The Smackover City Council met on Monday, May 10 for their regular monthly meeting.
Council members approved the previous meeting’s minutes and the payment of monthly bills to begin the meeting.
The April financial report was not approved during the meeting, as it was not yet available. That statement will be presented in the June meeting, according to the meeting agenda. Mayor Bobby Neal said the April report was not available because the timing of the first of the month caused the bank statements to arrive too late for the report to be made before the council meeting.
Old business consisted of an update on the ongoing upgrades on the basketball court at MLK Park in Smackover.
The court project has been an ongoing topic of discussion in recent monthly meetings. Former and current Smackover residents have spent several months fundraising to upgrade the court, and the council previously agreed to assist with any funds not raised by residents.
In April, the council agreed to enlarge the court to regulation size and city recorder/treasurer Rick East noted that the two new basketball goals had been ordered.
On Monday, Neal gave a new status report on work at the court.
“The basketball courts [have arrived] and we have $6,750.57 already turned in by the [fundraisers.] We have the gravel down to extend on the sides of the court and are waiting on paving,” Neal said.
He also reported that the old goals are expected to be taken down “this week.”
In new business, Neal informed the council that copies of the city’s 2020 audit were available for council members’ perusal.
“You have a copy of it and can read it when you’re ready… So far they didn’t find any violations,” Neal said.
Next in new business, Neal proposed the council take action on preventing signs advertising yard sales, garage sales and similar ventures from being posted on city property, such as light poles.
“We’re flooded with these signs… I take them down about as fast as they put them up, because if I don’t do that, two weeks from now the [sign] will still be on the pole. These signs for power washing and things like that are all on the streets. If a person wants them in their yard I don’t have an objection to that, but on the streets - we’ve just about turned into a sign city,” Neal said.
Neal went on to say he believes poles are being damaged by the signs.
“The Lions Club about two years ago paid someone $40 or $50 per pole to paint the light poles [in town]. I saw a sign duct taped to the light pole, which probably now will pull the paint off of it,” Neal said.
Council member Mark Corley questioned how the city could enforce an ordinance against signs.
“What are we going to do though, make a $1,000 [fine]? We have housing ordinances, dog ordinances, trash can ordinances and don’t enforce any of it… I’m just saying, why do we want to do something else?” Corley said.
The issue was tabled after brief discussion.
Council member Paul Givens also reported street damage at Magnolia and 3rd Street and council member Jeff Price requested that a constituent be put on the June agenda to address a sewer line passing through his property.
Police reports for April were available in documents provided by East.
According to the report, the Smackover Police Department responded to 128 calls; had eight misdemeanor and two felony incident reports; two accident reports; made one misdemeanor and three felony arrests; performed 1,160 security checks; performed 71 traffic stops; wrote 21 traffic tickets and 64 warning tickets; answered four alarms; and provided 19 assists and two escorts.
The next regular council meeting will be on Monday, June 14 at 6 p.m.