Indoor batting cage to be built at Maumelle Baseball Complex; Auditing firm approved for 2020 and 2021 financial audit; Additional funds approved for roundabout to join Country Club Parkway and White Oak Crossing.
This week’s meeting began with our April financial report presented by Liz Mathis. Through four months of the year, city revenues are trending right in line with budget and operating expenses are approximately $600,000 below budget. The city continues to do well with our budget and our revenue will likely exceed budget once we receive property tax payments in the coming months. The 2019 financial audit is being wrapped up and will be presented to the council in the near future. Following completion of the 2019 audit, the 2020 and 2021 audits will be completed in the latter part of the year at which point the city will be completely caught up on all past due financial reporting. I really appreciate all the work our finance department has done under the direction of Mathis to clean up our record-keeping and get our city back on track with our financial reporting.
Under unfinished business, we had several administrative ordinances accepting streets and drainage for three new developments: Pinnacle Heights, Osage Terrace, and The Reserve at Country Club. All these ordinances passed unanimously.
The council approved changes to probationary periods for newly hired police officers. The new probationary period will be 24 months for a police officer that is hired and not currently certified as a law enforcement officer in the state. Previously the probationary period was only 12 months. This change is consistent with other municipalities in central Arkansas and the state.
The council heard the second readings on salaries for elected officials and there was no discussion on any of these items. If approved at the next meeting, salaries beginning in January of 2023, would be as follows:
Mayor: $102,691
City Clerk/Treasurer: $67,473
City Attorney: $105,002
City Council: $7,500 (the council is not receiving an increase from current salary)
The council heard the second reading of an ordinance allowing Patrick McIntire, a Lieutenant in our fire department, to operate a business in our city. McIntire is currently an owner of a towing business that will potentially do business here and be included on the city’s weekly rotation for towing services. Any towing company can do business in our city if they meet the city’s requirements for being a towing vendor, so I don’t have any issue with a city employee being included since there’s a set rotation for towing services.
A resolution was passed to allow a batting cage to be built at our city’s baseball and softball complex. Local individuals and our baseball association have been fundraising for this project for several years and this structure will be built at no cost to the city.
The council approved a 5-year term for Tom Boothe to continue serving on Maumelle’s Public Facilities Board. Boothe has served on this board for a number of years and was eager to continue serving the city for another term.
The council approved BKD CPA’s & Advisors to be our auditing firm for 2020 and 2021. They will begin work as soon as the city completes the 2019 audit in the coming weeks. Additionally, the council appropriated $83,000 from our general fund to pay for additional auditing services in this fiscal year. Since we’re completing four audits in one year, additional funds were needed in order to pay for all of the audits we’ll be completing.
The council approved a marketing contract with Metro Little Rock Alliance to help the city with economic development. This is an annual contract that the city approves so that cities in central Arkansas can work together to help promote our area and bring in new business and jobs.
As a part of the city’s ongoing effort to improve our technology, it was discovered the police department needed additional equipment to securely and safely store data. $8,500 was appropriated from the general fund to purchase this needed equipment so that we can have a reliable system to securely store their data.
Lastly, the council approved a resolution that will budget future funds for the White Oak Crossing and Country Club Parkway roundabout. While this project has already been awarded a large federal grant, costs have increased substantially in the past few years. This requires the city to go back and ask for additional dollars to cover the remainder of the project. Due to the city only paying a 20% match for the entire cost of this project, our increase will be small, but this was a required step in asking for the additional funding. According to Mayor Norris, this project could be underway by this Fall with utility relocation taking place at that time and construction beginning late this year or early 2023.
That’s all for the week, please let me know if you have any questions. Chad. 501-529-1336, chad4maumelle@gmail.com
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Maumelle: City Council report
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Indoor batting cage to be built at Maumelle Baseball Complex; Auditing firm approved for 2020 and 2021 financial audit; Additional funds approved for roundabout to join Country Club Parkway and White Oak Crossing.
This week’s meeting began with our April financial report presented by Liz Mathis. Through four months of the year, city revenues are trending right in line with budget and operating expenses are approximately $600,000 below budget. The city continues to do well with our budget and our revenue will likely exceed budget once we receive property tax payments in the coming months. The 2019 financial audit is being wrapped up and will be presented to the council in the near future. Following completion of the 2019 audit, the 2020 and 2021 audits will be completed in the latter part of the year at which point the city will be completely caught up on all past due financial reporting. I really appreciate all the work our finance department has done under the direction of Mathis to clean up our record-keeping and get our city back on track with our financial reporting.
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Under unfinished business, we had several administrative ordinances accepting streets and drainage for three new developments: Pinnacle Heights, Osage Terrace, and The Reserve at Country Club. All these ordinances passed unanimously.
The council approved changes to probationary periods for newly hired police officers. The new probationary period will be 24 months for a police officer that is hired and not currently certified as a law enforcement officer in the state. Previously the probationary period was only 12 months. This change is consistent with other municipalities in central Arkansas and the state.
The council heard the second readings on salaries for elected officials and there was no discussion on any of these items. If approved at the next meeting, salaries beginning in January of 2023, would be as follows:
Mayor: $102,691
City Clerk/Treasurer: $67,473
City Attorney: $105,002
City Council: $7,500 (the council is not receiving an increase from current salary)
The council heard the second reading of an ordinance allowing Patrick McIntire, a Lieutenant in our fire department, to operate a business in our city. McIntire is currently an owner of a towing business that will potentially do business here and be included on the city’s weekly rotation for towing services. Any towing company can do business in our city if they meet the city’s requirements for being a towing vendor, so I don’t have any issue with a city employee being included since there’s a set rotation for towing services.
A resolution was passed to allow a batting cage to be built at our city’s baseball and softball complex. Local individuals and our baseball association have been fundraising for this project for several years and this structure will be built at no cost to the city.
The council approved a 5-year term for Tom Boothe to continue serving on Maumelle’s Public Facilities Board. Boothe has served on this board for a number of years and was eager to continue serving the city for another term.
The council approved BKD CPA’s & Advisors to be our auditing firm for 2020 and 2021. They will begin work as soon as the city completes the 2019 audit in the coming weeks. Additionally, the council appropriated $83,000 from our general fund to pay for additional auditing services in this fiscal year. Since we’re completing four audits in one year, additional funds were needed in order to pay for all of the audits we’ll be completing.
The council approved a marketing contract with Metro Little Rock Alliance to help the city with economic development. This is an annual contract that the city approves so that cities in central Arkansas can work together to help promote our area and bring in new business and jobs.
As a part of the city’s ongoing effort to improve our technology, it was discovered the police department needed additional equipment to securely and safely store data. $8,500 was appropriated from the general fund to purchase this needed equipment so that we can have a reliable system to securely store their data.
Lastly, the council approved a resolution that will budget future funds for the White Oak Crossing and Country Club Parkway roundabout. While this project has already been awarded a large federal grant, costs have increased substantially in the past few years. This requires the city to go back and ask for additional dollars to cover the remainder of the project. Due to the city only paying a 20% match for the entire cost of this project, our increase will be small, but this was a required step in asking for the additional funding. According to Mayor Norris, this project could be underway by this Fall with utility relocation taking place at that time and construction beginning late this year or early 2023.