Council makes quick work of agenda

The city has been finishing in the black in its Public Works Authority and General Fund accounts, but there is one account that is falling well short of where it needs to be.

Last Wednesday, city manager Chuck Ralls informed the city council that the Senior Nutrition Center was losing funds at a rapid pace.

For the month of November, the senior center was in the hole $3,056 and is down $28,700 for the year. The nutrition center has already used up 92 percent of its funds for the year only four months into the fiscal year.

Ralls said there were several reasons.

“Food costs are through the roof,” Ralls said. “It’s $140 for a case of butter. A case of pie filling is now almost $200. The cost is far exceeding the county funds and the grant funds that we’re receiving and we also can’t get any help. We’re having to pay for three people to be down there, one full time and two part time and that’s just not sustainable. I’ve done everything I can do.”

Since it was not listed on the agenda, mayor Smokey Dobbins told Ralls to put it on the January agenda.

“I want you to see the financials on it,” Ralls said. “There’s some hard decisions that are going to have to be made. Either the city is supplementing to feed 40 people that all citizens are having to pay for or we’re going to have to look into doing something else.”

One decision that has been made since the last meeting was to do away with the senior discount of $3. From now on, everyone will have to pay $5.

In other business, the city voted to authorize the publication of the city’s intent to annex some parts north of the city. The annexation would include land only and no buildings. The land to be annexed is around the Paul Road area.

There will be a public hearing at the start of the next city council at 5:30 p.m. on Jan. 10, 2023.

The council also approved a 50-year lease extension with U.S. Cellular for a cell tower.

The council adopted a resolution changing numbers of the voting precinct at the request of the county.

During the Public Works Authority portion of the meeting, Ralls informed the trustees that the city had received 21 notices of violations with the water plant inspection but they had all since been resolved without fines or citations.