Photo caption: Jason Edwards (left), owner of Edwards Company Group, discusses his proposal to repair roofs on city-owned buildings during the Oct. 8 Glenwood City Council meeting.
The Glenwood City Council postponed a decision on repairing city-owned buildings damaged by an April hailstorm following a lengthy debate over whether to hire a company that operates statewide and could complete the work quickly or seek competitive bids that would give local contractors an opportunity to compete.
During its Oct. 8 meeting, the council also approved selling approximately 8.4 acres of city-owned land near the U.S. Highway 70 rest area for $205,000 and accepted the resignation of Councilman Chase Pope.
The roofing discussion centered on repairs to more than two dozen city properties, with the total cost estimated at about $600,000.
Council members heard a presentation from Jason Edwards, owner of Edwards Company Group, a construction, roofing and property restoration company that serves cities, schools and businesses across Arkansas. The company has locations in Conway, North Little Rock and Pine Bluff.
Mayor Billy Plyler said the company has connections with the Arkansas Municipal League and could simplify what otherwise would be a complicated process requiring multiple bids.
Edwards said his company had already determined the scope of work and was prepared to move quickly. He suggested the city could use an emergency proclamation to expedite the selection of a contractor without going through the usual competitive bidding process.
“If you were to go the other way on public bids, that’s going to typically take at least 60 days,” Edwards said. “You’re prolonging this. We’re going into wintertime.”
He also raised concerns about deadlines for recovering depreciation withheld from the city’s insurance payments until repairs are completed. The damage occurred about six months ago, and council members discussed a possible two-year period for completing the work.
His company proposed handling the repairs under a comprehensive arrangement that would include roofing and other restoration work, manufacturer-backed warranties and a 20-year asset protection agreement.
Edwards said the agreement would provide annual inspections of city buildings, along with a $500 maintenance credit per structure. He also discussed a rebate of approximately $15,000, subject to conditions that included allowing the company to document the completed work and receiving an evaluation of its performance.
He urged the council to consider the qualifications of contractors rather than focusing exclusively on the lowest price, arguing that the city should obtain the greatest possible value from its insurance proceeds.
But several council members expressed reservations about bypassing competitive bidding. Pope noted that a Glenwood company, Armor Roofing & Garage Doors, had expressed interest in the project.
“I would not be interested in anything other than a public bid,” Pope said. “I would want to give them the opportunity to bid on their city’s stuff.”
James Williams, owner of the Glenwood company, attended the meeting and questioned the approach offered by Edwards.
“Not to put down the presentation, [but] I’ve never heard a presentation like that and a strong-arm [tactic] all at the same time,” Williams said.
Williams said he believed local contractors should have an opportunity to demonstrate their qualifications.
Councilman Alan Moore also favored competitive bidding, although he praised Edwards’ presentation and the company’s experience.
“As much as I like this presentation, and I like the qualifications, I don’t see the emergency exactly the same as he does,” Moore said.
Moore said he had previously advocated giving local businesses preference when their prices were reasonably close to those of outside companies. He also questioned whether the additional time required to advertise for bids would substantially affect the project.
“I just don’t see where two weeks is going to make that big a difference, to give a local company a chance to bid,” Moore said.
Plyler expressed concern that the bidding process would create delays and complications because of the number of buildings involved.
“That will run us behind schedule big time,” Plyler said.
Council members also discussed the need to establish specifications for the repairs and determine how to evaluate contractors’ qualifications.
Rather than selecting a contractor, the council agreed to hold a work session Monday, Oct. 19, to further review the project and consider how to proceed.
City approves sale of land near rest area
In other business, the council approved selling approximately 8.4 acres of city-owned land near the U.S. 70 rest area for $205,000 to LeeAllen and Dallas Sutton, owners of Sutton Auto Sales and Crow Automotive.
The businesses currently operate at separate locations, but Dallas Sutton said they plan to construct a large building on the property to house both operations.
The land is across the road from Glenwood Country Club and is part of a larger city-owned tract that has been divided into parcels for potential development.
Before approving the sale, council members discussed restrictive covenants intended to regulate how the property can be used.
Moore said he had confidence the Suttons would maintain the property appropriately but was concerned about what could happen if it changed ownership in the future.
He said his experience as chairman of the city’s zoning commission had demonstrated the difficulties of enforcing restrictions when property owners failed to comply.
“A lot of times in land transactions, it’s not the person that you sell it to, it’s the person that gets it down the road,” Moore said.
He pointed to other properties that had changed hands several times and eventually became rundown, arguing that the city needed stronger enforcement provisions.
Moore suggested establishing a more direct process for addressing violations, potentially including fines, rather than relying solely on existing zoning enforcement procedures.
The council approved the existing restrictive covenants for the Sutton property, along with the sale.
Members also agreed to revisit the restrictions within 90 days or before another tract is sold, whichever comes first, to consider additional safeguards for future development.
Council accepts Pope’s resignation
Near the end of the meeting, the council formally accepted Pope’s resignation. He had previously said a recent promotion with his employer meant he no longer had enough time to adequately serve on the council.
“I’m grateful for the opportunity to serve this community and to serve alongside the mayor and this council,” Pope said. “We haven’t always agreed, and that’s a good thing. The purpose of the council is to bring different perspectives to the table, disagree when necessary, and still work together for the people we represent.”
The council approved a resolution accepting Pope’s resignation but did not immediately appoint a successor. Residents who want to fill the vacancy were invited to express their interest before or at the next council meeting.
Former Councilman Charlie Caldwell, a retired law enforcement officer who attended the meeting, said he would be willing to serve the remainder of Pope’s term if no one else comes forward.
After the meeting, Caldwell said the mayor had asked him to serve if needed.
“Billy asked me and I’m doing it for him, so it’s kind of a favor,” Caldwell said.
Mayor Plyler discusses health problems
The meeting was the council’s first since Plyler suffered a heart attack Aug. 24.
The mayor, who has been hospitalized again during his recovery, acknowledged that he was tired.
“My mind isn’t all the way here tonight,” Plyler said at one point.
Despite his fatigue, he continued leading the council through a lengthy agenda that included city finances, water system improvements and other municipal business.
After the meeting, Plyler told The Glenwood Herald, “Well, I’m here. I’ve been in the hospital for a solid week with pneumonia. I’ve got antibiotics and got some other problems.”
UPDATE: The work session that had been scheduled for Monday, Oct. 19, has been postponed, City Clerk Brenda WIlson said Monday. A new date had not yet be scheduled.
