Bentonville OKs budget for 2018

Mayor: City’s growth necessitates adding four positions to payroll

BENTONVILLE — Three of the four added positions in next year’s budget are needed as a result of city growth, Mayor Bob McCaslin said.

The positions include a systems technician for the Information Technology Department, a crew leader for the Street Department, a warehouse worker for the Inventory Department and an animal control officer for the Police Department.

The City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved the 2018 budget.

The technology systems enlarged and added when the city’s maintenance and utility complex opened this summer was a contributing factor to needing another systems technician, McCaslin said earlier Tuesday afternoon.

The additional warehouse position is to replenish the one the city eliminated in

2009 because of the recession.

“The economy has done an about-face,” McCaslin said. “The city has also grown.”

Also, another crew leader will allow the Street Department to create another four-person crew by pulling one person from each of the other three crews, he said.

The animal control officer is needed to allow more flexibility in the current two officers’ schedules, he added.

“Currently we have very little flexibility and invariably have the same needs regardless of who is on vacation or who might get sick,” McCaslin said, noting there hasn’t been an increase in calls for animal services.

There was no discussion during the meeting regarding the budget prior to the council approving it. Council members discussed it during their previous two meetings.

The budget also recommends a 1.5 percent cost-ofliving increase and 1.5 percent merit increase for all city employees.

The anticipated revenue is $163.5 million with $162.3 million in expenses, leaving $1.2 million.

“All in all, if you look at our bottom line, it’s comparable to other years,” Denise Land, director of finance and administration, told council members Nov. 14. “It’s about $1.2 million. I think it’s a healthy bottom line, and it does give us some room for some contingencies in 2018.”

The council also approved a sign ordinance after amending the one planning commissioners approved Nov. 21.

Council member Octavio Sanchez recommended to omit the section prohibiting commercial mascots — a person holding a sign or dressed in a costume promoting a business.

There aren’t many who seek a temporary sign permit for this use so it’s not a large problem, he said, adding prohibiting them would limit a business’s creativity to attract customers.

The council also approved the ordinance that describes the new ward boundaries, which council members decided on in July.

George Spence, city attorney, and council members discussed the need to redraw the ward boundaries as Ward 3 has nearly 47 percent of the city’s 44,000 population. Ward 3 encompasses the city’s southwest and is bounded by Northwest Second Street and West Central Avenue to the north and Walton Boulevard to the east.

The new boundaries have Ward 1 north of Central Avenue and east of Walton Boulevard, Ward 2 west of Walton Boulevard and north of Southwest 14th Street, Ward 3 south of Southwest 14th Street and west of Southwest I Street, and Ward 4 south of Central Avenue and east of Southwest I Street and Walton Boulevard.

The 2018 City Council elections will be based on these boundaries, which will take effect Jan. 1, 2019.