00] [snorts] of a misleading misnomer. Um
[23:03] because it stands for automatic license
[23:04] plate reader. Um, but what they have the
[23:08] capability of also reading is people's
[23:10] faces. Uh, how they walk. Uh, the fact
[23:13] they might unknowingly have a tail light
[23:15] out or where they go and when. Uh, and
[23:18] that information is all uh potentially
[23:20] available to anyone who has access to
[23:22] those databases. I think they say it's
[23:24] only stored on there for 30 days, but
[23:26] you know, we know less and less. Um but
[23:28] with something like that kind of uh
[23:30] surveillance in my opinion if you give
[23:32] an inch um a mile is always going to be
[23:36] taken. Um and it would be much easier to
[23:38] do what P Ridge or others have done and
[23:40] take back that inch now than to wait and
[23:43] allow our status as private citizens to
[23:45] be encroached upon and [snorts] find
[23:47] that it's turned into miles and miles
[23:49] that we don't know where to start taking
[23:51] back or if we even can at that point.
[23:54] So, um, my hope is that Westport takes
[23:57] back that inch. Um, and I think that
[23:59] kind of dubtales a little bit with, uh,
[24:01] the annexation because I feel like trust
[24:04] from private citizens to public service
[24:06] to public servants is a two-way street
[24:09] and having, uh, and of course, these are
[24:11] separate from traffic cameras and things
[24:13] like that or CCTVs, but it kind of
[24:16] demonstrates uh to some a lack of trust
[24:19] in the community. Um, you know, kind of
[24:22] a watchdog thing. And you know, you'll
[24:23] see Flock cameras all around where
[24:25] they're pointed at public parks or at
[24:27] gymnasiums or and not not on roads. And
[24:30] you know, even the CEO of Flock
[24:32] continuously changes his license plate.
[24:35] So, it's rules for the but not for me
[24:37] kind of situation. And so, just the
[24:39] whole thing gives me the ick. And so, I
[24:40] just wanted to make that opinion known.
[24:42] But,
[24:43] >> okay,
[24:43] >> that's all.
[24:44] >> Thank you.
[24:46] >> Would anyone else like to address the
[24:47] council tonight?
[24:48] >> Yes, sir. Tell us who you are,
[24:51] >> sir. tell us who you are.
[24:53] >> My name is Alan Thomas. Um, so I really
[24:56] I'm here to discuss the annexation.
[24:59] >> Yes, sir.
[25:00] >> And I will echo everything that Barbara
[25:03] Bird just said and really appreciate
[25:05] that. And I really appreciate y'all's
[25:08] approach to it and I do appreciate why
[25:11] it needs to be done and it's probably,
[25:13] you know, it's a it's a when I live. Um,
[25:17] I will say that like Barbara, I came
[25:19] from a big city and I've moved here. I'm
[25:22] a disabled veteran. I don't get out much
[25:24] and the only thing I really do have
[25:27] right now for recreation is being able
[25:29] to go out and shoot on my range on my
[25:31] land. And so I I have concerns about
[25:35] that.
[25:36] And it's really a more general concern.
[25:39] It's not so much like all Alen does is
[25:42] think about whether he gets to go shoot
[25:44] today or not. It is more the the larger
[25:48] concern of people that are out in that
[25:51] rural area are there for a reason and
[25:54] they really don't you know like the
[25:57] gentleman said it's not really so much
[25:59] what I want what I don't want right and
[26:02] so a lot of extra constraints a lot of
[26:05] extra cost that may come with extra
[26:08] infrastructure cost
[26:10] um and then you know are we going to get
[26:13] the same level of of service that we
[26:16] have now, right? Um it it's already
[26:20] sounding like really for no additional
[26:24] service u escalation or increase we're
[26:28] going to spend an extra for me 13%
[26:32] uh in tax money. So in property taxes.
[26:36] So I'm a little concerned about all
[26:37] that. And it's it's also not clear to me
[26:39] that that even that that extra 13%
[26:42] actually will cover the entire scope of
[26:46] all of the costs, right? Because if you
[26:49] double the area, it takes more people to service that area. So
[26:57] like Barbara, it would be really helpful
[27:00] for me because I apologize, I just found
[27:02] out about this same time Barbara did
[27:04] when she got her. Um
[27:07] if we knew a plan and we had really sure
[27:10] [clears throat] thought through what the
[27:12] impact to the police department was to
[27:15] the ambulance service uh road
[27:19] maintenance what that actually looks
[27:20] like. Um and so I'll close with this and
[27:25] it's just really a question of how one
[27:27] goes about all this. Um, right now
[27:31] there's a a bill that's going to be
[27:32] voted on or how I don't know what you
[27:34] call it, but whatever the annexation is
[27:37] called um in November,
[27:38] >> the ordinance. Yeah.
[27:40] >> Um would it be possible to add um
[27:45] anything to that at this point or is it
[27:47] it's locked down? It's on the ballot and
[27:49] it is what it is at this moment. Yeah,
[27:52] it would have, you know, I guess in
[27:54] hindsight maybe I would have offered,
[27:55] but if we could have included a rider on
[27:59] that annexation and said, "Hey, with the
[28:01] annexation in the annex area, we'll have
[28:06] um
[28:07] code changes that will keep the same
[28:11] kind of lifestyle."
[28:14] And you have to use better words than I
[28:16] do. I'm not a lawyer. So, uh, but
[28:18] anyway, that kind of thing, you know,
[28:19] we're we're guarantees in writing those
[28:22] things will happen. I appreciate you all
[28:25] are, you know, you're good people and have the best interest of the
[28:29] community at heart
[28:31] >> and and I just
[28:34] unfortunately have been um burned by the
[28:39] verbal and the intent without it being
[28:41] written and then all of a sudden, you
[28:43] know, we get there and well, it's not
[28:45] written down. So,
[28:47] >> [clears throat]
[28:47] >> I I get that. So, I want I do want to
[28:50] ask um
[28:53] so are you are you currently aware of
[28:56] the zoning changes that the county made
[28:58] about a year and a half ago?
[28:59] >> Uh no, I'm not.
[29:01] >> Okay. So, no one that has came from your
[29:04] area has been aware of that.
[29:07] In that in that zoning change, the
[29:09] county labeled all major highways uh
[29:12] within the county. So if someone if if if you sell No, let's go
[29:18] with Barbara sells her property and
[29:20] whoever she sells it to me and I decide
[29:23] I want to turn that into whatever
[29:26] commercial business I decide to turn it
[29:28] into, the county is going to
[29:30] automatically guarant or they're going
[29:31] to allow that. So along those major
[29:35] corridors, the county has already
[29:37] signified that those are commercial
[29:39] corridors.
[29:41] If if the city of West Fork annexes
[29:43] that, if Barbara sells to me and I want
[29:46] to change to uh commercial, I have to
[29:50] come before the the the West Fork City
[29:52] Council and and petition that I have to
[29:55] send out certified letters. It's not an
[29:58] automatic is what I'm getting at.
[30:01] And and I don't think I've I've done a a
[30:04] great job of of explaining the fact that
[30:06] we are actually this is going to provide
[30:09] more control over uh your property
[30:14] than not annexing.
[30:17] Uh it's going to give you more of a
[30:19] voice about what happens to that
[30:22] property than you currently have.
[30:25] >> And I appreciate that. Thank you.
[30:27] >> Yeah. Again, a lot of people weren't
[30:29] aware and I had several several phone
[30:32] calls uh emails concerning that uh that
[30:36] county change, but
[30:38] it as with everything, right, we follow
[30:40] the rules of this is how we have to
[30:42] advertise it, but there's still people
[30:43] that that don't realize it until, you
[30:45] know, it's it's too late, if you will.
[30:47] Uh but but yeah, the county made a huge
[30:50] change. And not only that, so some of
[30:52] what really pressed this um in the past,
[30:56] the city was granted a onem uh uh buffer
[31:02] outside of our city limits. So if if
[31:04] something were to develop in some of
[31:05] that area, that would have had to come
[31:07] before the city the city council of
[31:09] Westport to approve it. People would
[31:11] have been notified. They could have came
[31:13] in challenged different things. the
[31:15] state, that was about a year and a half
[31:17] ago as well, the state removed that
[31:20] planning boundary. Okay? And so what has
[31:23] essentially happened is the county came
[31:25] in and said that's an automatic
[31:26] commercial zone and the state said the
[31:29] city of Westfork no longer has a
[31:31] planning boundary. So
[31:35] you you have lost the management of your
[31:39] rural area out there. Uh, and that's a lot of where this is coming
[31:44] from. Part of it is coming from
[31:46] Greenland was getting very aggressive at
[31:48] annexing South.
[31:52] I've I've been texted some Facebook
[31:54] posts that, you know, now the the city
[31:56] of Greenland's completely against
[31:57] annexing that area. Okay. Um, maybe
[32:00] there's an election coming up. I don't
[32:02] know.
[32:03] >> [laughter]
[32:03] >> Uh
[32:05] the truth is the city of West Fork
[32:08] thinks that we are better suited to
[32:09] manage that area than the city of
[32:12] Greenland and and better suited to
[32:14] manage that area than Washington County.
[32:16] And
[32:18] again, my prime example is if you're
[32:20] going to develop an industrial park, you
[32:22] should probably get the players who are
[32:25] developing it to pay for the sewer
[32:27] instead of the city having to come in in
[32:29] 15 years and and pay to put sewer in.
[32:33] I I think we've we've put a little bit
[32:35] more thought and effort into it than some of the other uh players in
[32:40] that region. We don't have some of this
[32:42] stuff in writing yet, but as I said, as
[32:44] we go into budget season, you're going
[32:46] to start to see some of that uh be
[32:48] discussed in in detail.
[32:51] >> Thank you very much.
[32:52] >> Now, to give you a little bit of
[32:56] u rest, we only have uh what do we have
[33:00] tonight? We've got six council members
[33:04] and will all the council members agree
[33:06] that we are going to change the
[33:08] ordinance uh in agricultural
[33:12] to one allow shooting and make some
[33:14] changes as far as property maintenance
[33:16] and different things. Is everybody on
[33:18] the council?
[33:18] >> We'll accommodate y'all however we need
[33:20] to to make your life stay like it is.
[33:22] >> Now, one other thing
[33:24] >> on your side for that 100%.
[33:26] >> So, I got scared to death when I said
[33:28] I'm annexing this. I said, "I'm not
[33:30] running because somebody's going to come
[33:32] after me." But our future mayor is
[33:34] sitting right here. [laughter]
[33:36] Get him to commit. Will you commit that
[33:38] we are going to make some changes to the
[33:39] agricultural zoning?
[33:41] >> Okay.
[33:42] >> Well,
[33:43] >> we don't have it in writing.
[33:44] >> I've got a cattleman's hat on and a
[33:46] hunting shirt on, so I think I'll let
[33:47] you know where I'm at.
[33:48] >> As far as that goes,
[33:53] » would anyone else like to address the
[33:54] council tonight?
[33:56] >> Yes, sir. Tell us who you are, Woody.
[34:00] What do you manager? Um, yeah, one there
[34:04] was some some math that wasn't really
[34:06] checking out on the the annexing
[34:09] numbers. So, like how many houses, how
[34:14] much taxes are going to be projected?
[34:16] Has has there been any number crunching
[34:19] on the annexed area?
[34:21] >> No, there has not.
[34:22] >> So, like you had mentioned like there
[34:24] might be 80 houses.
[34:25] >> That was Yeah, just an estimate.
[34:27] >> But there's like 150. Oh wow.
[34:28] >> Awesome.
[34:29] >> So if [laughter]
[34:31] >> really,
[34:32] >> you know, we need population is what we
[34:34] need.
[34:34] >> So there's, you know, three square
[34:37] miles, which is 640 acres per mile. So
[34:43] if you average out $10,000 per acre of
[34:46] assessed value, there's 20,000.
[34:49] >> Now, you tell me, Woody, how many of
[34:50] those
[34:51] >> Oh, I don't know. I'm just guessing.
[34:52] >> Okay. So now I was I was making some
[34:55] guesses, too. Right. Right. But if you
[34:57] take
[34:58] >> But let's be serious about it. How much
[34:59] of that land is assessed at $10,000 an
[35:01] acre? Assessed.
[35:03] >> I'm not sure.
[35:03] >> Not fair market value, but assessed.
[35:05] >> So if it was assessed at$10,000 an acre,
[35:09] there's about $20,000.
[35:10] >> Okay.
[35:11] >> If all the houses were roughly $200,000
[35:14] houses on average, there's $30,000. This
[35:18] is tax revenue. So roughly $50,000
[35:22] just in property taxes [snorts]
[35:25] because you had you had mentioned, you
[35:27] know, closer to 8,000.
[35:29] >> So I'm going to challenge your math.
[35:31] >> Okay.
[35:32] >> Because the entire city of West Fork
[35:34] that we currently have, all four square
[35:36] miles produces
[35:38] >> three. Is that three?
[35:40] >> It's depends on where you look. There's
[35:41] some places if you go to uh Gemini, I
[35:45] think it think it says three. If you
[35:47] look at some other areas, it's going to
[35:48] say four. Okay.
[35:49] >> Uh I think there's I think our website
[35:51] maybe even says four. But Christie,
[35:54] correct me if I'm wrong here because
[35:56] Woody's challenging my math. [laughter]
[35:58] In property tax in the entire city of
[36:01] Westport, real property tax, do we not
[36:03] get about $200,000 a year?
[36:06] >> Hold on, I'll tell you. [laughter]
[36:12] So the city budget this year we have
[36:14] budgeted 214,000
[36:17] for the general fund. Hold on.
[36:55] » 21,000
[36:57] for the streets. So, let's say let's say
[37:00] let's round up and say we get 250,000
[37:02] currently for the roughly 800 homes that
[37:05] we currently have. And you were saying
[37:06] we're going to get how much out of that?
[37:08] >> I'm I'm guessing around $50,000 is it's
[37:11] kind of my just rough math based on
[37:13] these averages.
[37:15] So, if that's the case, that might be
[37:17] high, that might be low. I'm not sure.
[37:20] But what I was coming to say is, you
[37:22] know, with the with a planning committee
[37:25] like you're talking about, like if
[37:27] there's like a budgeted amount that
[37:30] could be shunted to fixing roads of the
[37:34] annexed area, like put the money
[37:36] specifically from the annexed area if it
[37:39] annexes back into the annexed area for
[37:44] roads,
[37:46] water if that's ever going to happen,
[37:48] stuff like that. So water is never going
[37:50] to happen.
[37:52] [clears throat]
[37:53] [laughter]
[37:54] >> So that Washington Water Authority, just
[37:57] so everybody knows, Washington Water
[37:58] Authority has territories and those
[38:00] territories, my understanding is as long
[38:03] as Washington Water Authority has
[38:04] federal loans that they're paying off,
[38:07] those territories will never be
[38:08] challenged and never be changed. Now,
[38:10] that's not to say never, ever, ever,
[38:12] right? But for the most part,
[38:15] West Fork is not taking over any
[38:17] territory of Washington water. That
[38:19] that's unheard of, right?
[38:20] >> So, I don't think water is ever going to
[38:22] change.
[38:23] >> But, um, will we dedicate
[38:27] that that tax to that area? No, we
[38:31] won't. Uh, it's going to go into the
[38:33] street budget. And the street budget is
[38:36] going to be comprised of of an annual
[38:39] plan of this is what we're allocating to
[38:41] this spot to this spot to this spot. And
[38:44] Isaac's got a matrix that he uses. Where
[38:46] are we going to pay? What roads are we
[38:48] going to work on? Right. Um so no, it we
[38:51] won't be allocating just those tax
[38:54] dollar. Number one, I don't even know if
[38:56] we can if we can determine what property
[38:58] tax dollars comes from that area.
[39:01] >> Gotcha.
[39:02] >> Yeah.
[39:02] >> Okay. I just wanted to maybe clarify
[39:05] that maybe some hard crunching needs to
[39:08] happen at some point or just to be able
[39:11] to anticipate what's going to be coming
[39:12] in on top of what's normally happening
[39:16] >> just
[39:18] for budgeting of next year if it passes.
[39:22] >> Even if it passes, we won't get anything
[39:23] next year.
[39:24] >> Yeah.
[39:24] >> Property taxes are paid behind.
[39:26] >> Oh, right.
[39:28] >> Yeah. But yeah, there there's a huge
[39:31] difference in what the fair market value
[39:33] of property is and what the assessed
[39:35] value is.
[39:35] >> It's a good point.
[39:36] >> It's 80%.
[39:38] >> Less point, right?
[39:39] >> So, yeah, it's probably maybe $8,000.
[39:42] [laughter]
[39:45] » I bet it's closer to eight than it is
[39:47] 50.
[39:47] >> Gotcha.
[39:49] >> I do want to bring up something. We were
[39:52] Everybody askked about fire and
[39:54] everything with with Greenland,
[39:55] everything. Ask our our fire real quick.
[39:58] If there's a fire in Greenland, who who
[39:59] responds to it?
[40:01] >> We do.
[40:02] >> Who has who has the fire? Who does the
[40:04] fire protection for Greenland?
[40:07] >> West.
[40:08] >> Westport.
[40:09] >> So,
[40:10] if you go with Greenland, you're still
[40:12] getting Westport and fire.
[40:14] >> Yeah. Yeah.
[40:15] >> All right. Thank you.
[40:15] >> Thanks, Woody.
[40:18] >> All right. Would anybody else like to
[40:19] address the council tonight?
[40:24] All right. All right, we'll close the
[40:26] public forum and we'll move into our
[40:28] business reports.
[40:30] >> Up first, planning commission Walter
[40:31] Harish.
[40:32] >> Good evening. Sorry I missed last month.
[40:33] It completely slipped me by. Uh so this
[40:37] past month though, we had a speaker, Mr.
[40:39] Andy Kitinger from u well I think he's
[40:41] worked with the American Institute of
[40:42] Architects and the American Institute of
[40:44] Certified Planners. And we had a really
[40:47] informative discussion with them uh on a
[40:49] lot of topics. I don't know if you've
[40:50] seen our minutes or not, but uh
[40:52] basically what we came away with is if
[40:55] we can get the more on voluntarily maybe
[40:58] create a conservation district of some
[41:00] kind to protect green space and
[41:02] overdevelopment that that would be the
[41:04] more route to take and maybe overlay
[41:07] districts. But as far as that, it's just
[41:09] more how much community involvement can
[41:11] we get before we can finally settle on
[41:14] what tact we want to go after. And other
[41:17] than that, right now we don't have any
[41:18] business items. So, it's just more
[41:20] discussion on how we're going to do
[41:21] that, what kind of community outreach
[41:22] we're going to do, and how we're going
[41:24] to go from there. Any questions?
[41:28] >> Any questions for Walter?
[41:30] >> Thank you, sir.
[41:33] Next, our library report. Marie,
[41:37] >> hello.
[41:39] So, um, we had a great summer reading
[41:42] finale. I had a great turnout. Um, and I
[41:44] want to say a special thanks. We had a
[41:46] volunteer named Lorie and she put
[41:48] sparkly things in the girls hair that
[41:50] came up and hung out and it was great.
[41:54] Um, also very sadly Christina has left
[41:56] us but for very good reasons and we wish
[41:59] her the best. And we have a new person
[42:01] on staff, Meredith Gabard. Um, and she's
[42:04] doing great. So, we're very lucky. Um,
[42:08] and as many of you may know, the library
[42:11] is currently looking for a new director.
[42:13] Um, so this was a very difficult
[42:16] decision for me. Um, but it's what's
[42:19] best for my family and um, anyway, it
[42:23] looks like we've got some great
[42:24] applications. I really want to thank
[42:25] everyone for the seven years [snorts]
[42:29] that have been West Fork.
[42:32] It's been really great.
[42:35] [laughter]
[42:36] >> We love having you.
[42:39] We're going to miss you. Y
[42:40] >> Well, don't help me.
[42:43] >> [laughter]
[42:44] >> Um,
[42:46] [clears throat] that being said, we're
[42:47] going to have another Ask the Mayor um
[42:50] at the end of August. So, well, I don't
[42:52] know. But if anyone knows any questions
[42:54] that may be hard to answer like on the
[42:56] spot at a city council meeting, send
[42:58] them to the mayor. Throw him some hard
[43:00] balls. It's the last one that I'm
[43:02] running. So, [laughter]
[43:05] >> no. I wish.
[43:08] [snorts]
[43:10] >> What else do you have for us, Marie?
[43:12] Well, those were the big announcements.
[43:13] What else do you want? [laughter]
[43:16] >> Tell us about our last Ask the Mayor.
[43:18] >> The last Ask the Mayor. Um, it was
[43:20] great. We had over 3,000 views. I think
[43:23] about 3,500 on Facebook. Um,
[43:25] >> did you hear that, Chad?
[43:26] >> I was not winning [laughter] anyway.
[43:29] >> But Mark was so if you could relay that
[43:32] message.
[43:32] >> I sent him home for the day. [laughter]
[43:37] » So, um, yeah. [snorts] So, go check it
[43:40] out. It's also on YouTube. So, if you
[43:42] have any friends or family who are not
[43:44] on Facebook or just don't enjoy getting
[43:46] on Facebook, share the YouTube link with
[43:48] them um and get your questions answered
[43:50] about the school cuz Mr. Uner actually
[43:52] got most of the questions during that
[43:54] round. So,
[43:57] >> any questions for Marie?
[44:01] >> No. So,
[44:04] um Marie is leaving us. Her last day is
[44:08] September 4th.
[44:09] >> Yeah. Uh she may hang around for a
[44:11] little bit. Uh maybe, maybe not. We'll
[44:14] see.
[44:15] >> Yeah,
[44:16] >> she's she's anxious to get out of here
[44:18] as you can tell. [laughter]
[44:19] Um we are definitely going to miss
[44:22] Marie. Uh we're going to miss her a lot.
[44:24] Um I told I met with the library board
[44:26] [snorts] last week uh discussing
[44:30] um setting up interviews and trying to
[44:33] find candidates. And I told the library
[44:36] board that uh in my tenure, in my 10
[44:38] years, uh this is one of the absolute
[44:42] best librarians West Fork has ever had.
[44:45] And [snorts]
[44:47] I said she was in running for the best
[44:50] uh with the Shannon who brought her in.
[44:53] Right. So Marie's been with us a long
[44:55] time. Her name is actually Shannon. So
[44:57] we we discussed maybe hiring somebody
[44:59] whose name is Shannon. [laughter]
[45:02] But, uh, Marie's going to have some big
[45:05] shoes to fill by whoever whoever, um,
[45:08] gets that role. And we're going to miss
[45:09] you dearly. Uh, you've done great things
[45:11] with our library. And so, we thank you
[45:14] very much. Uh, I don't want to say that
[45:17] we're she's still going to be here for a
[45:20] while, so I don't want to make this as a
[45:21] finality, but uh, we do have interviews
[45:24] scheduled for next week. We had several
[45:26] candidates who applied for the job, but
[45:29] it's going to be hard to replace Marie.
[45:32] So Marie, thank you [applause] for YOUR
[45:38] » We wish you the best.
[45:40] >> Thank you,
[45:41] >> Miss Marie. We may fill your position,
[45:43] but we won't replace you. That's
[45:45] >> right.
[45:46] >> Well, thank you. I appreciate it.
[45:50] >> Thank you, Marie.
[45:51] >> Thank you.
[45:54] >> Next, the police report. Chiefs,
[45:57] >> good evening.
[45:59] All right. So, we had 445 calls, 31
[46:02] reports taken, 91 citations, 180
[46:04] warnings, eight ordinance violations,
[46:05] five warrants, and seven misdemeanor
[46:08] arrest, two felony arrests. As far as
[46:10] the last month, we have Officer Fuller.
[46:12] Finally graduated the academy. Got him
[46:14] out to his field training. Get that
[46:15] started. He did um get top honors for
[46:19] driving. Did get the top driver award.
[46:21] Uh we renewed and updated updated, just
[46:24] kind of fix some stuff, our SRO contract
[46:26] with the school. So we're continuing
[46:28] that relationship pretty much uh
[46:29] unchanged. Uh also on the side of the
[46:32] school, we have been working with the
[46:34] school to um help them with their backup
[46:37] communications as far as primarily the
[46:39] buses but also each one of the offices
[46:42] have a radio and we basically work with
[46:44] them so that moving forward as the we as
[46:46] a as a area and a city go forward with
[46:50] backup communications that we will have
[46:51] interoperability. So we are we are
[46:53] playing a role in that to make sure that
[46:54] it's part of the big picture that we
[46:56] have an emergency. The school, city,
[46:58] police, fire, we're making moves slowly
[47:02] uh but surely to have interoperability
[47:03] there so we're not separating ourselves
[47:06] as far as emergency communications. Uh
[47:08] we did a speed saturation on with the
[47:10] state police on the 31st last of the
[47:12] month. Um pretty successful. a lot of
[47:15] people driving fast out there and about
[47:17] two hours plus uh stopped about 74
[47:21] people. Um just to be fair, there's not
[47:24] a single person going less than 88 that
[47:26] was stopped. Uh top honors goes to
[47:28] someone in the red Camaro at 101
[47:31] >> with no driver's license as well. Uh but
[47:34] anyways, um short period of time worked
[47:37] with our our counterparts there with
[47:38] state police and highway patrol and and
[47:40] got out there and tried to slow some
[47:42] people down. So, it was a successful uh
[47:44] effort there. Um, another thing I want
[47:46] to bring out to uh the group and
[47:48] [snorts] also for the public, we've had,
[47:50] and this doesn't really change. We have
[47:52] this all the time, but we've had a
[47:53] couple different frauds come through the
[47:55] last month that um it happens all the
[47:58] time, but just encourage people to uh
[48:00] monitor your bank accounts, please. Uh
[48:02] we're still we we had a little rash of
[48:04] this a couple months ago, but again
[48:06] we've had checks somehow stolen from
[48:08] what they said is they drop them off at
[48:09] the post office and somehow they're
[48:10] still inter intercepted. I don't know
[48:12] how that happens. Uh of course we're
[48:14] going to be reaching out to the postal
[48:15] service and letting them know um what's
[48:17] going on there, but uh please I'd
[48:19] recommend if you don't have
[48:20] notifications set up on your bank
[48:21] account for transactions either a low
[48:24] amount or just to get an email so you
[48:25] can kind of spot check that. I highly
[48:27] recommend it because a lot of times I
[48:28] find out after the fact. Um, also we had
[48:32] some a couple identity things going on
[48:34] there. So, please, um, an ounce of
[48:37] prevention is is worth a pound of cure
[48:38] with that stuff on the front end as far
[48:40] as monitoring your credit report. Um,
[48:42] lock your credit if you want. That's the
[48:43] easiest way to do it. Just lock it and
[48:45] then don't have to worry about it. Uh,
[48:46] cuz they're really hard to catch these
[48:47] people because they're good at what
[48:48] they're doing. Typically, don't uh
[48:50] they're not from West Fork or for that
[48:52] matter even the state of Arkansas, maybe
[48:53] not the country. Um, and we're also
[48:56] trying to find our our little guy in the
[48:58] white car that came out of almost
[49:01] nowhere and defrauded one of our
[49:02] citizens kind of randomly. And
[49:04] thankfully Harks had some cameras to get
[49:07] us going. But we're still we're still
[49:09] trying to find that guy. So if you do
[49:10] have information, uh, we posted on our
[49:12] Facebook. If you recognize him, please
[49:14] let us know. We've got a couple people
[49:15] giving us information [cough] that I
[49:17] think who it is. So far, we haven't
[49:19] really nailed that down, but we like to
[49:20] catch that guy for for uh for what he
[49:23] did. Um upcoming uh tomorrow the big
[49:26] news and probably Thursday is school
[49:29] traffic. Um it's going to be a mess. Uh
[49:31] I apologize right now. We'll do the best
[49:33] we can. We put up a little Facebook
[49:35] video there to tell you what we're
[49:36] trying to do. But the long and the short
[49:38] of it, if you do not have to go through
[49:39] that intersection, please don't go
[49:41] through that intersection tomorrow
[49:42] morning or tomorrow afternoon or the
[49:44] next morning. Basically about two days.
[49:47] It's a mess. Um we have hundreds of cars
[49:49] all trying to go to the same place at
[49:51] the same time. So, we will work hard to
[49:54] get the traffic in as fast as we can and
[49:57] then shortly after that then work hard
[49:58] to try to get the traffic out. Uh, but
[50:00] inevitably it does lock up. We we try to
[50:03] keep it flowing as best we can, but we
[50:04] just run out of space. So, um, leave
[50:07] early if you have to go through there.
[50:09] Use White Street, avoid the area,
[50:10] especially the four-way intersection if
[50:12] you can. Uh, but we'll do the best we
[50:13] can to keep everything rolling. it
[50:15] normally it's about 15 10 15 minutes of
[50:18] just gridlock barely moving and then
[50:20] it'll start to speed up and then
[50:22] hopefully by Thursday things will
[50:24] resolve themselves and kind of go back
[50:25] to normal but first day is always bad it
[50:27] no matter what we do so um that's all I
[50:31] got for you any questions or anything
[50:34] >> so have you had people say that there's
[50:36] a lot of people that are coming by
[50:38] knocking on the door trying to sell
[50:39] stuff
[50:41] >> I haven't heard a lot of that no Um,
[50:44] >> okay.
[50:45] >> I mean, it there there is I haven't had
[50:47] any I'm not feeling any complaints about
[50:48] it.
[50:48] >> Okay.
[50:49] >> Um, I know that was one thing with our our suspect there. We did kind of
[50:54] throw something out there vaguely like
[50:55] anybody came by and done this because
[50:57] that's what he did the first time two
[50:59] weeks ago and we thought surely this
[51:00] guy's probably went around, hey, I
[51:02] accidentally treated your your lawn. Can
[51:04] you go ahead and give me $80 so my boss
[51:05] doesn't get me in trouble? So, we
[51:06] figured, hey, this guy's done this
[51:08] somewhere else. We're going to catch
[51:09] him. And we got not a peep. And we're
[51:12] like, okay. And then then once we were
[51:15] just totally at dead ends is when we
[51:17] went ahead and released a few hours
[51:18] later, hey, this is this is what
[51:20] happened. This is the guy. And we moved
[51:22] forward with it. But
[51:23] >> I guess you need to look at that because
[51:24] I've caught a lot on my camera and one
[51:27] even come up. He didn't even knock on
[51:29] the door. He raised up my doormat,
[51:32] looked under it, and then let it back
[51:34] down and then he walked off.
[51:36] >> Yeah, that's weird.
[51:36] >> It was very weird cuz I was like, "Okay,
[51:38] >> I would say if you didn't have a key
[51:40] there."
[51:40] >> No, I didn't have Yeah, I guess you
[51:42] didn't give them either.
[51:43] >> Um, if you do have people come at your
[51:45] door and you have some some camera
[51:47] footage of people come up to your door,
[51:49] especially going to back now we're
[51:51] talking about uh, forgive me on the I
[51:53] believe this was the I think it was two
[51:56] weeks ago. It's on our Facebook. I'm
[51:58] sorry, but if you'll look at our
[51:59] Facebook post, basically that post was
[52:01] the same day that happened and then he
[52:04] was reported to have came by two weeks
[52:06] prior. So, if you do have video footage
[52:08] and you want to swipe through the
[52:09] timeline and see if there's anybody only
[52:11] way to watch it besides Facebook. I'm
[52:12] not on social media.
[52:14] >> Get with me. I'll I'll give you I can
[52:15] give you a copy of it. Yeah, for sure.
[52:17] But, uh I just cannot believe that he
[52:19] went to that one house with that guy two
[52:21] times and didn't try that on anybody
[52:22] else in town. Just kind of blows my
[52:24] mind. Um but we can't explain any other
[52:28] way. So, we're at a dead end. We have a
[52:30] car and a picture of a guy and no
[52:32] license plate. And we're we think we
[52:35] might have the vehicle, but we're we're
[52:37] not sure yet, but we're trying. Uh but
[52:40] yeah, good question. If you'll check it
[52:41] because it surely went to somebody
[52:43] else's door, too.
[52:44] >> Yeah, there's been several different
[52:46] hasn't there. Several. And I'm amazed. I
[52:49] don't know why these people are knocking
[52:51] on my door and, you know, standing there
[52:53] having conversations, then they'll
[52:55] leave.
[52:56] >> They have conversations themselves.
[52:57] >> Well, like these two [laughter] guys
[52:59] like they came up. I swear they I don't
[53:02] know kind of look like detectives. They
[53:04] had looked like he kind of had a gun or
[53:06] I don't know. There was a bulge in the
[53:08] back. I could definitely look up
[53:09] somebody.
[53:10] >> Are you behind ON YOUR TAXES?
[53:12] >> NO. [laughter]
[53:13] WHAT ARE THESE PEOPLE DOING? And then
[53:15] lots of people that are around the age
[53:17] of 20,
[53:18] >> you know, one was even on like a what's
[53:20] it called?
[53:21] >> No, I haven't seen that. We we have seen
[53:22] a guy in town and no complaints on it,
[53:23] but I crossed paths with him that was I
[53:26] think he was doing some kind of lawn
[53:28] treatment or maybe pest services and he
[53:29] was zipping around on a on a two wheel
[53:31] thing. I've seen door to door salesman
[53:33] in town, but I haven't got any
[53:35] complaints on any of them in quite quite
[53:37] a quite some time. Yeah. So,
[53:39] >> I didn't like the one that lifted up the
[53:40] door. I was like,
[53:41] >> "Yeah, it's a little strange."
[53:42] >> Yeah. That Yeah, that's what I thought.
[53:44] You
[53:44] >> sure?
[53:45] >> No. No. I've watched it several times
[53:48] and thought, "Oh my gosh, what's going
[53:50] on with this person?"
[53:51] >> Any other questions for Chief Go?
[53:55] >> Thank you. Thank you.
[53:58] Public works, Mr. Harterson.
[54:06] Yeah, it's it's the season. Uh
[54:11] Sirville goes down, water bill goes up.
[54:14] Uh we are chasing leaks. We have fixed I don't know how many shelves have been
[54:20] fixed last week. All just small little
[54:23] service lines. Uh we're still continuing
[54:26] to run pretty high. about 260,000
[54:29] gallons a day on average. Our average is
[54:32] usually around 190.
[54:35] So, our water loss is like 50% last
[54:37] month.
[54:38] >> Yep.
[54:38] >> So,
[54:40] uh the altitude valve was fixed at the
[54:43] pump station. Uh that's all running back
[54:47] up and running. SC
[54:48] >> when will that when will that hit the
[54:50] water loss report?
[54:51] >> It should be it should be this reading.
[54:53] We should know this. Yeah. Uh the
[54:56] altitude valve is fixed. Uh SCADA is
[55:00] fixed at the pump station from the
[55:02] lightning strike. Uh the air
[55:04] conditioners fixed at lift station from
[55:06] the lightning strike.
[55:08] >> Is there a way to prevent any of that?
[55:10] Which
[55:10] >> I asked that too. There's a giant street
[55:12] light right there. That should be a
[55:14] lightning rod that catches all that and
[55:15] it hits the pipe. So something something
[55:19] to do with the friction of the water
[55:20] inside the pipe draws the lightning to the pipe. So that's what I was told.
[55:25] >> Is there not any kind of
[55:27] >> outside of building a a canopy over top
[55:30] of the pit where the pipe is exposed?
[55:35] >> Sure.
[55:35] >> And blow it up and the
[55:37] >> Yeah.
[55:40] Uh
[55:42] but yes, and and I'm down two pumps
[55:45] right now, too. So, uh we lost a pump
[55:50] about three weeks ago and then lost
[55:52] another one right after that. So, and
[55:55] lost all three check valves in the pump
[55:56] station. So, I don't know if maybe
[56:00] they'll send us a slug of gravel down
[56:02] through here from some of their tie-ins
[56:04] they've done or something, but we're
[56:06] fixing to tear into pump two and and see
[56:09] what we can find. So, yes, that's I'm
[56:13] meeting that guy tomorrow to go through
[56:15] that. So, we're definitely going to
[56:17] replace one pump. Hopefully, we can
[56:18] rebuild the other and salvage it. But, yeah, spend some money in the pump
[56:24] station again. Uh
[56:27] the only other thing is uh Riverwood is
[56:30] paved. They paved Church Street. It's
[56:34] almost
[56:36] complete. They still have some offsite
[56:37] stuff that we we really want to hold
[56:40] their feet to the fire to get that done
[56:42] before we final plat that that we don't
[56:46] really have any recourse for houses
[56:49] being built in there for offsite
[56:51] improvement. So before we final that, we
[56:53] want to make sure that JD is taken care
[56:56] of, Crystal is taken care of, and all
[56:58] their needs have been met where I'm not
[57:01] privy to some of them commitments that
[57:04] were made, but but we want to make sure
[57:06] they're satisfied before we final fight
[57:08] that. So that'll be coming in the next
[57:09] couple weeks, I'm assuming. Uh sweeps
[57:12] over there moving poles so they can
[57:14] finish up their curb. And but I drove it
[57:17] looks really nice. Uh
[57:20] he's ready to start building houses in
[57:21] there. So
[57:23] the other one I'm not they're moving
[57:26] equipment back in there and tore house
[57:28] down. That's really all I know. We are
[57:31] still waiting on comments from the
[57:32] health department. And as far as our
[57:34] project for the 170, we are waiting on
[57:38] comments from the health department as
[57:39] well. So
[57:41] everything's I think we're all ready to
[57:43] go finance-wise, but we just got to make
[57:47] sure the health department is on board
[57:50] with all
[57:52] other than that.
[57:53] >> That's all the good news you have.
[57:55] >> That's it. Hey, if you got some green
[57:57] grass growing in your yard, call me
[57:58] because it's probably not supposed to be
[58:00] there unless you're [laughter]
[58:03] let me come check it. Any questions for
[58:05] Isaac
[58:07] >> or come pound the pavement with me. I've
[58:09] been walking up down the road. I found
[58:11] two this afternoon after work. So, just
[58:13] walking down the road.
[58:16] Okay. Thank you, sir.
[58:20] Parks Director Harris.
[58:22] [snorts]
[58:25] Don't have a lot to report. Uh we're
[58:26] just mostly
[58:29] maintaining and upkeeping of the parks
[58:30] the last month. Catching up on uh
[58:34] little projects that we've put off till
[58:36] we got through ball season and and um
[58:39] Fourth of July events like replacing a
[58:42] broken grill at Riverside.
[58:44] Clean up a tree along Riverwood disc
[58:47] golf area. Placing lost bridge that we
[58:51] lost in the flood [snorts] in the disc
[58:52] golf area. put a lot of work into the
[58:54] disc golf course this month. Uh we had
[58:56] two major tournaments scheduled down
[58:58] there. One already happened August 1st.
[59:01] Uh we had 171 players participating on
[59:05] that which is
[59:07] a course record for sure and one of the
[59:09] largest, if not the largest tournaments
[59:11] that they've had in Northwest Arkansas
[59:13] in a long time as far as participants
[59:15] go. The next one is this coming weekend.
[59:18] It's a tournament we're co-hosting with
[59:20] Farmington. There will be rounds played
[59:22] at Creekide Farmington as well as Carter
[59:25] Park. Um they're expecting about 150
[59:28] players in it as as well. Um the Heat
[59:32] might have something to say about that.
[59:34] The first turned out to be a beautiful
[59:36] Saturday that we don't normally get in
[59:38] August and that helped with the 171. So
[59:40] we'll see how many actually turned out
[59:42] um this coming weekend because I think
[59:44] it's supposed to be 101. So we'll see.
[59:47] Um,
[59:49] >> the good news with all that is after
[59:52] those 171 players were down there Monday
[59:55] morning when we went through there, we
[59:56] picked up zero trash.
[59:59] >> Awesome.
[59:59] >> The people that are coming to those
[1:00:00] things are the kind of people we want
[1:00:03] coming to our town for sure. Uh, they
[1:00:06] usually leave the park in a better
[1:00:08] condition than it was when they got
[1:00:10] there a lot of time. So,
[1:00:13] uh, anyway, and then just an update on
[1:00:16] the the playground approved equipment at
[1:00:18] Riverside. It got pushed into about
[1:00:21] midepptember, which actually works
[1:00:22] better for me. I want to be on vacation
[1:00:25] the later part of this month and a
[1:00:27] little bit of beginning of September and
[1:00:29] then getting through Westfest and
[1:00:30] helping with them. So, it's actually a
[1:00:32] better thing for us. But, I don't have
[1:00:34] an exact date yet, but midepptember is
[1:00:37] what we're looking at for it to get
[1:00:38] installed.
[1:00:40] So,
[1:00:42] and I think that's about it.
[1:00:45] >> You don't have any green grass where
[1:00:47] you're not supposed to.
[1:00:47] >> I do have some green grass, but probably
[1:00:50] not where I'm supposed to.
[1:00:53] >> I got some [laughter] I got
[1:00:57] I'll try to point it out to Isaac as I
[1:01:00] see it anyway. But yeah,
[1:01:02] >> we do need to have
[1:01:02] >> we need more green grass where I'm
[1:01:04] watering because I feel like I'm just
[1:01:06] maybe wasting some Isaac's water. Um,
[1:01:09] >> we probably need the fire department to
[1:01:10] come and water those two trees.
[1:01:12] >> They have.
[1:01:12] Okay.
[1:01:13] >> Yes. Maybe not as often as we need them
[1:01:16] to, but they have come down there and
[1:01:17] watered them a couple of times recently.
[1:01:19] >> One of those literally went from green
[1:01:21] to brown in like two days. It was so
[1:01:23] hot.
[1:01:24] >> They had about five green leaves hanging
[1:01:26] on.
[1:01:27] >> Yeah, they have gone down there and
[1:01:28] watered it a couple of times for us in last week. Uh, and we'll get them to
[1:01:33] do that some more. There's a couple of
[1:01:35] places now that it's getting that they
[1:01:36] may have to the the welcome sign's
[1:01:39] holding up pretty strong. Um some of the
[1:01:42] other trees that we've had to water in
[1:01:44] the past are seem to be holding those
[1:01:45] are two two of our newest trees that we
[1:01:48] put in. Uh but yeah, they're they are
[1:01:50] struggling, but they have watered them
[1:01:51] recently.
[1:01:53] >> Good.
[1:01:55] >> Any questions for Chad?
[1:01:57] >> I just don't think you can put enough
[1:01:58] water on anything right now. No. So,
[1:02:01] >> okay.
[1:02:02] >> Thank you, sir.
[1:02:06] Next, the fire department.
[1:02:10] >> I'm not chief. Oh, sorry.
[1:02:14] Uh, it has been super hot, super dry. I
[1:02:17] know that's not a shock to anybody. The
[1:02:19] county issued a burn man today at 11:00.
[1:02:24] Yay. [laughter]
[1:02:26] I don't want to waste any water. So, um,
[1:02:30] other than that, it was it's been a
[1:02:31] really busy month. Last month, had 120
[1:02:34] calls. The most we've ever had is 123.
[1:02:38] Uh, it's been super busy. July was great
[1:02:41] for prevention stuff. Uh, of course, the
[1:02:44] Fourth of July, we really like that.
[1:02:45] But, lots of school things, lots of
[1:02:47] block parties, lots of giving away
[1:02:50] stuffed animals, lots of inspections. I
[1:02:53] love inspections. Um, I think we're on
[1:02:56] slate to break 80% of all our commercial
[1:02:58] occupancies this year. My goal is, of
[1:03:02] course, 100, but the big ISO number is
[1:03:05] break 80% and I I'm certain we're going
[1:03:07] to blow that out of the water. And so,
[1:03:10] I'm pretty proud of that. We've got lots
[1:03:13] of training going on. We've got We're
[1:03:16] really blessed right now. We've got
[1:03:17] firefighters coming in during the day,
[1:03:19] during the week, and on the weekends,
[1:03:21] and they're training together. They're
[1:03:22] training on their own. They're taking
[1:03:24] online classes. There's about 20 of them
[1:03:26] up there right now.
[1:03:28] It It's great. Um the atmosphere at the
[1:03:31] fire department is phenomenal right now.
[1:03:34] Um I do have, you know, that big ask
[1:03:37] here in a few minutes, but it's it's
[1:03:40] doing really well. Um staying really
[1:03:42] busy. Um we've just really it's a happy
[1:03:45] place right now.
[1:03:48] » Any questions for Travis?
[1:03:51] >> Okay, we might have some for you in a
[1:03:52] minute. I anticipate so
[1:03:57] >> uh our finance report. Christie,
[1:04:00] >> you noticed Chief Gogggins didn't say
[1:04:02] the police department was a happy place.
[1:04:04] [laughter]
[1:04:06] >> He said our budget's going up next year.
[1:04:13] » Pending an annexation. [laughter]
[1:04:18] » Okay. So, our bank balances have
[1:04:20] increased by about 130,000 so far this
[1:04:23] year, and our budgets are about 69,000
[1:04:28] under budget. The fire department is
[1:04:31] showing um over budget right now. We
[1:04:35] were expecting two checks in July, large
[1:04:39] checks, one for Greenland uh the
[1:04:42] Greenland fire agreement and one from
[1:04:44] rural fire to reimburse us for the
[1:04:46] second quarter um expenses that we did
[1:04:48] not get in July, but we have gotten them
[1:04:50] already in August. So, uh next month
[1:04:52] you'll see that correct itself. Um sales
[1:04:56] tax is staying very on par for what we
[1:04:59] did last year. So, at this point, I
[1:05:01] don't see an increase or decrease
[1:05:03] happening for next year. Um, but we're
[1:05:05] obviously going to be keeping a very
[1:05:07] close eye on that as we get into budget
[1:05:09] time.
[1:05:11] Um, the water department um have
[1:05:14] increased their bank balances by about
[1:05:16] 21,000 so far this year. Um, we did um
[1:05:21] come in good this month on the sewer
[1:05:25] income and expense.
[1:05:27] Next month we're going to be in the
[1:05:29] whole uh our sewer bill that we paid the
[1:05:32] 1 of August was the highest so far this
[1:05:35] year. So it was it was over $80,000. So
[1:05:39] um I definitely expect a loss next month
[1:05:42] on that. Um but overall for the year,
[1:05:45] we're still doing a lot better um than
[1:05:47] we did last year.
[1:05:50] The um courts I [snorts] brought their
[1:05:54] report to you guys late today, so you
[1:05:55] have it there loose.
[1:05:57] um they have they're [clears throat]
[1:06:00] about $6,000 it looks like less this
[1:06:04] year in collections than what they did
[1:06:05] this time last year. Um so that number
[1:06:08] is increasing a little bit. Uh earlier
[1:06:10] in the year we were looking at more like
[1:06:12] 10,000. So hopefully we're making a
[1:06:13] little bit of ground on that. Um we have
[1:06:17] hired Danielle's replacement for there.
[1:06:20] Jessica Pouncy came back. She was
[1:06:22] working here um for us before and she uh
[1:06:25] came back. So that was great. She was
[1:06:27] able to walk in and just get started and
[1:06:30] not a lot of training, just a little bit
[1:06:31] of refreshment um on her part.
[1:06:35] Um other than that, we have um started
[1:06:37] working on budgets. Uh it's a little
[1:06:40] early this year, but um with Marie
[1:06:43] leaving, we wanted to be able to get
[1:06:44] started a little bit on the uh library
[1:06:47] budget so that her replacement wouldn't
[1:06:48] have to walk in and that be the very
[1:06:51] first thing that they had to work on.
[1:06:53] Um, plus it just gives everybody time to
[1:06:56] really think about what they need and start planning for some future
[1:07:00] possibilities. So, you'll start hearing
[1:07:02] more and more about that as time goes.
[1:07:05] But other than that, I don't think I
[1:07:08] have anything else.
[1:07:11] Any questions for Christie?
[1:07:14] Okay. Thank you, Christie.
[1:07:18] All right, that concludes our business
[1:07:19] reports. [snorts]
[1:07:21] Item B, procedural motions. We don't
[1:07:23] have any ordinances on the agenda
[1:07:25] tonight. Old business, we don't have any
[1:07:27] old business.
[1:07:30] New business,
[1:07:32] we have
[1:07:34] uh one item with a couple sub items on
[1:07:37] here. So,
[1:07:39] uh the item is to approve the purchase
[1:07:42] through cooperative bidding of a rescue
[1:07:44] truck for the fire department to replace
[1:07:46] the current 36y old truck that's
[1:07:48] currently in use.
[1:07:51] What we are voting if we vote to approve
[1:07:55] purchasing this truck, we're also
[1:07:57] looking at approving the city to remit a
[1:07:59] check for the total purchase amount and
[1:08:02] to allow the rural fire to reimburse us
[1:08:05] for half of that cost.
[1:08:08] We're looking at the city's one half not
[1:08:10] to exceed $75,000.
[1:08:13] and we would be approving
[1:08:17] uh the fire department to cash out four
[1:08:20] of their CDs in order to make that
[1:08:23] purchase. Those four CDs currently have
[1:08:25] a balance of roughly $73,800.
[1:08:33] What questions, concerns do you guys
[1:08:36] have?
[1:08:37] >> What are we doing with the 36 year old
[1:08:39] truck? Uh the idea is to the current
[1:08:42] idea is to look at selling it.
[1:08:44] >> Okay.
[1:08:46] >> So the current truck runs I think it has
[1:08:48] a top speed of 59 miles per hour
[1:08:51] >> downhill in a wind. You can get about
[1:08:53] 63.
[1:08:54] >> When we get on the interstate we turn
[1:08:56] off the emergency systems
[1:08:59] >> because we're a bigger hazard than we
[1:09:01] are holding up traffic.
[1:09:04] So, we we have a truck that they're
[1:09:06] looking at that was in route from
[1:09:08] Wisconsin to Alabama and it's at the
[1:09:11] fire station right now so that they can
[1:09:13] evaluate it. U it is a truck that they
[1:09:15] would like to to purchase.
[1:09:18] >> And how old is it?
[1:09:20] >> It's three years old, I believe.
[1:09:21] >> Oh, that's good.
[1:09:24] >> I'll make a motion to approve.
[1:09:26] >> Second.
[1:09:28] >> Okay, we have a motion and a second. All
[1:09:30] those in favor of approving the purchase
[1:09:33] of this new pickup or not pickup, but
[1:09:35] truck. Uh approving the city to write
[1:09:39] the check for the entire balance and
[1:09:41] approving to allow rule to reimburse us
[1:09:44] for half of that and approving to use
[1:09:48] fire department CDs.
[1:09:50] >> Is that the motion?
[1:09:51] >> Yes.
[1:09:52] >> Okay. All those in favor say yes.
[1:09:54] >> Yes.
[1:09:54] >> Those opposed? No.
[1:09:56] >> That motion carries. Didn't even need
[1:09:59] you, Travis. [clears throat]
[1:10:00] [laughter]
[1:10:02] >> Would you tell the chief we didn't
[1:10:03] appear because he wasn't here?
[1:10:04] >> Yes. [laughter]
[1:10:06] >> No, sir.
[1:10:09] >> Okay.
[1:10:11] So, that concludes new business.
[1:10:15] Item E is other business.
[1:10:17] And we have
[1:10:20] uh the Northwest Arkansas Food Bank is
[1:10:22] going to host a market on the move at
[1:10:24] the community pavilion beginning August
[1:10:27] 19th. They will return monthly on the
[1:10:30] third Wednesday of each month. The times
[1:10:33] are 10:00 a.m. to noon and appointments
[1:10:35] are required on on online or through
[1:10:38] email in order to participate in that.
[1:10:42] So, that's a really good thing that NWA
[1:10:44] Food Bank is is providing to West Fork
[1:10:47] citizens. Uh, if you know someone that
[1:10:50] can take advantage of that, please let
[1:10:51] them know.
[1:10:54] >> We also have in other business, the
[1:10:57] dates for Westfest have been announced.
[1:11:00] >> Yes. September 12th and 13th.
[1:11:04] >> Okay.
[1:11:06] >> I'll be getting information on the
[1:11:08] marquee.
[1:11:08] >> We'll have that on the marquee coming
[1:11:10] soon. was going to be today, but it
[1:11:12] didn't happen.
[1:11:13] >> Okay.
[1:11:13] >> He told me it was going to be today.
[1:11:15] >> I did.
[1:11:15] >> And it didn't happen. [laughter]
[1:11:17] >> And then I just wonder, does anyone on
[1:11:20] the council have any other other
[1:11:22] business?
[1:11:24] >> Yes,
[1:11:26] this [snorts] will be my last council
[1:11:29] meeting. Uh my house sold. I'm building
[1:11:33] a new house. Uh
[1:11:36] so this will be my last meeting. And I
[1:11:38] just want to thank y'all.
[1:11:40] like her. No, I'm not
[1:11:43] cry.
[1:11:45] [laughter]
[1:11:46] >> Made her cry.
[1:11:47] >> Thank you for the opportunity to serve
[1:11:48] Westport.
[1:11:50] It's really been a joy. It really has.
[1:11:56] I don't know what else to say, but it's
[1:11:59] been awesome.
[1:11:59] >> So, Don,
[1:12:01] take me down memory lane. You've worked
[1:12:03] for the city of West Fork in what, the
[1:12:05] 60s? [laughter]
[1:12:10] late 70s, [laughter] early 80s.
[1:12:14] >> It wasn't his first job.
[1:12:16] >> 19.
[1:12:17] >> He was two.
[1:12:18] >> What did What did you do when you worked
[1:12:20] for the city?
[1:12:21] >> Uh, well, I I went to school to treat
[1:12:24] water and sewer. So, I was licensed to
[1:12:26] treat water and sewer, which we did back
[1:12:28] then. Treated both. Made our own water
[1:12:31] out of mud when the river got dry.
[1:12:35] uh did everything for the city because
[1:12:38] it was water street everything you know.
[1:12:41] Um
[1:12:43] >> so you came on right after the city went
[1:12:46] to a a public water system
[1:12:49] or
[1:12:49] >> I'm sorry we had a public water system.
[1:12:51] You came on shortly after we had a sewer
[1:12:53] system.
[1:12:54] >> Well the sewer system was installed in the late 60s
[1:12:58] >> early 70s.
[1:13:00] >> Yeah.
[1:13:01] >> I got a quick question. How long did it
[1:13:02] take you to light all the lenders in the streets at night? A
[1:13:05] >> lot. [laughter]
[1:13:08] You want to, but I put up every street
[1:13:10] sign.
[1:13:12] >> Many of those are still up today.
[1:13:14] >> Yeah. [laughter]
[1:13:16] >> So, how many years did you work for the
[1:13:19] city?
[1:13:19] >> I worked for the city for three years.
[1:13:22] >> Okay. How many years have you served as
[1:13:24] a council member?
[1:13:26] >> 10, I believe.
[1:13:27] >> Okay. And you did a short stint as
[1:13:30] interim mayor. five months I believe as
[1:13:32] interim mayor.
[1:13:33] >> What else have you done for the city?
[1:13:35] >> Nothing.
[1:13:38] [laughter] I've lived here. I've
[1:13:40] supported the city. Um
[1:13:43] I don't know. I just
[1:13:46] I love West Fork. I hate to leave, but
[1:13:50] my wife has family
[1:13:54] north.
[1:13:55] >> Okay.
[1:13:56] So
[1:13:59] I think it's rare that someone has lived
[1:14:01] here as long as you and and
[1:14:04] put in as many years of service in
[1:14:06] various areas as you have. So
[1:14:10] >> can leave at this age.
[1:14:11] >> Yeah. No kidding. [laughter]
[1:14:14] >> Time to retire.
[1:14:15] >> I'M 49.
[1:14:18] >> [laughter]
[1:14:19] >> YOU truly are a testament to to giving
[1:14:21] back to to your community. And
[1:14:24] >> well, like I said, I you know, I love
[1:14:25] Westport. It's a good place. I hate that
[1:14:28] I'm leaving when y'all are coming in. Uh
[1:14:32] but I promise you, these people here are
[1:14:34] great people and they will take care of
[1:14:36] you and they're looking out for your
[1:14:38] best interest. They really are. And and
[1:14:41] that's been one of the things that I've
[1:14:43] seen uh in the in the 10 years that I've
[1:14:46] been involved with the city in in this
[1:14:49] capacity is that I really feel like
[1:14:53] everybody on the council has a heart for
[1:14:56] West [snorts] and and that there's no
[1:14:59] nobody has their own agenda. You know,
[1:15:01] uh if we have an agenda, it's for the
[1:15:05] people.
[1:15:07] I that's that's really all I can say
[1:15:09] about that. I really believe that that's
[1:15:11] true. Uh and I think that our next mayor
[1:15:16] will be a good mayor. Uh Heath, it's
[1:15:18] been great working with you. Uh and I
[1:15:21] know I'm like Brian. I would have never
[1:15:22] ran against you. My plan was to to live
[1:15:25] here the rest of my life and run for
[1:15:27] mayor again. Uh but my wife doesn't want
[1:15:32] to do that. So happy wife, happy life.
[1:15:38] So, I'm going to say thank you, Don, for
[1:15:42] all the service YOU [applause]
[1:15:49] [laughter]
[1:15:51] just sell out.
[1:15:52] >> Yeah.
[1:15:53] >> So, I'll miss you and the city will miss
[1:15:55] you as well. Without a doubt.
[1:15:57] >> I will. I'll miss.
[1:15:59] So, thank you. Truly, thank you.
[1:16:03] Is there any other other business?
[1:16:05] Anybody want to try to top that?
[1:16:07] >> Anyone filed for that position?
[1:16:10] >> Uh, no one has filed for that position.
[1:16:12] Yes. Uh, we we do have an applicant for
[1:16:16] that position and I will be making uh a
[1:16:18] recommendation to the council at the
[1:16:20] next city council meeting.
[1:16:22] >> Yeah. No one filed to run for
[1:16:24] >> No. No one filed to run for
[1:16:25] [snorts and clears throat] that for the
[1:16:27] >> Yes.
[1:16:27] >> basically for the entire term.
[1:16:30] >> Yeah.
[1:16:31] >> Okay. No other business. Mayor's
[1:16:33] comments.
[1:16:36] Uh my comments this month are that the
[1:16:40] city of West Fork will have two
[1:16:42] initiatives on the ballot, two
[1:16:43] ordinances on the ballot this November.
[1:16:46] And I want to point that out to the
[1:16:48] council, to everyone that's here
[1:16:50] tonight. So we will have the annexation
[1:16:53] ordinance will be on the ballot for
[1:16:54] November vote and we will have uh an
[1:16:58] ordinance to allow liquor sales in the
[1:17:00] city of West Fork. uh that will be on
[1:17:02] the ballot in November
[1:17:04] on the annexation. Uh well on both um I
[1:17:08] really feel both of those are imperative
[1:17:10] to the city uh to the future of the city
[1:17:13] of Westport and I just encourage the
[1:17:16] council. U
[1:17:18] I encourage uh those from the Campbell
[1:17:21] community uh to vote for this. I I
[1:17:24] really do believe that um it's it's in
[1:17:29] the best interest of the city. I'm not
[1:17:31] going to I'm not going to sit here and
[1:17:32] lie to anybody out there and say it's in
[1:17:34] your best interest. Uh we're we're not
[1:17:36] offering you a lot of good things to
[1:17:38] come into the city. Uh that's just the
[1:17:40] truth of it. But I do think that as far
[1:17:43] as pro protecting uh and managing uh the
[1:17:47] south part of Washington County, uh in
[1:17:49] particular the area around West Fork, I
[1:17:51] think this is the right thing to do. And
[1:17:54] for the future of West Fork, the future
[1:17:56] of that planned area out there, I think
[1:17:59] it's the right thing. Uh,
[1:18:01] I I I really think we need that to pass.
[1:18:04] I think that's important for us. I think
[1:18:06] if if this doesn't pass, I think it's
[1:18:09] going to be the city of Greenland that
[1:18:10] will be uh managing the growth of that
[1:18:14] area. And I I I don't think that's going
[1:18:17] to be in the best interest of the city
[1:18:18] of Westport. Uh, and I I I really think
[1:18:21] that with the the last almost three
[1:18:24] years of work that uh the Westport
[1:18:27] planning commission has put into
[1:18:30] redesigning our uh zoning ordinance. I
[1:18:34] think we've put more time and effort
[1:18:36] into what does community mean, what does
[1:18:39] small town community mean, and I think
[1:18:42] that that we have a plan to make sure
[1:18:44] that that's maintained as that area
[1:18:47] develops. And is it going to develop
[1:18:49] tomorrow? No, it's not. Is it going to
[1:18:50] develop in the next 10 to 20 years?
[1:18:53] Yeah, I 100% think that it will. Uh, and
[1:18:55] I really want I really want the city of
[1:18:58] West Fork involved in that growth and
[1:19:00] development. Uh, so that's my take on
[1:19:04] those two initiatives and I hope that we
[1:19:06] get support and get passage of that uh
[1:19:10] in November.
[1:19:12] >> And with that, John,
[1:19:13] >> hey, I'll make a motion we second.
[1:19:16] >> We have a motion and a second. All those
[1:19:18] in favor say yes.
[1:19:19] >> Those opposed, no. We are adjourned.