By Ray King
A proposed ordinance calling for an audit of the Pine Bluff Street Department and Parks and Recreation Department was referred to committee by the Pine Bluff City Council Monday night, over the objections of its sponsor, Council Member Steven Mays.
Earlier this year, the council voted to allocate funds to pay for a full audit of all city departments and Mayor Vivian Flowers said the firm selected to do that audit will be announced this week. She asked Mays to pull the proposal but he refused and talked about it after the meeting.
Also Monday, the council voted to authorize the sale of two city-owned lots on the northwest corner of Barraque and Grant Streets to Alfreia Martin who plans to put a manufactured home on the property. She paid a total of $1,500 for each of the two lots and will be required to pay the full amount within 60 days.
An ordinance rezoning property on the east side of North Hutchnson Street in the Dollarway area from residential to light industrial was read three times and approved with a unanimous vote.
The property is owned by the Economic Development Alliance for Jefferson County and Nancy Lee McNew, the vice-president for economic development told Deltaplex News what they want to do.
Also approved was a resolution waiving competitive bidding and approving an emergency purchase of repairs to the heating and air conditioning unit for buildings connected to the Civic Center Complex.
According to the ordinance, Powers of Arkansas was available to do the work and the city will pay them $76,238.13, a price approved by the Maintenance Director and the Mayor. Powers has done previous work on the systems.
