Council Approves Budget For Year

— The Gravette City Council, in a special meeting last Thursday evening, gave its okay to an ordinance approving the city’s 2010 budget.

The action was taken even though it was learned an ordinance was not legally necessary to make the $1,263,647 document official.

Confusion had arisen after the Council, by a 4-2 vote, had approved a budget (but not an ordinance) at a special meeting held February 2.

Council members Byron Warren and Patrick Hall had voted against the original budget, questioning budgeted expenditures in the planning and license/ inspection departmentsand projected revenue estimates. Members Kurt Maddox, Brent Cannon, Chris Beller and Terry King had voted for the budget. To be official the document required four votes.

A special meeting Tuesday, February 9, was called by Mayor Bill Howard to again address the question and with only four members present the vote split 2-2. Hall and Warren were in opposition, Cannon and King in favor.

Since approval of a budget is required by state law, a third special meeting was convened last Thursday, February 11. All council members were present.

Mayor Howard told the council he was advised by the Arkansas MunicipalLeague (AML), a statewide organization which advises cities on such matters, that the original 4-2 vote met all legal requirements and an enabling ordinance was not necessary.

Since, for many years, the council has passed an enabling ordinance the City followed that precedent and approved the ordinance by a vote of 5-1.

Hall again voted against the measure because he has felt the mayor has overestimated income for the City this year.

The special meeting was held prior to the regular Committee of the Whole meeting at which other business was discussed but no official action was taken.

News, Pages 1 on 02/17/2010