In 30 seconds
- Special meeting took up only the two items tabled from the prior council meeting: a landfill bulldozer purchase and a landfill uniform contract, both riding on ordinances that waive competitive bidding.
- Council voted 6-0 to waive bidding and buy a used bulldozer for $112,000 (Ordinance 10-2026); Director Wilson said he intends to pay it off in about 4 months, not the standard 48, using revenue from a contaminated-soil project starting July 1.
- That soil project is valued at $525,000 (15,000 tons at $35/ton), funded through an ADEQ trust that Director Wilson said already holds the money.
- A second bid-waiver ordinance for a 5-year UniFirst uniform contract of $21,076.80 for landfill staff was introduced but not adopted; council voted 6-0 to table it until the July 7 meeting, timed to when the new soil-project revenue begins.
- Landfill year-to-date gross profit is up (about $618,500 vs. $443,617 last year) with repair costs and salaries down from last year, though the landfill still carries older debt, including a 30-payment, $5,185.25-per-payment settlement tied to Mayor Smith-era equipment litigation.
- Councilman Don Etherly supported the dozer purchase but flagged that landfill revenue is still running about $200,000 under its annual projection, and cited that same gap as his reason for moving to table the uniform contract.
Recap
Special meeting scope
Mayor Joseph Whitfield opened the special meeting and said council would take up only the business tabled from the prior meeting: two landfill items, a bulldozer purchase and a uniform contract, both requiring an ordinance to waive competitive bidding . He invited the landfill director, addressed on the record as Director Wilson, to give council added context before either item came to a vote .
Bulldozer funding plan
Director Wilson said a contaminated-soil disposal project would pay for the dozer at no cost to the general fund: the landfill is set to receive 15,000 tons of contaminated soil at $35 a ton, and he wants to pay off the dozer in about 4 months instead of the standard 48 . He said it is a smaller, used dozer needed alongside the landfill's existing larger dozer to clear mud from roads during rain, handle runoff containment, and meet backup-equipment requirements under state code . He also reported the landfill currently has zero violations and is close to being released from its consent order .
Landfill financials presented
Whitfield walked through the landfill's year-to-date statement of revenue and expenditures: gross profit is running about $618,500 this year against $443,617 at the same point last year . Repair-and-maintenance/supply spending fell to roughly $59,400 from $89,511 -- about a $30,000 drop, by his account -- and salary costs were $136,642 versus $159,927 last year . He credited the improvement to Director Wilson's equipment purchases and financial planning.
Dozer cost, packet correction, and vote
The dozer's price is $112,000; financing quotes on record ran about $2,700 a month over 48 months or $2,200 a month over 60 months, though Wilson intends to pay it off early from soil-project revenue . It was flagged on the record that council packets contained the wrong ordinance, which was corrected to include the $112,000 purchase ordinance . Council voted 6-0 to suspend the rules and place Ordinance 10-2026 on third and final reading, then voted 6-0 again to adopt it -- an ordinance waiving competitive bidding under Arkansas Code Annotated 14-58-303 to authorize the mayor to contract for the used dozer at $112,000 (the packet quote: a 2019 Liebherr PR716LGP) .
Next project and old debt
Wilson said the soil project now beginning is worth $525,000 and will be paid from an ADEQ trust that already holds the funds . City Attorney Andre Valley, addressed as "chief," explained a separate, older landfill debt: a Mayor Smith-era settlement with Little Rock over equipment, with a total owed on record of about $141,000, being repaid in 30 payments of $5,185.25 agreed in 2024 . Councilman Don Etherly said he would support the dozer purchase on the strength of July's new revenue, but noted landfill revenue is still running about $200,000 under its annual projection if the current trend holds .
Uniform ordinance details
For the second tabled item, council took up Ordinance 11-2026, which would waive competitive bidding for a 5-year UniFirst uniform contract for landfill staff, with a total contract amount of $21,076.80 per the packet ordinance (the spoken figure is caption-garbled) . Director Wilson said UniFirst offered weekly pickup, cleaning, and return service; he chose the Jonesboro-based provider after comparing prices with the vendor used by the city's water department and confirming the Pine Bluff landfill uses the same company . Landfill staff currently work in their own clothes. Mayor Whitfield said he wants every city department eventually in uniform for pride and safety, with the water and street/sanitation departments to follow as their budgets allow .
Uniform item tabled
Councilman Etherly again cited the landfill's revenue gap, saying he could not "put a good spin on this report" and wanted the new project revenue in hand before signing a uniform contract . He moved to table the uniform ordinance until the July 7 council meeting, timed to when the new soil-project revenue is expected to begin; the motion passed 6-0, and the ordinance was not adopted at this meeting .
The documents
Everything the council had in front of it, summarized. Page stamps open that page in the document desk.
Landfill Bulldozer Equipment Quote
Quote from Lift Truck Service Center (JCB of Arkansas / Liebherr) for a used 2019 Liebherr PR716LGP bulldozer for the Helena-West Helena Landfill . Listed equipment and options include a 6-way blade (11'6" x 3'7", 4.01 cubic yard capacity), operator cab with A/C, and a 30-day powertrain warranty . Price is $112,000.00 . Estimated financing is about $2,715.00 per month over 48 months or about $2,236.00 per month over 60 months . Price is FOB Little Rock, AR and does not include sales tax unless the city provides a tax-exempt certificate .
| Liebherr PR716LGP price | $112,000.00 | |
| 48-month estimated loan payment | $2,715.00/month | |
| 60-month estimated loan payment | $2,236.00/month |
Landfill UniFirst Uniforms Ordinance (Waives Competitive Bidding)
Draft ordinance would authorize the mayor to contract with UniFirst Corporation of Memphis, TN for landfill uniforms without competitive bidding, citing Arkansas Code Annotated Section 14-58-303 . It states the city has an immediate need for uniforms at the landfill and that time does not allow for advertising for bids . Total estimated cost, including fees and incidentals, is not to exceed $21,076.80 . The mayor and city attorney are authorized to finalize contract terms; the ordinance is drafted as an emergency measure, effective immediately upon passage .
| Not-to-exceed contract cost | $21,076.80 | |
| State code cited for bid waiver | Ark. Code Ann. 14-58-303 |
UniFirst Uniform Pricing Quote
UniFirst digital pricing quote for landfill uniform items (t-shirts, pants, jackets, coveralls) dated 5/28/2026 . Total listed cost is $87.82 per week . Handwritten notes on the quote estimate cost at $351.82 monthly and $4,215.36 yearly .
| Total weekly cost (listed items) | $87.82 | |
| Handwritten estimated monthly cost | $351.82 | |
| Handwritten estimated yearly cost | $4,215.36 |
Transcript
Auto-generated from the meeting video's captions and lightly cleaned for readability — wording is kept as spoken, not corrected, except that caption-garbled names of city officials are normalized against the roster. Speaker names follow the attribution work in our governance record; a ° marks a name our reviewers have not yet verified. Every timestamp plays the city's video from that moment. Watch the full meeting ↗
6:18
Mayor Joseph Whitfield° Okay. Our Father, who in heaven, be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. As we forgive those who trespass against us, lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power, and glory forever. Amen. I aliance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation indivisible with liberty and justice for all.
6:58
Roll call Roll call (attendance) — present: Maxine Miller, Adrian Messina, Joe St. Columbia, Don Etherly. Absent: Dr. Kyle Miller, Monica Davis.
7:14
Mayor Joseph Whitfield So, we do have a quorum. Thank you all. Um, being that this is a special meeting, we only are going to address the business that was tabled from our last meeting um on Tuesday and that can be found on the copy of your agenda in front of you. Uh, these two items are in relation to landfill purchases or um lease agreements. We have the landfill proposal for a new bulldozer equipment and also landfill uniforms ordinance um and a request to wave competitive bidding. So at this time for clarity and context I'm going to invite um director Wilson back up to just give some more context about uh the payment the plan for repayment on the potential bulldozer why he thinks this equipment is needed. And this is an opportunity uh this is an opportunity as well for viewers at home that didn't catch the first meeting to understand uh the potential need for this equipment. So I yield to you Mr. Wilson.
8:11
Director Wilson° Well the landfill is got a big a big project going on with uh YC Petroleum. That's how we the engineer at the last meeting told us this is we couldn't uh this is how we were going to use the money to pay for the dozer uh at no excess fees to the general fund. We will just use this. We got we were going to be getting 15,000 tons of uh contaminated soil brought to the landfill at $35 uh a ton. So that's how we will go on and pay for the dozer. And I told you that we possibly could pay for the dozer in 4 months. So it's a used dozer. And I just I just wanted to interject really quickly. This I see some of you already found it, but this is the information that's in the manila folder in case you were looking for that. But I didn't mean stop you, director. And this is just the first phase. It has two other phases, but this is just the first phase. And I left you in that folder some documentation if you wanted to at your privy if you wanted to call some of these folks or even if you wanted to go online and look at it is stating that it will be coming to our landfill. It's guaranteed too. So we are locked in and that's really why we need the other dozer for that and the road situations is a smaller dozer. The dozer we have already is is really too large for the road and this smaller dozer will help with the runoff containment and uh the runoff ditches that we have out there. So if anybody has any questions, give us an idea of how those are would help you with revenue. It will help tremendously with the uh revenue out there because it will uh doing the rain some of the rainy season. We have to shut down the landfield and this dozer will be uh used to is it has a sixway blade on it. So it would help clear the mud off the road. So you will be able to the trucks will be able to get back there and dump. So and these other big projects that we have coming up uh one dozer will be in the trash and the other will be in the second working phase helping spread out the contaminated dirt. Also, like I said, this is the first phase and you have on there what it's paying. So, that's more than enough to cover the total cost of the dozer and the uniforms. So, I don't want to cause any burden to the general fund. None whatsoever. So I, you know, I learned a little bit about, and I I I'm sure I should have known this, but when it rains, it's extremely difficult for you to have um
12:15
Unidentified the revenue be consistent,
12:18
Councilwoman Maxine Miller (Ward 1)° right? So with this dozer, that's going to help you in those periods.
12:23
Unidentified It's going to help with the runoff water that runs. It's going to help with compliance altogether. Yes, ma'am. Because we uh under ADQ rules, well, code of ethics, we have to have backup equipment. We have got to have backup equipment. So, this will help us get into compliance also. And you've managed to get us off of all of those uh
12:56
Unidentified violations. Yeah.
12:57
Unidentified Violations.
12:58
Director Wilson° Yeah. The last time we were inspected, we had zero violations. So, we were really just waiting on the head man Ryan to come down for his inspection. And hopefully after his inspection, we'll be taken completely off of the consent order.
13:16
Unidentified That's a great job.
13:18
Unidentified Yes, ma'am. We're working hard.
13:20
Unidentified It really is.
13:21
Unidentified Yeah.
13:22
Unidentified Mr. Wilson, this is a this is a um
13:25
Unidentified there's a quote to the doer in our packet.
13:27
Unidentified Uh I have to get you one. I had it on at the last. It has it in there.
13:33
Unidentified Okay.
13:36
Unidentified I just want to see.
13:37
Unidentified Yes, sir.
13:43
Unidentified Okay. What's our payout? What? Four years, 5 years, pay off the dozer.
13:49
Unidentified I want to pay the dozer off in four months.
13:53
Unidentified Four months.
13:54
Unidentified Yes, sir. Instead of the 48 months, I want to pay it off in 4 months.
13:59
Unidentified Once we start getting the revenue
14:02
Unidentified uh once we start getting the revenue in from uh Thompson's Petroleum, I'm going to pay the dozer off completely and possibly another piece of equipment also. That's good. That's what we need to do. Pay things off in four months.
14:20
Unidentified Yes. Is there um I know we're going to talk about Thompson next, I guess. Um is there any other Well, I guess I want to I kind of want I want to talk about that and I don't know if I can the contingency of this is on that. I don't know if we should approve this first or if you have another pathway for paying for the um
15:04
Unidentified Well, you could probably going to approve that first.
15:07
Unidentified Okay.
15:08
Unidentified Yes, sir.
15:08
Unidentified Okay.
15:09
Unidentified Yeah. Because this project starts the first of next month and we want to have this dozer in place by then.
15:28
Unidentified Okay.
15:29
Unidentified We need to have it in place.
15:36
Unidentified And you said the first of next month. So since the month just changed, you mean the 1st of July, not?
15:41
Unidentified Yes, sir. The 1st of July.
15:50
Mayor Joseph Whitfield° I do um I'll add just while thoughts are mulling over and um consideration is being taken um also I believe given to you was a copy of the balance sheet and uh statement of revenue and expenditures for the landfield. So, um, I encourage you to look at those numbers as well to see year-to-date actuals from 2025, um, to 2026. Uh, one thing I will commend Director Wilson on is, um, foresight in terms of financial budgeting and planning, similar to coming in not just with a request, but a plan to make sure that it's paid off. Um, I think that that's reflected through some of the numbers that you will see um, in that year-to-date actual comparison. So,
17:07[cough]
17:10
Mayor Joseph Whitfield for some of the folks at home, I will just mention or note a couple of things. Um, so over the last 5 years and if we're also just looking at year-to-date actuals from last year, not dating back to 2022, but um our gross profit is outpacing it's it's outpaced um where we were last year. Um this year we see $618,53 in total compared to last year at this point $443,617. I do agree that that's a testament to the leadership of um Mr. Wilson.
17:48
Mayor Joseph Whitfield° As far as repair and maintenance and supplies, um if we look at the year-to-date actuals, we see a difference of $30,000 there. Um $59,43 in 2026, $89,511 in 2025. I know that there has been some equipment purchased at the landfill over the last couple of years and I think um that the numbers show that quality um quality purchases of equipment under quality leadership save save money and that and that's what we're seeing. Um quality leadership save money and that's what we're seeing. Um salaries, you see a difference there uh through just this past month. not uh again not hypothetical numbers but definitive numbers sitting at $136,642 versus last year's $159,927. Um and so the numbers in the uh statement of revenues and expenditures I believe speak to the benefit of not only having this piece of equipment um but also just the financial planning savviness to make sure that it's not going to be a burden on the budget. I feel comfortable having uh looked at the numbers. I feel comfortable having had a conversation um in part with the city clerk as well as the treasurer. Um and so I just leave the floor to any other extra discussion that you all have or may want to ask. Uh, Mr. Wilson, what do you think has been the um um uh the testament to the growth? because I was looking at the end ending balance um from this year um or for this court I guess you could say which is literally double than it was this time last year. So what do you think is you should be commended and the rest of the team
20:04
Unidentified for that? What um what are some things that you've done because I think one thing with success is we need to know that so we can replicate it. Well, the thing is we were able to purchase and get this equipment uh that saves you a whole lot of money having uh good equipment to work with.
20:27
Unidentified So, you don't have all you're not spending hundreds of thousands of dollars in repairs.
20:34
Unidentified Yeah. So, and we have a uh a mechanic slash deputy director uh foreman out there, Mr. Bruce Simpson. He knows how to he's been around heavy equipment all his life and he knows how to work on it. So,
20:52
Unidentified yes, sir.
20:52
Unidentified That helps a lot right there. having somebody down there that can work on it, service it, and if he has any questions, he gets on the phone with the uh dealers, and he's uh I guess he has a grown uh with the uh the companies that we have bought the equipment for. He knows all the mechanics and that helps a whole lot.
21:31
Unidentified So you have submitted a plan to address the loss and expenditures. I think some of those in that uh budget pace you have I think that they have some stuff that's uh off on that. So you would have to get with Miss Ramsay and Derek whenever he gets back. I think that's off a little bit. That is off a lot. So, well, these projects that we have coming to the landfield is going to address any loss that the landfield has. So, we got several projects. Like I say, this is just the first phase. This is just the first phase and you see where it's been. So, we have two other phases and then we got another big project. It's a project after project
22:40
Councilwoman Maxine Miller (Ward 1) cuz this project that's coming up is for what? 525,000.
22:47
Unidentified Yes, ma'am.
22:50
Unidentified Yes, ma'am. And we will be paid from a uh DEQ ADQ uh trust. So, and they already have the money in the trust to pay us. So it's almost guaranteed. It's a lot.
23:12
Councilwoman Maxine Miller (Ward 1)° I just want you to be able if at all possible to have the equipment that you need to continue.
23:21
Unidentified Yes, ma'am. Being off of consent orders is crucial. Oh, we are we are very close. Very So we we just really in a waiting game
23:26
Unidentified Oh, yeah.
23:28
Unidentified Oh, we are very close. Very close. So we just really in a waiting game with ADQ now to come down. We expect them to come down any day. So we're ready. Let them come.
23:54
Unidentified Director Wilson numbers that you gave the 5.5,000 that's the 15,000 tons that
24:01
Unidentified Yes, sir. That's the first phase. Yes.
24:04
Unidentified Yes, sir.
24:06
Unidentified And I left some website numbers on there. If you need to go on a computer and look it up, it ought to be if it's not in the handout, I'll get them to you. Uh this lust uh case ID number is what you uh can put in under EPA and you can go and look at you can go and look this this second dozer, this commercial can go and look at it. Without this second dozer, this commercial dozer, will you be able to do the project properly?
24:42
Unidentified No, sir. No, sir. Because it's when they're bringing the contaminated dirt in, we have to spread it right then and pack it. So, the big dozer that we have will be over a push in the trash. And this this smaller dozer will be placed in in that uh this smaller dozer will be placed in that uh right there where they're dumping the contaminated dirt at and spreading it out.
25:24
Unidentified How soon have to be in a truck? Sir,
25:28
Unidentified how soon will the city have to begin its first payment?
25:30
Unidentified Well, the it starts they got it in intervals coming out. The uh the project starts on July the 1st. I'm I'm sure I can go online and get a payment schedule. They already got that out. Okay. I'm I'm sorry I didn't put it in your handout. They already got a payment schedule. Okay. Are there are there any other questions? I don't want to rush uh this body to make a decision, but I'm just want to make sure any questions or reservations or uh considerations for Director Wilson. I think, you know, I'm a I don't know. I I'm a little concerned because looking at this, you know, in terms of the expenditures
26:49
Unidentified uh versus the fact that okay, if we, you know, but we need this dozer to make sure that our revenue is consistent or, you know, for inclement weather. So, it's sort of a balance here, you know, that
27:05
Unidentified I think we've got to really consider.
27:08
Unidentified Okay. Okay. If um if there is no further qu line of questioning, I do ask if there is a motion to um if are we in are we entertaining a motion for for purchase. This is going to be the purchase for that first bulldozer, not both.
28:16
Unidentified We currently have one bulldozer. Yes. I mean, this would this would just be for one bulldozer. There's not not two bulldozers being p purchased. Yeah, just one dose
28:25
Unidentified for 112,000,
28:27
Unidentified right?
28:31
Unidentified And what are the notes approximately?
28:34
Unidentified Uh I think is for 48 months
28:38
Mayor Joseph Whitfield° approximately 2700 uh for 48 months and 2,200 uh for 60-month term. Thank you for the sake of for sake of meeting the conversation head with the madam clerk is that the packet that I have has the wrong ordinance it doesn't have the $112,000 ordinance from got another copy from her that my office had provided her excuse me. To complete the purchase of the city, we have to do a ordinance waving bidding. And you recall here for the the effort to suspend the rules placed on third and final reading reading the title only because a motion to do so. Is there is there anywhere on this list here that you can think of that you could possibly trim anything?
30:33
Unidentified I know.
30:36
Unidentified Well, this list is is is is showing it's showing really showing old debts that we are paying for some previous equipment that was down there. And uh we I think the city attorney made an agreement and we're paying on that also. So,
30:59
Unidentified what's that?
31:00
Unidentified The old equipment that we had at the landfield. that we are
31:08
Unidentified my weeks.
31:09
Unidentified Right.
31:10
Unidentified Yes, sir.
31:11
Unidentified Right.
31:14
Unidentified I think that we trimmed that back
31:17
Mayor Joseph Whitfield° a whole lot from what we previously owed on it, but we are just making strides. And I said like uh if we get this piece of equipment, we have more projects. It it puts us in compliance like I said because we are supposed to have backup equipment in case anything goes down. We're supposed to have backup equipment. So, like I said, we got a lot of projects coming up and any debt that we have, we pay more on it. To that to that point. I I think that um I mean trimming to Councilman U Miller's point, I mean I think I think the statement of revenue and expenditures in spite of the debt that we know the city or the spite of the claims we know the city has um that to me has been has I I see it um with repair and maintenance with um uh salaries with uh the profit. You see that there's an increase there um as well as with uh lease purchases. So there are again I mean this is a testament to director Wilson's leadership there and doing well with constraints I think is a hard thing to do but director Wilson has effectively done that and not only again has he come to the table with an ask I think that it's great to see an ask followed by a solution which is a project that um that would kick off within a month's time. So to me that's due diligence. To me that is considering financial strengths. To me that is um proving why the numbers are what they are on our statement of revenue and expenditures. And I think it's worth noting that some some of uh the debt precedes um his some of his judgment and calls. So I think I think he's this is exactly what we want to see from department heads being able to do well um given such tight parameters around finances and and budgetary constraints.
33:44
Unidentified Hey chief, what is our um lease payment that we have right now?
33:50
Unidentified That's that's some old debt that we are paying off. We didn't when anything
33:57
Unidentified when Mayor Smith was here uh the city had written some equipment for rigs. The city was suing a little rock for that.
34:06
Unidentified Oh.
34:06
Unidentified And as part of part of it, we did a settlement agreement.
34:09
Unidentified Mhm.
34:09
City Attorney Andre Valley And in the settlement agreement, the total amount that was owed at that time was $141,19.60. Uh and we agreed in 2024 to 30 payments.
34:24
Unidentified Okay. 30 payments of $5,18525.
34:28
Unidentified Okay.
34:29
Unidentified Is what they're paying.
34:31
Unidentified I got you.
34:33
Unidentified And then uh what are what are some of the things that are included in expense? Landfill expenses. I'm just looking looking at the
34:45
Unidentified landfill expenses are
34:46
Unidentified I know you didn't anticipate it being a landfill uh budget meeting, but
34:50
Unidentified Yeah.
34:51
Unidentified Yeah. Well, it's it's just the expenses on the new equipment that we're paying for. Okay.
34:59
Councilwoman Maxine Miller (Ward 1)° And so there are fines that are associated with consent orders, right?
35:04
Unidentified Yes.
35:05
Unidentified Okay.
35:05
Councilwoman Maxine Miller (Ward 1)° And you've been able to get us out of the majority of that, right?
35:10
Unidentified Majority of it. Yes, ma'am. We have zero violations as of now. So, I'm I'm not going to jump out there for uniforms, but I would jump out and I'd like to make a motion.
35:25
Unidentified Is your motion to What is this, Madam Clerk?
35:29
Unidentified I don't have a problem with
35:30
Unidentified Sir,
35:31
Unidentified what is this?
35:32
Unidentified 10.
35:33
Unidentified I thought we did 10 other
35:36
Unidentified max.
35:37
Unidentified I thought we did 10.
35:38
Unidentified We didn't pass anything the other night.
35:42
Mayor Joseph Whitfield° Oh, we should have. It's 10. Uh there be an ordinance to suspend the rules. Place ordinance number 10 10 2026 on the third and final reading reading the title.
35:52
Unidentified Yes.
35:53
Mayor Joseph Whitfield Madam clerk, will you call the role?
35:55
Unidentified You think got a second?
35:56
Unidentified Oh, sorry. Thank you.
35:58
Unidentified I have a question. I'll second question. The the um the um are the uniforms included in the this?
36:09
Unidentified No, this is $112,000 just for the
36:12
Unidentified Okay. Those those Okay, gotcha. I don't have a problem with it with
36:21
Mayor Joseph Whitfield° Is that an official second?
36:22
Unidentified That is I I I'll throw out this comment.
36:31
Councilman Don Etherly (Ward 3) I'll support this request on the notion that on July 1st, we have new revenue coming in and and I've heard some positive spins put on this report. Uh from the treasurer, but it is what it is. And the revenue is up from this time last year, but it's still under the projected revenue for the year.
36:55
Councilman Don Etherly (Ward 3) Um so if this trend were to continue, they would miss their revenue projection by about $200,000. And so, but on the notion that this will help to create new revenue, which is something that we need, I will u I'll I'll support this and that is coming immediately. I mean, like next month.
37:16
Unidentified Yes.
37:17
Roll call Roll-call vote — Don Etherly: yes; Maxine Miller: yes; Adrian Messina: yes; Dr. Kyle Miller: yes; Monica Davis: yes.
37:37
City Clerk Sandi Ramsey° Ordinance number 10, 2026 is ordinance waving comparing bidding in accordance with Arkansas code annotated section 1458303 authorizing the mail into a contract purchase certain equipment for the city of Han Arkansas for other related purposes. The particular equipment is is a a live caller doza in the amount of $112,000. Need to be a motion to adopt. So move. Is
37:59
Mayor Joseph Whitfield there a second?
38:00
Roll call Roll-call vote — Joe St. Columbia: yes; Adrian Messina: yes; Dr. Kyle Miller: yes; Monica Davis: yes; Maxine Miller: yes; Don Etherly: yes. Clerk's count: 6 yes.
38:12
Mayor Joseph Whitfield Motion passes. Thank you. Um, thank you. And now, and we have a separate ordinance for uh the uniforms. And I just want to yield to you again, Mr. Director Wilson, if you wanted to explain what you feel the benefit of uh the uniforms is for I know Councilman Davis and Dr. Miller weren't here, so I'm sure that they appreciate
38:35
Unidentified I'm going to have to get them a pack uh uniforms. Like I said, the the uniforms uh yearly total is under the mayor's spending budget, but anything that uh I guess requires a contract to receive has to come before you all. So, uh as of right now, we don't have a uniform provider. Uh I don't think that the water department or the stream sanitation department has a provider of uniforms either. So this is something that will be purchased under these proceeds from this uh project that we have going on here. So
39:29
Unidentified what's the terms of the contract? How long is the contract?
39:31
Director Wilson° It's five years. It's five years. So I think it's about $20,000 for five years. Fiveyear contract. Director Wilson, could you explain one of the questions came up just the other night was why does the water utility want a different contract, different entity than landfield? Could you explain that please if you have answers that?
39:58
Unidentified Uh well, the landfield needs a high visibility uh uniforms and I don't know if the water department I I really can't tell if the water departments I had got in touch with Mr. Rose to see what his prices were and they were about just about the same. So, uh, I just went with Universe because, uh, they were right there in Jonesboro and I don't know what company he was using and their availability to service the uniforms. They come up every week and pick up the uniforms and clean them and uh, bring them back to us. So, I don't know what company Mr. Rose is using, but uh these folks impressed me. I gave I looked them up on the internet and they came right down and I did check with the uh I guess the director of the Pine Bluff landfield and this is the company they use also. Thank you.
41:32
Mayor Joseph Whitfield And there is there any other discussion around the purpose or um necessity or consideration of uniforms for director Wilson? There's an ordinance in your packet if you all desire to weigh competitive bidding and advise the mayor and the director to uh enter to this contract. It's ordinance number 11 2026 will be an ordinance. The motion will be suspended rules placed on third and final reading reading the title on it. If you so desire, the amount of total amount of contract is $21,76.80. If there's if there's no discussion or um any other extra questions, ing for Director Wilson. Is there a motion to um accept this purchase for uniforms in the amount of $21,7680 for uniforms for the landfill?
43:39
Unidentified I understand that the body um I think the the hesitation is is good and I definitely um take my own time to uh consider any new purchase or figure that's put on the desk before it comes to the table. Um, again, I would just like to reiterate that what we got tonight wasn't just an ask, but it was a creative solution for how to how to fund these initiatives in spite of the city's financial positioning. So, I do ask that you consider that um in in your in your thinking.
44:19
Unidentified If we [clears throat] pass this, what about the other two uh departments? Are they going to be required? Are they required against uniforms? Also,
44:30
Mayor Joseph Whitfield I personally would like to see every department necessary have a uniform. I believe that it contributes to pride. I also think it's a safety um measure as well as um just uniform literally. The water department has its own fund. So, they would have a provider ideally that works for them. They might have different needs from what the landfield particularly deals with on a day-to-day basis and street and sanitation department as well. The plan there is for them to have uniforms eventually. Um we have seen um one I want to say one quote from them um but it wasn't the right one for us. So um ideally short answer yes the other departments would get uniforms so that we can make sure that the city's running optimally the way it should be. For the these departments, will they have enough funds to pay for the uniforms?
45:21
Mayor Joseph Whitfield° Every every department is different and not every department has their own funds. So, the conversation around payment for those uniforms in relation to those departments will will be different. Um, that's why we're not sitting here tonight talking about street sanitation yet because we're not there yet with them. Um, water, the water department, I think, is um ready to also enter a contract for uniforms as well. Um, so as as the numbers make sense, yes, those conversations will happen. And that's why we're having it tonight for the landfill. Um, because of uh because of timing and the the financial the financial plan here for support.
46:06
Unidentified What do you all wear now?
46:09
Unidentified Our own clothes. Our own clothes. Okay. Yes. Can can we do this when the new revenue starts this next month? That's it. That's doable.
46:44
Unidentified That's fine.
46:46
Unidentified That's fine. Like I like I said once in five, six different times. I don't want to cause any burden to the general fund.
46:57
Councilman Don Etherly (Ward 3)° And I guess that that would be consistent. I'm I'm trying to be consistent with what I just said on the the equipment on the notion that it helps to generate revenue,
47:04
Councilman Don Etherly (Ward 3)° right?
47:04
Unidentified When that starts, then the uniforms can can follow.
47:09
Unidentified Yeah.
47:10
Unidentified So as a practical question,
47:15
Unidentified as a practical question,
47:17
City Attorney Andre Valley° Yes sir. Are you asking to table this or you saying adopt it and authorize them to sign it after July? Which one are you asking? I think
47:26
Councilman Don Etherly (Ward 3)° table it table until
47:28
Unidentified Okay.
47:29
Unidentified Table until July when that new project is underway. We know once it's underway that payment comes follows the project being underway. So, we're talking 30 days and we'll know.
47:43
Unidentified Sounds good.
47:44
Unidentified Cuz I mean, I don't I don't I don't want them to have to wear their own clothes at the at the landfill. I mean,
47:50
Unidentified well, we do.
47:52
Unidentified And and and I know that's that's a mess, but
47:56
Unidentified yeah, you'd have been out there. You know,
47:58
Councilman Don Etherly (Ward 3) but you're right. But at the same time, I mean, I I I can't put a good spin on this report. And so, I just want to once the revenue starts, there'll be a source dash. Thank you, Councilman Nethley. Thank you, Director Wilson.
48:13
Councilman Don Etherly (Ward 3)° I'll move the move the table um the uniform uh request until the first meeting in July. I don't know what that date is.
48:31
Unidentified The 7th. Oh, the 14th.
48:34
Unidentified Sorry, 14th. You
48:36
Unidentified It's the second Tuesday.
48:38
Unidentified Oh, first Tuesday. Sorry. Seventh.
48:41
Unidentified July 7th.
48:43
Unidentified Tuesday.
48:45
Unidentified July 7th.
48:46
Unidentified Yeah.
48:47
Roll call Roll-call vote — Dr. Kyle Miller: yes; Adrian Messina: yes; Monica Davis: yes; Don Etherly: yes; Maxine Miller: yes.
49:07
Mayor Joseph Whitfield Thank you. Motion passes. So, we will table this and pick this up in July. Thank you, Director Wilson, for coming and thank you all council members. Uh, is there a motion to officially adjourn this special meeting?
49:16
Unidentified I appreciate all of y'all.
49:18
Unidentified Thank you.
49:20
Unidentified So, move.
49:21
Mayor Joseph Whitfield Thank you. Meeting adjourned.
49:22
Unidentified Hey, I I got a question.
49:23
Unidentified So, do we not
49:24
Unidentified I got a question.
49:26
Unidentified Somebody asked me, it's a swimming pool open this summer.
49:32
Mayor Joseph Whitfield° We're working We're working on that. We um there are some things we're trying to figure out right now. Um some equip some equipment questions that have to be sorted out, programming questions that need to be solved
49:45
Unidentified because Clarksdale is not open.
49:48
Unidentified Clarkdale is not open in their swimming pool.
49:51
Unidentified I know.
49:52
Unidentified So people ask me, are we going to have ours open? I said, I don't know. Yeah,
49:57
Unidentified we're working on
49:59
Unidentified equipment repair
50:00
Mayor Joseph Whitfield° together for hope. The Boys and Girls Club and Kip are all trying to use it for programming over the next uh couple months. I think it would be great because the pool used to be open for the duration of the summer. Um there is a cost there. Some questions around making sure that uh it's paid for.
50:22
Unidentified All right. I went and checked with I went and checked with um what is it? Uh battery C
50:31
Unidentified battery C
50:32
Unidentified went and checked with
50:35
Unidentified three people up there.
50:37
Unidentified The manager and the assistant manager, I guess he's assistant manager.
50:42
Unidentified Uhhuh.
50:43
Unidentified And I told him, I said, "Uh, we got problems with that uh place being open around the clock."
50:49
Unidentified Mhm.
How this page was made: built from the city's own meeting video (YouTube ↗) and its posted meeting packet (Drive folder ↗). Dollar figures are quoted from the documents; nothing here is paraphrased from memory. Corrections: cheekforhelena@gmail.com.