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Benton Area Chamber of Commerce

July 24, 2023 By Shelli Poole

Bryant officials disagree over percentages on potential A&P tax – meeting Tuesday night

by

The Bryant City Council will meet Tuesday night to do the second reading of an ordinance that would ask voters if they want an Advertising and Promotions Commission.

The council members and parks staff are at odds on how much the Parks & Recreation Department would receive if the A&P Commission is voted in by residents. See the documents linked below for all the details. There are a host of other items on the agenda for the July 25th meeting, beginning at 6:30 p.m.

Come to the meeting in person at Boswell Municipal Complex-City Hall Courtroom, 210 SW 3rd Street or watch live on YouTube at: https://www.youtube.com/c/BryantArkansas.

The full meeting agenda with links to important documents is as follows:

Invocation

Pledge of Allegiance

Call to Order

Approval of Minutes

  1. June 2023 Council Meeting – Unapproved minutes

Presentations and Announcements

  1. Parks Committee Recommendation – The Bryant Parks & Recreation Committee recommends the City Council amend the A&P Special Election Ordinance to designate 70% to parks, 25% to the A&P Commission, and 5% to administrative costs. Anything less than 70% with the 3.0 millage rate currently under consideration by the Council will effectively result in a dramatic reduction in the parks’ current budget of $3.7 million. In fact, the ordinance as amended at the last Council meeting allocating only 30% to parks would be a twenty-five percent reduction from our current budget. That would a major step backward and force parks to operate at a subsistence level with no growth, no added services, and deferral of essential maintenance. In addition, with the 30% level of designated funds from the A&P, the parks’ strategic planning process authorized by the council will become a wasted effort and a waste of $50,000 of taxpayer money paid to consultants facilitating the development of the plan. More importantly, it will be a breach of faith with the 44 people representing a broad and diverse cross section of the community serving on the planning committee for more than 18 months, and the more than 1,000 people responding to our survey seeking their input into how they would like to see their parks system grow and develop.

Full Statement Attached:




Director’s Report

  1. Animal Control – Second Quarter Report

Public Comments

Old Business

Finance

  1. Annual Millage Rate Decision – Ordinance to adopt the Millage rate for real and personal property for 2024. – Ordinances to adopt a millage rates for 2024 for both real and personal property, see attached.

City Attorney

  1. A&P Decision for Special Election November 14, 2023 – Ordinance to allow for a special election for an A&P Tax in Bryant. – An Ordinance to call for a Special Election on November 14, 2023 for an A&P Tax in the city of Bryant, AR, see attached.

New Business

Finance

  1. June 2023 ending Financial Report – Approval and Acceptance of the June 2023 ending Financial Report, see attached.
  1. Budget Adjustments – Resolution to amend the city budget for 2023 – A Resolution to amend the city budget for the period ending December 31, 2023, see attached.

Animal Control

  1. Resolution Approving Sale or Disposal of Cat Condos – Resolution approving sale or disposal of older cat condo units for the animal shelter, if the budget adjustment is approved to purchase replacement enclosures.




Community Development

  1. Leonard Speed appointed to Planning Commission – Mayor Scott recommends Leonard Speed serve as Planning Commission representative for Ward 2.
  1. Data Center Ordinance – An Emergency Ordinance Adopting Certain Rules and Regulations Concerning – External Noise Attenuation of Data Centers and to Prevent Noise Disturbance in the City of Bryant; To Declare an Emergency; And For Other Reasons.

Parks and Recreation

  1. Long Range Aquatics Center Planning – Contract for mechanical and architectural services from Batson – Engineers / WDD Architects – Engineering Study for long range planning of Aquatics Center atmospheric control




Public Works

  1. Leroy Tinkler appointed to Water/Wastewater Committee – Mayor Scott recommends Leroy Tinkler serve as Water/Wastewater Committee representative for Ward 1.
  1. Southwest Trailer Connector Project Application – Resolution to express willingness to utilize Federal Aid Transportation Program Funds – Resolution to express willingness to utilize Federal-Aid Transportation Program Funds
  1. Hurricane Garden/Springhill Inlay – 2 – Item over $35,000 for council approval. Hurricane Garden/Springhill 2″ mill and inlay
  1. CAW Scheduled Rate Discussion – CAW 10-year increase – Discussion over CAW’s updated volumetric rate and infrastructure fee schedule.
  1. Resolution for public bid of equipment – Resolution for public bid of equipment – Resolution allowing public bid of equipment.
  1. 2023 Internal Rate Review – Internal Rate Review – 2023 Internal Rate Review per ordinance

Council Comments

Mayor Comments

Adjournments

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