Raises not approved

— With two members of the Gravette City Council absent, an ordinance that would have increased salaries of council members, the mayor and court staff failed to win approval.

The 3-1 vote by council members present did not receive the needed fourth vote required when Mayor Bill Howard joined alderman Forrest White in voting no.

State law allows a mayor to vote in circumstances when members are absent, in order to reach the required four “yes” votes to approve an ordinance.

Council members Chris Beller and Tena Crose were not present for the meeting Friday evening. Voting for the ordinance were council members Byron Warren, Terry King and Brent Cannon.

Howard said, “It’s up to the next council, not this one.”

Traditionally raises are normally approved by an outgoing council.

The council did agree to close the books on the 2009 budget. Work on the 2011 budget is being completed. It contains a 3 percent across the board raise for city employees.

The council also approved the following:

◊Agreed to give full time employees a $200 year-end bonus and $50 for part-time employees.

◊Approved a bid for a new communications service by Cox Communications, which members said will save the city several thousand dollars per year.

◊Continued the appointment of Tom Smith as city attorney for the next four years.

◊Approved rezoning property west from Lion Drive along Highway 72 east of Gravette from A-1 (Agricultural) to C-2 (Commercial). The change, recommended by the Planning Commission, is for property owned by Kim and Mary Lea Hendren.

◊Tabled action on a heating/air conditioning project at the police station and final action on a new city personnel handbook.

◊Changed the January Committee of the Whole meeting toJan. 6 from its scheduled Jan. 13 date.

Unless a special meeting is held before Jan. 1, this was the last meeting for current Mayor Bill Howard, who is being replaced by Byron Warren. Howardwas elected to fill a council slot. Both changes were approved by voters in November.

Outgoing council members are Terry King, Brent Cannon and Forrest White. New council members are Larry Stidham and John Rambadt. Tina Crose, who was unopposed in the recent election, will round out the new council membership. Mike von Ree, Recorder/Treasurer, has two years remaining on his four-year term.

News, Pages 1 on 12/22/2010