HomeMy WebLinkAbout2001-03-06 Minutesis
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City Coiincil Minutes
" March 6, 2001
Page 1
;- MINUTES OF.A MEETING
OF
CITY COUNCIL
f, MARCH 6, 2001
A meeting of the Fayetteville City Council will be held March 6, 2001 at 6:30 p m in Room 219
of the City Administration Building located at 113 W. Mountain Street, Fayetteville, Arkansas.
PRESENT: Mayor Coody, Aldermen Reynolds, Thiel, Young, Zurcher, Trumbo, Santos, and
Jordan, City Attorney Kit Williams, City Clerk Heather Woodruff, Staff, Press and Audience.
ABSENT: Alderman Davis.
CONSENT
APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES: Approval of the minutes from the February 20, 2001. City
Council minutes.
McDONALD'S COST SHARE• A resolution approving a change order with McDonald's
Corporation in the amount of $108,500.00 for the widening of Joyce Boulevard and the
associated drainage improvements.
RESOLUTION 28-01 AS RECORDED IN THE OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK.
POLICE GRANT: A resolution accepting the Universal Hiring Grant award in the amount of
$450,000.00 and approval of a budget adjustment.
REMOVED FROM CONSENT AGENDA.
Alderman Reynolds moved to approve the Consent Agenda. Alderman Jordan seconded
the motion. Upon roll call the motion carried unanimously.
OLD BUSINESS
POLICE GRANT: A resolution accepting the Universal Hiring Grant award in the amount of
$450,000.00 and approval of a budget adjustment.
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Mr. Rick Hoyt, Assistant Chief of Police, stated that this grant could possibly jeopardize police
raises. They did not want to be a position to jeopardize any police benefits. They would rather
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March 6, 2001
Page 2
run with a leaner tiggiter ship. They would rather get their people the raises and the benefits that
they needed in order to retain those people. If that was an issue they were ready to pull this from
the agenda. He and Mayor Coody had talked about this last Friday morning. They were not
under any time line on this grant They did not have to make the decision tonight. They could go
back to the drawing board and look at a reduction. There might be a way to accomplish this with
less people. The bottom line was they did not want to affect any up coming raises. After reading
the paper, the people at the Police Station were abuzz. They were excited because they felt there
were some good things around the comer. They did not want to tum down grants. They felt that
they needed to bring them to their attention. If they did not have the money in the budget, then
they just did not have it. They would rather have the money for their existing people, then start a
new program.
Alderman Trumbo stated they needed to be pro -active in going after these grants. He asked if
after three years, could those positions be done away with if the money was not there.
Mr. Hoyt stated it would be a four year program minimum. There was going to be three -years of
Federal monies given to them. This was tot as simple as the 75/25. This grant would give the
city $25,000 for each person. They had planned to put six people on. Everything beyond that the
city had to pay for. After the third year of the grant and they quit paying the city the $150,000
per year, then the city would have to pick up the whole thing. He thought this was a good
program and it would help the city.
Alderman Trumbo stated they had lost a lot of policemen to the State. He did not want them to
be regressive and not be able to keep up with the increasing. He did not want them to be a
training ground for police officers.
Mr. Hoyt stated the city's Hay Plan did not look at other benefits, the State Police did not pay a
nickel on their retirement. Our officers al. pay 6% out of their salary. Their insurance was also
100% paid for family. Their people would like to see some incentive things like that. They
needed them to retain people They needed to look at their benefit package.
Alderman Zurcher asked if the turnover in the Police Department was mainly a pay issue and a
benefit issue?
Mr. Hoyt stated of the ones that had left volunteerly, yes. They knew how many they had lost to
the State Police. Before the last pay raise was instituted it was tough walking down the hall,
because officers were wanting to talk about what they could do for them.
Alderman Thiel stated when she was campaigning, she had visited with the police. At that time
one of their major concerns was the overtime they were having to put in. Wages were not their
number one issue. She assumed some of that had been eased up. They had added three new
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officers this year.
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Mr. Hoyt stated that it had eased up some. They had not saturated themselves with overtime
right now. People were still willing to work overtime. They had hired five new officers
yesterday. They had 101 people right now. They only had four opening right now. Three of
those opening were given to them in the 2001 budget.
Alderman Thiel stated this grant was going to cost the city $458,000 over the next four years.
They would be getting $450,000. She would hate to see them turn down this kind of grant. If
they could see some of appropriate for salaries. She knew the Hay Plan was coming up again
pretty soon. She thought there would be some increases in the salaries then. They would have to
deal with that cost. This grant and the school resource grant would come to a head a the same
time That was going to be a huge chunk coming out of their pocket. They were going to have to
keep those eleven officers.
Mayor Coody stated they could either expand the force and keep the pay scale as it is or try to
find a way to improve the salary. If they were going to continue to grow, then they were going to
continue to need expanded police and fire protect and other city services. They were going to
have to find a way to continue to pay for them. As the city grows, our needs grow. Our tax base
was not going to keep up. Now was a very good time to begin the discussion about what they
were going to have to do continue have a first class fire and police staff in Fayetteville and to
improve city services. All these services cost money They were not going to decide on this
tonight.
Mr. Hoyt stated he had talked with a lot of officers this week. Without question they were for
getting benefits. They would rather run short, lean and trim and work extra in order to have
better benefits for themselves. As an administrator, if there was a belief that there were
substandard wages or benefits, he did not want to add six more people. Let's take care of the
people that were there.
Alderman Zurcher stated in the application he had talked about some things that were really
needed, for example citizen advisory groups and consulting organizations, like collective
bargaining groups. If they were to do this he would like to see some follow through.
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Mr. Hoyt stated there were always strings attached to these grants. Often once they had started
these programs they had to continue them forever. ;They had been doing grants since 1988. They
were administering severafgrants now. They could handle this one but they could also handle
increased wages and benefits.
Mr. Steve Davis, Budget Manager, stated the Hay Plan was done in the fall of the year. The Hay
Plan also studied public safety salaries in a three to four state region. The current school resource
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March 6, 2001
Page 4
officer grant would run out during 2003. :n 2004, the city would have to pick up $270,000 in
school resource officers salaries. If they added this grant to it, our total cost being in 2004 was
$415,000. That number would escalate up to $520,000 m 2005. In the budget briefings they had
in November they talked about how they were using General Fund reserves, $680,000 this year.
It was due to ramp up between two to three million dollars by the time they go to 2003. They
currently had a little over eight million doLiars in reserves, if they were to burn it off at that rate
they very rapidly run out of money and resources. They did have some time to think about this.
They might want to revisit the issue at another meeting.
Alderman Thiel asked if next fall was the soonest they could offer raises to Police Department.
Mr. Davis stated normally the raises went into affect the beginning of the next budget year. It
would be around January of 2002. They did not have the money in this year's budget to do any
raises. This request would use $64,000 of the city's reserves. The last time they did a pay range
adjustment the cost was a little over $900,000. That was two years ago, the beginning of 2000.
Alderman Young moved to table the resolution. Alderman Thiel seconded the motion.
Upon roll call the motion carried by a vote of 6-0-0. Santos absent for vote.
VA 01-P An ordinance approving vacaticn request VA 01-1, submitted by Steve Winkler for
property located east of 607 Peach. The property is zoned R-1, Low Density Residential and
contains approximately 0.08 acres. The request is to vacate the street right-of-way (Haddon
Avenue). The ordinance was left on the first reading at the February 20, 2001 meeting.
Mayor Coody stated the item had been pulled at the applicants request.
REMOVED AT THE REQUEST OF THE APPLICANT.
CIVIL SERVICE: An ordinance granting authority to the Fayetteville Civil Service
Commission to appoint and remove the Police Chief and Fire Chief; and for other purposes. The
ordinance was left on the first reading at the February 20, 2001 meeting.
Alderman Young moved to suspend the rules and move to the second reading. Alderman
Reynolds seconded the motion. Upon roll call the motion carried unanimously.
Mr. Williams read the ordinance for the second time.
Mayor Coody stated he would put together a committee comprised of Civil Service, city
personnel, firemen and possibly some city councilmen. He would never make a decision like
that m a vacuum. He wanted to reiterate that. It would not be a single handed decision.
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Alderman Thiel stated that after visiting with the Civil Service Commissioners, she felt that they
had some very valuable citizens from the community on that commission. She thought it would
be critical to his committee to use some of the people from the Civil Service Commission. They
have dealt with employees in both departments over the years. They were familiar with our
needs in both departments. Their input would be very critical.
Mayor Coody replied she was exactly nght and he would.
Alderman Young stated it would be his preference, a situation like that would occur. He could
see both sides of the issue. It was a tough decision. He would like to see what the Mayor was
proposing to do and what type and how many would be on the committee. Not just for this
appointment, but in the future.
Alderman Zurcher stated he would be in favor of the committee they were talking about, if what
was said and done that there would be elected people accountable for the decision that was made
for the fire and police chiefs. He thought they needed that kind of accountability. With this
ordinance, they would be taking this accountability away. He did not want to keep the Civil
Service Commission out of the process. He thought the checks and balances were pretty good
now. If the Coody had the final say on who was hired and the city council decided that they did
not like it, then by two-thirds vote, override that decision. That would keep the decision in the
public realm. The citizens would have recourse if it was a bad decision:
Mayor Coody stated the committee he would choose to pick a chief would not be exactly the
same committee that he would use to pick a Public Works Director. -
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Alderman Jordan asked Mayor Coody if he would consider a fireman or policeman on the
committee.
Mayor Coody replied he would not Just consider it, he would do it. When they hired people to
work for the public, it should be a broad range of people having input. It was better to bring
more people into the process.
Alderman Reynolds asked what he had in mind.
Mayor Coody stated he was thinking of about nine fo ten people on the committee. City Council,
Civil Service commissioners, a couple of rank and file folks, personnel. It would be a cross
section.
Alderman Reynolds asked if they sit up the committee that was going to hire police and fire
chiefs only.
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Mayor Coody replied sure, it suited him. He had enough on his plate. He would welcome that.
Alderman Zurcher moved to suspend the rules and move to the third and final reading.
The motion failed for lack of a second.
Alderman Young stated he would like something a little more concrete before they went to the
third and final reading.
Alderman Trumbo asked if the committee would be formed by resolution or ordinance.
Mr. Williams replied it would not be either one. They could not limit the Mayor's power The
Mayor could tell the council how he was going to do it and if he violated what he had told him,
then the council could reject his selection by a two-thirds vote. He thought if they wanted
something m writing, then the Mayor needed to let them know what he was going to do, then
they needed to take him at his word. That was the only way they could restrict it. They could not
restrict the way he was going to select a candidate.
Alderman Trumbo stated they had a very civil discussion on this issue. He thought this was a
good compromise. If nothing else he had gained benefit from meeting the Civil Service
Commissioners.
Mr. Sam Campbell, an area resident, stated the Fire Department was composed of ordinary
people with unusual demands placed on them. Unlike the Police Department they did not have
continuing emergency. They had time between emergencies. It followed the principle of a
guerrilla army, that if you did not keep them occupied they were gomg to shot one another. Then
they had the union, to settle personal grudges. The Fire Department has got to have an outside
disciple applied to it. A dysfunctional Fire Department was going to show up in their
performance and eventually in the fire premium. The Fire Chief had to have some standing and
ability to discipline. If they were to react too quickly to unions, then they destroy the chief s
authonty. The problem is now to repair the damage. They needed to do something to give
authonty to the standing of the chief. Mr. John Deane, 2174 Cinnamon Way, stated this council
had not made a basic fundamental policy decision in years. All they did was adopt the findings
of a committee. They did it all the time. He was not surprised that they were going to form
another one. This city had more committees than any place on earth There were subcommittees
of committees. Many people who served on the committees had an agenda and a single minded
focus. The council needed to look at the city as a whole and what was best for the city. He was
glad to see the Mayor had recognized the need for funding. He knew of no better funding than
sales tax. Do what they wished with the Civil Service Committee, it was probably least political
of all their committees. They did not justify their decision by stating they were elected by the
people and that they should make the decision. The most they ever did was appomt a committee.
When Kohls had the grand opening, would the Mayor be cutting the ribbon or carrying the sign
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LEFT ON THE SECOND READING.
NEW BUSINESS
City Council Minutes
March 6, 2001
Page 7
RZ 01-1.00: An ordinance approving rezomng request RZ 01-1.00 as submitted by Ben Israel
of Dixie Development for property located at 2091 E Joyce Boulevard. The property is zoned
A-1, Agricultural and contains approximately 4.81 acres. The request is to rezone to R -O,
Residential Office.
Mr. Williams read the ordinance for the first time.
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Alderman Trumbo stated he had not received any calls on this issue.
Alderman Trumbo moved to suspend the rules and move to the second reading. Alderman
Reynolds seconded the motion. -Upon roll call the motion carried by a vote of 6-0-0,
Zurcher absent for vote.
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Mr. Williams read the ordinance for the second time.
Alderman Trumbo moved to suspend the rules and move to the third and final reading.
Alderman Thiel seconded the motion. Upon roll call the motion carried by a vote of 6-0-0,
Zurcher absent for vote.
Mr. Williams read the ordinance for the third and final time.
Mayor Coody asked shall the ordinance pass. Upon roll call the ordinance passed by a vote
of 6-0-0, Zurcher absent for vote.
ORDINANCE 4294 AS RECORDED IN THE OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK.
RZ 01-2.00: An ordinance approving rezoning request RZ 01-2.00 as submitted by Dave
Jorgensen of Jorgensen and Associates on behalf of J.E. Lindsey Family Limited Partnership for
property located south of Chamberland Square and east of Betty Jo Drive to Shiloh Drive The
property is zoned C-2, Thoroughfare Commercial and contains approximately 18.25 acres. The
request is to rezone to R-2, Medium Density Residential.
Mr. Williams read the ordinance for the first time.
Alderman Santos asked that they leave this ordinance on the first reading. He had heard some
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concerns from neighbors. It was an area which already had flooding problems.
Alderman Jordan stated there was a senous flooding problem in the area. He needed more time
and study.
Alderman Young asked if it could be addressed during the large scale development.
Mr. Conklin stated the issue was the water standing on Betty Joe Drive during heavy ram. He
had spoken with the Street Supenntendent The culvert and inlets were at or near capacity. The
main reason they were having water ponding in the streets was because of the debris in the
culvert. This rezoning was east of Betty Joe. The nmoff would need to be directed to the east
into the tributary of Hamstring Creek. They would work with the city's engineering division to
see if there was any work which could be done. If they were gomg to have traffic using Betty Joe
would this rezoning be appropriate. Keep m mind this property was currently zoned C-2,
Thoroughfare Commercial. They were down zoning it to R-2, Medium Density Residential. The
amount of traffic generated from the new zoning district would similar as C-2. In response to
questions, he stated anytime they had development, they encouraged access to the residential
developments, so the residents could acces the shopping center. Shiloh Drive was a one way
street from Wedmgton to 6th Street
Alderman Jordan stated the residents did use Betty Joe Drive. His only concern was that once
Betty Joe flooded then all those people had to use Shiloh, which was a one way street. If they
could fix the drainage problem, he would not have a problem
Mr. Conklin stated the traffic generated from this new development it would still be within the
guideline of the general plan of less than 4,000 vehicles per day. He understood his concerns.
Alderman Thiel asked if any of the drainage problems on Betty Joe could be eliminated with this
addition.
Mr. Conklin stated he was not familiar with where the street was flooding. This site was down
stream from Betty Joe. Any drainage from this site would flow east and not into Betty Joe Dnve.
It was not going to compound the problem.
LEFT ON FIRST READING.
SHILOH WEST APARTMENTS: An ardinance approvmg a waiver of Ordinance 3793 to
accept land and money m lieu as the park land requirement of Shiloh West Apartments
Subdivison.
Mr. Williams read the ordinance for the first time.
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March 6, 2001
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Mr. Bill Ackerman, Parks and Recreation Advisory Board, stated their recommendation was to
accept money and land in this situation. This project has had a reduction in the number of units.
They had adequate land in thgiaye. ,They also had the property to the west of this one. They had
another ten acres there that they were going to joint venture with the Boys and Girls Club In this
development approximately one-half acre would be designed for the tenants in this complex.
They recommended that the council accept their recommendation.
Alderman Thiel stated she had been on the Parks Board when this first came through. At that
time they were seekingconly money. She understood there had been a change. She thought that
was for the good with the interest in the trails. She was glad to see they were taking the trail
land. She thought it was a good compromise to have a tittle of both. That park quadrant did
need some money.
Alderman Santos stated this proposal did involve the dedication of some property which would
create a trail from this residential area to the future home of the Boys and Girls Club as well as
money in -lieu of land dedication.
Ms. Connie Edmonston, Parks Director, stated that according to the Park Land dedication
ordinance that funding which was collected in that park district must be spent in that park
district. It must be spent in a park which was south of Hwy 16 and west of Hwy 71 within three
years. It could be used for that trail or another area in the same quadrant.
Mr. Dave Jorgensen, Engineer, stated it was a perfect situation for the parks and the trails.
LEFT ON THE FIRST READING.
RZ 01-3.00: An ordinance approving rezoning request RZ 01-3.00 as submitted by Wes Burgess
of Crafton, Tull and Associates on behalf of NOARK Girl Scout Council for property located at
the northeast comer of Joyce Street and Park Oaks Drive. The property is zoned R-2, Medium
Density Residential and contains approximately .48 acres. The request is to rezone to R -O,
Residential Office
Mr. Williams read the ordinance for the first time.
Alderman Santos stated this was another down zoning. It had the support of the Planning
Commission, Master Plan, and the Planning Staff.
Alderman Santos moved to suspend the rules and move to the second reading. Alderman
Reynolds seconded the motion. Upon roll call the motion carried unanimously.
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March 6, 2001
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Mr. Williams read the ordinance for the second time.
Mr. Rudy Upshaw, NOARK Girl Scout Council, stated he wanted to express their excitement for
having more of a physical presence in the city of Fayetteville.
Alderman Santos moved to suspend the rules and move to the third and final reading.
Alderman Reynolds seconded the motion. Upon roll call the motion carried unanimously.
Mr. Williams read the ordinance for the third and final time.
Mayor Coody asked shall the ordinance pass. Upon roll call the ordinance passed
unanimously.
ORDINANCE 4295 AS RECORDED IN THE OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK.
GIS COMPUTER MAPPING: An ordinance repealing Ordinance 3865 which authonzed the
City Council to set prices for the sale of GIS Computer Mapping and repealing Resolution 10-95
which set such price.
Mr. Williams read the ordinance for the first time.
Alderman Santos stated it was a very fair thing to do.
Mr. John Goddard, GIS, stated this was going to be a good thing for both staff and the public.
They had numerous request from the public and other government agencies. With the ability to
download from the Website it was gomg to be easier.
Alderman Thiel moved to suspend the rules and move the second reading. Alderman
Young seconded the motion. Upon roll call the motion carried unanimously.
Mr. Williams read the ordinance for the second time.
Alderman Santos moved to suspend the rules and move to the third and final reading.
Alderman Jordan seconded the motion. Upon roll call the motion carried uanimously.
Mr. Williams read the ordinance for the third and final time.
Mayor Coody asked shall the ordinance pass. Upon roll call the ordinance passed
unanimously.
Alderman Zurcher moved to approve the emergency clause. Alderman Santos seconded
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March 6, 2001
Page 11
the motion. Upon roll call the motion carried unanimously.
ORDINANCE 4296 AS RECORDED IN THE OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK.
RURAL FIRE CONTRACT: An ordinance amending Sec. 33.046, Code of Fayetteville, to
establish annual fees fo a1,Fire,Contracts for the two year period of June 1, 2001 thru May
31, 2003. rJ
kr. Williams read the ordinance for the first time.
Mr. Jeff Erf, area resident, asked if the ordinance applied to the University Experimental Station,
which was not incorporated into the city. Did they had a contract with the city?
Mr. Wayne Ledbetter, Fire Chief, stated they covered the University Farms as well as the
campus. The campus was also State Property. For a while they did not cover the farm. It was
his understanding that they now covered both.
Mr. Don Bunn, Assistant Public Works Director, stated they coved that area because it was part
of a lease agreement for soccer fields along Lewis Avenue. In the lease agreement, part of the
city's payment came in the form of waiving those fire suppression charges for that area.
Alderman Santos moved to suspend the rules and move to the second reading. Alderman
Jordan seconded the motion. Upon roll call the motion carried unanimously.
Mr. Williams read the ordinance for the second time.
Alderman Santos moved to suspend the rules and move to the third and final reading.
Alderman Jordan seconded the motion. Upon roll call the motion carried unanimously.
Mr. Williams read the ordinance for the third and final time.
Mayor Coody asked shall the ordinance pass. Upon roll call the motion carried
unanimously.
ORDINANCE 4297 AS RECORDED IN THE OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK.
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.RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY PARKi A resolution approving a refund of the purchase
price of Lot 1, Research and Technology Park, of approximately 2 5 acres and reimbursement of
other costs expended by onginal purchaser and cancel option issued to Cache Investments for
adjoining property. •
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March 6, 2001
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Mayor Coody stated they had rethought their position on the 540 site for Research and
Technology. For various reasons they thought it would be good to reimburse Jeremy Webb.
Mr. Maguire, Administrative Services Director, stated the city was slowing down the
development out on 540. He explamed tits was acquiring back 2.5 acres of land and
reimbursement of soft cost. It was a faimess issue. $90,680.58 was allocated to land. $43,576.05
was for soft cost. This was not the only contract they had out there. They would also be
reimbursing them.
Alderman Reynolds asked what the future plans were for this site.
Mayor Coody stated they had been working with the Chamber. They might have the opportunity
to free themselves from some of the wetland and streams with the State. The remainder land was
worth more than they had paid for it. They might have some private investors which might be
interesting in doing their own pnvate development out there. There was a lot of momentum to
put a Research and development park at the Genesis Center.
Alderman Zurcher stated the Arkansas Darter was out there and it was a candidate for the
Endangered Species list.
Mayor Coody stated they were going to negotiate with some pnvate investors. It was hard to
justify spending millions of dollars out there and then giving the land away at a reduced pnce.
They could spend the money more efficiently in another location.
Alderman Thiel stated there was some money out there for this park for signage.
Mr. Maguire stated they were expecting to receive it in the next couple of weeks. They were m
the process of having the property appraised.
Mayor Coody stated if a private developer did take this land and did do an office technology park
as opposed to a research and development park that it would be very beneficial to hook up with
fiber optics and have good commication links between this 540 site and Genesis site. No one
else would have a direct link to the Genesis site. It might make an added bonus to this property.
Alderman Thiel moved to approve the resolution. Alderman Santo seconded the motion.
Ms. Andrea Bradwell, University of Arkansas, stated she worked with the Darter. She asked that
they keep all options open on what they decided to do with the wet lands.
Mr. Jeremy Webb stated they had been a big advocate for technology m this area. There was a
great need for one in Fayetteville. Technology companies fed off other technology companies. It
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City Council Minutes
March 6, 2001
Page 13
helped them grow. They wanted to be the firsts ones in any technology park. Their big thing
was that they wanted to be with the others: The Genesis site could be good. They would rather
be in an all technology park.
Mayor Coody stated they were thinking about on 540 side, having Technology and business there
and perhaps research and development at the Genesis site.
Mr. Webb thought that would be a good thing. If they could open up the area down there and
have commercial there. The University and the commercial were going to be able to feed off
each other. They needed to keep the technology here. They just needed a place to be.
Upon roll call the motion carried unanimously.
RESOLUTION 29-01 AS RECORDED IN THE OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK.
BEKKA PARKING SPACE REVENUE: Consideration of a claim by Bekka Development for
lost parking space revenue in conjunction with the Town Center. If the claim is approved,
approval of a budget adjustment to fund the approved claim is also requested.
Mayor Coody stated he had asked them to bring this back up. He felt they had an obligation to
see if they could not square up with Bekka Development. They had made some generous
contributions to the community. He wanted to see if they could settle up with them.
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Alderman Trumbo stated they had helpeda lot with the town center. It would make since to
reimburse them for loss of revenue. The whole project would not have happened without Bekka.
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Mr. Williams stated Bekka's attorney felt -there was a legal obligation for the reimbursement. He
concurred with Jerry Rose's opinion that in fact the parking revenue was not a legal obligation,
however, it was incident to the building of the town center. It was something the city council
could and in fact did in the past reimburse them for some of their lost parking revenue.
Ms. Diane Boyd, Bekka Development, stated there will be receiving their parking back. At the
time they were negotiating the land for the plaza. It was agreed that if they leased it for the plaza
that they would not be responsible for any kind of expense or any out lay of money. That was
why they wrote the lease to say that the lessee shall bear all cost and expenses directly or
indirectly associated with the leased premises including. If not for the lease with the city, they
would not have lost the revenue from the parking. They had the revenue coming in monthly and
had a waiting list for the spaces. They had also given up the right to ever develop their land.
Alderman Zurcher moved to approve the resolution. Alderman Thiel seconded the motion.
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City Council Minutes
March 6, 2001
Page 14
Mr. Jeff Erf, an area resident, stated the Town Center was an A&P commission project paid for
with HMR Tax money. Why did the city feel obligated to pay this claim rather than the A&P
Commission.
Upon roll call the motion carried unanimously.
Mr. Steve Davis explained while the A&P Commission did manage the Town Center. The Town
Center was a city project. It was not an A&P project. The money to pay for this came from the
Town Center Construction Fund because it was a project expense. The Construction Fund was
comprised of bond proceeds, HMR Taxes, a transfer of A&P reserves and a transfer from city
sales tax and a transfer from the Off -Street Parking Fund. It did not come from anyone's
operatmg budget. The A&P Commission is a separate appropriatmg body from the City Council.
The Parking issue, this invoice went through December. The Town Center was not going to be
completed until June. They needed them to authorize reimbursement until the Town Center is
opened. He did not expect the next invoice to be more than this one. They could put a limit on
it so they would not have to keep coming back.
Alderman Young moved to approve a budget adjustment in the not to exceed amount of
$6,400. Alderman Jordan seconded the motion. Upon roll call the motion carried
unanimously.
RESOLUTION 30-01 AS RECORDED IN THE OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK.
BEKKA LEGAL EXPENSES: Consideration of a claim by Bekka Development for legal
expenses in conjunction with the Town Center. A claim for parking rental revenue was approved
at the June 20, 2000 meeting of the Fayetteville City Council.
Mr. Williams stated the pervious council had looked at this and tabled it pending a decision from
the court on whether or not they would award attorney fees to Bekka, since Bekka had prevailed
and was dismissed from the suite.
Ms. Boyd explamed the last time they were before the council they still had a petition pending,
requesting that they be awarded attorney fees. That request was denied. They will not receive
any attomey fees from anyone else. The attorney fees were the same situation to them as the
parking. If not for the lease with the city they would not have been involved in the law suite.
They enter into the lease in good faith. They had no choice, but to defend themselves. It was an
added expense covered under the lease. They had invoiced the city for it. The city should abide
by the contract. They tried real hard to try and cooperate with the City.
Alderman Trumbo stated he felt they should reimburse the legal fees. The city had received
considerable help from their attorneys and they had helped the city.
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City Council Minutes
March 6, 2001
Page 15
Mr. Williams stated the city would be perfecting the appeal as the major party being challenged.
They had, theirpttorneys working on it. The insurance company for the city decided to accept the
case and provide representation. They were covering every issue that could be claimed by
Bekka. There was one issue that Bekka might want to do a separate brief on. He did not think
there should be much more additional cost to Bekka.
Ms: Boyd stated as far as she knew the city would cover just about everything on the appeal. She.
thought there was one issue that they might have that the city would not have. She hoped the city
would cover everything else in the appeal.
Alderman Trumbo moved to cover the legal expenses for Bekka. Alderman Thiel seconded
the motion. Upon roll call the motion carried unanimously.
RESOLUTION 31-01 AS RECORDED IN THE OFFICE OF. THE CITY CLERK.
CREEK CLEANUP: A resolution in support of the April 28, 2001 Fayetteville Creek Cleanup
along Skull Creek and other creeks in Fayetteville.
Alderman Zurcher stated last year there had been a group formed called Fayetteville Urban
Resources Stream Team. That group brought about two or three hundred people together for
their first annual stream clean up. It was down on Skull Creek. They pulled a lot of stuff out of
the creek. They were not planning their second annual clean up. The Environmental Concems
Committee recommended this resolution. It did include some things beyond they city's support.
It did require some equipment from the city and some staffingfor information booths.
Alderman Zurcher moved to approve the resolution with amendments. Section 1,C. #4 will
read, "establishing multi -use trails along creeks and streams." #4-6 will move up one
number. Alderman Young seconded the motion. Upon roll call the motion carried
unanimously. •
Ms. Terry Easton, 2003 South Ashwood, stated Friends of Fayetteville would want to be
involved in this project. -
RESOLUTION 32-01 AS RECORDED IN THE OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK.
Mayor Coody stated all of Fayetteville needed to be cleaned up. They would start to see a
concerted effort from City Hall to do a serious effort to clean up litter and junk throughout the
town. He commended the people doing the stream cleanup. It was a start on what they needed to
do citywide. They needed to start picking up their litter and to discourage people from littering.
Meeting adjourned at 8:45 p.m.
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