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City has first reading of amended ordinance regarding Park Board Melodie Phelps News Editor It took a joint ordinance between the city and county to create the Park Board, and it will take action by both governments to amend that ordinance. Monticello City Council took that first step on Wednesday, September 21, when they heard the first reading of an ordinance that would include several requirements that have been at the center of a dispute between park officials and county government. The amended ordinance would require that the Park Board have annual audits, that they submit an inventory list, and that personnel policies and procedures be adopted. City Attorney Jay Jones outlined the amendments that were made, after he met with County Attorney Lee Tobbe to discuss the issue. Jones said the ordinance essentially includes existing personnel policies and procedures of the city. Councilman Gene Jones asked if the ordinance could also include a stipulation that the Park Board meet monthly and that a monthly expenditure list be provided to the city. Councilman Alvin Sexton also requested that the ordinance include a random drug testing policy. City Attorney Jones indicated that these additions could be made to the ordinance. The county suspended monthly funding to the park in May, after magistrates discussed some problems at the facility. County Judge-Executive Bruce Ramsey referred to personnel problems at the park, as well as an incident that involved inmates that were on work detail at the park. Earlier this month, the fiscal court approved a list of conditions that the Park Board must meet to have funding restored. Councilman Dan Daffron noted during the special city council meeting last week that this amended ordinance seems to address all those conditions that the county had previously approved. The amended ordinance will go to the fiscal court for consideration. Monticello City Council could take action on the amended ordinance during their next regular meeting. At the end of the discussion, Mayor Thurston Frye said that he wanted to publicly apologize to County Judge-Executive Bruce Ramsey and the Wayne County Fiscal Court. Frye said he offered the apology after initially agreeing with a list of conditions presented to him by Ramsey and the court, but then after further review disagreeing with some of those conditions. Also during the special meeting, the council agreed to spend $5,768.25, which is their share of the cost of upgrading the emergency communications system for the Monticello Police Department, the Wayne County Sheriff's Department, and the Monticello Fire Department. The communications equipment would be moved to the Somerset Oil Tower, and new equipment would allow additional wattage in an effort to eliminate the "dead spots" that emergency personnel experience now in certain areas of the county. The equipment also includes a propane generator that would be located at the tower site and used in case power is off. The county is expected to share the cost of this upgrade. In other action during the meeting, the council declared four police vehicles as surplus property and agreed to sell them. Only one of the vehicles is in running order. The other three have been used for spare parts by the police department. Add a comment |
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