The West Siloam Springs Board of Directors voted 5-0 to nominate Vice Mayor Rhonda Wise as the new town mayor and Trustee Linda Dixon as the new community vice mayor at the town hall meeting of Monday

The meeting began with the swearing-in of Dixon and Ward 4 Trustee Sandra Parsons by Town Counsel Jot Hartley. Dixon entered her second term and Parsons began her first term as Trustee at that meeting replacing former Trustee and Mayor Elaine Carr who retired in March.

“I feel very privileged,” Wise said. “It’s a great honor. I would like to help my community and hopefully develop the city. ”

Wise said being mayor made her feel like she was just the leader of the group and that running the city was a joint effort with her fellow administrators. Plans for the city are to help the city build a new sewer system, attract new businesses and work with existing businesses. The new mayor also plans to work closely with the City of Siloam Springs and the Cherokee Nation.

As mayor of West Siloam Springs, Wise was automatically appointed chairman of the municipal authority, which oversees street and water services. The council voted 5-0 to nominate Dixon as vice president of the municipal authority.

The council also voted 5-0 to appoint Dixon as deputy city / town clerk as no one ran for the post during the election period and Carolyn Butts, the former clerk, resigned last year .

One of the actions the new mayor and council has taken has been to set up a special meeting to discuss the budget for fiscal year 2022 which will begin on July 1. The meeting will be held at 5 p.m. on Monday, May 10.

Wise offered to approve the date for the space meeting which was seconded by Administrator Sam Byers. The council voted 5-0 to approve the date.

The board of directors and the municipal authority also discussed the following:

• Approve the minutes of the March Board of Directors and the meetings of the municipal authorities.

• City officials hearing reports: Kirk; Police Chief Larry Barnett; Application of the Waylon Chandler code; Wise; Dixon; Hartley and Director of Public Works Keith Morgan.

• Approve purchase orders for March 2021. General purchase orders 34221-34291 totaling $ 128,455; EMS purchase order number 124 totaling $ 20,060.

• Approve an emergency clause for expenses that may arise after the creation of the agenda.

• Approve a time and date for the spring cleaning from 8 am to 5 pm on Saturday May 15th.

• Approve the addition of Parsons as a signatory on the accounts.

• Presented a discussion on hiring a computer technician for computers and phones.

• Do nothing about the tornado siren at Moseley School to help pay the remaining emergency balance of $ 8,501 until more information is brought to the board.

• Approve the inclusion of salary caps as an agenda item for the special budget meeting.

• Approve an ordinance amending the West Siloam Springs Ordinance Code to allow a nuisance fee of $ 200 for the maintenance of neglected properties and a fee of $ 400 for the management of dilapidated properties.

• Approve an emergency clause for expenses that may arise after the creation of the agenda.

• Approve an ordinance to revise Chapter 4 to allow a fee of $ 30 per inspection and $ 10 per square foot.

• Approve an emergency clause for expenses that may arise after the creation of the agenda.

• Approve an occupancy permit for the tobacco lab dispensary located at 4876 Highway 412.

• Approve a mobile home license for Lawrence Langley for a mobile home to be placed at 796 Sasafras subject to Langley adhering to the submitted construction plan.

• Approve three previous annexation orders that were not registered with the Delaware County Clerk.

• Approve emergency clauses for each order for expenses that may arise after the creation of the agenda.

• Approve the purchase of a new police car not to exceed $ 45,000.

• Approve purchase orders for February 2021. Water purchase order numbers 11933-11999 totaling $ 64,689; Street purchase orders 1593-1600 totaling $ 6,039.

• Approve the appointment of two council members and Morgan to a committee for the construction of a sewer system.

• Approval of the purchase of a service truck for $ 37,911.

• Approve an inter-municipal water contract with the City of Siloam Springs to provide water to West Siloam Springs if the city’s regular supplier is unable to provide water.