The Siloam Springs Board of Directors approved a city-wide emergency plan that is based on federal guidelines and best practices at its last meeting on Aug. 18.
The previous emergency operation plan (EOP) the city used was mostly hard copy with little electronic backup, and the format is not recognized by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) or the Department of Homeland Security, according to staff report from Police Chief Jim Wilmeth and Fire Chief Greg Neely.
The new EOP is based on a model of the National Incident Management System (NIMS). NIMS has been federally recognized for its ability to secure needed resources and communicate without outside agencies to integrate them into local jurisdiction, the report stated. The report stated that city staff based the new EOP on other municipalities' EOPs which were NIMS compliant.
"We started working on this since November of last year," Wilmeth said. "Chief (Greg) Neely and I have put a lot of time into this and we have worked with the other department heads and have exercised this document. We have actually done two exercises where we have operated under this EOP. The point we are at now is in order for us to be compliant with the federal government, and in order for us to be eligible for matching funds for reimbursement if we have a disaster, we have to be able to point to this document and be in compliance with the federal regulations."
The EOP will be reviewed in early 2016, the report stated. Also, the new EOP will have minimum to no fiscal impact on the city.
Director Carol Smiley, along with many other directors, thanked the city staff for putting together the more than 230 page document. Director Frank Johnson said he was thankful the EOP established a hierarchy during emergency operations, whereas Director Brad Burns thanked the city staff for keeping up with the national standards.
Before the meeting began, some of the board members attended two workshops discussing the Capital Improvement Tax and donor recognition for the Friends of the Library. Both workshops were informal meetings, and no decisions were made nor votes cast at either.
The Capital Improvement Tax is a three-eighths-cent sales tax that is used for water, sewer, and electrical capital improvements. Up to the year end of 2014 the tax generated $8,940,000, and is expected to generate more than $1.8 million for 2015 through May 2016, according to a memorandum from Phillip Patterson, city administrator. It is set to expire in June 2016.
During the city administrators report the board agreed to place the decision on the March ballot of the 2016 primary election. The language of the ballot will ask if residents want to renew the tax for 10 years while allowing 50 percent of money from the tax to be used for quality of life improvements such as parks and other amenities. The board will later approve a resolution that will determine how the quality of life improvement funds will be allocated.
The Friends of the Library held a workshop to seek support from the city for a donor recognition program. The directors and the friends discussed the possibility of a donor wall, or naming a classroom after one of their private donors.
The board read for the final time Ordinance 15-19, which changes the city municipal code to reflect the changes in service of trash collection and recycling. The ordinance states that the city's Solid Waste Department is experiencing rising costs of operation and to keep a balanced budget an increase in the customer charge is required. It also covers penalties for nonpayment and the incorporation of yard waste into city code. The ordinance also removed any provisions that the staff considers redundant, obsolete, or unclear.
The board later unanimously approved Resolution 37-15, which allows the city to apply to and acquire a grant from the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism. The $150,000 grant has to be matched by the city and/or the Dog Park Action Committee (DPAC). The grant's application deadline is Aug. 28.
The directors made it clear to DPAC members that they were hesitant to spend any tax money on the proposed dog park. Members of the DPAC also noted at the meeting that applying for the grant did not obligate the city to accept the grant or supply the required matching funds. Also the city staff reported that there is no fiscal impact on the city from the resolution at this time.
The board also approved an agreement with Xpress Solutions Inc., and Chase Paymentech to allow credit card payments to work with city software, and to allow Chase Paymentech to process those transactions. The city purchased software, which came with Xpress Bill Pay and Chase Paymentech, according to a staff report.
Nicole Hall, chairperson of the Parks Advisory Board (PAB), resigned from her position on June 1 because of a change in her employment that will render her unable to perform her required duties, according to her letter of resignation. The board appointed Isaac McKinney to the board based on the recommendation from the PAB.
General News on 08/23/2015