CITY OF HUMPHREY

P. O. Box 128 HUMPHREY, ARKANSAS 72073

June 7, 2010 Regular Meeting

Members Present: Aldermen Deward Junior Barnes, Sheri Flynn, Melissa Robinson, Cleveland Hatch and Tim Bogy, Mayor Alice Black and RecorderTreasurer Robert Blessing. Alderman Joseph McNeil was absent.

The meeting was called to order by Mayor Alice Black.

The minutes were read by Recorder-Treasurer Robert Blessing and approved as read by roll call vote.

Mayor Black stated the citywide cleanup was a great success. She said city employee David Wilson said there were no problems with anyone trying to get the scrap metal.

Mayor Black told the council that Drs. Mary and Edward Henkel were at city hall on Saturday, May 8, 2010, and they had a good day with several pets getting vaccinated.

Alderman Cleveland Hatch asked Mayor Black if the build up of sludge in the sewer ponds was causing any overflow problems at the moment and she said they were not oveflowing at the moment. Mayor Black said the reason the matter was discussed at the last meeting was so that she and the council could be thinking about what they want to do down there in the future. She said that will probably be the next major project after the ditch drainage project. Alderman Hatch suggested the city employees start making sand bags to have them ready for future usage on the levees if needed in the future.

Mayor Black told the council that Scotty McCarty has purchased the school cafeteria and the Antioch Missionary Baptist Church has purchased the former superintendent's home from the DeWitt school district. Mayor Black said school board member Bruce Morgan told her the rest of the school property has been listed with a realtor. Mayor Black said she will try to find out who the realtor is since there are no signs on the property. She also said she is curious as to how much they are asking for the remaining property. It was stated that if the city owned the property then they could control future uses of the property. Mayor Black said part of the property has been mowed but not all of it. It was suggested by several aldermen that the Mayor follow the ordinance on how they are keeping the property maintained and proceed as necessary if the property is not kept up. It was also suggested the Mayor and council attend a school board meeting again and remind them of what they said at the last meeting that was attended by the Mayor and council. Mayor Black stated when she sends any future letters on this matter that she will send a certified letter to superintendent Gary Waymon and a copy to the school board members, school attorney and the Board of Education. She said she will also send

pictures of the conditions as well. The Mayor and council said they were hoping the school district would keep the property up better that they did last year but it appears they will not do so.

Alderman Tim Bogy said there were several other properties around town that needed to be mowed. Mayor Black said she sent several letters last month asking the property owners to mow and/or clean up their property and they did so. She said she will send more letters again this month as needed. Also, Mayor Black and the council talked about the bradford pear tree at West Railroad Avenue and Mulberry streets blocking the view of the stop sign. Mayor Black said she will have the tree trimmed back as needed.

Mayor Black said the bucket truck has really come in handy and it has worked great for the city employees putting the flags up. She said it could also be used for some tree trimming along city right of ways as needed. Alderman Tim Bogy stated he has received several good comments on the flags being flown for the holidays.

Alderman Cleveland Hatch stated there were several speed limit signs that appear to be missing around town and the street name sign at Highway 79 and Chestnut was missing. Alderman Tim Bogy also suggested that city employees not use so many posts when putting up several signs in the same spot. Mayor Black said she will have the police officers compile a list of traffic signs that are needed around town and she will get them ordered.

Mayor Black talked with the council about a possible zoning ordinance for the city. She said she received the information from St. Charles Mayor Robert Patrick regarding their zoning ordinance and she said the process is a lengthy process. Mayor Black said a planning and zoning commission would have to be appointed that consists of two city council members and three members of the community. She also said it would be time consuming so anyone wanting to be on the commission need to be aware of what would be involved and give it the proper attention. Mayor Black said the commission meetings would be monthly meetings separate from the city council meetings and the commission would report to the council. Mayor Black asked each of the council members to think about who wants to be on the commission and she said she will get each a copy of the information for them to review and discuss again at the next council meeting.

Recorder-Treasurer Robert Blessing stated when he sends the copies of the reports requested by the State and Internal Revenue Service that he will send them by certified mail with a return signature card.

Mayor Black stated that Danny Brown and Jimmy Carr have approached her recently about closing the street between their properties on Cypress Street. She said the street they are wanting closed is Wood Avenue, which is platted but never has been developed. Mayor Black said she called the Jefferson County Assessor's office and they sent her a copy of a 1983 ordinance that

was passed to close several streets that mentioned Wood Avenue west of Hickory Street but it didn't include Wood Avenue between Cypress Street and Hickory Street. Mayor Black said Danny and Jimmy were wanting to close the street to obtain the extra property. Mayor Black said she will discuss the matter with City Attorney Sharon Fortenberry.

Mayor Black told the council the city will be needing to find a new place to store the stage. She said the stage has been stored on the Black farm and they have sold the farm to Jay McEntire and he is wanting the stage moved. Mayor Black said Walter Houghton asked her if the stage could be moved to the old community center property as a permanent fixture. He told Mayor Black if the city would do so and purchase the materials he and Phillip Bogy would volunteer their time to work on underpinning and getting the stage ready to use. It was also suggested the front of the stage would need to be secured as well. Alderman Tim Bogy said there would probably be several groups that would use the stage for various community events if it were made a permanent fixture.

Lyndell Robinson and Doris Dennis were present and asked about the ditch being cleaned out behind their property on North Oak Street. Mayor Black said she had the city employees look at the ditch area and they said there are several trees blocking the backhoe from being able to get to the ditch. Alderman Tim Bogy suggested that Mayor Black ask Tommy Hoskyn to come down and walk the ditch and see if he would be willing to help the city with getting the ditch cleaned out with his trackhoe. Tim said Mr. Hoskyn's property is in the area that floods and that cleaning the ditch out may help his property drain better.

A motion was made by Tim Bogy and seconded by Sheri Flynn to adjourn the meeting. All voted aye. Motion carried.

Being no further business the meeting was adjourned.

MAYOR   RECORDER-TREASURER