A video of the meeting can be seen just below this article.  [Note: The video drops out for about seven seconds about 42 minutes into the meeting but the sound recording continues and the video returns after that seven second blackout.]

At the September meeting, the three council members present voted 2-1 against continuing the annexation effort.  But Emmet Vision Association member and resident of the proposed area to be annexed (which abuts the northwest corner of Emmet) presented a petition she said had been signed by 54 registered voters living within the borders of the city.  

When Council member Maurice Grant restated in Thursday’s meeting that the annexation effort was put to an end by the September vote, Allen presented Grant with a copy of Arkansas law that said state law overrides municipal ordinances and decisions and that a petition for a voting initiative in which at least 15 percent of the voters in the most recent mayoral election obliges the placement of that initiative on the ballot. With 128 having voted in the most recent mayoral election, 54 voters would represent 42 percent of 128, which means Allen’s petition exceeds the 15 percent threshold by 27 percent.

A resident of the area to be annexed brought a petition of his own, which he said included signatures by eight residents of that area who were against their properties being annexed into Emmet. He said they objected to having to pay the five mill city tax and to having to obey city ordinances.  

Allen said her petition, once presented to the city council, legally compelled placing the annexation question on the March 2026 ballot. This is because the language in state law warranted this be done, she said.

Hearing this, the resident who presented the petition with eight signatures, yelled “No, no, no, that’s bull----,” and said he was not currently receiving city services himself, that he would not vote for Allen if she ran for mayor and that the five-mill tax imposed a burden he objected to.  “I’m getting burned up already by taxes,” he said.

City council member Grant Cox, who made the motion last month to strike down the annexation effort, argued that those living in the proposed annex area are not receiving city utilities for free, but were paying their bills.  Allen responded they were not paying the five-mill property tax while city residents were doing so and that those who signed her petition objected to helping provide city services to those not paying the city tax. 

When asked by the resident who brought the eight-signature petition from the area proposed to be annexed (which has 15 properties and ten owners, Allen acknowledged) what her reasons were for pursuing annexation, Allen listed them.  

First, Allen said, she undertook the annexation effort because city residents of Emmet are shouldering the five-mill tax while those in the property proposed to be annexed are not but nonetheless receive access to city services.  Second, because the resulting population increase may result in more turnback money from the state of Arkansas.  Third, because the addition of residents with lower than the average income of residents currently in Emmet may make Emmet more eligible for grants that are only for communities with residents below a certain income.

The resident responded, “I don’t think it’s going to happen.  I don’t care about the city.  The people [in the proposed annexation area] don’t want to be in the city.”  He added, “I’ll be checking on it” and left the meeting.  The sound of the door slamming can be heard on the video of the meeting.

Council member Grant asked how many registered voters were in Emmet.  City recorder/treasurer Rosalyn McBride answered, “Four hundred.”  Council member Rob Clark said in the last election 128 voted.  He began to say that the 15 percent required for a petition to result in a ballot measure had to be shown as voters in that specific election, but Allen told him that Arkansas law can’t ascertain those votes and therefore the voters on the petition were not required to be of proven voters in the previous mayoral election. 

The relevant portion of the Arkansas Constitution says, “In municipalities the number of signatures required upon any petition shall be computed upon the total vote cast for the office of mayor at the last preceding general election; in counties upon the office of circuit clerk.”

Allen spoke about the resident’s position, acknowledging that the annexed area has 15 properties, owned by ten individuals or entities.  Two of the homes are not occupied and the owners could not be contacted. 

Councilman Grant moved that the discussion be tabled pending a consultation with an attorney.  Councilman Cox agreed.  Shannon Peck, who previously held the Zone 3 position, having resigned last month, was not present and did not vote.

The question of Peck’s replacement was also discussed at the meeting.  Councilman Clark said he did not feel comfortable voting in favor of Sandra Browning who has said she would take the position because he did not know her.  He said he also knew of another candidate interested in the position.  Browning introduced herself as a 75-year resident of Emmet and a counselor from Nevada Public Schools.  

The vote was not held on whether to accept her as city council member in Shannon Peck’s former place, pending additional information.

In other matters,  Larry Muldrew said the group he represented who has charge of the Emmet Cemetery’s section allowed to the graves of African-Americans had no objection to the city undertaking mowing and other tasks.  The group also has no objection to the fence separating Black and White sections of the graveyard being removed.  Mayor Booker responded, “I have no problem with the fence,” but appeared to agree to allow it to be removed.

The board heard Allen present on behalf of the Emmet Vision Association a proposal to replace an announcement board at City Hall that had been accidentally damaged.  The council ask that she return to a future meeting with options.  She was also asked to look into replacing a plexiglass protected bulletin board that has structural problems

Allen said a resident on Highway 67 near the feed mill is requesting a meter be placed on a city water tap for his residence’s use.  Mayor Dale Booker said he had no problem with this.

She announced numerous events to occur in Emmet in the next two months, including a Trunk and Treat to take place Friday October 31st at Fireman’s Park, starting at 6:00 p.m.

“We'll just make a great big U shape, have the children come through. If you're a family with young children, please come. It's all free. We don't charge for any of that. We're just encouraging our citizens to have a safe place for our elderly residents to be able to pass out candy, and we're also encouraging a safe place for our citizens who have small children to be able to receive candy,” Allen said.

She also thanked the seven volunteers from Energy Transit who helped with the setting up of a border around the Arkla Park playground, including the organization for granting EVA $2,500 for the cost and for one of the managers of the company donating two loads of pea gravel for use at the playground.  A dead tree that posed hazards by attracting snakes has also been dealt with.

The meeting adjourned after about an hour and ten minutes.