Alderman Jim Poole receives the John R. Rhodes Sr. Distinguished Service Award from Mayor Gerald Morris. Also pictured are, from left: City Treasurer Jamie Cluck, Alderman Carl Birmingham, Alderman Lester Edwards, Alderman Tommy Risinger and City Attorney John Lingle. (Times photo/Tim Blair) [Click to enlarge]

Members of the Piggott City Council held the regular monthly meeting Monday night at Piggott Community Hospital. Prior to their regular meeting, mayor Gerald Morris and the aldermen held a joint gathering with the Piggott Community Hospital board, and after a presentation on the 2008 budget by administrator James Magee, approved the document. Following a brief recess the council then re-convened for their regular meeting.

All the aldermen were in attendance as the meeting was called to order, along with mayor Morris, city attorney John Lingle and city treasurer Jamie Cluck. City clerk Ramona Magee was absent as she continues to recover at home following a recent fall.

Following the budget presentation by Magee, the council voted to approve the document by a unanimous vote. Council members also commended Magee, his staff and administrators for the excellent job they'd done at the hospital. The group then recessed for a short time and moved on to the regular monthly agenda. Afterward Morris presented a plaque to alderman Jim Poole from the Arkansas Municipal League recognizing him for over 25 years of service.

The main topic of discussion for the council was the ongoing issue of solid waste collection, and the current contract with Delta Disposal (now known as Delta Environmental). The contract with Delta will expire at the end of 2008 and the alderman approved sending a letter to the company indicating the city's interest in re-bidding the service. Recent discussion by the council has centered on disposal fees, possible future increases due to fuel prices and other alternatives. The council approved sending the letter to Delta, which had to be done at least 120 days before the current contract expires, in order to keep the city's options open. "We must look at all of our options before making a decision," Morris noted.

The only other item of business was to approve the city attorney's fees for the month, and that passed without dissent.

At the conclusion of the meeting Morris presented the John R. Rhodes Sr. Distinguished Service Award to Poole that was handed out at the recent Municipal League meeting in Little Rock. "On behalf of the Arkansas Municipal League it is my honor to present this plaque for your 25 years of service to the City of Piggott as an alderman. Very few elected officials achieve this honor of distinction," Morris said in making the presentation. "On behalf of the elected officials of the city of Piggott, and the whole community, I say thank you Jim for your dedication to our city. You are a valued alderman. All of us that work closely with you respect your integrity, judgment and cooperation. We hope you continue to serve this community with your time and efforts," he continued. "You certainly are one that looks for a solution to a problem rather than looks for a problem without a solution -- thanks again for all the years of service to the City of Piggott," Morris concluded.

The John R. Rhodes Sr. Distinguished Service Award is named for the mayor of Lake Village, who served in that capacity for some 33 years.

Council then adjourned until the next regular meeting, which is currently scheduled for Monday, July 28, at city hall.