BELLA VISTA — Aldermen will discuss the establishment of a legal department and the purchase of three emergency buildings at the regular City Council meeting Monday night.
The meeting is set for 6:30 p.m. at Highlands Crossing Center.
The first reading of a proposed ordinance creating a legal department was postponed last month because council members wanted more information from the Arkansas Municipal League.
The ordinance was drafted when council members in July postponed a budget amendment allowing for the hiring of a full-time staff attorney. Alderwoman Becky Morgan expressed concern about the council not having a say in who is chosen to fill the position, and suggested the city create a legal department that the staff attorney would lead.
By state statute, department heads are appointed by the mayor, and that decision can be overridden by a two-thirds vote of council members.
The council will read the ordinance for its first of three required readings Monday.
In a work session Sept. 17, aldermen discussed rejecting the Property Owners Association counteroffer of paying for the three emergency buildings in two installments over 14 months rather than three installments over three years as the city originally offered.
Members of the association voted in May to sell the three fire stations and the police station to the city for $1.8 million. One of the fire stations is in the same building as the police station.
The group will talk about a formal response to the association’s offer Monday night.
Mayor Frank Anderson also will give an update on repairs to Winstone Lane. A water main break on Aug. 8 created a impassable hole on the street. The council will consider a resolution to amend the 2013 budget to cover the cost of repairs.