MonticelloLive

With the first quarter of his first year in office completed, Mayor Joe Rogers has been busy. In this editorial, we’ll give the Mayor a letter-grade for different areas of work and service. In just 90 days, consider what has been done:

• Tommy Free, Chief of Police, stepped down and was replaced by Robert Rosegrant at the first of the year, in what became the first of two significant position changes during the mayor’s first three months. It is, of course, the mayor’s prerogative to appoint personnel for this and other similar positions.
• Rogers abolished the long-standing Parks and Recreation Commission, thereby placing himself at the head of a newly-created Department of Parks & Recreation. Some of the former members of the PRC declined to serve on the new department, although the opportunity was provided them. This action was taken in his first city council meeting in January.
• Doubled the limit from $10,000 to $20,000 that was previously required for approval of competitive bids. By approving this recommendation from the mayor, the city council authorized the mayor to approve project bids of up to $20,000 without having to enter into a competitive bidding process. Although allowed by the state, this amount seems excessive. It essentially enables the mayor to award lucrative projects to folks based on his sole decision.
• Almost overnight, it seemed that the mayor unveiled a plan for new municipal offices and recreation center. In a poorly promoted and hastily organized meeting, two bond firms made presentations. The only plans for this building were actually blueprints from a facility in Sherwood, Arkansas, which the mayor had visited and been inspired by. To date, the mayor still has no blueprints for the proposed center, no idea of total cost, and no explanation for exactly how much the center will cost the city on an ongoing basis to operate.
• In preparation for the project, the W.C. Whaley lot has been cleaned off and aging playground equipment removed.
• In order to pay for the above project, the mayor has proposed renewing the city’s ten-year, one-cent sales tax that expires this December. He also wants to extend that tax 15 years instead of 10. By selling bonds now, the center could be built almost immediately. He wants a June vote before the city on this project. Yet, he has not communicated any hard numbers, and he has not explained where other monies will come from for other equally important projects over the next 15 years.
• When it looked like Drew Memorial Hospital was eyeing the possibility of a half of one-cent sales tax to fund a proposed expansion of that facility, talk began to circulate that the city would attempt to “beat” the hospital to the polls to get its tax passed first, in the belief that perhaps the citizens of Monticello would not approve two back-to-back taxes.
• The February city council meeting was relatively quiet.
• In the March city council meeting, the mayor proposed the hiring of the architectural firm of Taggart Foster Currence Gray Architects, which coincidentally, was responsible for the design of the community center in Sherwood. Two other firms made presentations, but it was the TFGC group that received the green light.
• Fire Chief Wendell Ply was dismissed in the middle of March, and his replacement, Curtis Donaldson began immediately. This decision generated some fireworks on this site. The city has no personnel policy manual, and there is no civil service commission that might protect or provide guidelines for the employment of city workers and staff.

In view of his first three months, Mayor Rogers receives an “A” for Effort. He has intently sought to implement widespread change. He has some dramatic vision for the future and some creative ideas about how to achieve his vision.

In the area of Conduct…

• With just two full months left before his desired June vote, the mayor has not yet been able to inform the community about the necessity of a recreation center combined with a municipal center (as compared to other city needs and priorities), nor has he shown adequate information about costs. For example, the Sherwood center that the mayor has used as a model requires almost $600,000 per year for operational costs. Rogers’ proposal is to recoup part of that expense by charging memberships. Although this model has been used in other communities, is it fair to tax an entire community for a center in which many of its citizens might not be able to afford using it on a regular basis?
• The mayor seems intent on pursuing a tax extension (and for 15 years) as the solution for funding this facility, but private grants and foundation monies have not been investigated to date which might dramatically offset the cost of the facility.
• After working with the Community Design Center in Fayetteville to establish some creative options for community development and long-range planning, the Monticello Economic Development Commission shared that report with the community in January. However, it seems that the publication will gather dust on the shelves in the mayor’s office, as its recommendations are not considered in the haste to foist a fast tax vote on the community in June.
• Strategic planning seems conspicuously absent, and rather, there is alarming evidence of a tunnel-visioned approach to city leadership rather than a broad-based gathering of input from various members of the community.
• The mayor has seemed unwilling to comment at times when leadership and honesty is required. Rogers seems not just hesitant but defensive when alternative ideas or viewpoints are shared.

As far as Conduct, the Mayor receives a C-.

In Math…

• The lack of a comprehensive plan with adequately communicated costs, all the while rushing towards a June vote, means that things just don’t add up.
• For instance, if the city took in $1.8 million dollars in sales tax revenue last year from the one cent tax, and if we say that conservatively, the city took in $12 million from that tax over the past ten years of its existence, where did that money go? Wouldn’t it be nice to see a full accounting of what the last ten-year, one-cent sales tax did for the community before we extend it for 15 years?

• In addition, a good portion of the mayor’s sales tax proposition would be used to fund the community center. The MEDC desires to create a financial “war chest” from another portion of that, which supposedly would enable them to use those revenues in the recruitment of new businesses and industries. However, if the city has been used some of the past ten year’s sales tax revenues to simply operate, how will the city function when so much of the funds have already been devoted to paying back a bond issue? Will there need to be other taxes, like a “hamburger tax” to cover city expenses and operational costs? There is little to no breathing room in the mayor’s plan for alternatives.

In the area of Math, the Mayor receives a C.

In Social Studies…

• By marrying his idea of a municipal building with a recreation center, the mayor may be endangering the entire concept. It is widely acknowledged that our fire station facilities, police station, and city offices are inadequate and need replacing, but does the city need a recreation center more than it needs other items? The community has not been given a serious opportunity (in advance) to form a long-range planning team or even to discuss other needs or creative alternatives.
• The Mayor’s prior leadership experience included being commissioner of the Babe Ruth (He still serves as Commissioner for Babe Ruth Baseball in southern Arkansas, according to their website.) Last year, Rogers worked nonstop to bring the Babe Ruth 16 & 17 Year-Old World Series to Monticello. Teams came from across the nation. They played at the newly renovated and reconstructed Burlington Field. Rogers demonstrated brilliance in organizing and mobilizing an incredible array of volunteers, donations, and help from businesses, churches, and other organizations. Although the sales tax revenues that were speculated prior to the tournament were never realized, the tournament brought out the best in many people in Monticello as the community worked together to achieve a common purpose.
• Unfortunately, the cost and time given to developing Burlington Field took attention and perhaps energy away from the momentum of the city’s newly-opened Sports Complex. Rogers apparently never liked the concept of the Sports Complex and is not a supporter of it, in spite of the fact that the sales tax of 1997 was partly committed to its construction and completion. With only 9 months left to go, the Sports Complex sits unfinished, with many glaring problems, and of course, we have no Parks & Recreation Commission to focus upon it.
• The Mayor has a “no-nonsense” way of dealing with issues and problems. As said before, he at times is resistant to input from other viewpoints. However, he is at least attempting to deal with issues and is willing to confront difficult community problems.

In the area of Social Studies, the Mayor receives a B-.

In the area of Reading, there is no suggestion here that the Mayor has problems with books. Rather, he may have a problem “reading” people and the mood of the community.

• Rogers won an election without a Republican challenger. He ran against Incumbent Mayor David Anderson and Chamber of Commerce Director Glenda Nichols in the Democratic primary. He won with a total turnout of approximately 1600 votes. With such low turnout, it’s important for any city official to truly seek to gauge the opinion and desire of the community they serve.
• Comments at MonticelloLive by dozens of citizens have at the very least been concerned at the current direction and momentum of Rogers’ leadership.
• Conversations with the Mayor have been reported in which he continues to be adamant about his way of doing things, rather than information-gathering, openness, and assimilation of others’ ideas and points.

In the area of Reading, the Mayor receives a C-.

Overall Grade for the Mayor’s first quarter of service to the community: C.

Areas of Improvement:

• Communicate. The Mayor desperately needs to communicate and inform the people of the community better than he is doing. While he has shared with several groups, there has not been a public forum with enough advance notice for people to widely participate in. Plans seems to be “sprung” on the people at the last moment with little or no information to back them up. Perhaps a weekly column like the judge does in the Advance, could be submitted to the paper and this site to help keep people informed.
• Slow Down. Good, thoughtful change is needed in our community. Most recognize this. However, at the moment, it feels that change is being shoved down the proverbial throat. People need more time to process. More questions need to be asked, and more answers need to be given.
• Plan. Focusing on one facet of Monticello’s needs (a municipal building) to the exclusion of all others is not the wisest course of action, particularly when it requires a large portion of a 15-year one-cent sales tax. Knowing that the hospital project is still looming, as well as the construction of a new library, and needs for ongoing infrastructure care, roads, and unforeseen costs, what is needed is a long-range plan for the community.
• Relax. No one is “out to get” the Mayor. With today’s new systems of communication, such as the internet, the level of accountability for our public officials has been raised dramatically. We should be thankful that there is a new level of concern and involvement by citizens. Any good leader will have detractors, but most of these just want to be heard and know that their opinions matter. Some of the best ideas for the future may indeed come from outside city hall. It is to a leader’s credit to listen and identify good input.

We feel strongly that the Mayor, City Council, and other leaders of Monticello need to slow down and do some significant planning for the future of our community. At present, rushing a 15-year tax without hard numbers, long-range planning, and interagency cooperation is a mistake. “No Plan, No Tax” is a good rule of thumb. Remember, tax income is not guaranteed. The people of this community must vote for it. If they cannot be provided with a comprehensive accounting of the last ten year’s tax receipts and what they were used for as well as a plan for the future, it weakens the foundation for voting for that tax to be extended, whether for 10 or 15 years.

“No Plan, No Tax” should encourage city leaders to slow down and focus. There is an excellent resource that has been painstakingly prepared by the CDC but that is currently being overlooked. There are significant projects on the horizon that will need funding as well, including the hospital and library, not to mention ongoing infrastructure and maintenance costs.

“No Plan, No Tax” urges our leaders to communicate with one another and to draw up a long-range plan for the city before we move forward. This should include the establishment of zoning laws. We are the only city in Arkansas of our size or larger that does not have zoning. This should be a priority.

“No Plan, No Tax” also communicates to citizens that any tax that they support and vote for will come with a vision for the future and will not simply be a blank check for city leaders’ hurried whims.

Finally, we are grateful for the leadership of our city’s leaders to this point. The days ahead for our community are bright indeed. There is a desire and vision for change. Change will indeed be coming. In addition, there are more citizens than ever before rising up to voice ideas, concerns, and participate in the democratic process.

The Mayor’s Progress Report is also our own. No one should sit idly by and watch the world pass us up. These are important and vital days for us to transition our community for the future. With everyone’s input, work, and communication, Monticello will continue to be a great community, a wonderful home, and an innovative business center.