By Ray King
A failed air conditioning system at the Pine Bluff City Hall resulted in a special called meeting of the City Council’s Public Works Committee Wednesday morning to seek a solution.
Councilmember Ivan Whitfield, the chairman of the committee called the meeting which was attended by Councilmember Joni Alexander, representatives of the Mayor’s Office, City Clerk’s Office, the Finance Director, and others.
Whitfield said he had received calls from city employees about the heat and had been told the current heating and air conditioning unit is no good.
Louise Sullivan, who works for Mayor Shirley Washington discussed what the Mayor’s Office had been doing.
Asked by Whitfield about a time frame for a new unit, City Maintenance Director John Smith said if a unit is in stock, it could be available in a week. If not in stock, the city would have to wait.
Alexander moved to sent a recommendation to the full council to waive competitive bidding and but a new unit and Whitfield seconded the motion. Then the question came up, where is the money going to come from.
Whitfield said he had been told about a special projects account controlled by the Mayor and Finance Director Gina Devers said there is currently $1.3 million in that account.
