The city of Blytheville's hiring freeze has been removed, as of Tuesday night's council meeting, and Mayor James Sanders is again authorized to make hires and fill empty positions as needed.
All council members voted for the measure except for Tommy Abbott, who voiced opposition.
Abbott also spoke up in disagreement with the council's measure to increase wastewater rates according to the rate increase schedule set in 2009.
"It's no secret that I have a different philosophy on budgeting than the direction we're headed," he said. "I didn't know this was going to come back up. My concern is credibility, when we propose the kind of budget we have and then come right in and increase rates. I have concern about that, and going forward ... I hate to be the odd man out, but when changes to the budget come up and especially increases, it's going to be difficult for me to go along with it. I won't say this every time but I'm going to vote 'no.' I just wanted to get that out there."
Kevin Snow said the ordinance setting the rate increase schedule was passed by the previous administration and the council is simply implementing them. He added this is the last year for an increase, but Abbott said he was under the impression that last year's increase would be the last.
The increase would technically be moving rates to 2014 levels. If the ordinance is passed, subclass 1B residential users, which make up the majority of Blytheville citizens, would see their monthly sewer charge go from $17.71 to $19.32.
Before it can be voted on, an ordinance must be read three times. John Musgraves requested that the ordinance be read for a second time at next month's meeting, to give the public time to comment on the issue.
An ordinance was then passed making adjustments to the city's budget in the following amounts:
-- An increase in general fund revenues by $200,000
-- An increase in fire department expenditures by $80,000 and in the police department expenditures for $120,000, both for equipment purchases
-- An increase in street department revenues (from the Highway Severance Tax) by $300,000 and an increase in street department expenditures by $250,000 for equipment purchases and $50,000 in maintenance and repair expenditures
Three properties were condemned and added to a list the city is compiling for demolition in partnership with corporate sponsors and GIF funds -- 813 Dixie, 216 Patterson and 120 Sycamore.
The council also voted to continue in its lease-purchase program with River City Hydraulics by agreeing to lease three 2016 garbage trucks and two 2016 knucklebooms; in exchange for the company's re-purchase of the city's used garbage trucks.
Sanders was authorized by the council to enter into a service agreement with Unifirst of Memphis for uniform rental and cleaning services, a move Stan Parks said was proposed by J.T. Harris as being able to save the city $27,000 a year.
City parks director Elroy Brown will be doing additional research on work needed at the Youth Sportsplex's pavilion and parking lot. Brown requested that the finance committee recommend an appropriation of $50,000 for a matching grant to have extensive repair work done on Williams Park, but the issue was tabled until more information can be obtained, as the grant deadline isn't until August.
sspears@blythevillecourier.com