City Council

CITY OF JACKSONVILLE REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING APRIL 17, 2025 6:00 P.M. – 6:38 P.M. REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING - CITY HALL - #1 MUNICIPAL DRIVE The City Council of the City of Jacksonville, Arkansas met in a regular session on April 17, 2025 at their regular meeting place. Council Member Ray delivered the invocation and Mayor Elmore led a standing audience in the “Pledge of Allegiance.” ROLL CALL: City Council Members: Dietz, Ruple, McCleary, McCoy, Ray, LaBron, Moss, Twitty, and Kinman answered ROLL CALL. Mayor Elmore also answered ROLL CALL declaring a quorum. PRESENT NINE (9) ABSENT ONE (1). Council Member Mimms was absent. Others present for the meeting were: Police Chief Brett Hibbs, Fire Chief Alan Laughy, Assistant City Clerk Emilia Vazquez, CDBG Director Michelle Spencer, Wastewater General Manager Thea Hughes, IT Director Brian Harvey, Officer Ernesto Ortiz, Selina Foltz, Wyatt Elmore, and John Ferrell. PRESENTATION OF MINUTES: Mayor Elmore presented the minutes of the regular City Council meeting of March 20, 2025 for approval and/or correction at the next regularly scheduled City Council meeting. APPROVAL AND/OR CORRECTION OF MINUTES: Council Member Ray moved, seconded by Council Member Twitty that the minutes of the regular City Council meeting of March 6, 2025 be APPROVED. MOTION CARRIED. CONSENT AGENDA: Council Member Ray moved, seconded by Council Member Twitty to approve the consent agenda as presented. MOTION CARRIED. ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT REGULAR MONTHLY REPORT/APRIL PERMITS/LICENSE ISSUED INSPECTIONS PERFORMED Building Permits 2 Building 3 Business License Electrical 5 Plumbing 2 HVACR 4 FIRE DEPARTMENT REGULAR MONTHLY REPORT/MARCH Estimated fire loss for the month: $ 725,000.00 Savings total for the month: $ 710,500.00 POLICE DEPARTMENT REGULAR MONTHLY REPORT/MARCH Topic 2025 2024 2025 2024 Total Complaint Calls 3068 2730 Homicide Reported 1 0 Theft Reported 52 65 Homicide Cleared 2 0 Theft Cleared 31 37 Rape/Sex Assault Reported 4 4 Vehicle Theft Reported 6 18 Rape/Sex Assault Cleared 2 2 Vehicle Theft Cleared 4 6 Robbery Reported 4 4 Felony Cases Reported 123 137 Robbery Cleared 2 0 Felony Cases Closed 69 142 Felony Assaults Reported 16 17 Misd Cases Reported 228 248 Felony Assaults Cleared 5 12 Misd Cases Closed 157 184 1  CITY OF JACKSONVILLE REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING APRIL 17, 2025 6:00 P.M. – 6:38 P.M. Burglary Reported 6 13 Burglary Cleared 0 6 CODE ENFORCEMENT REGULAR MONTHLY REPORT/MARCH Assigned Calls 46 Demolition by City 0 Self-Initiated Calls 166 Demolition by Owner 1 Follow Up Inspections 306 Parking Violations 0 Complied after Notice 94 Garbage Cans Tagged 3 Three Day Notice 20 Basketball Goals 1 Seven Day Letter 232 Structures Inspected 518 Citation Letters Mailed 37 Apartment Complexes Inspected 0 Citations Issued 2 Red Tags Issued 0 Vehicles Tagged 27 Search Warrants 0 Vehicles Towed 3 Grass Mowed 0 Unsafe Structures Tagged 0 Signs Removed 4 Structures Condemned 0 Shopping Carts 0 Structures Rehabbed 0 ANIMAL SERVICES REGULAR MONTHLY REPORT/MARCH ADOPTION FEES $ 1,705.00 SPAY/NEUTER FOR ADOPTED DOGS 1,705.00 Paid by the City of Jacksonville 1,705.00 Best Friends Animal Rescue Grant - Paid for by Best Friends - FINES 2,027.45 CONTRIBUTIONS 714.69 TOTAL $ 2,742.14 FINANCE DEPARTMENT INTERIM FINANCIAL REPORT/MARCH Total Revenues Total Expenditures General Fund $ 823,923 $ 5,704,399 Street Fund $ 421,471 $ 369,967 Sanitation Services Fund $ 401,891 $ 534,372 AG&F Shooting Sports Complex $ 49,054 $ 93,527 EMS Fund $ 581,876 $ 661,900 WATER DEPARTMENT: WASTEWATER DEPARTMENT: FIRE DEPARTMENT: POLICE DEPARTMENT: STREET DEPARTMENT: SANITATION DEPARTMENT: PARKS & RECREATION: VIDEO PRESENTATION by Athletics Manager Joe Stoute and Morgan Allen Parks & Rec Athletics Manager Joe Stoute related that employee Morgan Allen is a huge part of what they do with the USSSA Autism Awareness Tournament, which is meant to highlight the Pathfinder organization. He listed a few local sponsors as Jacksonville A & P Commission, First Arkansas Bank and Trust, Unity Health, and RightFiber, but also other non-local, such as Fence 2  CITY OF JACKSONVILLE REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING APRIL 17, 2025 6:00 P.M. – 6:38 P.M. Brokers, Sun Coast, and Competitive Edge. He related it is an adult slowpitch softball event that included professional players who participated with 31 Pathfinder clients. He presented a map showing where participants traveled from that included at least 16 different states and Canada. He noted that 5 bat companies, 51 professional players, and 91 total teams were in attendance and they raised $6,000.00 for Pathfinder’s sports booster club, which is being used for their travel to the Special Olympics. He mentioned having a huge media presence and shared pictures and information about the tournament. He thanked Parks & Rec for their involvement and hard work with the tournament and mentioned that it won the 2024 USSSA Event of the Year for the Southwest Region. Cindy Roach with Pathfinder recalled having 14 of their athletes sign up to play the tournament last year, but had 31 this year since they were very excited to participate in it. She brought up that the present athlete, Stone, participated both years and is already looking forward to next year. She pointed out that the event captures the sense of community that Pathfinder feels with Jacksonville. She thanked Parks & Rec, Manager Stoute, and Mrs. Allen for making it happen, noting they are extremely grateful to be a part of this community that fosters inclusion. Mrs. Allen described the excitement of a Pathfinder player as she made it to home plate during the game and how emotional it was. She emphasized that is what this is all about; it is not just about the athletes or players, but also about the families and the people who live it every day. She thanked those who attended and invited those who did not to attend next year. Manager Stoute shared videos of the tournament, noting one has had 600,000 views on social media. He stressed that this tournament would not have been possible without the Parks & Rec Department. Ms. Roach told how Parks & Rec employees Madison Davis and Diane Novotny helped train Pathfinder’s Special Olympics swim team when their coach passed away unexpectedly. She thanked Parks & Rec again for always supporting and being there for them. PLANNING COMMISSION: COMMITTEE(S): GENERAL: a. ORDINANCE 1781 (#10-2025) AN ORDINANCE RECLASSIFYING PROPERTY IN THE CITY OF JACKSONVILLE, ARKANSAS (PARCEL LOCATED AT 1808 NORTH BAILEY); AMENDING ORDINANCE NOS. 213 AND 238 AND THE LAND USE MAP OF THE CITY OF JACKSONVILLE, ARKANSAS; DECLARING AN EMERGENCY; AND, FOR OTHER PURPOSES. Council Member Twitty stated this is to help our Code Enforcement Officers since several complaints have come in about parking large equipment in front yards and streets, which is not safe for our first responders. She explained this would allow one vehicle beside the driveway, side yard, or backyard and nothing large in the road or in the front yard anymore. 3  CITY OF JACKSONVILLE REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING APRIL 17, 2025 6:00 P.M. – 6:38 P.M. Council Member Ray moved, seconded by Council Member LaBron to place Ordinance 1781 on FIRST READING. ROLL CALL: Council Member Dietz, Ruple, McCleary, McCoy, Ray, LaBron, Moss, Twitty, and Kinman voted AYE. MOTION CARRIED. Whereupon City Attorney Friedman read the heading of Ordinance 1781. Council Member Ray moved, seconded by Council Member Twitty to APPROVE Ordinance 1781 on FIRST READING and SUSPEND THE RULES and place Ordinance 1781 on SECOND READING. ROLL CALL: Council Member Dietz, Ruple, McCleary, McCoy, Ray, LaBron, Moss, Twitty, and Kinman voted AYE. MOTION CARRIED. Council Member Ray moved, seconded by Council Member LaBron to APPROVE Ordinance 1781 on SECOND READING and SUSPEND THE RULES and place Ordinance 1781 on THIRD AND FINAL READING. ROLL CALL: Council Member Dietz, Ruple, McCleary, McCoy, Ray, LaBron, Moss, Twitty, and Kinman voted AYE. MOTION CARRIED. Council Member Ray moved, seconded by Council Member LaBron to APPROVE AND ADOPT Ordinance 1781 in its entirety. ROLL CALL: Council Member Dietz, Ruple, McCleary, McCoy, Ray, LaBron, Moss, Twitty, and Kinman voted AYE. MOTION CARRIED. ORDINANCE 1781 (#10-2025) APPROVED AND ADOPTED THIS 17TH DAY OF APRIL, 2025. City Attorney Friedman clarified standard passenger vehicles can still be parked in driveway or parallel to one side of it, only trailers and campers can be parked in the driveway, and any equipment has to be behind the exterior face. b. March 2025 Financials presented by Finance Director Laura Collie Council Member McCoy requested an overview of the report, noting there were questions regarding deficits. Finance Director Laura Collie explained the monthly financials are prepared for Council to stay apprised of the money coming in versus what was budgeted for. She listed the funds as General, Street, Sanitation, EMS, and the Shooting Range. She pointed out that the first sheet of each fund shows the revenues versus the expenditures. She related that the reason for the deficit is because the tax money that is received in January and February is for November and December, so the money is recorded in 2024, not 2025. She confirmed the report also shows Water and Wastewater investments, which is technically City of Jacksonville money, but the City does not control it. APPOINTMENTS: SEWER COMMISSION Council Member Ray moved, seconded by Council Member Twitty to approve the reappointment of Fred Belote for a term to expire 04/20/2030. Council Member McCoy thanked Mr. Belote for being present. MOTION CARRIED at this time. 4  CITY OF JACKSONVILLE REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING APRIL 17, 2025 6:00 P.M. – 6:38 P.M. JACKSONVILLE HOUSING AUTHORITY Council Member Ray moved, seconded by Council Member Twitty to approve the appointment of Shanacee Person to the unexpired term of Tanner Ruple set to expire 03/17/2026. Council Member McCoy explained that Ms. Person is not present due to her attendance at her son’s event, but she is happy to have her serve. MOTION CARRIED at this time with Council Member McCleary ABSTAINING. UNFINISHED BUSINESS: NEW BUSINESS: ANNOUNCEMENTS: 2025 Youth Shooting Sports Tournaments Parks and Recreation Director Kevin House announced the tournaments start next Friday and Saturday and there will be four weeks of regionals followed by the State tournament. He related that 6,000 children are participating and will be in Jacksonville over the next four weeks. ADJOURNMENT: Without objection, Mayor Elmore adjourned the meeting at approximately 6:38 p.m. MOTION CARRIED. Respectfully, ________________________ _________________________ Susan L. Davitt MAYOR JEFF ELMORE City Clerk-Treasurer 5