Springdale council nixes new position

Members voice support, but say timing not right

SPRINGDALE — The City Council decided now isn’t the right time to create a job in city government.

Members voted 4-3 against paying for an assistant for the mayor. Each council member said he supported the idea but didn’t want to add another expense to the city budget. They told the mayor they want to see how the city sales tax — and thus revenue and operating expenses — would be impacted by the closing of most of the city’s businesses during covid-19 outbreak.

Mayor Doug Sprouse said the position was important to the future of the city. He wanted Colby Fulfer, a former council member, and proposed paying him $53,000 of salary and benefits for the rest of the year. Next January, the salary would increase to $60,000.

Sprouse planned for Fulfer, a local businessman, to work closely with Wyman Morgan, the longtime director of administration and financial services, learning the details and the theories of how the city operates. Sprouse wanted to transition the position into a director of administration upon Morgan’s retirement. The financial duties of the job would continue with the director of finances, Laura Favorite, and her staff of certified public accountants.

Morgan has worked for the city for 20 years and plans to retire in early 2022. Fulfer resigned from the council in February after his family moved out of Ward 1.

“I think it’s a good thing that they all seem to support the idea,” Sprouse said. He said he’ll present the proposal to the council again, but he didn’t know when.

Council member Mike Overton said he agreed with the need for the position and supported Fulfer for the job.

“The stumbling block is not the virus, but revenue we will be getting,” he said. He noted various reports showing conflicting predictions of the amount the city will lose.

“But I can’t do this until I see actual numbers coming in,” Overton said.

Council members Mike Lawson and Kathy Jaycox asked to delay the decision for 60 to 90 days until sales tax receipts are reported.

“Neither me or Colby or anybody thinks this is a good time for anything,” Sprouse said. “But we’ve made tough decisions before when the timing wasn’t right. Look past the timing at the future of our city.

“Wyman holds a key position in the city,” Sprouse continued. “And things are happening and will continue to happen in this city over the next two years no matter what the virus does.”

Sprouse pointed out Springdale has millions of dollars yet to spend from the 2018 bond issue, which

“I think it’s a good thing that they all seem to support the idea.” —Springdale Mayor Doug Sprouse

Morgan primarily has managed. Sprouse also said city departments and employees will move multiple times as the administration building is renovated — which was paid for by the 2018 bond issue.

Council member Brian Powell compared Sprouse’s succession plans to those in the military. A qualified person is tapped for the job and then works beside the current leader to learn the job before the leader goes. This helps provide a smooth transition, he said.

Powell serves in the Arkansas National Guard.

“It’s a very, very important position,” Powell said. “Springdale is growing and will continue to grow whether we have the coronavirus or not.”