Once Again… Ordinances Tabled For Lack Of Quorum

LINCOLN — For the second consecutive regular meeting, Lincoln City Council did not have enough members present to consider ordinances on its meeting agenda.

The Council tabled four ordinances on its agenda last week (June 19) because three of the eight aldermen were absent. Two-thirds of the Council, or six aldermen, must be present to vote on ordinances.

Council members present were Doyle Dixon, Doug Moore, Robin Moore, Doug Hutchens and Jerry Stowers.

Aldermen Gary Eoff, Bobby McDonald and Troy Myers were absent. Mayor Rob Hulse also was absent.

The Council voted to table four ordinances, one that would have called a special election to vote on a three-fourths cent sales and use tax and the other would have levied the new tax if it was approved by voters.

These ordinances, as well as the others, will be on the Council’s July agenda.

The Council also was missing three aldermen — Bobby McDonald, Troy Myers and Doug Hutchens — at its May 15 meeting and had to table ordinances on the agenda. One of the ordinances to

purchase a new fire truck had a deadline so the Council called a special meeting for May 21 to meet the deadline and consider the other ordinances.

The comment was made by Hutchens at last week’s meeting that the city probably needs to poll Council members to make sure there will be a quorum for the July meeting.

In continuing with the rest of the agenda, the Council approved two resolutions to endorse the mayor’s contract with engineering firms on two major projects.

Lincoln will contract with Crist Engineers Inc., of Little Rock, for a new elevated water storage tank and pumping station to improve the city’s water distribution system. The city will pay Crist $265,000 for its services, which will continue during the construction period.

The second contract is with McClelland Engineers for engineering services for the city’s wastewater treatment plant dechlorination project. The city plans to upgrade its existing wastewater treatment plant to limit free chlorine in the effluent discharge. The upgrade is to meet new limits as required by Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality.

Payment will be based on an hourly rate plus expenses and is not expected to exceed $20,000 for engineering fees.

Council members voted to authorized city business manager Rhonda Hulse to tear down a small, old building next to City Hall and the water department. The city has tried to sell the building but hasn’t had any luck.

“We can’t get anyone to take it,” Rhonda Hulse told Council members.

The Council would like to have the building gone and the area cleaned up before this year’s Arkansas Apple Festival.

Another item on the agenda was a request to seek bids to overlay Adams Street and North and South Carter. After some discussion, it was decided to repair street cuts in the roads and then consider overlaying the streets at another time.