The Helena West Helena City Council met last night. (Council Meeting Notes) They passed a 3rd Budget for the fiscal year 2011. The city's fiscal year runs January 1st through December 31st. Mayor Arnell Willis has vetoed two of the council budgets calling them illegal because he did not present them. Alderman Don Etherly reported to the body that Alderman Marvin Jarrett, Mayor Willis and City Attorney Chalk Mitchell had each been informed by the Arkansas Municipal League that the budget presented by Larry Brown was legal and could be presented by Brown instead of the Mayor. Mark Hayes, General Counsel for the Arkansas Municipal League, was quoted in Saturday's Arkansas Democrat Gazette saying that it is unlawful to operate without a budget in place. The 3rd budget was amended to address the concerns presented by Mark Hayes for the placement of some language and its wording. With those changes made, the clerk gave the resolution the number 9. Then the council voted to pass Resolution 9 -2011 An Appropriation Resolution which appropriates money for the entire fiscal year. The council, at this meeting, discussed the differences in the four budgets presented to date. Mayor Willis presented a budget on January 4th. He presented a different budget on January 31st. Alderman Marvin Jarrettt presented a budget on January 31st. Then Alderman Brown presented a budget on February 3rd. |
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