By Matt Burks
Courier Staff

A resolution detailing 2007 achievements and goals of the Bryant City Council was approved by a 5-3 vote Monday, despite a heated debate over possible Freedom of Information infractions concerning one item.

The issue concerned a trip several aldermen made to St. Charles, Mo., without giving notice to the media.
The resolution was sponsored by Aldermen Rick Meyer, Ken Green, Robby Young and Steve Glenn.
“This is an attempt by us to show what we have accomplished last year and try to show were we are going this year and next year,” Meyer announced to the council.
However, Alderman Danny Steele questioned whether an FOI infraction or other possible unethical things might have occurred regarding the St. Charles trip.
“Mayor, I was kind of shocked at item number two on here,” Steele said. “Some of the council members went on a special trip to St. Charles, Mo. That smacks of FOI violation and all kinds of things to me. I have a real concern for that particular part of this.”
The second item in the resolution, labeled “Midtown Bryant — Redefining the City,” refers to a trip that several council members made with local developers Aaron Jones and Don Spears to a workshop in St. Charles in May  2007. The workshop was presented by Duany Plater of Zyberk & Co., an award winning architectural firm based in Miami that has developed new urban-concept neighborhoods throughout the world.
It was because of this trip that the council members developed the concept of Midtown Bryant, which will be built over more than 190 acres north of Arkansas 5 near Hilltop Road.
    Meyer said Steele was out of line in accusing the aldermen of an FOI infraction or any other unethical measures related to the trip.
    “When this trip was taken, we went through legal counsel to get confirmation that we could do that,” Meyer said.
“We went through the Arkansas Ethics Commission, and they also approved it. We also went through the mayor to get his consent on this, too, so I think you are probably out of line on this comment.”
    Steele then asked if Meyer had notified the press and asked for permission to take the trip. Meyer responded that he didn’t and said he didn’t need to notify the press.
In a telephone interview Tuesday, Meyer said the issue was checked and double-checked before the trip was made.  He said he asked the Arkansas Ethics Commission if he was required to contact the press and was told that he did not have to because the trip was actually not considered conducting city business.
    Bryant City Attorney Nga Starzewski said Wednesday that she was contacted about the trip by Meyer and that she found no reason to consider it illegal or unethical.
    “Meyer did contact me about the trip, and he told me that he was going to contact the Arkansas Ethics Commission,” Starzewski said.
“I then contacted the Ethics Commission myself, and they told me that the council members who would go on the trip just needed to disclose it in their statement of financial interest. There was nothing unethical about the trip that I am aware of.”
    Not all of the council members were in favor of the resolution.
    “I have been here 27 years and of all the useless resolutions, ordinances, rules and regulations that I have seen come forth to the City Council, this has got to be the worst,” Alderman Larry Smart said.
“If the citizens of Bryant don’t know to this point what this council has done, this resolution is not going to enlighten one single individual. Also, some of things that some of you consider achievements, I don’t consider them achievements at all. I say this is totally useless and unnecessary.”
    Glenn responded that he believes it is important that the council inform the public of past accomplishments and what direction the council will take in the future.
He also said that if he felt there was anything unethical in the resolution, that he would not have been a part of it.
Young also expressed his support for the resolution.