GRAVETTE — The first order of business at the Feb. 25 City Council meeting was the approval of the 2019 audit.
Mayor Kurt Maddox said it was the best audit the city had ever received. Only two minor issues were discovered. Money was spent on tickets to the annual Chamber of Commerce banquet and it was learned that spending city money with the chamber is illegal without a contract.
The other discrepancy was that the Water Department audit wasn’t yet available.
Council members were all present in person for the first time in almost a year. They heard the third reading of the new Unified Development Code, then passed an ordinance providing for the adoption of the new code.
A motion was passed to put out for bid the city’s solid waste and recycling collection and disposal contract. When bids are received, they will come back to the council for approval.
Council members voted to approve the large-scale development plan for Razorbox Storage at 12942 Arkansas 72 West in Hiwasse. The plan is for a self-storage facility on the property. The property was approved for boat and RV storage in 2019 but the owner has changed and the open boat and RV storage is no longer in the plan.
Rezoning of 32.15 acres on N. Mount Pleasant Road south of Mount Pleasant Church and Cemetery from A-1 agricultural to C-2 commercial died for lack of a motion. The rezoning was not approved by the planning commission and council chairman Ron Theis pointed out that it is not consistent with the city’s long-range plan.
Council members voted to change the date of the March Committee of the Whole meeting from March 11 to March 16.
Monthly financial reports for December 2020 and January 2021 were distributed to all council members.
Resolutions were adopted closing out the 2020 budget and approving adjustments for the 2021 budget, most of which dealt with grants received.
There was no change in the bond funds since the Feb. 11 Committee of the Whole meeting.
Finance director Carl Rabey reported $40,000 to $50,000 has been recovered in the last five years due to accountants who come in every other year and analyze the city’s accounts payable paperwork to recover lost sales tax. Most money recovered was funds spent for fuel or equipment.
At the conclusion of the meeting Councilwoman Margo Thomas said she wanted to commend the men who cleared the roads and city streets following the recent ice and snowstorm. Maddux agreed that the crew had worked hard. He said a chain broke on one of the city vehicles while the truck was sanding, necessitating a trip to Springfield to pick up a new chain.