As the city moves closer to completing a long-running downtown sidewalk improvement project, a question has arisen about the process by which residential sidewalks are built.
A local resident was expected to appear before the El Dorado City Council June 9 with concerns about sidewalks in residential areas, per the council's agenda for its regular meeting.
Mayor Veronica Smith-Creer noted that the woman was not able to attend the meeting and she asked Robert Edmonds, city director of public works, to explain how sidewalks are built in residential neighborhoods.
Edmonds explained that the city's policy regarding such requests is that the residents purchase the materials and the city performs the work.
"We pay for everything and they reimburse us for the materials," Edmonds said.
Added City Attorney Henry Kinslow, "That way, you get volume discount."
Smith-Creer asked if residents often come to the Department of Public Works with such requests and Edmonds said, "Yeah, we get quite a few."
"I've had several people call me about that," Council Member Willie McGhee said.
The question came nearly a month after council members authorized the Department of Public Works to apply for a federal grant to continue a project to improve downtown sidewalks.
The project has been underway for 10 years, having started in core of downtown, the area that immediately surrounds the Union County Courthouse, and spread outward as funding became available.
Damaged concrete sidewalks are being replaced with red-brick concrete pavers.
The first phase of the project cost $642,000 and was largely covered by a $450,000 TAP grant, which was secured with the help of R. Madison Murphy, then a member of the Arkansas State Highway Commission, and matching funds from the city.
Over the years, the project has advanced with a mix of grants and city funds, including the one-cent El Dorado Works sales tax, which is dedicated to economic development, municipal infrastructure and quality-of-life projects.
The next phase will move north of Elm Street to Peach Street, if the grant is approved, and Edmonds it will be the last leg the project.
Bills
In other business, the council repealed city Ordinance 1590, which requires council members to approve the payment of bills of $5,000 or more.
Kinslow said the ordinance conflicts with other city ordinances and at least one resolution that set the minimum payment at $2,000 for council approval.
The council also considered a proposed amendment to Ordinance 1798, homing in on the payment and signing of bills and checks.
One revision calls for all bills to be sent to council members, presumably by email, on a weekly basis for review.
The council previously met twice a month but in late 2021, council members changed their regular meeting schedule to once a month -- which went into effect last December.
Smith-Creer pointed to the revision, asking, "Is there no approval? It's just for review?"
Council Member Vance Williamson, who serves as chairman of the city's Finance Committee, said that if a question arises about a bill, the matter could be discussed during the monthly council meeting.
"So, if no one responds, nobody looks at it, it's just automatically approved?" Smith-Creer pressed. "I just want to know what the process needs to look like."
McGhee said verbiage could be added to the ordinance to address the matter if there is an objection to or question about a bill.
Council Member Mike Rice also said that council members could include any questions in their replies to the original email.
"It's just an acknowledgement," Council Member Andre Rucks said.
Smith-Creer noted that the bills are sent to council members prior to each regular meeting and she is not always sure if they receive or review the emails.
"I think there should be something in there to prove that you reviewed them, whether it's review, respond approve, however, but I think there needs to be something in there to prove that the council received them, saw them and looked over them," Smith-Creer insisted.
The mayor inquired about another clause that says, "No bills other than those found to be within the (city) budget constraints will be stamped for payment without (council) approval."
Creer-Smith said the clause implies that the council has already approved the bills.
"I think what that language is saying is that as long as it falls within the budget parameters, it's OK. If it's outside a budget line item, then that would be ...," Williamson said.
Smith-Creer interjected, saying that bills go to the accounts payable clerk for payment.
"Now, is she supposed to know what falls within the budget for each department for everything?" the mayor asked.
Williamson said the accounts payable clerk should have a copy of the city budget and line items and that city department heads should be tracking expenditures for each line item within there respective departments.
Smith-Creer said she was trying to ensure that the responsibility of monitoring budget parameters for the various city departments would not be added to accounts payable clerk's job duties.
Rucks noted that Williamson receives monthly financial reports from Emrich and Scroggins, who is contracted as the city's treasurer, and will notice any budget overages.
Ward said the distribution of the bills should be consistent and she suggested Monday to allow time for council members to check for emails and address any concerns.
Smith-Creer said the city's bills are paid Tuesday and Thursday each week, adding, "So if we sent it out on Monday, we would need a quick response by Tuesday."
After further discussion, Council Member Dianne Hammond withdrew her motion and McGhee, his second, to approve the ordinance amendment to allow Kinslow to clarify and add verbiage to the ordinance to address Smith-Creer's concerns.
Kinslow and Smith-Creer said Council Member Paul Choate, who was absent June 9, proposed the ordinance amendment.