City revenues remain strong(full City Council meeting video included)

Five of the six members of the Warren City Council were present for the monthly meeting conducted August 10, 2020.  City Clerk Helen Boswell gave the financial report and informed the council that city sales tax revenues received in July remained strong.  The city sales tax generated $82,450.53 and the city share of the county sales tax brought in $55,536.24.  The city tax was up 2% and the county tax was up 3%.  All reports were reviewed and approved.

Mayor Pennington reported on the most recent state audit of city finances and informed the council of the responses sent back by the city.  The audit was clean and a good report.  One issue brought up by the state was the arrangement between the city and Bradley County Chamber of Commerce that allows the Chamber to locate offices in the Municipal Building.

According to history, the land for the current Municipal Building was donated in the 1930s to the city with the agreement that the Chamber would be allowed to maintain an office in the building free of charge.  The land was donated by Mr. Mansfield, then President of the Arkansas Lumber Company.  In recent years no one has been able to find any such agreement in writing and it is possible there never was one, except for verbal.

State Legislative auditors have been auditing the city for many years.  To the recollection of current and past living city officials, this issue has never been brought up before.  However, that is not unusual as the state from time to time looks into new matters of compliance.  The matter can be easily rectified by putting an agreement together and approved by both the city and the chamber.  The city agreed to comply.

Council member Dorothy Henderson voiced her concern over the spec building being given away by the BCEDC, knowing that the private prison company did not want the building.  She provided a history of the spec building and pointed out that city taxpayers paid 100% of the cost to construct the building.  She also provided some history as to the amount of money that has been paid by contract to the BCEDC since 1994.

Mr. Raymond Chapman, who resides on Lincoln Street asked the city for assistance in determining who owns what appears to be a dedicated easement adjacent to his property.  He indicated he wants to keep a horse on his land and needs to have a proper fence.  He also wanted clarification on the legality of having a horse in the city.  He was told by Mayor Pennington that horses are allowed in the city and she will ask the city attorney to look into the easement matter.

The council's police committee submitted a proposed amendment to the city's deadly force policy to make it clearer.  The committee consisting of Council Member Burks-Frazer, chairperson and members Burks and Moseley met with Chief Hildreth and crafted the amendment.  The council voted to approve the change.

The council voted to order several properties to be cleaned up and the announcement was made that the Street Committee will meet August 24 to discuss street paving.  All department heads submitted monthly reports.  Ashley Foreman, Executive Director of the Chamber and BCEDC gave a report on her activities.  She indicated she is working with a developer to build houses in Warren and with potential users of the old Freds and Piggly Wiggly building on Martin Street.

Reports of all city boards and commissions that meet during the month of July were submitted for council review.

Mayor Pennington reported that the door to door census enumerators will begin work August 11.  She stated that information from 20 households were secured during the census booth that was held Friday, August 7 in front of the Municipal Building.  The Mayor urged everyone to take part in the census and be counted.

The next agenda meeting is set for September 10 at 7:00 a.m. and the next council meeting for September 14 at 5:30p.m..  You can watch the entire city council meeting  as recorded on SRC, sponsored by First State Bank.