Civic center issues at the heart of Farmington city council meeting
The Farmington Civic Center. File photo
The Farmington City Council met at City Hall on Jan. 27 and moved quickly through a short agenda that included committee reports and the adoption of two resolutions.
Public safety
Councilor Wayne Linnenbringer presented the Public Safety report. He said that at the Tuesday meeting, there was a discussion regarding the placement of signs to discourage panhandling.
“There is a privately placed sign at Byrider Auto Sales in Maple Valley, but it’s small and not on city property,” Linnenbringer said. “We’d like to place some signs in public places like at intersections where people are standing with signs. We want to discourage that behavior and encourage people to donate to a charity or social service organization rather than give money directly to the person standing there with a sign that says something like ‘I need gas money’ or whatever.”
Mayor Larry Forsythe suggested that the signs be printed in English and Spanish. Plans include coordinating the sign installation with Public Works.
Councilor Linnenbringer said the police department responded to 284 calls in December (average), 3,466 calls for the year (down about 100 from the previous year), and 128 calls during a 48-hour ice storm period. There were 1,947 calls for service in December (down from last year), and 24,431 for the year 2024 (down 1,064 from 2023). Testing for lieutenant and sergeant positions is ongoing. 507 calls were handled between January 4th and 13th. Police Chief Chris Bullock thanked other city departments for their assistance.
Public works
Councilor David Kennedy shared the Public Works updates. Public Works is addressing storm damage and has begun collecting limbs placed at the curb, prioritizing Ward 2 after completing Ward 1. Residents are urged to be patient. The traffic program is reportedly running smoother than the limb removal process. Citizens who can independently transport debris are encouraged to do so.
Council Dan Combs commented that he had taken a trip to the city farm with a load of storm debris. He suggested that if anyone could do the hauling themselves, it would save the city workers a trip. He appreciated the efficiency of the processing and was pleased to have been asked for his ID. There have been recent problems with non-Farmington residents attempting to utilize the services at the farm, and it was decided that an ID check would be necessary to alleviate the issue.
Public services
Oil paintings by local artist Bill Black are on display at the public library for a limited time. Submitted
Councilor Chad Follis presented the Public Services updates.
“The library has got some artwork from a local artist, Bill Black, that will be up through February. Anyone who needs assistance and is eligible for AARP can contact the library because AARP will be coming in to help with tax preparation. The library will get back to regular programming in February. They still have the story times on Wednesdays and Saturdays at 10:30 a.m., and then in the evenings on the third Tuesday at 5:30 p.m., Volunteers are always needed, too. They lost a part-time employee who found full-time work, so a position will open up in a year or less.
“There are ongoing projects with Parks and Recreation. Backstops and dugouts at the Bud Norman Sports Complex have a target completion of March 1, with potential delays due to weather; we had two weeks’ worth of delay due to snow and ice, so they are looking at alternative plans if they can’t hit the goal. Brockmiller Construction is looking at possibly working some weekends to get back on track. Restrooms and sunshades at tennis courts have a target completion date of late March. Indoor pool renovations will mean that pool closure is expected until June 1st; outdoor pool renovation will begin after Labor Day,” Councilor Follis said.
He said newly hired Parks and Recreation Director Lainey Gault has backup plans for summer baseball if the expected deadlines are not met.
“She’s been busy overseeing major projects, evaluating programs, and meeting with employees. She has started working with the Centene Corporation regarding naming rights to the Centene Center; naming rights are up on that building, so she’s working to renegotiate contracts for another 10 years.”
[Officially opened in 2016, the facility was built as part of the Centene Corporation’s expansion into the Parkland area. The upscale auditorium and conference center is a popular local venue for weddings, receptions, banquets, business seminars, concerts, plays, church gatherings, local drama performances, class reunions, and fine art entertainment. The auditorium boasts 525 permanent seats and about 200 movable seats. The conference center can accommodate up to 350 seats.]
Equipped with a roomy, permanent stage, comfortable padded seats, professional sound and lighting equipment, and dressing rooms. The auditorium has 525 permanent seats and approximately 200 movable seats.
Administrative services
Councilor Chris Morrison shared the Administrative Services updates. He said committee discussions had focused on strategic planning and the Industrial Development Authority (IDA), including collaboration with the county and securing available industrial space.
Councilor Combs was appointed to the Mineral Area Community Improvement District Board (MACID) and the PGMVLC CID Board. [These districts often use special taxes to fund infrastructure improvements and economic development within a defined area.] He was also appointed to the Administrative Services Committee. Council Follis was appointed to the Planning and Zoning Committee. Councilor Morrison said a budget amendment was expected in February.
New business
Resolution R05-2025 was presented and approved. It authorizes the mayor to enter and execute a Salem Real Estate, Jacobs LLC contract. Resolution R06-2025 was presented to amend the part-time pay plan and spawned discussion before the vote.
Councilor Combs said he had some questions, to which Mayor Forsythe responded that Paula Cartee, the City of Farmington’s Human Resources Director, was in attendance and could provide answers.
The councilor voiced his concerns because some part-time positions at the Civic Center were posted below the current minimum wage. He said, “We’ve discussed salaries and that people can go anywhere and make better money. If there’s a shortage of people, maybe we need to adjust the salaries even more than what’s here.”
This prompted discussion about the city’s competitiveness in attracting and retaining employees, given that other employers may offer higher wages and that low salaries might create a shortage of applicants for part-time positions. He pointed out how a situation like that could negatively impact the smooth operation of city services. HR Director Cartee explained that the amendment primarily aims to streamline timekeeping and pay rates for part-time employees who switch roles and that pay discrepancies must be rectified.
“This had nothing to do with increasing salaries,” she said. “It had more to do with timekeeping on time sheets for our part-time employees that do extra work. They may be a head lifeguard, but they agree to work the ticket booth at a show. So, instead of being paid for a recreation assistant, a scale A, they were told they could be paid at their regular head guard rate. Well, they need to be paid at the rate of a recreation assistant. So we’re trying to clean that up.
“We changed scorekeeper and recreation assistant because those are the two jobs that people interchange from other positions to; they’ll be paid a flat rate instead of trying to keep up with moving them on two different scales. They have steps just like full-time employees, where they advance with years of experience. If a lifeguard or a front desk person works as a recreation assistant, everybody gets paid the same flat rate of $14 an hour and $13 an hour when scorekeeping.”
Questions were then raised about lifeguard staffing. It was reported that the city anticipates hiring approximately 40 lifeguards, and staffing is not currently a problem.
Councilor Chad Follis recused himself before the vote because his daughter works at the Civic Center; the council voted to adopt the resolution.
Mayor’s comments
Mayor Forsythe announced that the annual State of the County Address will be held on Feb. 21 at Mineral Area College. Mayors from cities across the county, MAC President Dr. Joe Gilgour, and Presiding Commissioner Harold Gallagher will share insights and updates on the current status, accomplishments, and plans for their cities, the county, and the college. Registration is $10 per person, including the cost of attendance and breakfast. Anyone wishing to attend should register with the Farmington Regional Chamber of Commerce.
Next meeting
The next city council meeting will be held on Feb. 13 in the municipal court, located on the lower level of City Hall at 110 W. Columbia St. The public is welcome to attend, except for closed sessions. Anyone wishing to address the council should complete a brief form and present it to the city clerk before the meeting begins.
Lisa Brotherton-Barnes is a Farmington Press and Daily Journal staff writer. She can be reached by email at lbarnes@dailyjournalonline.com.
