Council battles budgets, limbs, and cemetery issues

The Caruthersville City Council met in regular session on Aug. 21 during which time the meeting was dominated by three major discussions involving the cemetery, the limb pile and the new budget. The first discussion came about when a letter was presented to the council from H.S. Smith Funeral Home stating they would no longer be taking care of the city cemetery as of Jan. 1, 2018.

Councilperson J.J. Bullington asked if the minutes from the cemetery board meeting in their packet were complete. According to these minutes, board members Kathryn Parkinson, Polly Lunceford, Melissa McClain, Luther Robinson, Sandra Hooker and Mayor Mike McGraw were present for the meeting. The minutes state that Parkinson was voted Board Chairperson by acclamation and the board voted unanimously to seek funding for a grant to map and index Little Prairie Cemetery. There was also discussion of a “fallen” grave, but nothing else. Bullington asked if the minutes were accurate and complete.

Mayor Mike McGraw then said there was an omission, as the group voted not to offer free “paupers” graves any longer. It was then brought up that the city ordinance states, “Persons in destitute circumstances living within the City desiring a free grave shall apply to the Board of Commissioners therefor; and the Board of Commissioners, in it’s discretion, shall issue and deliver to such person an order to the Superintendent for a free grave.” It was suggested if they are no longer going to offer the graves, the ordinance should be amended. McGraw however said the cemetery board could simply say no if asked for one. Bullington explained everything discussed in the meetings must go on the record of the minutes and that if something needs to be discussed in closed session, those items should go to the closed session minutes, but the council should receive a copy of all minutes so they always know what is going on within the committees.

McGraw stated the vote was inadvertently left out by him. He went on to say that neither of the local funeral homes want free graves. Mayor McGraw was asked by Bullington if he had declined to give a grave to someone in need, but then later issued a grave to another person who then held a large funeral. The mayor responded saying, “You like hearsay.” However when asked, the local funeral home stated that they had indeed been turned down for a paupers grave. Upon requesting the minutes from the Cemetery Board meetings for the year, only 2 minutes were presented by the City Clerk. The first from July 21, 2016 and the second from Aug.10, 2017. In neither of these minutes was there a mention of a paupers grave being requested or refused. In the 2016 minutes it was stated, “The definition of a pauper grave was briefly discussed, but no action was taken.” As of print date, the corrected minutes from the Aug. 10 meeting have not been released.

McGraw stated that whoever picks up a body is responsible for it’s disposal. “If there is a question as to whether or not they can afford it, the best case is for them to have the county pick it up and not the funeral home.”

Bullington said she believed that should a citizen of Caruthersville meet the definition of destitute, they should receive a grave but that the committee should make the decision. “I don’t like hearsay, that’s why I am asking. We just want to know the truth, if local funeral homes say they no longer want pauper graves, then the ordinance should be amended.”

Both funeral homes were contacted and said they had not been asked about doing away with paupers graves. Carter Funeral Home responded saying “I don’t see why not if we have a person who need’s one.” Later that afternoon, the funeral home called back saying after speaking with city hall they would like to make it clear that they would not be asking for a pauper’s grave, that the county would be responsible for picking up those who could not afford a grave.

The mayor stood firm saying the ordinance reads the committee determines whether they give one so the committee should just say ‘no’. It was then stated that the incorrect cemetery minutes should be amended and resubmitted, all agreed.

Resident Alan Brockman appeared for a second time before the council. Brockman has a small saw mill at his residence that he uses to make furniture which he gives away for free. In the past, he has gone to the city limb pile to get the wood he uses but recently, Mayor Mike McGraw told him he can no longer go there because of the liability issues. Brockman explained that much of the wood that is brought there is green and will not burn. He claims that him taking the wood not only helps at the limb pile but is agreeable with the Department of Natural Resources who he says favors the wood being used instead of wasted.

On this trip to the council, Brockman presented a waiver of liability he would sign in order to continue to go to the limb pile to collect the wood. Brockman expressed his concerns stating, You have two acres that are 10 feet tall of unburned trees that are encapsulated because they are green and they won’t burn or decay. Yet you don’t want me to have a log or two every month,” said Brockman.

Counselor Lawrence Dorroh agreed that it is a recommended practice from DNR. He said the only question is can it be done safely and with minimal cost for the individual with paperwork to release the city from any liability.

McGraw told Brockman there was a fallen tree at Bell and 10th and that he should get with the property owners and collect it instead. Brockman said he was also told by the council at the last meeting to speak with Delta about getting cut trees from them before they were taken to the limb pile. He said he spoke with them but they were not interested in giving him the trees.

The question was then asked if the city had always allowed private businesses to take limbs and trees to the limb pile. McGraw answered yes, however Terry Rushing stated no. Rushing went on to say that basically what they have is a landfill, not a limb pile. Several times a year the workers have to pick up couches and construction materials. He went on to say this isn’t just during spring clean up, but year around, adding that recently they had picked up 8 truck loads of construction waste. It was then asked as to why the city is picking up construction waste as it is the job of the business to dispose of their waste. Rushing responded that he and his crew were told to pick up all trash left on the curb.

A hopper has been placed at the city maintenance shed for those who need to get rid of large items or amounts of trash but it is being abused. Rushing said that recently a Caruthersville resident brought over a load of shingles that had been removed from a location in Hayti. The mayor stated that it was not to be used for that purpose and anyone doing this should be issued a ticket. “We are supposed to take care of our people, but we can’t have people abusing it,” he said.

Bullington stated that if the city is doing something is shouldn’t in regards to dumping that it needs to be stopped immediately. She went on to say that the crews can not just pick up all the time as they have other things to do and that contractors must be responsible for their own waste disposal.

Conversations turned back to the issue Brockman had brought forward as he alleged that the mayor allowed him to pick up the logs until Delta Tree Service complained. Councilperson Matt Duckworth asked the mayor if this was true. The mayor said no, he had no realized that Brockman was going out there. Brockman responded saying, “You sat there in your pickup and watched me load logs. Don’t say that, it isn’t true.”

McGraw responded saying members of the public should not be in the area as they are likely to be hurt. Bullington agreed but went on to say the city can not allow some to be in there while others can’t. The mayor argued that dumping and removal are two very different things and one should be allowed while the other should not. He stated dumping is not an issue but that they should not allow anyone to take anything out.

Rushing said that private citizens and businesses do go out there to dump. McGraw responded saying, “Isn’t it called trespassing?” He suggested they should look at the video and then ticket those who are trespassing.

Rushing said just recently he had shut the gate and late that day had come back to find the gate open and a pile of concrete that had been dumped. Rushing said he was going to put a chain on the fence and that anyone who needed in would need to contact him. With the chain, no one would be able to use the remote controls to open the gate. Councilperson Nick Cartee asked who had the remotes. Rushing said the Street Department, Sanitation Department, the mayor and Delta Tree Service. Duckworth then asked if any other private businesses had remotes for the site.

Councilperson Barbara Rodgers then asked why there is not a camera being used to take care of this issue. She went on to say that a vote had been made and money had been spent on a camera, yet anytime anything happened, they were told the camera was not working. The group agreed the camera’s needed to be utilized.

Cartee suggested the group visit the site together to see exactly what they were dealing with and requested that an inventory be given as to who had the remotes and why so the council could better decide where they should be and could put a policy in place regarding the locking of the gate and who could use the property. A motion was made and unanimously passed.

The mayor added, “in the past someone’s friend dumped palettes out there” stating that nothing was ever done about it. Bullington asked why he didn’t do anything about the situation. Duckworth asked who he was referring to saying “don’t be vague, if you know who did it, say so.” The mayor responded that he didn’t know. Duckworth reminded him he was partaking in the hearsay he had earlier complained about.

Discussion moved to the new budget that was up for adoption. Councilperson Bullington stressed, “This budget must be monitored very carefully. It is my job to put it together and I have done that to the best of my ability. But it is not my position to monitor it.” She went on to express her concerns on the lessening tax revenue after Wal-Mart moved out and the need to fill that gap.

Cartee thanked Bullington for the hard work she put into getting it together. Stating he knew she had worked many nights and long hours trying to be as thorough as possible. He addressed the department supervisors saying, “No one on the finance committee wants to tell anyone no. There has been banter between the department heads that needs to stop. We need to look at our individual department budgets and ask, ‘can we live without this for the good of the whole city.’ Because we can not continue to operate this way. We can go negative in the next two years if we don’t change things. We are all adults and we all want this city to continue. you are accountable for it. It has to fit with the overall plan for the overall good of the city.”

Bullington went on to share her appreciation for the hard work Teresa Tidwell, Director of the Public Library, put into getting the 1/2 of 1% sales tax passed. “Had it not passed, we would not be where we are,” said Bullington. A motion was made to accept the new budget with none opposed.

The group will meet again on Tuesday, Sept. 5 instead of their regular Monday evening because of the Labor Day holiday. All council meetings are open to the public and are held at City Hall beginning at 5 p.m.