October Council Meeting 2025
- Emily Young
- 7 days ago
- 3 min read
October
Present: Justin Keller, Chris Olson, Joe Pearson, Nathan George, Emily Young, and Seth Bradley
Not present: Laura Wetzel, Paul Gray
Financial Report by Finance Director, Ashley Rogers
As usual, I'm not good with the numbers part - but you can watch Ashley, who does an excellent job, go over everything here: https://www.youtube.com/live/qVBu1zUqKlA?si=S90BpeVTqFHFrLaT&t=270
Mayor's Report
Vetoed the councils vote of 5-3 to approve the signing of a contract between the City and Russellville Playhouse to use the former Boulder Avenue Church building.*
*Though there was no discussion on this matter as most people in attendance anticipated there being, I did want to say something. Tonight, I mistakenly thought the mayor was going to present his reasonings for the veto, thereby opening the discussion on it. When it became clear him notifying the council via email was sufficient in enacting the veto, I now know it was up to the council to put forth a motion to open discussion. Since no one on the council opened that up, no one was asked to speak on the matter. The representatives from the Russellville Playhouse were in attendance to make a statement and they did not get that chance. I do wish we had opened it up for discussion so they could have spoken. I hope the Russellville Playhouse is able to find a way forward as it is something I think our city could really benefit from having.
Department Report from Terry Thomas, Director of Recreation and Parks. Watch that report here: https://www.youtube.com/live/qVBu1zUqKlA?si=kwGH8VlH2A_TFqbL&t=576
Personnel Committee - No Report
Paul Gray (chairman), Laura Wetzel, Joe Pearson, and Emily Young
Finance Committee
Justin Keller (chairman), Nathan George, Seth Bradley, and Chris Olson.
Finance Report From 5:30pm meeting prior to Council Meeting
Item 1: Reimbursement for 3rd Quarter expenses for Main Street Russellville in the amount of $15,000. Item 2: Scheduled two dates for evening work sessions for the 2026 General Fund Operating Budget. October 29th, November 5th.
Item 3: Use $154,749.29 from General Fund Carryover Balance to cover the 4th Quarter expenses of Pope County 911 Expenses.
Item 4: Moving $200,000 line item from General Fund Reserves to Fund 27 for the GeoSurface Turf Field at Russellville Soccer Complex.
Item 1: Resolution authorizing Mayor and City Clerk to apply for a 90/10 ADA grant for hangar roof repairs at the municipal airport.
Item 2: Reimbursement for 3rd Quarter expenses for the Alliance for Economic Development Contract in the amount of $51,450.73.
Unfinished Old Business
Item 1: Ordinance amending the land subdivision and development code dealing with final plat application requirements. (2nd of 3 readings)
New Business
Item 1: Ordinance to establish a coalition with Pope County, the city of Atkins, and the city of Dover to apply with the U.S. EPA for a Brownfields Grant; to approve Russellville as the lead agency for the coalition point of contact; to apply and accept a grant on behalf of the coalition; and sign any and all paperwork dealing with accepted grants from the Brownfields grant. (Passed with emergency clause, read one time only)
Video of full council meeting:
See the full agenda items here:
November 10th, 5:30pm - Finance followed by Agenda Prep Meeting.
November 20th, 5:30pm - Finance followed by City Council Meeting at 6pm.
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