Aldermen at Monday’s city council meeting held two readings of unnumbered ordinances, due to the City Clerk being absent.
The first ordinance dealt with deeding six feet of city property of Lot 1 at 25 Norris St. for $10 to Christopher and Elizabeth Engholm, who own the home at 23 Norris. The house they are in contract to sell was partially built on city property, three feet of which is the bounds of the home and three feet to allow a portion of yardage.
No variances were needed as nothing was being built, and City Attorney Forrest Jacobi told aldermen that there would still be 6 – 8 feet available from the clinic on Norris to the new property line. This first ordinance passed unanimously through three readings, contingent on the clerk assigning a number.
The second ordinance, also passed in three readings with the emergency clause invoked, allows the Parks Department to enter into a 15-ft.-wide trail easement agreement with Crescent Properties LLC. Formerly called Glen Avenue, it will allow Parks to make it more obvious where Crescent Trail leads to Grotto Spring. The easement is no cost to the department.
Council took several minutes to discuss protection of city employees and commissioners. Alderman Melissa Greene said that several city employees had left due to obscenities and abuse directed at them. She finished by saying, “I don’t blame them for quitting.”
Jacobi told aldermen that each issue must be handled on a case-by-case basis. Greene lamented that even if young people are wanted and needed to work for the city it seemed to her “we only want them for sport.”
And finally, aldermen discussed the need for annual inspections of short and long-term rentals. Mayor Butch Berry said that Building Inspector Jacob Coburn was in Little Rock for five days attending a seminar on code enforcement and would attend the next council meeting on April 25 to go over what he learned.
Other items
- Ruth Hager was reappointed to the Parks commission in a 4-1 vote with alderman Harry Meyer voting No.
- Interim Tourism Director Scott Bardin gave an update during Public Comments on the work of the CAPC, saying the Amy Grant show had been a success with the help of local advertising. Folk Festival is planned for Nov. 9 – 11, more music in the park is planned for the weekends and Bardin teased that a big name had been booked for July 27.
- Marketing Director for ESH Samantha Jones informed council that the hospital has a new website and would also host its Earth Day celebration on April 21 from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.