Four reappointment resolutions to the golf course facilities board failed at the Blytheville City Council’s regular monthly meeting on Tuesday evening. Councilman John Musgraves conducted the council meeting in Mayor James Sanders’ absence.
Two resolution items on the agenda were motioned to be taken off due to them not having gone through the committees. Both items were for endorsing businesses to participate in the tax back program, one for FrigorTec LP and the other for Atlas Tube. Another resolution authorizing the sale and lease of equipment for the Public Works department was to be added to the agenda.
“Items number two and three have not gone through committee yet so if the council wishes to table those someone needs to make a motion to table two and three and add the additional resolutions,” said City Attorney Chris Brown.
Before the two resolutions were tabled, Councilman Matt Perrin suggested that the four reappointment resolutions be tabled as well.
“As long as we are making amendments to the agenda, items six through nine, we are reappointing four people to the Golf Course Facilities Board. I believe last month you (referring to Councilman R.L. Jones) suggested that new commissioners ought to come before committees,” said Perrin. “I have not met any of these people, we have not interviewed them, I mean I think we should pull all four of these off the agenda until they can report to committee, and we can see why they are interested in the Golf Course Facilities Board.”
Perrin continued, “I think you were absolutely right, we ought to interview all new commission members or reappointed commission members, I don’t feel comfortable voting on people that I haven’t spoken with.”
Musgraves said, “I believe it is ultimately the mayor’s job to appoint these people.”
Perrin countered, “The mayor appoints, we confirm, I don’t feel comfortable voting to confirm without meeting these people.”
He said last month, the council set a new precedent that when it appoints or reappoints commission members the council has an opportunity to speak with them and understand why they are interested in serving on a board.
“We never voted on it,” said Jones.
Perrin replied, “That’s not something we need to vote on, I motion we table all four of these.”
“If you make a motion, I’ll second it because that is what I thought we agreed on as a council,” said Councilwoman Barbara McAdoo-Brothers.
The council members voted to amend the agenda by tabling the two tax back program resolutions and adding the Public Works resolution.
The council failed to table the four reappointment resolutions. Perrin and Brothers both voted yes while Musgraves, Jones, and Councilman John Mayberry voted no. (Councilwoman Vera James refrained from voting due to late arrival).
Brothers asked, “Why are we defeating ourselves, and why are we not voting on something we decided to do last time?”
“It seems like what’s right for one is right for all but that’s not the message this council is sending,” said Perrin.
Council members then gave their committee reports. During Jones report, Leslie Hester of Delta Gateway Museum gave an update due to her absence at the Parks and Recreation committee meeting.
After committee chair Jones thanked Hester for the update, Perrin interrupted saying, “Before we move on I want to point out because I got the Parks and Rec minutes earlier, something else occurred, will you get to it, I’m sorry.”
Jones responded, “Yeah,” and explained that his report was not finished, and that he was only thanking Hester for her update.
After Mayberry gave the code enforcement committee report, Perrin brought up the Historic District Commission and its current position due to the council.
“I went to Historic District Commission meeting this past month; unfortunately, only one commission member was there so they couldn’t do any business, that is due largely in part to this council’s failure to reappoint commissioners Carrington and McClain,” he said. “The reason we didn’t reappoint them from my understanding was because Councilmen Jones, Mayberry, and Musgraves thought we needed to hear from commission members before reappointing them, but apparently, we have suddenly had a change of heart… they have work that needs to be done.”
After the report of committees, the council voted on one ordinance and nine resolutions. The four reappointments to the Golf Facilities Board for Danny Beck, Brian Fleming, Larry Hill, and Shane Still all failed due to a 3-3 split. Mayberry, Musgraves and Jones voted yes on all four while Perrin, Brothers, and James voted no on all four.
Brown stated, “Since these haven’t passed, it would be up to the mayor to reappoint these names or not.”
During the second reading for reappointment of Brian Fleming, Perrin and James inquired about why the reappointment votes were not tabled.
Perrin said, “I could be reasoned with if I understood why Brian Fleming is so qualified for the Golf Facilities Board without us having met him, I’m sure he is a great guy.”
James added, “Those questions keep coming up but we really are not getting an answer, because before we said let’s table these appointments until we meet these people. So what is the exception with these people tonight?”
Mayberry responded, saying, “I had a question that was all, and that person was not there that day, I did not want to question anybody else.”
“So your position was that we needed to question everyone, that was my understanding,” said Perrin.
Mayberry countered, “Well, you’ve got the wrong understanding.”
James stated, “I was ready to vote for those already in place, if there was any problems then they should have been addressed before reappointment. We are going to question some people but not all.”
Mayberry explained again that he had a question for the previous members of the Historic District Commission, and that he went on to second that the vote to be tabled last month, because he had a question.
“An example was made out of them for no reason,” said Perrin.
An ordinance to amend ordinance number 1832 and provide for the condemnation and removal of properties that constitute a nuisance providing for a lien and a penalty was passed.
Three resolutions were passed:
— One to authorize the condemnation of 10 structures found to be dilapidated, unsafe, unsightly, unsanitary, obnoxious and uninhabitable.
— One amending the 2019 budget for the fiscal year ending.
— And one authorizing the sale and lease of equipment for the Public Works Department.
After the meeting was adjourned, Pam Blankenship of the Historic District Commission asked to appear to the council.
Blankenship spoke about the importance of the Historic District Commission in the community.
“We all want the same thing, a growing, prospering Blytheville, Arkansas,” she said. “Everyone working within this program takes guidance from professionals who know a lot more about a functioning, viable Main Street program than we do. As long as each section involved works together, it moves like a well oiled machine. When personal matters and control issues come into play, that is when it falls apart. Let’s look at the big picture here.”
Blankenship finished by saying, “The only criteria, as far as I’m concerned for people to be on the Historic District Commission, is their willingness to serve. They are volunteers, it doesn’t make any difference how qualified they are, as long as you know they have good sense and integrity, and they follow the rules as best as they possibly can.”
The meeting was then re-adjourned.