El Dorado city officials are reviewing and clarifying issues with various city boards, commissions and committees.
City officials convened a specially called meeting Friday and pored through information pertaining to the makeup of the various groups, which groups are regulated by local ordinances and state statutes, if any changes or amendments are needed, meeting schedules for the groups and other matters.
Following a lengthy discussion, council members made some immediate changes and agreed that other matters need further research and review.
City boards, commissions and committees include: the advertising and promotion commission, airport commission, historic district commission, parks and playgrounds commission, planning and zoning commission, library board, El Dorado Works Board, Water Advisory Board and the city council finance committee.
Representatives from the city also sit on the El Dorado-Union County Recreation Complex board of directors.
Mayor Veronica Smith-Creer noted that in March, she broached the topic of expanding the city finance committee to include the entire council, with council members selecting the chairman.
“And to give people the opportunity to serve on other committees or commissions,” she added.
“That’s one of the things I think is very important, as far as I’m concerned, is to give council members the opportunity to serve in different areas and have opportunities and I think that’s something that’s important to our community too,” Smith-Creer continued.
She acknowledged that over the years, several council members have served in various capacities and she noted that some council members — including Paul Choate and Andre Rucks, both of whom were elected in 2018 — have expressed interest in serving on some boards, commissions and committees.
Council members Willie McGhee and Michael Rice said the entire council, rather than a few members, used to make up the finance committee.
“I don’t know why that was changed,” Rice said.
“I think everyone was in agreeance with it being the whole council. I think that would make things go a little bit better so that everyone can be informed about the finances, being part of those finance committee meetings …,” Smith-Creer said.
McGhee agreed, saying, “I think every city council person needs to be involved from jump so that we can have a discussion and vote.”
The group elected Council Member Vance Williamson as the chairman of the committee. Williamson abstained.
Choate and Council Member Dianne Hammond, who had headed up the finance committee in recent years, were unable to attend the meeting.
The council also agreed to keep Williamson and McGhee on as the representatives of the city on a committee for the Union County Jail.
The pair have served on the committee for the past two years and have negotiated a flat fee for city inmates who are held in the county jail.
Williamson and McGhee abstained from the vote.
During a review of the A&P commission, council members noted that state statute requires two council members to serve on the commission.
They learned that Hammond and Council Member Judy Ward have served on the A&P commission for 11 and eight years, respectively.
Hammond has served as chairman for the past several years.
Smith-Creer said Choate had thrown his hat in the ring for an A&P seat.
After further discussion, the council voted unanimously to appoint Choate to the commission and agreed that Ward would keep her seat, noting that she has institutional knowledge.
Ward said the council should revisit the matter later and set term limits for council members who serve on the A&P commission, noting that while term limits are not set by state statute, the council could address the matter by revising the local ordinance.
Blann and Williamson agreed to remain as ex-officio members of the airport commission.
Both abstained from the vote.
The council also appointed Rice to the complex board.
Rice joined Hammond, who serves as vice-chairman of the complex board.
City officials noted issues for the complex board require more research.
City Clerk Heather McVay said that, per a 2001 interlocal agreement between the city and Union County, the board is to be comprised of six members, three who represent the city and three who represent the county.
Council members said the makeup of the board has since changed and there has been some confusion about the members who represent the city and how they were appointed.
McVay said she is working with the county to find documentation about the issue, noting that the council and former Mayor Frank Hash appointed Avo Vartenian to the complex board in 2017.
Rice, who resigned from the parks and playgrounds commission when he announced plans to run for city council in 2016, said he feels a city council member should serve on the commission and the council voted for Rucks.
City officials also said they will also revisit a request with the El Dorado-Union County Chamber of Commerce to have a city council member as a voting member of the chamber’s board of directors.
McGhee serves as the city’s representative for the chamber but he does not have voting powers.
Blann noted that the city pays an annual contract for services for the chamber to serve as its economic development arm, but the chamber has no political affiliation and is a private entity.
Tia Lyons may be contacted at 870-862-6611 or tlyons@ eldoradonews.com .