Alderman Jay Hollowell has called for the Helena-West Helena City Council to meet with the various governmental entities in Phillips County on a quarterly basis to establish better working relationships.
Hollowell offered his proposal during the council’s open forum before a sparse crowd in the Central High School gym Monday night.
Alderman Bruce Hudson organized the “meeting before the meeting” forum after listening to sporadic complaints about juvenile crime, police reports and other issues brought before the council.
Hudson called for accountability by all of the city’s departments.
In reference to a number of vetoes of ordinances issued by Mayor James Valley, Hollowell said it was time to “get away from the continuous cycle of the votes and vetoes and overrides.”
Economic development and jobs are the important issues facing the communities, Hollowell said.
“Adding employees to the payroll of the city and buying more vehicles and equipment is not economic development,” Hollowell said.
Regarding the quarterly meetings, Hollowell said the council should meet with the Helena-West Helena School Board, the Phillips County Quorum Court, the Phillips County Port Authority, the Phillips County Chamber of Commerce and other panels such as the Helena Regional Medical Center board of directors. He also suggested that the council tour the Slack Water Harbor.
Alderman Joe St. Columbia Sr. concurred with Hollowell’s proposals adding that reinstitution of the Civil Service Commission would be in order.
Laymond Piercy, a jeweler and barber, opened the public comment period with complaints about “speeding along Plaza” and other major thoroughfares in the city. He cited speeding along fourth and fifth streets on Plaza.
Dana Chadwick and his wife Lynn, who moved to Helena-West Helena last August from North Little Rock and bought a home in one of the historic sections of Helena, had separate comments.
“Is the city going to receive stimulus money and how would it be spent?” Dana Chadwick inquired. He also asked about several burnt out dwellings he and his wife had observed. “Can the city remove them?”
Regarding the burnt out dwellings, Hollowell said the city had three code enforcement employees working on those and other issues.
“It’s a long legal process,” Hollowell said. “We have to make sure property owners’ rights are protected.” Hollowell said he knew of two burnt out dwellings on Poplar Street.
Hollowell said those old dwellings were basically a facade and could tumble causing harm to passersby.
As for Chadwick’s stimulus question, Hollowell said, “I know money is out there.”
Calling himself a guest at the meeting, Mayor Valley stepped to the freestanding microphone to respond to Chadwick’s inquiry.
“We have not received any stimulus money at this time,” Valley said. “We have applied for stimulus money.”
Valley said work force funds would be available this summer to hire low-income people at $8 an hour. He also addressed funding for drainage that should be forthcoming, but none for street surfacing.
Willie Jackson, the acting CHS principal, asked, “How do we get young people back on the right track? He also asked if a curfew remained in effect.
Police Major Ronald Scott said a 10 p.m. curfew remained in effect during the weekdays and 11 p.m. on the weekends.
“Parents need to step up and work with the children,” Scott said.
Hudson agreed that, “We need to hold our parents accountable” for the action of their children.
Hollowell called on churches to be a source to work with youth.
“A lot of what we are talking about is not the responsibility of government,” Hollowell said.
St. Columbia said “bad parents” create much of the juvenile misbehavior.
“It’s the parents’ responsibility to raise children not the community,” St. Columbia said. “When the family breaks down that’s when things go wrong.”
Scott said with rampant drug and alcohol problems a lot of children “come out of difficult situations. We need other resources to deal with this.”
Mark Kines complained about loud music in his neighborhood. He said once a police officer came to order the person to lower the volume the violator turned it back up again.
Lynn Chadwick inquired about an alternative school a system she said was in place at North Little Rock where the couple once lived and worked in the school district.
Alderman Larry Wilson said the alternative school system had been tried. He also cited a boot camp style system of discipline tried in the state.
Lynn Chadwick also asked about recycling which North Little Rock utilizes.
St. Columbia said cardboard materials are recycled.
Jim Howe suggested better traffic controls to reduce the hazards from speeders along Plaza. Howe also said students should dress properly and not go about in a “sloppy” manner.
Wilson suggested that each of the aldermen prepare a list of the potholes in their ward.
Retired business executive Allen Martin suggested that some of the money from the Harbor Tax should be earmarked for a juvenile detention center. Martin said city councils in Phillips County have “a unique opportunity to establish a plan on how to use the tax.”
Marty Cantwell, who owns several convenience stores, said law enforcement should concentrate on the “real bad” youths who repeatedly break the laws and they should be “sent away.”
Joe Murphy asked if the council was “getting the financial reports from the treasurer (Michael Boone) as needed?”
St. Columbia replied: “What we’re getting I can’t make heads nor tails of the reports. No, I’m not happy with our financial statements.”
Hollowell said the former city of Helena eliminated the treasurer’s position and relied the report from a certified public accountant. A decision as to what positions would appear on the ballot in 2010 remained to be seen.
Bennette Morris, wife of Walter Morris Sr., commended the city council for staging a meeting with the public.
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Alderman Jay Hollowell has called for the Helena-West Helena City Council to meet with the various governmental entities in Phillips County on a quarterly basis to establish better working relationships.
Hollowell offered his proposal during the council’s open forum before a sparse crowd in the Central High School gym Monday night.
Alderman Bruce Hudson organized the “meeting before the meeting” forum after listening to sporadic complaints about juvenile crime, police reports and other issues brought before the council.
Hudson called for accountability by all of the city’s departments.
In reference to a number of vetoes of ordinances issued by Mayor James Valley, Hollowell said it was time to “get away from the continuous cycle of the votes and vetoes and overrides.”
Economic development and jobs are the important issues facing the communities, Hollowell said.
“Adding employees to the payroll of the city and buying more vehicles and equipment is not economic development,” Hollowell said.
Regarding the quarterly meetings, Hollowell said the council should meet with the Helena-West Helena School Board, the Phillips County Quorum Court, the Phillips County Port Authority, the Phillips County Chamber of Commerce and other panels such as the Helena Regional Medical Center board of directors. He also suggested that the council tour the Slack Water Harbor.
Alderman Joe St. Columbia Sr. concurred with Hollowell’s proposals adding that reinstitution of the Civil Service Commission would be in order.
Laymond Piercy, a jeweler and barber, opened the public comment period with complaints about “speeding along Plaza” and other major thoroughfares in the city. He cited speeding along fourth and fifth streets on Plaza.
Dana Chadwick and his wife Lynn, who moved to Helena-West Helena last August from North Little Rock and bought a home in one of the historic sections of Helena, had separate comments.
“Is the city going to receive stimulus money and how would it be spent?” Dana Chadwick inquired. He also asked about several burnt out dwellings he and his wife had observed. “Can the city remove them?”
Regarding the burnt out dwellings, Hollowell said the city had three code enforcement employees working on those and other issues.
“It’s a long legal process,” Hollowell said. “We have to make sure property owners’ rights are protected.” Hollowell said he knew of two burnt out dwellings on Poplar Street.
Hollowell said those old dwellings were basically a facade and could tumble causing harm to passersby.
As for Chadwick’s stimulus question, Hollowell said, “I know money is out there.”
Calling himself a guest at the meeting, Mayor Valley stepped to the freestanding microphone to respond to Chadwick’s inquiry.
“We have not received any stimulus money at this time,” Valley said. “We have applied for stimulus money.”
Valley said work force funds would be available this summer to hire low-income people at $8 an hour. He also addressed funding for drainage that should be forthcoming, but none for street surfacing.
Willie Jackson, the acting CHS principal, asked, “How do we get young people back on the right track? He also asked if a curfew remained in effect.
Police Major Ronald Scott said a 10 p.m. curfew remained in effect during the weekdays and 11 p.m. on the weekends.
“Parents need to step up and work with the children,” Scott said.
Hudson agreed that, “We need to hold our parents accountable” for the action of their children.
Hollowell called on churches to be a source to work with youth.
“A lot of what we are talking about is not the responsibility of government,” Hollowell said.
St. Columbia said “bad parents” create much of the juvenile misbehavior.
“It’s the parents’ responsibility to raise children not the community,” St. Columbia said. “When the family breaks down that’s when things go wrong.”
Scott said with rampant drug and alcohol problems a lot of children “come out of difficult situations. We need other resources to deal with this.”
Mark Kines complained about loud music in his neighborhood. He said once a police officer came to order the person to lower the volume the violator turned it back up again.
Lynn Chadwick inquired about an alternative school a system she said was in place at North Little Rock where the couple once lived and worked in the school district.
Alderman Larry Wilson said the alternative school system had been tried. He also cited a boot camp style system of discipline tried in the state.
Lynn Chadwick also asked about recycling which North Little Rock utilizes.
St. Columbia said cardboard materials are recycled.
Jim Howe suggested better traffic controls to reduce the hazards from speeders along Plaza. Howe also said students should dress properly and not go about in a “sloppy” manner.
Wilson suggested that each of the aldermen prepare a list of the potholes in their ward.
Retired business executive Allen Martin suggested that some of the money from the Harbor Tax should be earmarked for a juvenile detention center. Martin said city councils in Phillips County have “a unique opportunity to establish a plan on how to use the tax.”
Marty Cantwell, who owns several convenience stores, said law enforcement should concentrate on the “real bad” youths who repeatedly break the laws and they should be “sent away.”
Joe Murphy asked if the council was “getting the financial reports from the treasurer (Michael Boone) as needed?”
St. Columbia replied: “What we’re getting I can’t make heads nor tails of the reports. No, I’m not happy with our financial statements.”
Hollowell said the former city of Helena eliminated the treasurer’s position and relied the report from a certified public accountant. A decision as to what positions would appear on the ballot in 2010 remained to be seen.
Bennette Morris, wife of Walter Morris Sr., commended the city council for staging a meeting with the public.
