Lawsuit workshop Information

It was reported that the "lawsuit" workshop did have many interesting facts presented.

Apparently the city is involved in four separate legal actions. The lawsuit with AET (Arkansas Emergency Transport) is being delayed because of criminal charges it will move forward once the criminal charges are dealt with. We presume that the criminal charges are related to the driver that showed up on a call in Sherwood under the influence of medication and lack of sleep.

The North Little Rock Electric ruling is a very double edged sword for the city. On the one hand Judge Fox ruled that we do have the autonomy to select our own utility provider but on the other hand we may be forced to pay out $2 million in "franchise fees" plus attorney fees. The attorney representing First Electric would like to appeal the case to the supreme court regarding the fees but no action has been taken yet by the council. Although having a different electric provider would provide for better rate regulation through the Public Service Commission, there is no real, considerable difference in the rates being offered by First Electric. The City of North Little Rock has placed a inflated price on their infrastructure but has made an offer to fore go collecting the fees and attorney fees if we'll stick it out with them. The real question is, once the hydro electric dam bonds are paid off, would the City of Sherwood get a lower electric rate for the 6000 customers that are served? It's not an easy decision and one that we hope that the council will really research before making a decision.

On to the North Hills Country Club property.... The federal case (for damages) has been issued a stay until Judge Fox (the same judge in the North Little Rock Electric case) hears and a jury decides the fate of the purchase price. Attorney's recommended that the City pony up at least $1 million to put down on a bond issue and that the public facilities board and council should move swiftly prior to trial (at the end of July) so that a funding mechanism is in place.

It's a dangerous thing in this economy to gamble with 50% of the city's reserves. But, there is another option: If the City went with private financing they may be able to secure an even better rate, but, there is a catch: it would require a vote of the public since the City would be the party encumbering debt. Several issues were brought up... If the jury comes in with a figure of six (6) million, the city won't be obligated to purchase, but, then it would give more ammunition to the property owners to sue for additional damages. The numbers between the City and the property owners are way off from one another and no one knows what a jury will think. They could come in line with the city at around $2.2 million or they could side with the property owners at over $5 million. These numbers are only for purchase and not improving the property or developing it into a water park or installing hiking trails or a public lake. The water park in Jacksonville had a price tag of $2.5 million. So, worse case scenario, the City pays $5 million to purchase, then adds an improvement rolled into a bond issue that could be upwards of $8 million. It will take decades to have receipts large enough to pay back this bond issue with a potential price tag that high.

These are some very difficult and complicated issues facing the city council. And, we all hope that they think through things very carefully, and make a decision based on sound business principles instead of personal agendas. Regardless of our individual personal beliefs about saving green space or preserving what many consider a landmark, we must be ruled by logic and what we can truly afford. These are difficult economic times, and we as a Nation, a State and a City, must be as frugile as we are able to prepare for an uncertain future and economic turnaround. We really need mindfull leadership by the council.

We wish the city luck in dealing with four separate lawsuits, and, we also wish that it didn't take lawsuits to get things settled between disputing parties in this town. The real loser in all of this, in our humble opinion, are the citizens of Sherwood who undoubtedly will be paying tens of thousands of dollars in legal fees if we simply didn't bully in our leadership on the council instead of sitting down and being civil and coming up with solutions instead of allowing our politics to spawn lawsuits.

Master Street Plans

Some Master Street Plan information:

http://www.cityofsherwood.net/ordinances/ord0195.doc

http://www.cityofsherwood.net/ordinances/ord0201.doc

http://www.cityofsherwood.net/ordinances/ord0371.doc

North Hills Blvd.:
http://www.cityofsherwood.net/ordinances/ord0690.doc

End of Maryland Ave.:
http://www.cityofsherwood.net/ordinances/ord0721.doc

http://www.cityofsherwood.net/ordinances/ord0756.doc

IF this had been followed, there would be no issues:
http://www.cityofsherwood.net/ordinances/ord1347.doc

Adding a street (let's watch to see if it gets constructed):
http://www.cityofsherwood.net/ordinances/ord1714.doc

Arkansas statutes (Act 26 of 1955) acknowledge and establish the permissible rights of adjoining cities and counties to form a Metropolitan or Regional Planning Commission to perform regional planning.

Act 186 of 1957 and Act 422 of 1977 acknowledge and establish the permissible right of cities to establish a planning area beyond their corporate limits. Within a municipal planning area the city has the authority to approve all subdivision plats. The city also attends to any new streets being constructed according to either city or county standards whichever is the more restrictive.

Lawsuit "Workshop" Meeting 6/24 at 3pm - Recreation Center

At tonight's city council meeting, more better described as Lord Vassar holding court and other jesters playing the fools, they announced that a "workshop" meeting was going to be held at the Harmon Recreation Center at 3pm on Tuesday, June 24th.

At this special "workshop" meeting, which is a public meeting, and, not a public forumn, they will be discussing the North Hills Country Club condemnation lawsuit and the North Little Rock Electric lawsuit.

VOTE ON MARYLAND ROAD 06/23

Motion by Sherwood Alderman Brooks:
The Sherwood City Council agrees the immediate extension of Maryland Avenue in Stonehill subdivision is of great importance to the ingress and egress of residents residing in the area and accepts the offer of the developer to expedite the construction of his required portion within nine months following approval of the Sherwood City Council. It is with mutual consent that the developer will have no responsibility to construct any road extension on Hemphill. See map at link below:

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=2701+e+maryland+sherwood,+ar&sll=34.840859,-92.203231&sspn=0.010567,0.021393&ie=UTF8&ll=34.840418,-92.200806&spn=0.021134,0.042787&z=15

VOTE: Vasser-NO, Harmon-NO, Henry-NO,
Fender-NO, Rankin-NO / Brooks-YES, Davis-YES, Sulcer-YES

Aldermen contact information:
Becki Vassar -Ward 1/Pos 1
#5 Putter Cove, Sherwood, AR 72120
Phone: 835-6508 Home, 258-9060 Cell
City email: bvassar@cityofsherwood.net
Charles Harmon -Ward 1/Pos 2
601 Club Rd, Sherwood, AR 72120
Phone: 835-2617 Home
City email: charmon@cityofsherwood.net
Lex 'Butch' Davis -Ward 2/Pos 1
#2 Hickok Place, Sherwood, AR 72120
Phone: 835-3909 Home 416-7577 Cell
Home email: butchdavis@sbcglobal.net
City email: ldavis@cityofsherwood.net
David Henry -Ward 2/Pos 2
8205 Beverly Ave, Sherwood, AR 72120 /
Phone: 835-7127 Home
City email: dhenry@cityofsherwood.net
Sheila Sulcer -Ward 3/Pos 1
1506 Hawkwood Rd, Sherwood, AR 72120
Phone: 833-3500 Office, 835-8419 Home
Home email: ssulcer@sbcglobal.net
City email: ssulcer@cityofsherwood.net
Marina Brooks -Ward 3,Pos 2
1616 Coolhurst Rd, Sherwood, AR 72120 /
Phone: 835-8572
Home email: marinabrooks@excite.com
City email: mbrooks@cityofsherwood.net
Keith Rankin -Ward 4/Pos 1
310 East Woodruff Rd, Sherwood, AR 72120
Phone: 835-3900 Office, 835-9629 Home
Work email: keithr@rankincorp.net
City email: krankin@cityofsherwood.net
Steve Fender -Ward 4/Pos 2
2120 E Kiehl Ave, Sherwood, AR 72120
Phone: 834-2060 Office, 834-0474 Home
Work email: fenderchiropractic@comcast.net
City email: sfender@cityofsherwood.net

Sherwood City Council Meeting - MONDAY June 23, 7 PM

Agenda
Prayer
Pledge of Allegiance
Roll Call
Approval of minutes of the regular meeting on May 27, 2008, as transcribed.

Reports of Department Heads Committees and/or Commissions:
Advertising & Promotion Commission – Alderman Sulcer, Chairman
Civil Service Commission – Carolyn Chalmers, Chairman
Parks & Recreation Committee – Alderman Rankin, Chairman
Personnel Committee – Alderman Vassar, Chairman
a) An ordinance creating one street maintenance worker position in the Public Works-Street Department. (Alderman Vassar)
b) An ordinance creating two maintenance & repair technician positions in the Wastewater Department (Alderman Vassar)
c) An ordinance creating one equipment operator position in the Public Works-Drainage Department (Alderman Vassar)
d) An ordinance creating one sanitation operator and two refuse collector positions in the Public Works-Sanitation Department (Alderman Vassar)

Planning Commission – Freddie Hudson, Chairman
a) An ordinance rezoning property at Ash, East Kiehl Avenue, and Elmwood from R-1 to R-2, repealing conflicting ordinance, and amending the zoning map. (Mayor Hillman)

Sewer Committee – Norman Ladd, Chairman
Street Committee- Alderman Fender, Chairman
An ordinance amending the City of Sherwood, Arkansas Master Street plan as to Hemphill Road and for other purposes (Mayor Hillman) (Read one (1) time May 2008)

A resolution in support of Danny Ebbs, Principal of Sylvan Hills High School. (Alderman Vassar)

Old Business - Herschel Bowman, MLRA update (Metro Little Rock Alliance)

New Business

Announcements - July 4th Family Celebration 6-9 p.m.

Adjournment