Monticello Live

Following Thursday night’s City Council meeting, with some questions being answered, and many more not being answered; it seems that the internet was a popular plance for many local residents to go and search for Siemens’ (the company who is intalling our new water meters and will install an estimated 45-93 miles of underground water lines) history.  Many of those who did so, forwareded their information to MLive.

Wikipedia describes Siemens in several aspects, including their contoversial history, as shown here.

Listed below are some of the other credible, documented allegation about Siemens.
Siemens in McComb, MS – Federal Court to hear Meter Lawsuit
Siemens in Jackson, MS – “Water Meters Still Worry Council Members”
Siemens Facing Pending Lawsuits in Chicago for Water System Failure
Siemens Facing Lawsuit in Sacramento
Siemens Paid $1.34 Billion in Fines – New York Times

Although these only cover a few of the wide range of products and services that Siemens offer, there is certainly enough “smoke” to be looking for “fires” to erupt.

Following Wednesday’s MLive article spotlighting the $60 million rumors circulating the city about the water system improvement project, the City Council quickly called a meeting for Thursday night, to discuss the issue.

Some Councilmembers were familiar with the questions; while others had no idea, until they read the MLive article.

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The Jordan Park splash pad will open at 1:00, today.

The city pool opened last week, but due to filter and plumbing issues, the splash pad opening was postponed until today.

Work is nearly complete replacing the foundation around the feet of the Burlington water tank.
Another layer of re-bar was added (above the layer show here), and concrete added for stability.

In late April, after considerable discussion, the Monticello City Council approved an amendment to the City’s contract with Utility Service Group to repair and reinforce the foundation of the Burlington water tower. The amount of this contract amendment is $124,200.  This is added to the $476,000 contract with Utility Service Group to do needed initial repairs on the city’s water towers, and then be responsible for on-going maintenance of the water towers.

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A Monticello city council member was arrested, around 9 PM Sunday night, after he argued with law-enforcement officers, after being called by a friend/constituent to speak on his behalf.

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The Parks Committee discussed making several possible changes at the city’s parks.

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MonticelloLive on Vimeo.

The Monticello City Council opened their monthly meeting by appointing City Clerk Andrea Chambers as President Pro Tem, to serve as Chairman and Presiding Officer over the meeting. As the County Clerk, and in accordance with established protocol, Ms. Chambers had already assumed the powers of the Mayor, following the death of the Honorable Mayor Allen Maxwell on March 10, 2014.

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Monday’s groundbreaking ceremony was used as an occaision to begin the new improvment to city water service, move into the “electronic age”, with remote meter reading, and also a tribute to Mayor Allen Maxwell, who died last week. Many of Mayor Maxwell’s family members took part in Monday’s ceremony.

The City of Monticello held their first of four “Our Place” town hall meetings, Thursday night, hosted by assistant to the Mayor for planning, Zach Tucker.

A total of 9 folks attended the meeting, 4 from the TEA party,  Tucker, a county employee from Ward 2, and 2 city hall staff, who were signing in attendees (both live in Ward 2), MLive.

The 40 minute presentation dealt with planning and vision concepts.

The discussion, which lasted over an hour, was unexpectedly open to all.  The TEA party members and MLive, as well as others made the most of the opportunity to discuss the “SWOT” (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) to our area.

Monday’s meeting to discuss possible weather warning solutions was expected to be a quiet, notetaking event.

That was not the case, as voices and emotions begin to increase.

The full audio file of the meeting is posted below.

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In the next step of the ongoing weather warning saga between Code Red electronic notification and the traditional tornado warning sirens on towers, a discussion meeting was held at Western Sizzlin at noon on Monday, with Judge Robert Akin and the Drew County JP’s, who invited Monticello Mayor Allen Maxwell and other city officials he chose to include.

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At the City Council’s Tuesday evening meeting, a local business owner asked the Council to pass an ordinance setting time limits for parking on the square.

The business owner requested an ordinance be passed, and signs installed, limiting parking to an unspecified number of hours, so that parking space can be more readily available for shoppers.

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At their last meetings, both the Monticello City Council and Drew Memorial Hospital board moved their meetings to be held on the 4th Tuesday of each month at 6 PM.

Schedule conflicts of board members was the topic of discussion in both cases.

Former attorney, District Judge and city council member Clifton Bond went to be with The Lord, Monday afternoon.

His obituary and funeral service times will be posted, when they become available.

After several years of attempting to get governmental assistance to help fund tornado sirens for Drew County, we’ve finally got funding to assist with the purchase of 27 tower sirens, which will be scattered around the county.

But as the years have passed by, many feel that the towers have been surpassed by digital technology, as the best way to go, to notify county residents of impending disanter, should it occur.

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The City of Monticello Water Department hereby lifts the boil order.

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Posted below is the “2014 State of the City Report” as submitted by Mayor Allen Maxwell.

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Click here for online survey

YOUR INPUT IS NEEDED FOR COMMUNITY-WIDE VISION

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For years, there has been public confusion about whether East Gaines St, from Cockrell’s to the Chamber of Commerce, is “one or two lane traffic”.

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Free Mulch!!!!!

Free Mulch is available at the City Transfer Station located at 1466 Old Warren Road.

Please call Cathy Davis to set up an appointment for pick up at 870-367-4407.

Here is the ordinance……

BE IT ORDAINED by the City Council of the City of Monticello, Arkansas, that Chapter 5 of Monticello City Code, concerning dogs (Ordinance No. 494), is amended as follows:

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Hee is the ordinance….

BE IT ORDAINED by the City Council of the City of Monticello, Arkansas, that Chapter 7 of Monticello City Code, concerning building regulations (Ordinance No. 526), is amended to read as follows:

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Posted below is the ordinance, as it is written…..

BE IT ORDAINED by the City Council of the City of Monticello, Arkansas, that Chapter 12 of Monticello City Code, concerning mobile homes (Ordinance No. 480), is amended to read as follows:

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Arkansas State Highway Commission approved a bid for improvements to roadways in Drew County, according to Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department (AHTD) officials.

The purpose of the project is to resurface 1.5 miles of roadway in Monticello..

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A recent list of nuisance properties, as reported and maintaned by the city property inspector, included a city property.

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A MLive reader noticed the new driving instructions painted on the City Square.

The sign says “Left lane must turn left,” but the arrow points right.

“Parking only” seems to be allowed on the left, even though parking places are on the right.

We’ll probably be covering wrecks on the square, today.

An FOI by MLive for the results of the recent Monticello city audit show $6,325 missing from water and sewer funds, to the benefit of a former employee.

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September 11, 2001 our great country was attacked by those who hate the freedom and democracy we all stand for. Many innocent individuals lost their lives during this tragic event. However, there were also fire and police servicemen who lost their lives by choosing to put themselves in harm way to save and protect as many of the innocent as possible.

Although the attack was in New York City, it affected every American across the nation. It caused us to realize how little we can take for granted. We believe that if the event had taken place in Monticello, Arkansas our brave fire and police servicemen would have responded the same.

Revival Center will host the 2nd Annual Servicemen Appreciation day to honor the sacrifice of our local and county law enforcement and firefighters, who place their lives in harm way every time they put on their uniforms. This is just a small gesture to let them know we will not take their sacrifice for granted. We also wanted to thank their families for allowing them to serve. No servicemen serve alone but their families serve with them.

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