Transition Team Minutes

July 14, 2005

TWENTY-THREE WEEKS UNTIL UNIFICATION

Members Present: Chuck Anderson, Leroy Carter, Jim Frazier, Lula Hicks, Henry Richmond

Members Absent: Rayne Gordon, Dorothy Martin

Observers: Charles Hathaway, Consultant to Transition Team

Tripp Holloway, Volunteer Intern

Marla Clark, Interim Administrative Assistant

Jim Frazier convened and conducted the meeting. The minutes of the meeting of July 7 were approved. Lula Hicks was introduced as a new member of the Transition Team.

Review of Items of Concern Raised at the June 30 Meeting: The Team discussed all of the items of concern listed earlier. C. E. Hathaway volunteered to consolidate these items into a listing that relates to the subcommittees that have been named thus far and distribute these at the July 21 meeting

Review of Items to be Considered in order to Achieve Unification and/or Improve the Status of Helena-West Helena: No new actions items were presented. Brief discussion occurred on developing (1) a potential recommendation concerning giving preference in hiring new staff in the new city to persons who held similar positions in Helena, (2) a potential recommendation that would ask the new city council to develop and adopt a plan to up grade the police staff to meet a reasonable standard, and (3) a potential recommendation to up grade the fire rating of the new community. C. E. Hathaway volunteered to seek the assistance of the Department of Criminal Justice at UALR. 

Report on Obtaining the Consolidation Petition and Ballot: Chuck Anderson reported he obtained the petition and ballot for consolidation and that neither document presented any information different from that stated in state law governing consolidation. Copies will be distributed to members at the next meeting.

Report on Obtaining the Budget of Helena and W. Helena: Henry Richmond indicated he had obtained the independent report from alt.Consulting for both Helena and West Helena. A brief discussion covered these reports and also gave rise to the suggestion that the Team may wish to develop a potential recommendation that the united city follow a more business-oriented form of reporting fiscal matters. He also distributed spread sheets, such as they currently exist, and indicated that he will analyze these data and report to the Team at a later date.

Report on Fee Structures and Codes: Chuck Anderson indicated he had gathered some initial information, and from his first reading he has concluded that both existing cities are following the same uniform codes. He will continue to study the matter and will report more to the Team at a latter date.

In a somewhat related manner, Tripp Holloway was asked to obtain whatever information is available from the Insurance Service Office in Oklahoma City as to what will be required to increase the fire rating of the unified city.

Report on Commissions Legal Matters: Jim Frazier indicated he will request Brian Miller and Andre’ Valley to invite Mark Hayes, General Counsel of the Municipal League of Arkansas, to attend a meeting with the Team on August 11. He also indicated he will continue to seek out information on the various existing commissions associated with Helena and the manner in which these commissions were created.

Report on Inventory of Property other than Real Estate: Leroy Carter indicated that this will be difficult information to obtain and that he will likely have to seek information from each separate department. Lula Hicks will assist in this task. After a brief discussion the Team felt that a potential recommendation might be developed calling for a more uniform and consistent annual inventory.

Possible Action Items: The following possible recommendations may be developed for future consideration.