COUNCIL MEETING
Tuesday April 16, 2019
The Board of Aldermen held a regular meeting on Tuesday April 16, 2019 at 7:00 PM. Those present included Mayor Greg Richmond, Alderpersons Calvin Wilson, Ron Johnson and Alice Kezar. Also present were City Supervisor David Brodie, Police Chief Curt Drake, Emergency Management Director Denis Kolb, Tax Collector Meghan Sexson, Asst. City Clerk Dana Cornwell, City Attorney Duane Cooper and City Clerk Karla McNorton. Also present were Rhonda Richmond, Jon and Misty Farmer, Greg Beckner, J.R. Fisher, Ed Tuomala, Fred Sexson, Jerry Bates, Jerry Pierce and Sally Carroll from the McDonald County Press.
Mayor Richmond called the meeting to order at 7:00 P.M.
The Board discussed the minutes from the regular meeting April 2, 2019. Ald. Wilson moved to approve the minutes from the regular meeting held on April 2, 2019 with the corrections (these were made prior to the meeting). Ald. Johnson seconded. Ald. Johnson, Kezar and Wilson voted aye with 0 nays.
Unfinished business: None
City Clerk McNorton read the certification of election results. Mayor: Greg Richmond 49, Write in J.R. Fisher 47, Write in Fisher 1, Northward Alderman: Ed Tuomala 59, Southward Alderman: Ron Johnson 36 and Tax Collector: Meghan Sexson 98. J. R. Fisher noted he would like to question the results. Mr. Fisher noted the printout he received from County shows 48 plus one, for a total of 49. Mayor Richmond noted he had no comment on the matter, but City Attorney Duane Cooper could address the issue, if he chooses. Mr. Fisher asked if Mr. Cooper represented the Mayor or the City. Mr. Cooper noted he represents the City. Mr. Cooper then asked City Clerk McNorton to show him the certification of election and noted he was looking at a certificate of election signed by Kimberly Bell showing Mayor-Two year term of Greg Richmond 49, Write in J.R. Fisher 47 and Write in Fisher of 1. Mr. Cooper noted that the City does not certify the election, they do not run the election, they do not collect the ballots or count them. They are done by the Election Authority, which would be the McDonald Count Clerk. If a challenge is to be made, it needs to be made with the County Clerk, not the City. Mr. Cooper then looked over Mr. Fisher’s results and noted the City had a certification and Mr. Fisher had a printout. Mr. Cooper noted that the printout Mr. Fisher had wasn’t wrong or right, if Mr. Fisher would like to challenge the results, he would need to do it somewhere else, not with the City. City Clerk McNorton then swears in the Mayor, Board of Alderman and Tax Collector.
Ald. Wilson moved to re-appoint Duane Cooper as City Attorney. Ald. Johnson seconded. Mr. Cooper then asked that the motion be amended to include the law firm, as there may be a time that Mr. Cooper may not be able to attend. Mayor Richmond asked that the motion be remade. Ald. Wilson moved to appoint Duane Cooper with Wood Cooper and Peterson as the City Attorney. Ald. Johnson seconded. Ald. Johnson, Tuomala and Wilson voted aye with 0 nays.
Ald. Jonson moved to re-appoint Curt Drake as Chief of Police. Ald. Wilson seconded. Ald. Johnson, Tuomala and Wilson voted aye with 0 nays.
Ald. Wilson moved to re-appoint Karla McNorton as City Clerk. Ald. Johnson seconded. Ald. Johnson, Tuomala and Wilson voted aye with 0 nays.
Ald. Johnson moved to appoint Ald. Wilson as Mayor Pro-Tem/acting President. Ald. Tuomala seconded. Ald. Johnson and Tuomala voted aye, Ald. Wilson abstained.
Mr. Bates asked if there were commissioners for the Water/Sewer, Streets, Maintenance and Recreation now and who are they.
Ald. Wilson moved to appoint Ed Tuomala as Street Commissioner. Ald. Johnson seconded. Ald. Johnson and Wilson voted aye, Ald. Tuomala Abstained.
Mr. Bates noted that the streets are in bad shape and some streets have pot holes so big a front wheel can be dropped into. Mayor Richmond noted that the Board will complete the appointments of those departments then the Board will address his question.
Ald. Tuomala moved to appoint Calvin Wilson as Maintenance Commissioner. Ald. Johnson seconded. Ald. Johnson and Tuomala voted aye, Ald. Wilson abstained.
Ald. Wilson moved to appoint Ron Johnson as Water/Sewer Commissioner. Ald. Tuomala seconded. Ald. Tuomala and Wilson voted aye, Ald. Johnson abstained.
Ald. Wilson moved to appoint Keith Kohley as Recreation Board Commissioner. Ald. Johnson seconded. Ald. Johnson, Tuomala and Wilson voted aye with 0 nays.
The Board discussed the Corporate Resolution with the First Community Bank. It was noted the Board needs to vote on the Corporate Resolution with the First Community Bank. Ald. Johnson moved to approve the Corporate Resolution with the First Community Bank. Ald. Wilson seconded. Ald. Johnson, Tuomala and Wilson voted aye with 0 nays.
The Board discussed check signers. It was agreed to keep Mayor Greg Richmond and Ald. Wilson as check signers. Ald. Johnson moved to have Ed Tuomala be the third check signer. Ald. Wilson seconded. Ald. Johnson and Wilson voted aye. Ald. Tuomala abstained.
New business:
City Clerk McNorton noted that First Community Bank now has to have a motion to allow the clerks to have access to online access. McNorton noted that she and Asst. City Clerk Dana Cornwell go online to download and printout the bank statements, to do the bank reconciliations, and to look at the Merchant Services account (credit card account) almost daily to verify that the payments have been received before entering into their computers. McNorton noted that First Community bank now has to have a motion from the Board allowing the clerks to have online access. Ald. Wilson moved to allow City Clerk McNorton and Asst. City Clerk Cornwell access to the online banking with First Community Bank. Ald. Johnson seconded. Ald. Johnson, Tuomala and Wilson voted aye with 0 nays.
Mayor Richmond then addressed the question about the roads. He agreed the roads are in despair and need work. Mayor Richmond noted City Supervisor David Brodie got some cold mix this week and will start working on the pot holes; with the weather he has not been able to buy any. Mayor Richmond noted that with the Boards approval, he will start looking for grants, as of this point, Richmond is not aware of any grants. Mr. Bates wanted to know if we had anyone looking for grants. Mr. Bates stated that there are a lot of grants out there for small towns to work on the water and streets. Mayor Richmond noted he would be happy to have someone look for the grants. City Clerk McNorton noted she had spoken with the United States Department of Agriculture (U.S.D.A.) and they did some research and told her that there are no grants out there for just streets. If a project is being done where you are going to cut a street and have to repair it, then a grant would be possible. City Supervisor Brodie reiterated that there are no grants out there for streets alone, only if you are doing a project that requires street repair because of the project. Mr. Bates feels that there are grants out there and the Mayor noted the City will keep looking. Mrs. Farmer asked if a citizen came forward that a grant for streets was available, would the City look into it. Mayor Richmond stated he can’t speak for the Board, but if it wasn’t going to cost the city half a million dollars, he would be happy to pave every street. He explained that there is 13 miles of road in the City and to do a two inch overlay would cost the City several million dollars. Even if the grant is a 70/30 match and it cost two million to pave the streets that is around $600,000.000 on the City’s part he believes. The City does not have $600,000.00 to pave the streets. Mr. Bates then asked about School St. Who is going to pave it? Mayor Richmond noted that he has spoken with Dr. Cummings, the school superintendent and when it gets closer to the school being completed, the school will see if there are any funds available to help the City pave School and Whitmore streets. Mr. Bates believes we should contact Branco about paving since they are the ones who are going up and down them with their big trucks tearing them up. The Mayor agreed. Rhonda Richmond asked if the Board could reiterate the cost of the overlay that was done a few years ago. Mayor Richmond noted that the City did about 1000 feet or a little over of a 2 inch overlay and it cost around $60,000.00. It is probably more expensive now. He again said the City does not have the money. Richmond noted the City is on a budget, just like other Cities. City Supervisor Brodie noted he spoke with Branco’s site supervisor last week and when they are going to start paving to let us know who we need to get in contact with. It might be cheaper through them, since the equipment is already here.
The Board discussed the first reading of Bill NO. 2019-501 Ordinance NO. 2019-511, an ordinance Adopting and Enacting a New Code of Ordinances for the City of Goodman. Ald. Wilson moved to approve the first reading of Bill NO. 2019-501 Ordinance NO. 2019-511, an ordinance Adopting and Enacting a New Code of Ordinances for the City of Goodman. Ald. Johnson seconded. Ald. Johnson, Tuomala and Wilson voted aye with 0 nays.
The Board discussed the first reading of Bill NO. 2019-502 Ordinance NO. 2019-512, An Ordinance Amending the Code of Laws of the City of Goodman MO. to Establish Regulations for Mobile Food Trucks, Mobile Food Trailers and Pushcarts. Ald. Johnson moved to approve the first reading of 2019-502 Ordinance NO. 2019-512, An Ordinance Amending the Code of Laws of the City of Goodman MO. to Establish Regulations for Mobile Food Trucks, Mobile Food Trailers and Pushcarts. Ald. Tuomala seconded. Ald. Johnson, Tuomala and Wilson voted aye with 0 nays.
Department head reports:
Curt Drake: Chief Drake noted he had received a quote from the person in Arkansas who has installed other things for us and Fletcher and they are about the same price on the brakes. Drake noted he had Asst. Chief Joe David take it by Bethel Auto and they were about $300.00 cheaper. He has not received a quote from Sprenkle’s yet. Bethel in Arkansas can do it for around $400.00 for brakes and rotors. As soon as he has quotes on paper, he will bring them to the Board.
Denis Kolb: Possible storms tomorrow night, will keep an eye on it.
David Brodie: Need to address Whitmore St. The rain is killing the road by the white fence (120 Whitmore). Brodie stated the City needs to get a road grater with an angled blade to fix the issue and is asking the Board to give him permission to start looking for someone to address the issue. The Board agreed he could start looking.
Meghan Sexson: Nothing to report
Karla McNorton- the Board has their March Financial Statement.
City Clerk McNorton asked the Board to send Asst. City Clerk Dana Cornwell to the Court Conference May 20, 2019 –May 24, 2019. McNorton noted the conference will be a fee of $250.00 and the hotel will be $107.00 a night, this does not include mileage. Cornwell will drive up on Sunday May 19, 2019 and return on Friday May 24, 2019 late afternoon. The total would be $785.00, not including mileage. Ald. Johnson moved to approve sending Dana Cornwell to the court conference for a total of $785.00, not including mileage. Ald. Tuomala seconded. Ald. Johnson and Tuomala voted aye, Ald. Wilson abstained.
The Board discussed the bills in the amount of $13,966.19 including transfers. Ald. Tuomala moved to approve the bills in the amount of $13,966.19 including transfers. Ald. Johnson seconded. Ald. Johnson, Tuomala and Wilson voted aye with 0 nays.
Ald. Wilson made a motion to adjourn the meeting. Ald. Tuomala seconded. Ald. Johnson, Tuomala and Wilson voted aye with 0 nays.