GENTRY -- Council members on Feb. 2 passed on its first reading an ordinance that will change the structure of city government by separating the duties of the city's finance director from those of the elected position of city clerk and treasurer.
If passed on two more readings, the ordinance would create on Jan. 1, 2015, the position of director of finance to perform most of the duties currently performed by the city clerk. The position would be filled by appointment rather than by election, with the employee subject to the mayor or his designee. The position would be a full-time salaried position.
The ordinance also creates, on Jan. 1, 2015, the combined position of city clerk and city treasurer, but limits the duties of the elected position to attending all meetings of the city council, planning commission and board of adjustments and acting as city clerk at such meetings by keeping and finalizing official minutes of those meetings. Duties would also require the quarterly submission to the council of a full report and detailed statement of the financial condition of the city. The position is an elected position with an annual salary of $4,000 ("subject to adjustment from time to time in accordance to the provisions of Arkansas law").
By separating the positions into a hired/appointed position and an elected post, the city would have more control over ensuring that it had a qualified employee to handle the day-to-day management of the city's finances and not jeopardize that management when administrative changes take place following elections.
The change would also affect retirement benefits, with the full-time post coming under the city's participation in the Arkansas Public Employees Retirement System, and the part-time elected post subject to retirement benefits for city clerks under Arkansas Statute 24-12-121 (a)(1).
The city is currently at work preparing a full job description for the director of finance position and, subject to council approval of the ordinance, hopes to fill the position prior to the end of 2014 so that the new employee can train under the current city clerk, Jo Ellen Martin, before her planned retirement at the close of the year.
By unanimous resolutions the council appointed Kevin Hodges and Robert J. Krein to vacant posts on the Gentry Park Advisory Committee. Their terms expire on Dec. 31, 2018.
Other Action
The council also unanimously approved the appointment of Tammie Runyan to the Gentry Planning Commission. Runyan's term expires Dec. 31, 2019.
The council accepted the low bid of Diamond C Construction Co. -- $97,700 -- to complete the second phase of a sidewalk project on S. Collins Ave., from S. Third Street to the sidewalk system on Gentry Blvd. (Arkansas Highway 59). Other bids received were from N.E.C., Inc., and Greer Excavating, Inc. All three bids came in below the amount the city had budgeted for the project, so it was not necessary to take out any deductive alternates included in the bid package.
In order to make it possible for the city to proceed with small jobs in which professional services are required, the council reviewed credentials and selected professionals for surveying and engineering needs. Selected for small surveying jobs, in order designated for contract negotiations were: 1. James Surveying; 2. ESI; and 3. Crafton and Tull. For engineering jobs, selected were: 1. Civil Engineering; 2. ESI; and 3. McClelland. Mayor Kevin Johnston assured council members that the selection was only for small jobs and any large projects would require the council to again select professionals.
A resolution was also approved by the council reaffirming proper law enforcement bias practices and policies related to the use of new video cameras which are being installed in police department patrol vehicles. The resolution states that neither the city or city employees would use "race, color, creed, ethnicity, gender, age, sexual orientation, disability, religion or any other belief system as the sole factor in making law enforcement decisions."
General News on 02/12/2014