WM council fast-tracks emergency equipment buys

WM council fast-tracks emergency equipment buys

Short- handed aldermen take care of business for Airport, Public Works

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“Better late than never” was the lesson of the day at the second West Memphis City Council meeting in June. The meeting itself was late, delayed a week to allow city officials to attend Municipal League meetings out of town.

Council members were presented with two pressing ordinances, but encountered a problem. Both the Airport Commission and Public Works Department turned in requests for new equipment with a quick turnaround need. Both had asked the council to waive competitive bidding to purchase said equipment. But, as the roll was called to start the meeting, only six of a required seven city council members required to suspend procedure and read out each ordinance three times to clear the way for the purchases were present.

Department representatives pressed on, presenting their needs to the council, followed by the first of the three readings needed to move on the equipment deals.

Grass is growing, and Public Works Administrative Assistant Rhonda Standridge told the council about an immediate need for a new mowing tractor.

“One of our tractors has gone down,” said Standridge. “We need to get a new one to keep up with mowing. We’ve got another one that is just limping along. So we need another one to keep up with the demand. We got a bid and we can get it in a week. We desperately need it.”

An estimate to repair just the transmission on the 15year-old tractor was $22,000, along with more items needing attention on the unit as well. Mayor Bill Johnson pointed out replacement cost was $55,000.

Lacking a seventh alderman at the meeting, however, Standridge looked up and down the short-handed council board.

Johnson told Standridge, “Looks like we’ll have to wait two weeks. Maybe we can read it out then.”

Airport Manager Lynda Avery didn’t want to let a really good deal on a new refueling truck slip away.

Avery made her presentation to the short-handed city council as well, including a request for an emergency clause to waive competitive bidding for the truck. Avery’s plan called for the airport’s old tank to be mounted onto a newer, used chassis with a required brake interlock.

“The bottom line of it was they can buy a used refurbished one for about $75,000, or buy a new one for hundreds of thousands more,” said Johnson.

Just when it seemed neither department would be able to move forward, Councilwoman Helen Harris, responding to calls from other city council members telling her a super majority was needed to pass the measures to buy the equipment, arrived.

Harris said she set aside important family business to make the meeting, and flew into council chambers just in time to hear both items through.

With the numbers on hand, the council then approved both deals for the equipment purchases.

Members present at the meeting in addition to Harris were, Melanie Hutchinson, Lorraine Robinson, Taz Tyrone, Tracy Catt, James Pulliaum and Ramona Taylor. Absent were Willis Mondy, James Holt, and Marco McClendon.

By John Rech