Nicholson Council Meeting Minutes
Monday April 4, 2022
6:30 P.M. Community Center
Call to Order – 6:30 p.m.
Attending: Mayor Jan Webster -Council Members – Thomas Gary, Josh Burkhalter, Lamar Watkins, Interim City Clerk- Irma Robles, Library Manager-Rhonda O’Keeffe. City Attorney-Jody Campbell (Jody attended by phone), Not present: Mike Barfield (due to a family emergency in Florida), Sherry Lewis – Mainstreet News (was emailed on 4/5/2022 with information)
Pledge of Allegiance – All
Minutes: Thomas motioned to approve February 7, 2022 Council Meeting Minutes; Lamar seconded. All were in favor. Minutes approved.
Financials: Lamar motioned to approve February & March 2022 Financials; Thomas seconded. All were in favor. Motion was approved.
NEW BUSINESS:
- New Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) to Conduct Elections – Update The City of Nicholson has not received the final draft agreement – Thomas motioned to table the approval of the New Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) to Conduct Elections until the City of Nicholson receives the final agreement; Josh seconded.
All were in favor; motion was tabled.
- NWA – Request to rent the old shop on 441 – John Ring asked if the City can approve the agreement before the NWA. The City Attorney confirmed that the City can still vote on this item, even if the NWA hasn’t approved it yet. Josh motioned to approve the NWA Rental Agreement for the Old City Shop on 441; Thomas seconded. All were in favor; motion approved.
- Parking Lot Bids – Redmon Sealcoating and Advanced Paving and Sealcoat Inc submitted bids for sealing and striping Benton Parking Lot. Thomas motioned to accept the bid from Redmon Sealcoating for the amount of $15,000.00 to seal and stripe the parking area in front of Benton Facility; Lamar seconded. All were in favor; motion was approved.
OLD BUSINESS: NA
LIBRARIANS REPORT: (per library manager)
- Library Assistant Sherri Stephens went to career day at SJES on 4/1/22. She read to 2nd graders and answered questions regarding library work.
- We are gearing up towards Summer Reading. Programs are ready and we hope to be able to speak to the children in EJES and SJES.
- Our hotspots are checked out on a regular basis and we hope to buy another one. However, the city will need to start paying the bill on those again starting probably June or July 2022. Currently PRLS is paying. The cost for each is approximately $75 a month through T-Mobile.
- We hope to start a Community Shelf Project. No money is required from the city. We hope for donations and maybe a grant from Colgate-Palmolive. The idea is to have hygiene items available for those who need them. This would be a trial project.
MAYORS REPORT:
Jan mentioned the following for Mayors Report:
- Irma and Gwen are working at City Hall office and the City is in the process of hiring a Finance Officer or City Clerk.
- Daisy Festival Update: Irma mentioned that a total of 120 ads for the Daisy Program were submitted to the Newspaper last Friday. 20 Craft and 4 Food Vendors have signed up for the festival at this time and the schedule is confirmed. Site signs and banners are out on the streets.
- David Abounader will have a neck surgery soon, he will have a vertebrae removed. He will be out for several weeks and the City Maintenance Supervisor will hire a temporary employee to work this summer.
- East Jackson Comprehensive High School $1,000 Scholarship – The School Counselor is promoting the scholarship and the City will be getting more applications. Deadline to submit application is Friday April 15th, 2022.-
CITIZENS REQUESTING TO SPEAK –
Adjournment: Josh motioned to adjourn the meeting; Lamar seconded. All were in favor, motion approved; meeting adjourned.
Meeting adjourned at 6:55PM.
Announcements:
- Next Work Session – April 26, 2022
- Next City Council Meeting – May 2, 2022
Approved by City Clerk for Website