Sunday, September 27, 2009

SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 27, 2009
3:45 PM

The residential garbage truck has been working fine since the latest problem. I think that the mechanics now have the truck working correctly. The new system, other than a few problems with the truck, is working well. Most of the residents are now placing their cans on the street properly and are not too close to objects. The driver continues to improve and his time is getting quicker. Last week when we had rain I was glad that we did not have to have men working on the back of the truck.

I went to the Mississippi State and LSU football game. The game was a very good game and the crowd was excellent. It rained on me from Memphis all the way to MSU. The rain stopped about the end of the first quarter. The only bad part of the day was we lost 30 to 26. MSU did have a chance to win. They had the ball on the two yard line first and goal. They were stopped with the ball on about the 1/2 inch line.

Theda took a vacation day on Friday. I spent more time than usual in the office. I spent a good deal of time working on a grant for some equipment for our city parks. About the only thing that I need to complete the grant is the cost of shipping on the equipment. I have requested that information from the company. When I receive that information, I will complete the grant.

At the last city council meeting I gave the council members a memo and I verbally to submit any changes that they would like to see in next years budgets. As of today I have not received any comments from the council members. I have been working on the budgets for several days, but starting next week I will spend a lot of time preparing the budgets to be presented to the council at the November meeting.

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 23, 2009
6:45 PM

Last night Pat and I were in the living room when there was a knock at the back door. Pat answered the door (after getting Oscar under control). I could hear Pat talking to the people at the back door, I went to the back door and saw two young people talking to Pat. One of the young people at the back door was a young girl from our neighborhood. The other young person was a young boy that I did not recognize. Pat ask them if they would like to meet the Mayor. The young girl knows that I am the mayor. They answered that they would like to meet the mayor. I introduced myself to the young man and he told me his name and told me that he was in the process of moving to my neighborhood. He told me who his family was and I know his grandfather. I asked him to say hello to his grandfather for me. He then told me that he thought that the mayor lived in a big house not a small one like I live in. I told him that I was the mayor and that this was my home and that the house he was moving into was larger than my home.

We had more problems today with the residential garbage truck. A mechanic came from Little Rock and made the necessary repairs. I called Jerry about an hour ago and he told me that the mechanic had been riding with him since about two o'clock and that the truck had been working properly. He was planning to leave and go back to his shop. I hope that we now have all of the bugs worked out on this truck.

I had a meeting in Forrest City yesterday. I noticed that gas was $2.18 per gallon. I stopped and filled up. I had a meeting again in Forrest City today. I noticed today that the price had dropped to $2.17 per gallon. The lowest price of gas in Wynne today was $2.26 per gallon.

Monday, September 21, 2009

MONDAY SEPTEMBER 21, 2009
4:00 PM

Pat and I made a quick trip to Memphis today to see her doctor. He said that her bones had completely healed and that she could return to work next Monday. She was glad to be well, but she was not excited about going back to work.

About ten o'clock this morning Jerry came my office and said that the residential garbage truck would not run. He had called the dealer and a mechanic was on his way. When I returned after lunch I went to the sanitation department and inquired about the truck. He told me that the dealer got the truck going after about three hours and it worked fine. Then the controls for the dumping of the cans had stopped. He had called the dealer and a mechanic was on his way. He went outside and started the truck and everything was working fine. On my way to city hall I met the mechanic.

We had a pretty good weekend. The forecast had been for rain on both days. We missed it both days. My yard needed to be cut so I did that Saturday morning and mostly watched football the rest of the time.

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 16, 2009
5:45 PM

We have had a lot of rain over past day. I emptied my rain gage last night about 6:30 pm. I checked it today during the noon hour and it had 4 inches of rain in the gage. I have not checked it since noon, but it has rained quite a bit this afternoon. A few minutes ago on the weather on a Little Rock TV station the prediction is that we would have rain for the next four days.

I drove around Wynne early this morning and there were many full ditches around the city. The street crews were out working on removing the items that were slowing down the flow of water out of Wynne. A few hours later the ditches were flowing good and there was no flooding.

Our new residential garbage truck has had some problems over the past two days. A mechanic came from Little Rock yesterday and he though the he had the problem fixed. He did not. He came back to Wynne today and made some more repairs on the truck. The truck has worked fine this afternoon. Hopefully the truck will operate without any more problems.

Last week I was searching for some information on the official state of Arkansas web site. When I connected to the web site I was surprised to see a very familiar face. My own face. The picture on the web site is actually one of six pictures and they change every few seconds. The picture of me is one with the governor and other local officials at the ground breaking for the Delta Regional Airport in Colt.

I was telling this story to a friend of mine and he stopped me and said I know what you are going to tell to me. He said that his wife had discovered the same picture while looking at the web site last week.

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 15, 2009
7:10 PM

I spent most of the day out of Wynne. This morning Jerry and I went to Searcy to look at a track hoe. We plan to purchase a new track hoe next year. A dealer in Searcy has one in stock that is the type we would like to purchase. Jerry was pleased with the track hoe we looked at.
We discussed our needs and Jerry said that this machine will meet our needs. Jerry had a chance to check our the machine and we were pleased with our visit.

We left Searcy and went to Jonesboro. Tri State Truck Center held a luncheon an made a presentation about the new emission standards that will apply to all diesel trucks that are made after the first of next year. We will probably not purchase a new big truck for two years from now, but we felt that we needed to listen to the information that will apply to the next big truck we purchase. The new emission requirements will add between $9,600.00 and $11,500.00 to the price of trucks made after the first of next year. The company made, what I thought was a good presentation.

Today was a long day, but I think the information we were able to gain was worth the time.

Sunday, September 13, 2009

SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 13, 2009
10:45 AM

I am at Amy's home in Memphis now. Pat has been here a week. She is spending some time with Amy as she has started her new job.

Amy started her new job on Tuesday of this week. She has had a very busy week. The funeral home has been very busy this week. She is now on her way to work. She has a number of responsibilities at the funeral home today. This afternoon she has to conduct a funeral. Because of the individual and the job this individual had, there will be a huge crowd.

Amy seems to really enjoy her new job. She enjoys the people she is working with at the funeral home.

Pat continues to improve, but she is still having a lot of pain and she can not have weight on her broken leg very long. I remember the the doctor told us that it would take six months to a year for a complete recovery. She is scheduled to go back to the doctor in about ten days. I hope that she will be able to return to work after her check up.

I went to the junior high football game on Thursday night and the senior high football game on Friday night. I enjoyed both games but the Wynne teams lost both games. Someone in the stands told me that this group of young people had excellent records before Thursday night.

I have started working on the budgets for next year. I do not plan any big changes, but I do plan to propose some additions to some of the budgets.

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 9, 2009
4:00 PM

The city took delivery of our new knuckle boom truck this morning. The company picked up the knuckle boom truck that we had been using. We immediately put our truck in service.
WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 9, 2009
9:00 AM

The Wynne City Council met last night and took the following actions:

1. Had a report from VDCI--This has been the worst year for mosquitoes since
2004. The contractor told the council that they had encountered more mosquitoes
in all of the cities that they service. Overall he told the council that he was pleased
with the results that they had been able to provide the citizens. He also reminded
the council that they offer a control program---not an eradication program.

2. Passed a wellhead protection ordinance. This ordinance protects the area around
the wells that the water system uses for drinking water for Wynne.

3. The council defeated an ordinance that would have given a cost of living increase
to mayors who have retired since 1987 from the city. The individuals that this affect
are the only people retired from the city that do not get a cost of living increase on
their retirement.

4. Rezoned a piece of property from R2 to A1. A local developer had part of a subdivision
that he returned to A1 because the market for building lots in not very good now and this
will save him some money on taxes.

5. They also voted to purchase a new fire truck. The bought a new truck, but it is a
demonstrator. It has not even left the factory but it is classified as a demo because
it was not a sold order when it was build. This saved the city several thousand dollars.

6. The council also accepted the bid of Cross County Bank to finance this truck. They
were the low bidder for this loan.

7. The council passed an ordinance that updated the building codes for the city. This
action takes place when new building codes are adopted. We are now using the
latest building codes that have been approved by the state.

8. The council also changed the fees for moving a building and the fees collected for
demolition of a building.

9. The last item for the council was a change in the way a building permit for a
manufactured home is determined. The old way was a flat fee. The new fee will
be based on the square feet of the home.

I also placed a memo in the city council for suggestions for any changes that they would like to see in the 2010 budget for the city. I asked them to provide their input before October 1st. I have always asked for input from the council as I make a budget each year. I will actually prepare a budget during the month of October and present it to the council in November. They will have a month to study the budget and pass the budget in the December meeting of the council.

The sales tax proposal for economic development for the county was voted on yesterday. It was defeated again. This time the results were 1343 no and 1204 for the tax.

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 8, 2009
10:45 AM

The Wynne City Council meets tonight for their regular monthly meeting. I will report the actions taken tomorrow on this blog.

Amy and I went to Mississippi State for a football game on Saturday. It was a very long day, but State won the game and Amy and I had a good time.

Friday night two of my good friends were killed in an auto accident. Eldon Wadell and Sharron Forrester both lost their life in an accident late Friday afternoon. They were on their way to the WHS football game in Marion.

I went to Mr. Wadell's service yesterday morning and I went to the visitation for Mrs. Forrester last night. I would like to go to her service, but the service is today at 5:00 PM and I think that it might cut it to close to making the city council meeting tonight. I did get a chance to express my condolences to the family last night.

Amy went home on Sunday afternoon. Pat and I went over to her home and Pat is going to stay this week with her as she adjust to being at home after a three week absence. It has been good to have her home helping with Pat.

She started a new job yesterday. She actually did not work any yesterday because there was no work for her to complete at the funeral home. She did go in today. They had some work that she will complete. I hope that everything goes well and she has a good experience working at this funeral home. She really enjoys working at a funeral home.

The new residential garbage truck is working well. The driver is getting quicker with everyday work dumping the cans and getting used to new routes. The city picked up residential trash yesterday, but a large number of residents did not have their carts out. A large number of citizens have the cans out today, but they will not be dumped until next Monday.

The city informed the citizens on the local radio station and in the local newspaper. We also informed the citizens on our new website. It is apparent that some citizens do not follow any of the above. Those are the only options that the city can use to inform the citizens.

Our new knuckle boom truck is scheduled to be delivered tomorrow. The new system using two trucks is working well. The city has been able to stay up with the class three trash being placed on the curb for removal.

Thursday, September 3, 2009

THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 3, 2009
9:10 AM

The official City of Wynne web site is now on line. The address is cityofwynne.com.

Take a look at the site.

Tuesday, September 1, 2009

TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 1, 2009
10:40 AM

The residential garbage collection went smooth yesterday. The driver made a list of the cans that were not placed on the street properly. Those cans were not emptied. We will probably hear from those citizens. We feel like the residents have had proper information about the placement of carts and if they call we can tell them why their cart was not emptied.

The driver also made a list of residents who did not have a cart out when the truck went by their residence. He also noted the time. If they call we can give them the reason that their cart was not emptied.

Most of the residents had properly followed the instructions. One of the biggest changes is the time the cart will be emptied. That time will change for almost every resident.

We feel that we must follow the instructions or the citizens will never comply with the new rules.