Dover City Council
Minutes January 20, 2026
The City of Dover in Pope County, State of Arkansas, met in regular session January 20, 2026, 6 p.m. at the Dover City Hall. The following were present: Mayor Roger Lee presiding and the following Council Members: Russell Warhurst, Carl Wetzel, Brent Hottinger, Connie Ragsdale, Fred Standridge, and Attorney Jacob Phillips.
Absent: Jonathan Isaac.
Prayer: Russ Warhurst.
Pledge of Allegiance: Connie Ragsdale.
Roll Call: Recorder Renee Nelson
Minutes of December 16, 2025, meeting were reviewed and there being no corrections, Council Member Ragsdale made a motion to approve the minutes. Council Member Warhurst 2nd. A voice vote. Yeas:5. Nays: 0. Motion carried.
Monthly bills were received and signed. Council Member Hottinger made a motion to approve payment of bills. Council Member Standridge 2nd. A voice vote. Yeas:5. Nays: 0. Motion carried.
Mayor Lee reviewed the balance sheet and financials explaining the changes in account balance that will appear on next month’s sheet. Sewer Construction account will be zero and closed. The air-packs for the fire department were paid for this month and will be reflected in next month’s sheet.
Grants Update: the city was not awarded the Arkansas Community Assistance Grant for the city park bathroom or the Great Strides/Trails Grant for the city park walking trail. Bridge Grant is waiting for the feasibility study. The city was informed they have been picked for street aid. No timeline on when street aid will go into effect has been established.
Ordinance 2025-5
The council had the 3rd and final reading for Ordinance 2025-5, Water /Sewer fee increases. Council Member Standridge made a motion to put Ordinance 2025-5 on the 3rd and final reading by title only. Attorney Phillips read Ordinance 2025-5 by title only. Council Member Standridge made a motion to accept Ordinance 2025-5 as read. Council Member Ragsdale 2nd. A voice vote. Yeas:5. Nays:0. Motion passed. Ordinance will go into effect 30 days after passage.
Melissa Sanders presented the library report.
They had 1497 visitors for the month of December. Five new cards issued. December 19th, Santa visited the library. 85 people came through to visit him. Once a month they had bingo during the day with at the last one they had 13 people.
Ron Walker presented the planning commission report.
The last meeting of the planning was on January 8th. They discuss ways to get clarity on housing regulation for the city. New acts and house bills are changing the rules. He has made a form for registration of food trucks. It will have information on owner and license. Ron informed the council that Stephen Kaufmann and himself are up for reappointment. Council Member Hottinger made a motion to reappoint Stephen Kaufmann and Ron Walker to the planning commission for the next 4-year term. Council Member Standridge 2nd. A voice vote. Yeas:5. Nays:0. Motion carried. Mr. Walker thanked the council for their continued support.
J.J. White presented the Utilities report.
Water Depart.
- Preformed larger meter verification
- Changed several meters out
- Repaired chlorine lines at plant
- Replaced heater in chlorine building
- Brandon attended basic, applied math, and ADH compliance courses
- Austin and Brandon attended basic distribution class
- Fueled raw water and plant gensets
Sewer Depart.
- Manholes inspections
- Manhole cleaning
- Installed one sewer tap
- Fueled L.S. genset
- Austin and Brandon attended Wastewater 1 class and passed exam
Street Depart.
- Removed limbs from city park
- Inspected and cleaned street signs
- Removed the road plate and added gravel on Hwy 27
- Retrofitted lights at city hall
- Trim limbs at intersections
- Removed Christmas decorations from city park
- Patched potholes
- Had a porta john delivered to ballpark for school practice. The current restroom freezes in the winter, and the water must be turned off. The council discussed ways this needs to be addressed in the future.
Chief Charles Duvall presented the fire report.
They assisted with a fire in Martin Township, a 15-acre brush fire in Hatley area, grass fire on Pine Hill, trash fire on Walters Lane, gas smell on Landers Loop, battery fire on Grandview Dr., and house fire on Johnson Road. Russellville assisted with fire on Grandview while Dover was on the House fire. EMS carbon monoxide detector went off at Dover Fire Station. Gas company came to check it out and repaired equipment. Chief Duvall attended the Fire Association meeting recently. Everyone was commenting on lack of grants and funding. The air-packs ordered have arrived and been put in service. Chief Duvall thanked the council for their support in purchasing them. The chief stated there has been some vandalism at the Fire station. He mentioned purchasing cameras. The mayor has been talking to companies with the intent to purchase some for the city park, city hall, fire station, and other areas.
Chief Josh Titsworth presented the police report.
The police had a total of 85 calls last month, consisting of emergency responses, citizen-initiated complaints, traffic stops, collisions, theft and investigations. The computers for the police cars have made it easier to report Street light outages as well as reports.
Chief Titsworth thanked the council for their approval in hiring Steven Fletcher as a full-time officer. He stated that Michael Nuckles wants to go from part-time to full-time. After some discussion on the part-time officers and where the marshal’s office is heading in the future Council Member Standridge made a motion to hire Micheal Nuckols as a full-time officer effective January 25, 2026. Council Member Hottinger 2nd. A voice vote. Yeas:5. Nays:0. Motion carried.
Mayor Lee reported:
Mayor Lee informed the council that the final payments on the sewer construction project had been made, and the account will be closed.
Mayor Lee presented the council procedural rules. Council Member Hottinger made a motion to accept the procedural rules. Council Member Ragsdale 2nd. A voice vote. Yeas:5. Nays:0. Motion carried.
Mayor Lee gave the council the Water/Sewer Audit to review.
Mayor Lee presented Resolution 2026-1, to amend 2025 General/Street Budget. After some discussion over accounts and changes Council Member Standridge made a motion to accept Resolution 2026-1 amending 2025 General/Street Budget. Council Member Ragsdale 2nd. A voice vote. Yeas:5. Nays:0. Motion carried.
Mayor Lee gave the council highlights of the Arkansas Municipal Conference that was held last week in Little Rock. The AML had sessions on finance, audits, funding strategies, building inspections and water/sewer infrastructure. The AML reminds cities to update their local ordinances and stay informed of new laws coming up. Some of the state representatives were asking the cities to study a major issue coming up next legislation on economic development (Senate Joint Resolution 15) which will allow Arkansas to create economic development districts (EDDs). If approved, this would allow local governments to be able to create districts tailored to each municipality’s development goals. Many companies take their business and build in states that provide tax breaks and other incentives. This would help Arkansas compete with other states that already offer aggressive economic development packages. Arkansas cities would have more flexibility to compete for new industry, jobs, and long-term investment.
Mayor Lee’s state of the city address reiterated what he and the council had discussed earlier on finances of the city, police, fire, grants. The mayor stated the city will be looking for grants to help with repair on the water tower, equipment for the utility’s operations, and for purchase of a newer fire engine. Many yearly bills come up in January. This year many are being paid in full (which qualifies the city for a discount on some) instead of installments which will look like a significant decrease in some accounts. The mayor mentioned the camera’s again for public safety. He informed the council if they would like to keep the tornado siren in town the city will need to start upkeep on it because Entergy is going to phone alerts and will no longer be servicing them. He informed the council that they had rented a storage unit to put remaining items from shipping container out behind city hall. Hopefully the container will be moved in the next month or so. Mayor Lee thanked the council and city employees for their continued service to the community.
Council Member Ragsdale made a motion to adjourn. Council Member Standridge 2nd. A voice vote. Yeas:5. Nays:0. Meeting adjourned.
