Monday afternoon, Blytheville City Councilman Matt Perrin, Blytheville Assistant Police Chief Ricky Jefferson, Public Works Director Mark Keys and a few others gathered at the Ritz to take part in the July City Council committee meetings while other members of the council - John Mayberry, John Musgraves and Barbra Brothers - attended via Zoom.
It was the first committee meeting since the pandemic began.
Perrin thanked David Lyttle and L.C. Hartsfield for preparing the Ritz for them to hold a venue there. Four of out five committees —Parks and Recreation, Code Enforcement, Animal Control, and Public Works — met Monday. Airport and Utilities didn’t meet as Brothers was the only member present.
Chair Vera James and councilman R.L. Jones didn’t attend.
However, according to Musgraves, who stated he had been in touch with James, the meeting will take place Tuesday night, along with Police and Fire and Finance and Purchasing.
A question was also asked via Facebook Live, “Which committee has the authority on mandating masks?”
Perrin belives it would be Police and Fire but he’d be happy to address the issue.
Mayberry stated he was in favor of masks.
Brothers voiced her opinion as well, however, due to technology issues she was unable to communicate her concerns during the meeting.
Perrin added he thinks the city of Blytheville should get the city of Jonesboro’s resolution and send it to city attorney Chris Brown for the council to discuss the issue at the Police and Fire committee Tuesday night.
The first committee that met Monday night was Code Enforcement, which is chaired by Mayberry.
Jefferson gave a report stating 324 cases were generated for code enforcement, 290 of those cases have been cleared, certified mail was 28, $300.60 for postage fees, 212 violation notices, 141 door hangers placed, seven ineligible vehicles removed, five houses demolished —four by the city and one by a home owner.
Brothers added that Code Enforcement is doing a “tremendous job” in tearing down houses.
Brothers also stated that many citizens have been leaving grass trimmings in the street, which in turn clogs the drainage ditches.
Jefferson stated he’d put notices in the paper and on social media regarding grass trimmings in the street.
Jefferson reported for Animal Control that they had one person out on sick leave so he didn’t have a report to give to the council.
Perrin stated that the Nuisance and Abatement board is still needing one member to serve on the board and that the council is waiting on a name.
Musgraves also asked about the use of SkyCops in Blytheville and wanted Jefferson to give a report at the next meeting in regard to those captured due to the SkyCops and how many more SkyCops will be going up.
Jefferson stated they have helped in three homicides so far along with help capturing other crimes taking place. Jefferson added the only problem is the city needs more SkyCops in town.
The only member present for Parks and Recreation was Brothers, however, Parks Director Cody Wyatt gave a brief update.
Wyatt stated the city pool closed on July 1 due to the increase in COVID-19 cases. She has also been working with the pool employees on side projects for the city such as cleaning out the Ritz, cleaning the Clean Fun Club building at Walker Park and sanitizing playground equipment and trash pick up throughout the parks.
Wyatt added that the Delta Gateway Museum and Ritz are still closed, other than the Ritz being open to hold the committee meetings that night.
Wyatt also stated they had electrical problems in the pump room at the pool and the control panel caught on fire. Wyatt stated the building didn’t burndown but they are concerned that there could be some damage to the motor. Public Works is currently fixing any issues.
Perrin also mentioned putting, or getting a price on, lights on the driving range at Thunder Bayou down the road.
Wyatt stated that Thunder Bayou’s Jordan Farrow has been looking at this and she will get in touch with him to see if he has a price.
Public Works director Mark Key said his department has been healthy so far during this COVID-19 pandemic and they have been repairing a lot of drains and culverts this year.
Wyatt asked Key about the possibility of making the intersection of 5th Street and Ash Street into a four-way stop instead of a two-way stop.
Key stated that is a question for Thompson and Jefferson to answer.