City Council improves meetings; two departments affected by COVID-19
The Monticello City Council upgraded
their technology for the Tuesday, July
28, regularly scheduled board meeting in
the Sadie Johnson Building with the room
equipped with microphones for each member
and speakers so members of the public
could better hear and understand what was
being discussed during the meeting.
The new setup saw the council spread
out, as it has been since resuming in-face
meetings. The public area had less chairs,
spaced farther apart than before. With the
new equipment the meeting ran smoothly.
Bettina Randolph with the Boys and
Girls club was unable to attend but sent a
report to Mayor Paige Chase. According
to Chase, Randolph reported staff were
gearing up for the reopening of the club
in August for the delayed school start. In
the meantime, staff is busy reconfi guring
rooms and attending seminars in or to learn
what safety rules need to be followed so
the staff can adhere to the new COVID-19
safety rules and keep the kids attending as
safe as possible.
Monticello planning commission chair
Dan Boice next addressed the council,
announcing the commission had received
Fire Marshal Kyle Berryman’s monthly
report of receipts from permits and inspections.
“Council members will note that almost
half of the receipts for 2019 came in December
after City Council had approved a
number of ordinances relating to permits
and inspections,” Boice reported. “The
receipts for the fi rst half of 2020 exceed
those for all of 2019.”
The total for 2019 was $13,942.40 with
the total for the fi rst half of 2020 adding up
to $14,112.86. The roofi ng ordinance permit
fees have not been added to the total
as of yet.
Pam McEowen reminded the council
in her report that the Senior Center has
been closed due to COVID-19 except
for curbside pick-up for lunch. The lunch
menu is printed weekly in the advance
(look on page 3A). Lunch is $2 for those
60 and over and $4 for those under $60.
Chase told the council she had picked up
lunch from the senior center that day and
encouraged people to support the center by
ordering a full meal for $4.
McEowen also reminded the council
that with the closure the center has not
been able to participate or hold their regular
fundraising, missing out on fundraisers
such as the Walk-a-thon and the sales
held for children. Currently, the Center is
still selling raffl e tickets for the quilt raffl
e. This quilt, which is made by the same
group who has made quilts for 40 years,
will be the last quilt the group will raffl e
for the Senior Center. The drawing will be
held Friday, July 31.
The Senior Center also has masks available
with a suggested donation price.
Nita McDaniel, Monticello Economic
Development Commission, announced
the commission was meeting by Zoom
with a potential business and had two other
projects she is currently working on. According
to McDaniel, they are very excited
about the prospects with one moving very
fast, another moving pretty quickly and
one moving slower.
With the COVID-19 and coronavirus,
the retail market is taking a hit, according
to McDaniel. One of the things the commission
is working on is to update retail
trade area on the website. McDaniel said
some closures are going to be expected as
the pandemic continues.
McDaniel reported there are still funds
available for loads through the MEDC for
businesses.
A pause in work for the parks department
due to COVID-19 until Tuesday
Aug. 4, has led to public works doing its
best to pick up the extra work, according to
Chase. In his report to the council, Charlie
Hammock, with the public works department
reported the public works night crew
was up again and working after the crew
was also affected by the COVID-19 virus.
The crews are fi xing leaks, patching up pot
holes, while also continuing to smoke the
sewage system, a project that can not be
completed when it is wet.
According to Michael James, city council
alderman, the skate park is ready to be
completed but the city is waiting on volunteers
who will assemble, weld and paint
the ramps. While the city has to wait for
volunteers to fi nd the time to work on the
skate park, James is confi dent it will be
completed. Chase reminded the members
of the council the Disc Golf course was still
a go. The bike trail team is still working on
getting donations to match the grant, anyone
who wants to donate can contact City
Hall or donate to the groups Go Fund Me
account. The Disc Golf course also has to
match grant funds.
Arkansas Game and Fish worked on the
lake bed fi sh habitat this week, building
100 porcupine structures out of wooden
pallets. According to Chase, the structures
use wooden pallets and the city has 300
wooden pallets now but will accept any
donations of wooden pallets. If anyone has
wooden pallets, the city will come pick
them up. Call City Hall to donate.
On the levy, the engineering fi rm, Atoka,
does not believe the berm is the problem.
Instead, the fi rm believes the city
didn’t take the crest far enough down in
the last attempt to repair the levy.
U.S. Highway 278 and Gaines are
currently being redone by the Arkansas
Department of Transportation, once that
project is complete they will be moving to
Pope Street.
Resolutions passed
• Resolution for Airport CARES Act
Grant - The grant will fi nance a portion of
drainage improvements around the Monticello
Municipal Airport
• Resolution for acceptance of Arkansas
State Aeronautics - The grant will pay 90%
of the cost of the drainage improvements
at the airport. The estimated costs of the
improvements are $95,000
• Resolution to accept changing prices
of timber harvested from the lake. The
price of Pine Pulpwood and Hardwood
Pulpwood has decreased on the market
due to COVID-19. The price of Pine Pulpwood
has dropped from $5.15 per ton to
$3.50 per ton. Hardwood pulpwood has
lowered from $12.50 to $7. The council
had three options:
1. do nothing and let contract expire
2. do nothing and extend the contract for
another year to see what prices do
3. accept price changes and move ahead.
• Resolution for record retention and
destruction policy for Monticello
A public meeting will be held Tuesday,
Aug. 25 at 5:45 before the next regularly
scheduled meeting at 6 p.m. in the Sadie
Johnson Building. The meeting will be
about the closing of a platted street.