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CITY OF JONESBORO The City of Jonesboro regular council meeting was held January 13, 2003 at 170 South Main Street. Members present were: Ed Adair, Luther Maddox, Yvette McDonald, Wallace Norrington, Clifford Sewell, and Rick Yonce. Mayor Joy Day presided. Mayor Day recognized and welcomed new City Manager, Jon Walker. Mayor Day requested an amendment to the agenda to include the reading and approval of the minutes and requested amending the numbering of the agenda to include appointment of city employees. Councilman Maddox made a motion to amend the agenda to read/approve the minutes. Councilman Norrington seconded. The motion carried unanimously. Councilman Sewell made motion to amend the numbering of the agenda to include the appointment of city employees for 2003. Councilwomen McDonald seconded. The motion carried unanimously. The December 9, 2002 minutes were read. Councilman Norrington made a motion to accept the minutes as read. Councilwoman McDonald seconded. The motion carried unanimously. The minutes of the January 7, 2003 Called Meeting were read. Councilman Sewell made motion to amend the minutes to reflect that Councilman Adair did not abstain from voting but was out of the room at the time of the vote. Councilman Norrington seconded. The motion carried unanimously. Under new business, Shawn Koren requested a home-based occupation license to be issued for 123 Ingleside Drive. Mr. Koren explained to council that he designs pool decks and will not store any materials at his home. It will be a home office type setting. Councilman Sewell made a motion to approve Mr. Koren’s request for a home-based occupation license. Councilwoman McDonald seconded. The motion carried unanimously. LaVictor Freeman of 117 Irvin Street requested a home-based occupation license to operate a business installing mobile phones and alarms in vehicles. The work would be done at the car dealerships. Mr. Freeman informed council there will not be any vehicles, nor traffic at his home, he will not have any other employees and will use his suburban to travel back and forth to the dealerships. Councilman Sewell made a motion to approve this home-based occupational license. Councilman Norrington seconded. The motion carried unanimously. Konstantinos Voutas, KPV Environmental Control was asked to come to the council meeting to address concerns the city has about his home based occupation at 1481 Red Briar Way. He informed council that he has three vehicles and a nephew that occasionally helps out. Mayor Day explained that there have been complaints of noise, traffic and equipment left in his backyard, along with a trailer filled with HVAC equipment. Mr. Voutas explained he rents a storage unit in addition to having built storage facilities in his back yard to store his equipment. Councilwoman McDonald asked why he did not have a fence. Mr. Voutas explained it was cost prohibitive with the type of fence he needs because of the way his backyard adjoins his neighbors. Code Enforcer Wayne Rowland presented pictures of Mr. Voutas yard. The pictures show trailers filled with debris and Mayor Day advised that the trailers be taken to the dump prior to bringing the trailers to his home; that if the landfill is closed, the trailers be placed somewhere else until they can be emptied. Neighbor Annette Harris informed council she has seen trucks, equipment and traffic at this resident at all times. Neighbor Marie Pitts addressed the council and explained she has no personal problems with Mr. Voutas, only with his business activity. That the noise and traffic have been going on for years. He cleans it up when asked by the city, however it doesn’t stay clean. Mayor Day explained to council the options available. Mr. Voutas can keep his license, it can be pulled and not issued for 2003 or a compromise on the two. In her opinion, a license issued should not be on a permanent basis. Mayor Day expressed concern that neighbors should not have to tolerate noise and traffic from several trucks and that neighbors of a home based business should not even know a business is there. It should be maintained as a home, not a business. Mr. Voutas explained the truck traffic is just his friends that work with him at Shumate Mechanical stopping by. Councilman Sewell voiced concern that KPV Environmental has gotten too big to be a home base business. Councilman Norrington suggested Mr. Voutas move his equipment to his paid storage area and use his home as an office only. Mr. Voutas said he can’t afford it right now and that he has too much invested in his backyard storage building. Mayor Day explained to Mr. Voutas that the city will not continue to tolerate the mess at his home and the council will take this situation under advisement and work with Officer Rowland and Mr.Voutas. She explained to Mr. Voutas that his license would be pulled if any more problems arise and the city will be in touch with him about the conditions under which a license is issued. No license will be reissued at this time. Councilman Sewell requested a three-minute recess. Mayor Day said meeting would resume after a three minutes. The meeting resumed and Mayor Day called for a motion on the Nuisance Ordinance. Councilman Sewell made a motion to accept the Nuisance Ordinance as written. Councilman Yonce seconded. Councilman Adair, Yonce, Norrington, Maddox, Sewell voted yea. Councilwoman McDonald was out of the room at the time. The motion carried. Mayor Day asked for a questions or comments on the Nuisance Abatement Ordinance. Councilman Maddox made a motion to accept the Nuisance Abatement Ordinance as written. Councilman Adair seconded. The motion carried unanimously. Mayor Day requested nominations for Mayor Pro Tem. Councilman Maddox made a motion to nominate Clifford “Rip” Sewell as Mayor Pro Tem. Councilwoman McDonald seconded the nomination. Councilman Norrington made a motion to close the nominations. Councilwoman McDonald seconded the motion to close the nominations. The motion to close the nominations passed unanimously. Mayor Day asked all in favor of having Mr. Sewell as Mayor Pro Tem raise their right hand. A motion to have Mr. Rip Sewell as Mayor Pro Tem unanimously passed, with Mr. Sewell abstaining. Mayor Day requested a motion to go into Executive Session to discuss personnel matters. Councilman Norrington so motioned. Councilwoman McDonald seconded. The motion to go into Executive Session to discuss personnel matters unanimously passed. Mayor Day requested a motion to resume regular session. Councilman Sewell so motioned, Councilman Norrington seconded. The motion unanimously passed to resume regular session. Councilman Sewell made a motion to approve the reappointment of the city employees for 2003 as presented to Mayor and Council, with notation that Katherine Smith is considered a part time employee. Councilman Yonce seconded. The motion carried unanimously. In other business, Councilman Maddox asked Mr. Massengale for an update on the Fayetteville Road sidewalk project. Mr. Massengale explained the project has been turned over to the county and he was not certain on the progress. Mayor Day advised Councilman Maddox that she would follow up and give council a written answer within a week. Mayor Day publicly thanked Corporal Rowland on his work of the home-based business. There being no further business, Councilman Sewell made a motion to adjourn. Seconded by Councilman Norrington. Ms. Annette Harris asked to speak to the council. Councilman Sewell withdrew his motion. Ms. Harris voiced concern to council about areas in her Sunnybrook neighborhood. She wanted to find out about home renovations, vehicles for sale on private property and the overall traffic problem within the city. She was informed that the home renovation project does have a permit, and that vehicles for sale should have a permit. The council agreed with Ms. Harris about the ongoing traffic problems. Mayor Day explained Mr. Massengale is looking into southbound traffic on McDonough Street. She further explained that the city had several projects lined up using funds from the LOST referendum, which did not pass. Councilman Sewell made a motion to adjourn the meeting. Councilman Norrington seconded. The motion carried unanimously. ____________________ ______________________ Joy B. Day, Mayor Joan Jones, City Clerk |