A Cave Springs alderman said he did not leave last week's City Council meeting out of frustration, but to care for his sick wife.
"The fact is that my wife is ill, and she desperately wanted me to come home and put my daughter to bed and help her," Alderman Marc Williams wrote in an email. "She had texted me about 10 minutes before I left, pleading for me to return home."
Alderman Larry Fletcher said last week Alderman Jay Finch and Williams left the meeting before it adjourned -- Finch because he was frustrated with community members speaking against Mayor Travis Lee, and Williams because he became upset the city millage was not decreased.
Neither Williams nor Finch could be reached at the phone numbers city staff previously provided.
In the email, Williams said he did not leave because of the millage issue. Williams said he was disappointed the decrease was not approved, but not disappointed enough to leave the meeting out of frustration.
Williams also said he stayed for nearly the entire meeting, but did not attend an executive session after the meeting.
The meeting lasted until around 10:15 p.m. Several residents of the Ridgewood subdivision spoke against a potential trail being built near their homes, and the council discussed establishing a financial committee, which was approved with a 6-0 vote.
The trail issue will be discussed tonight at a 6:30 p.m. Planning Commission meeting at the American Legion Building. The next City Council meeting will be at 6:30 p.m. Oct. 25 at the American Legion Building.
NW News on 10/18/2016