City Council establishes Historic District Commision, and approves city bonuses

During the Nov. 9 meeting of the Camden City Council, aldermen discussed the following business:

1. Ordinance No. 11-21, an ordinance creating a Historic District; and establishing procedures for the protection and preservation of the character of and properties within the Historic District was passed after a motion was made to suspend the rules and put it up for a third and final reading.

The ordinance establishes a Historic District Commission that will be made up of seven members who are to be appointed by the Council at a later date.

2. Ordinance No. 12-21, an ordinance changing the name of the street original designated as Cherry Street Southwest to Las Bell Street Southwest was amended, as the original draft listed KJWH as an El Dorado-based radio station. After it was amended to reflect that KJWH is a Camden station, six aldermen voted yes and Alderman Marvin Moore abstained.

Lasker Bell was a prominent Black DJ and television host in Camden and El Dorado who formerly resided on Cherry Street.

3. Ordinance No. 13-21, an ordinance establishing a temporary Entertainment District; and for other purposes had a first reading and will appear on next month's agenda.

4. Resolution No. 65-21, a resolution approving the appointment of David Chilcote to the Water and Sewer Commission, passed unanimously. A letter from the Water and Sewer Commission said Chilcote was selected due to his knowledge of Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality and Environmental Protection Agency regulations thanks to his role as Director of Operations at General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems from 2008 to 2018.

Chilcote will fill the unexpired term of Russell Delezen until November 2024.

5. Resolution No. 66-21, a resolution authorizing the Mayor to pay an end-of-year bonus to city employees including the City Clerk, Aldermen, Judge and Mayor passed unanimously.

Under the resolution, all full-time city employees, as well as the Mayor and City Clerk, will receive a $900 bonus and the City Attorney and part-time employees will receive $450. District Court employees, including Judge Robin Carroll, will receive a $450 bonus for full-time employees and $225 for part-time employees based on the city's 50% support of the court. Aldermen will receive a $100 bonus.

6. Resolution No. 67-21, a resolution authorizing the Mayor to enter into an amendment of the Interlocal Agreement with Ouachita County for housing city prisoners passed unanimously. Under the resolution the city would pay the county $3,000 a month to house city prisoners.

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