In an effort to maintain social distancing guidelines set by the Arkansas Department of Health and the CDC, Calion’s Thursday City Council meeting was closed to the public but live-streamed on Facebook.
With each council member and Mayor Bill Yutzy seated about six feet apart in the Karen Evans Community Center, council member Bill McCorvey opened the meeting by praying for those affected by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).
All council members were present other than Todd Parker and recorder Mary Martin.
The council approved last month’s minutes and this month’s bills.
In old business was discussion on unkempt properties, but Yutzy said it’s been difficult to find the owners of the properties with the assessor’s office closed.
“I’m just going to wait until we can find something on that,” he said.
In new business was the signature list to be taken to Simmons Bank of El Dorado that would allow those specified people to sign off on bills and city paperwork.
Yutzy said city employees have been hurt for a little bit of time since Calion Treasurer Fran Hicks has been out for medical reasons, and she and Yutzy are the only two able to sign off on payroll.
A council member made a suggestion to allow the mayor, along with at least two aldermen, to approve the paying of the bills.
Yutzy said there are bills where the city would save money if the bills were paid before the late charge came in. With the approval of a couple aldermen, the council would then be able to bring up the bills at the following meeting.
It was then made into a motion and passed unanimously.
He also said the fire department will no longer be using city hall to do their business. However, when they want a grant, they will have to go through the city.
One council member asked who Jamie Morgan was, who is currently assisting the treasurer and was on the signature list council members approved.
Yutzy said Morgan was not hired as a city employee, and the attorney said anyone who the mayor appoints and the city approves can be on the signature card. Yutzy also said many people are looking at Morgan as Hicks’ daughter-in-law, but said she is herself stand-alone.