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On Tuesday evening, the Flippin City Council voted to revoke Mayor Heath Hogan and the city department heads’ check signing privileges, citing what members described as unauthorized repairs to police vehicles. The same situation has also prompted a citizen to file an ethics complaint against the mayor.
The motion, presented by Councilwoman Jodi Howard, was made in response to a request denied by the council in May of this year for the repair of two police vehicles. During that meeting, Police Chief John Spence presented estimates for the repairs to the council and following discussion it was agreed to not repair the vehicles because they where not used. The department has eight officers and a total of 12 vehicles according to Howard.
Howard stated that in early August an email was received from Chief Spence stating the vehicles had been repaired with approval from the Mayor for a total just over $4,400. An ordinance signed June 24 of this year states that purchases over $500 must be approved by council. Howard says she contacted Arkansas Municipal League Executive Director Mark Hayes who stated that a special meeting needed to be called immediately for the Mayor to be removed from all bank account signature cards. Howard waited until Tuesday’s meeting to present the motion.
City Attorney Sam Pasthing noted to the council that removing the mayor’s ability to sign checks does not change the mayor’s purchasing power. City Clerk Jessica Beals voiced concerns of how limiting the mayor’s executive role could effect day to day operations at the city.
Mayor Hogan directly asked Howard “what is the reason for this?” to which she responded, “we voted to not repair the vehicles and you just went ahead and approved it.” Hogan responded, “because it was allocated.”
The same ordinance approved in June (Ordinance No. 24-366) also contains an emergency clause that he says justifies his decision to have the repairs done. In a press release released last week the mayor states, “As Mayor I made the decision to authorize the repairs to ensure the Flippin Police Department could continue to serve the public without interruption.”
The situation also prompted a Flippin resident to submit a Citizen Complaint Form to the Arkansas Ethics Commission stating “abuse of power by the mayor.” In the complaint the resident outlines the time line of the repairs to the police vehicles and what they see as the Mayor ignoring the council’s earlier decision to not make the repairs. A copy of the complaint and a letter from the commission was provided by Mayor Hogan to KTLO News. The letter dated October 16 states, “that the complaint meets the basic requirements; to warrant an investigation to be commenced.” Councilwoman Howard told KTLO News that the ethics complaint was the not the reason she presented the motion.
KTLO News spoke with Mayor Hogan following the council meeting for his reaction to his signing powers being removed.
Listen:
Mayor Hogan states that funds used to make the repairs were appropriated in the budget by council and a misunderstanding had taken place.
Listen:
The Mayor gave the following response when asked if he regrets not asking council a second time to approve the repairs instead of authorizing them himself.
Listen:
The motion passed with a vote of 3-1. Councilman Tony Ford was the lone nay on the vote. The temporary motion will see the removal of the Mayor and all department heads from all accounts except for Public Works Director JL Wagoner. The council appointed authorized signers to be city clerk Jessica Beals, city recorder Mary Jane Irwin and council member Lacie Bettencourt.
The meeting lasted nearly two hours and saw over 50 in attendance and also contained earlier discussion on ARDOT road improvement projects, discussion of salaries, and discussion on improving creek flow through the city.
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