Town of Hot Springs Board of Alderman Meeting April 1, 2024 Present:  Mayor Abigail Norton Alderman Wendy Stancil Alderman Dan Myers  Maintenance Jeremy Trantham Police Department - Chief David Shelton Tax Department - Laura Holloway  Mayor Norton called the Town meeting to order at 6:02pm Mayor Norton requested that everyone read the Public Charge.  Mayor Norton asked for a motion to approve the March 4, 2024 Board meeting minutes. Alderman Myers made a motion to approve; Alderman Stancil seconded the motion; all were in favor. Mayor Norton asked for a motion to approve the March 28, 2024 phone vote regarding the extension of the deadline for bid on the surplus property. The extension is due to an error made in the online posting of the surplus property on the Town's website and posted at Town Hall. The postings indicated that bids would be opened on Thursday, March 27th; Thursday was March 28th. Attorney Ron Moore recommended that the Board be polled to extend the acceptance of bids until March 28th. Alderman Myers made a motion to approve; Alderman Stancil seconded the motion; all were in favor. Mayor Norton announced there was on bid for the old maintenance pickup truck. The truck sold for Mayor Norton told the Board the Magnolia House has an application for live music on April 20, 2024, from 2:00pm until 10:00pm. Alderman Stancil made a motion to accept; Alderman Myers seconded the Mayor Norton stated the Board needs to schedule a budget workshop and asked if Wednesday, April 17, 2024 at 2:30pm would work with everyone's schedule. She told the Board that a budget needs to be complete and available for the public to review as of June 1, 2024. The budget will need to be accepted by July 1, 2024. Aldermen Myers and Stancil stated the date and time worked with their schedules. The budget meeting will be held at Town Hall. The meeting will be posted on the Town's Mayor Norton confirmed with Alderman Myers that he is still working on the back-flow policy. She let everyone know that Nancy, Town Clerk, set up a business account with Staples. This should save the Mayor Norton let the Board know that Applied Solutions can provide cloud back-up for the Town. The back-up makes an off-site image of the computer. The back-up could restore the entire computer. The charge for the back-up service is $10.00 per month, per computer. The main computers requiring back-up are the Police Department's, Town Clerk's, and the Tax Collector's. The cost would be $30.00 per months. Alderman Stancil made a motion to approve purchasing the cloud back-up service from  $250.00.  motion; all were in favor.  website and on the Town Hall door.  Town approximately 20% on office supplies.  Applied Solutions. Alderman Myers seconded the motion. All were in favor.  April 1, 2024 Page 1 of4  Board of Alderman Meeting    DEPARTMENTS  Jeremy Trantham - Maintenance system is in good shape.  They have switched back to liquid. The system is running well. With the update the There was a sewer back-up last week above the cathole area. Someone has been flushing tee-shirt type rags down their toilet. Mayor Norton suggested that a letter be sent out, again, reminding everyone to not put anything in their toilet that is not supposed to bet there. Alderman Myers would like to see a separate letter go out and not with the water bill. He is concerned that people may just pull out the bill and ignore any insert. Mayor Norton asked Mr. Trantham to get with Nancy and draft a letter to be sent out to the area in which the back-up occurred. Alderman Myers asked Mr. Trantham to send a copy of the letter to him, he will post it on the Hot Springs message Auma actuator valve - we have encounter power surges ini the past and it has cost the Town to have high repair bills. Auma has their own serge protector. Mayor Norton said we need to work with the accountant before we could purchase the surge protector. It We have an updated quote for work on the generator. We originally received a quote for repair of the generator and adding an automatic switch on mechanism. The updated quote, from Rick Palmer, is for repair only. Mr. Palmer has advised that the automated system could be added at a later date. The update repair quote is $15,000.00 less than  board.  was suggested that this be tabled until the next meeting.  the prior quote.  Laura Holloway - Tax Collector  Ini the March 2024 meeting Ms. Holloway had requested the release of $196.98 for 2021, 2022, and 2023 business property taxes for Tiny House Movements. The Board requested that Ms. Holloway contact the County and find out when they were notified of the business closing and how they handled the situation. Ms. Holloway told the Board that the County was notified of Tiny House Movements closing on February 12, 2024. The County advised that they were advised the business closed on November 1, 2015. The County will void all of their bills except the 2015 bill. Ms. Holloway requests the Board to release the 2021, 2022, and 2023 business property taxes. After some discussion, Alderman Myers made a motion to release the bills requested; Alderman Ms. Holloway told the Board that the Town has collected 95.12% of the 2023 Real Property taxes. She also told the Board that the Town has collected $470.50 in interest  Stancil seconded the motion; all were in favor.  from delinquent real property taxes.  April 1, 2024 Page 2of4  Board of Alderman Mceting    BUSINESS  Alderman Wendy Stancil  Ini the March 2024 meeting, Alderman Stancil had discussed the possibility of partnering with Beacon of Hope for food distribution within the community. However, the space we have available does not fit their needs for distribution operations. The service is still hoping to come to Hot Springs. Alderman Stancil asks that everyone keep their eyes and ears open for a place that could accommodate a distribution center.  Alderman Dan Myers  The Fire Department had put two trucks up for bid. The trucks had failed a pump test and can't be used in a fire emergency. The Board has accepted $500.00 bids for each of the trucks. Mayor Norton has sent the buyer an email letting him know his bid has been accepted. She also let him know to get in contact with the Town's Clerk for titles. Mayor Norton also let the buyer know to contact Fire Chief Josh Norton. Alderman Myers said the Public Safety Board (PSB) met. They are going over the 911 Rules of Operation Response Guide. The Public Safety Board will be going over 1/3 of the guide. Alderman Myers asks to meet with Police Chief David Shelton and Fire Chief Josh Norton to go over the first 3rd of the guide. Alderman Myers is wanting to know if either Chief would like to have anything added or updated which could help with the emergency operations center. Alderman Myers will then present the Chief's request to the Public Safety Board. Chief Shelton said the current telecommunications are hard to understand/hear and could cause dangerous problems for all involved. Alderman Myers said the PSB has received and accepted a bid, from Viper, to update the telecommunication system. The system will link all the towers together and the quality will be better. This is a 2-to-4-year plan. The Viper system should work with current Mayor Norton asked about the automated external defibrillator (AED). Chief Shelton requests that the defibrillator be placed in a secure location that can be locked at night. Alderman Myers noted that Emergency Management provided the AED for the town and did not have a stipulation that the devise be available for general public use. Chief Shelton asked who was responsible for locking the Welcome Center. He has had to request people, who have bedded down in the lobby of the Welcome Center, to leave the premises. He suggests that the lobby be locked each evening. Alderman Stancil  equipment.  said she will get with the Center's contact person.  PUBLIC COMMENTS  Ike Lassiter  Let the Board know that he thinks they are doing a good job.  Said there are rental houses on Walnut Street. Thinks that the property owners should put up signs in each restroom telling people not to flush items that do not  belong in a toilet.  April 1, 2024 Page 3 of 4  Board of Alderman Meeting    Suggest that if lock boxes are purchased to not get the combination boxes as people may leave the box on the actual code. He suggests purchasing the push button  boxes.  At 6:46pm, Mayor Norton requested a motion to move to Executive Session. Alderman Stancil made a The Board returned from Executive Session at 6:52pm. Alderman Myers made the motion to return to Mayor Norton advised that the Board went into Executive Session to discuss employee insurance for Laura Holloway; she will not be eligible for the employee medical coverage once she turns 65. The Board agreed to pay her Medicare and supplemental coverage premiums. Alderman Myers made a The Board also agreed to increase the Part-Time Police Officers' pay by $2.00, per hour. Alderman Stancil made a motion to approve; Alderman Myers seconded the motion; all were in favor. Since there is no other business to discuss, Alderman Myers made a motion to adjourn, Alderman Stancil Myers seconded the motion; all were in favor. Meeting adjourned at 6:53pm.  motion; Alderman Myers seconded the motion; all were in favor.  the regular session; Alderman Stancil seconded the motion; all were in favor.  motion to approve; Alderman Stancil seconded the motion; all were in favor.  3-3 Approyed, higalton Mayor Abigaillorton  5-6-24 Date Other  April 1, 2024 Page 4 of4  Board of Alderman Meeting