City council approves bond-refinancing ordinance, equipment purchases, private-club permit and a vehicle-leasing program

The Conway City Council conducted its business session after a sanitation briefing and approved a slate of ordinances and resolutions ranging from a bond-refinancing parameters ordinance to equipment purchases and a vehicle-leasing program.

Council adopted a parameters ordinance (O26-15) to allow refinancing of the outstanding 2016 wastewater revenue bonds for potential debt-service savings; staff said the measure would not extend maturities or increase principal but would position the city to act if market conditions improve. Gordon Wilbert presented the refinancing rationale and the ordinance passed on a recorded vote.

Council approved an accounting ordinance accepting a $5,000 Conway Corporation donation for the Conway Tree Board (O26-16) and granted a private-club permit to Waldo's Chicken at 2205 Dave Ward Boulevard (O26-17); applicant Brainerd told council he hopes to open June 15.

The council approved multiple procurement measures for the sanitation department: an amended resolution to buy refuse trucks (R26-10, amended to remove roll-off truck language) and an ordinance to appropriate funds to purchase two refuse trucks (O26-18). The council also adopted resolution R26-09 to purchase an articulated Volvo A40-series dump truck for landfill operations; staff said the purchase came in under budget.

Public-safety items included a city ordinance to appropriate reimbursement funds for police accounts (O26-19) and an ordinance to buy ballistic plates for officers' carriers (O26-20); chief Harris said the plates add rifle protection and that sales-tax revenue (effective April 1) will reimburse the general fund for the purchase.

Finance staff described a vehicle-leasing program with Enterprise that would bring roughly 43—6 vehicles into a lease pool to reduce maintenance costs and keep vehicles newer; staff said the agreement allows the city to terminate if needed and requested initial appropriations covering about six months of lease costs. Council approved the vehicle-leasing appropriation ordinance O26-21.

Votes at a glance: - O26-15 (wastewater refunding bonds, parameters ordinance): adopted, vote recorded 6-0. - O26-16 (accept Conway Corp donation to Tree Board, $5,000): adopted, 6-0. - O26-17 (private-club permit for Waldo's Chicken): adopted, 6-0. - R26-09 (purchase articulated dump truck): adopted, 6-0. - R26-10 (purchase refuse trucks, amended to remove roll-off): adopted, 6-0. - O26-18 (appropriate funds for two refuse trucks): adopted, 6-0. - O26-19 (appropriate reimbursement funds for police): adopted, 6-0. - O26-20 (appropriate funds for ballistic plates): adopted, 6-0. - O26-21 (vehicle-leasing program appropriation): adopted, 6-0.

The meeting concluded with the chair announcing the next council meeting on April 14 at 6:00 p.m. and a unanimous motion to adjourn.