Police chief makes plea for additional staff

The Mountain Home Police Department is in a crisis regarding its records, Police Chief Tom Berry told the Mountain Home City Council last week.

"We do have quite a backlog of work," Berry said. To help with the problem the department will be prioritizing reports based on importance and need. Berry said the department also will increase the hours of its part-time employee and may look into volunteer help to answer the phones.

He said the department is looking into voice recognition software and transcription services to speed up the process of writing reports. Another option is to pay the administrative staff overtime to help get reports done. "(We are) trying to address it (the backlog of work) from all ways," said Berry.

Berry's comments came during reports made to the council by the city department heads.

The council also took up the issue of an agreement for the sculpture in Memorial Park that the Girl Scouts of Mountain Home have donated to the city, with the mayor raising objections to the agreement and threatening not to sign it.

The agreement dealt mainly with the sculpture's long-term preservation and upkeep.

"I have a problem with the agreement," Mayor Joe B. McNeal said, contending that he didn't believe there should be an agreement at all.

"We do this frequently -- maintaining things in parks. We don't need an agreement because we will already own it (the sculpture)."

But Stephanie Aiken, Mountain Home Unit Director for the Girl Scouts, wanted the agreement signed because the sculpture is "one of the first types of that art in the city and we (the Girl Scouts) want it to be preserved."

"I just assumed we were going to take care of it (sculpture)," Councilman Tom Rist said. "I didn't know we needed a contract."

"Neither did I. That's my problem with it," said McNeal. "I'm concerned about the city protecting something that belongs to them and they're in agreement with two other organizations (Mountain Home Arts Council and the artist) to make sure we do our job."

"I don't think anyone is telling us what to do, but asking us to cooperate," said Councilwoman Alain Isaac.

There was a motion on the table to approve the agreement but McNeal warned "you can authorize me to sign this agreement, but I'm telling you right now, I'm not going to sign this."

If the mayor does not sign the agreement by the next council meeting it will go into effect as law without his signature.

Aiken said they start construction on the sculpture Friday, June 1, whether the agreement is signed or not.

In other business, the council:

* Heard a 2006 audit presentation by Pulliam and Associates.

* Approved a request to go out for bid for runway crack sealing at the airport.

* Discussed getting a new Area of City Impact agreement done. Councilman Rist and Urquidi were appointed to find a consultant and bring information to the next council meeting.

* Discussed the Westside Sewer District Agreement.

* Renewed the contract with Billing Document Specialists and authorized the Mayor to sign.

* Approved a Planning and Zoning recommendation of final plat for Faith Crossing subdivision with a motion that it be recorded on the plat that the dwellings will be single family detached housing.

* Approved Planning and Zoning recommendation for a conditional use permit for Pioneer Federal Credit Union.

* Denied the Planning and Zoning recommendation of the Land Use Ordinance changes as recommended by Mike McCain, Building and Zoning Official, because work on a new ordinance is taking place.

* Approved application for a transient merchant license for Tropical Ice Snow Cones.

* Approved a request to purchase and piggy back on a state bid for track hoe.

* Approved a request to waive building permit fees for an Elmore County roofing project.

* Discussed the addressing of Colonial Estates.

* Passed ordinance--Water/Wastewater Rates.

* Passed ordinance--Water/Wastewater Availability Fee Increase; second reading.

* Passed ordinance--Prohibiting Motorized Vehicles on Posted City Property.

* Passed ordinance--Amending Posting of Hearings on Property.

* Passed ordinance--Amending Sign Regulations.

The next regular council meeting will be held on Monday, June 11 at 6 p.m.