All members of the Hope City Board of Directors were present Tuesday night for a full slate of agenda items.
Among the items discussed at the Hope City Board of Director meeting Tuesday evening, which can be seen below this summary in its entirety, were the following:
A consideration of application for grant funds from the Arkansas Natural Resources Division for two potential projects. One would dredge sludge from the bottom of a Hope holding pond and install a filter to treat the overflow from the pond at a cost of $3.5 million and the other would install an ultraviolet disinfection system to treat wastewater at Hope's East Plant at a cost of $497,000. The grant would cover 75 percent of the cost of the project ANRD chooses to approve. Glen Spears, from Spears Engineering of Texarkana told the board it needed to specify how it would be financing the remaining 25 percent of each project in the application. The board approved applying and specifying that a bond issue would be sought to finance the remainder by unanimous voice vote.
Consideration of a master services agreement and a work order for Garver Engineers. The master services agreement approves five years of airport engineering services from Garver. The work order would start work on replacing pipes and fixing runways to address water drainage issues at the Hope Municipal Airport. Mary Fair and Jordan Culver from Garver helped explain the request and answer board member questions. Both items were approved by unanimous voice vote.
Consideration of changes to the Employee Handbook Effective January 1, 2023. The changes were considered in the September 20 meeting but required a vote to be put into the new edition of the handbook. They pertain to amending the city's meal per diem rates for employees and officials travelling on city business to accord with Federal General Services Administration guidelines, increasing the number of hours accruable for sick leave for Hope Police Department personnel to 1040, which is in agreement with the number allowed for other city employees. The Arkansas Legislature passed Act 655 in 2021 allowing for this change. The board approved an ordinance by voice vote making the change in Police Department sick leave policy.
Another change was made to the handbook allowing participation in Catastrophic Leave, a program whereby employees can contribute earned sick leave hours to a bank from which employees stricken with extended illness or recovery from injury can draw) with a four-hour contribution, removing the 1,500 hour limit on the maximum balance of the leave bank and removing comp time as a source of hours to contribute to the Catastrophic Leave. Hope Police Chief and Assistant City Manager presented the changes to the board and answered questions from members. No action was required to approve all the changes except for the increase in Police Department employees' sick leave hours limit.
The board began the process of re-establishing two millages by unanimous voice vote on two ordinances. The five mills on real and personal property tax rates brought in $434,825 last year. The one mill Firemen's Pension property tax rate, which brought in $86,410 last year was approved as well. The five mills ordinance will be submitted to the Hempstead County Quorum Court for officially establishing the tax rates for all county organizations which tax. The rates on the ordinances are the same as they were last year.
Approval was given to rezoning two lots in the Oaklawn Addition for use by a mobile home from R-2, Medium Density Residential to R-5 Residential Use, as recommended by city staff and the city's Planning and Zoning Commission. The ordinance making the change was passed by unanimous voice vote.
Consideration of a Revenue and Expense Report from January to September. Finance Director Cindy Clark and City Manager Catherine Cook helped explain particular line items of revenues or expenses for the board members.
In City Manager's Report, Cook updated progress on the Sixth Street Project to say the contractor would be present the first week of November. A letter documenting the changes to the project necessitated by contractor bidding for the project coming in over the budgeted amount has been submitted. It is likely, said Cook, the Arkansas Highway Department would approve that and allow a 14 percent cost-reduced version of the original Sixth Street project to go forward. Cook also said she is working with the search firm chosen by the board, Specialized Recruiting Group, which will facilitate the narrowing of candidates to succeed Cook as city manager upon her retirement at the end of this year. Cook also said her belief was that at least one of the two projects in the application for ANRD funds will be approved but in either case, the UV system project would need to be taken on by 2023's end.
Before Citizens Request, Director Mark Ross said he had been approached with a suggestion for the city to create a sidewalk path from Hazel to the Post Office.
In Citizens Request, Hazel Simpson invited everyone interested in knowing more about Hope's rich history to visit the Henry C. Yerger Museum on 400 Henry C Yerger St, whose hours are Thursday-Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lyaTfkuX6qQ
Glen Spears of Spears Engineering
Mary Fair of Garver Engineering
Police Chief and Assistant City Manager J.R. Wilson
City Attorney Randal Wright
Finance Director Cindy Clark
Hazel Simpson
