Mtn View City Council Considers Change of Banks, Sets Fall Clean Up

The Mountain View City Council met September 14 in regular session. The council considered a handful of issues for review. 

 

Representatives from West Plains Bank were present to discuss the city’s consideration of switching banks from Simmons Bank to West Plains Bank. The switch is an effort to maintain a more locally-owned banking relationship for the city. The representatives from West Plains Bank discussed with the council several aspects of what the switch would mean. West Plains Bank has been locally owned and operated since 1883. A representative from Simmons Bank was also on hand to discuss reasons for business to remain as it is, with city accounts being handled at Simmons. Simmons Bank asked for the issue to be tabled, to allow them an opportunity to offer a comprehensive description of what services they may offer, which could be comparable to the services offered by West Plains Bank. 

 

The council also discussed an ordinance that would eliminate any conflict of interest that a council member might have on any measure the council considers. Should any council member have a vested interest in an issue being considered by the council, that council member would be asked to abstain from voting on the issue. The ordinance passed unanimously. 

 

Fall clean up week is scheduled for October 5. The council stated that there will be a two yard limit for each household on the pickup. That amount is roughly equivalent to a pickup truck load. Limiting the amount that will be picked up at each household prevents individuals from presenting an excessively large load for pickup. The city does ask that hazardous waste not be placed in items for pickup. Such items would include things like paint, pesticides and other chemicals. 

 

There will be an engineer selection committee formed to pick an engineer for wastewater and sewer upgrades. An engineer needs to be appointed in order to secure grant money for the upgrades. Grants for the city’s airport also require the appointment of an engineer. 

 

Gwen Reese, a Mountain View resident, spoke to the council with concerns about the Mountain View Police Department. She told the council that she has been harassed by officers since she moved to Mountain View. She claimed that she is often followed by officers when she leaves her home. She also claimed that officers have arrived at her home without provocation. Reese claimed that these actions are a violation of due process. Alderman Ellie Carson responded to Reese’s concerns, stating that an officer lives near Reese’s home, which may be the reason that a patrol car is often near her home. Mayor Donnie Pruett told Reese that her concerns may be heard by a judge, and that without specific proof of these incidents, some claims may seem to be little more than conspiracy theories. 

 

The Mountain View City Council will meet again on October 5.