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Bryant alderman opposes vehicle purchases |
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Monday, 16 March 2009 |
Alderman Robby Young said he will oppose any future vehicle purchases for the city of Bryant’s water/wastewater department.
“The residents are watching and we are the stewards of their money,” Young told fellow City Council members on Thursday night.
The purchasing issue arose when the water/wastewater department requested approval for funding of no more than $30,000 for a three-quarter ton truck. The council voted 7-1 in favor of the request, with Alder-man Adrian Henley providing the lone opposition.
Young said he sees the need for this vehicle, but said he is concerned about future requests on the city’s so-called B budget list.
The city has adopted a system of A and B lists for funding needs. The A line is for items that are necessary and the B line is for items the city can decide to fund as needed.
“For future vehicles, with what I know and what I am looking at, my vote will be ‘no’ in that department,” Young said. “I realize this is one truck, but on the B list, there is a significant amount of funding requests for purchases of vehicles.
“I have received numerous calls about how the water committee is looking into increasing water rates and how it is affecting our citizens. I have also had several calls from people that have obviously looked at the B list budget and saw the amount of purchase for vehicles from the water/wastewater department. I guess saying they were angry would be a mild way to put it because of the rates they are paying now.”
Alderman Steve Gladden, however, said there is a need for new vehicles in the department.
“In the Personnel and Finance Committee, we have a list of all their vehicles and it is very needed,” he said. “We didn’t want to add any at this time, but the millage and the age of all the vehicles ... their fleet is aging.”
“I understand that and there are other ways to alleviate that [problem] as well,” Young responded.
“For future vehicles, this individual is going to vote no unless the tide really turns in the economy and we can find away to lessen the burden on our citizens.”
In other business, the council appropriated $98,000 that will be earmarked for the purchase of new Arkansas Wireless Informa-tion Network radios in four to six months; passed the first reading of an ordinance amending comprehensive zoning ordinance of the city to rezone certain property (James Williams) off Inter-state 30; approved $10,000 for Geographic Information System contract work; and approved the purchase of land between the street and water/wastewater departments.
Six items on the lengthy agenda were tabled and a special meeting has been called for 6 p.m. Thursday, March 30, at Boswell Munic-ipal Complex, 210 SW Third St.
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