The El Dorado City Council met Thursday night and covered a wide range of topics, including police needs, economic development, senior transportation, food truck regulations, board appointments, city equipment and public safety concerns downtown.

Before the meeting, City Attorney Robert Rushing noted to several council members that some city ordinances have not yet been codified for enforcement by the El Dorado Police Department. Rushing later addressed a similar issue during discussion of possible food truck regulations, saying city code would need to be updated before certain rules could be enforced.

Councilman Willie McGhee suggested moving the Finance Committee meeting to City Hall. Mayor Paul Choate agreed with the suggestion and thanked McGhee for his contribution.

El Dorado Police Chief Ricky Roberts also brought a grant form before the council for signatures from the full council and mayor. The grant, totaling $22,379.00, would be split between the city and county and used for Class A uniforms and updated patches for police uniforms.

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The council then approved an updated contract with the El Dorado-Union County Chamber of Commerce, authorizing $400,000 for economic development. Councilman Andre Rucks commended the council for investing in the city’s economic arm, saying the move helps make El Dorado a stronger contender for outside investment and future industry.

The contract was approved unanimously.

Choate also spoke about the future impact of the Expo Center, saying the project will help bring money into the El Dorado community and pay dividends for decades to come.

Another major item was the “Miles for Seniors” program. McGhee said helping seniors get out, stay active and remain connected is important for the health of the community. He also said the program shows how neighbors can come together to solve problems facing local residents.

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Tyler Turner with United Way is coordinating the effort. Turner said volunteers will use an app to help organize rides and support for seniors. He also noted that the grant connected to the program was awarded to only 22 out of 174 applicants across the nation.

Turner closed his comments by saying, “We are stronger together.”

Food truck regulations were also discussed at length. Councilwoman Dianne Hammond said the city needs clear rules for food trucks, especially when it comes to whether they should be allowed on city property.

Council members discussed several options, including banning food trucks from city property, allowing certain exceptions for areas such as the Recreation Complex, and raising the rental price for food trucks using city-owned property. Some members said a higher fee could help support local businesses and food truck courts that already operate in El Dorado.

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Rushing said the city code would need to be updated before the city could enforce new food truck rules.

Council members McAdams and David Hurst both agreed there is a need to look at raising the rental price. Judy Ward suggested that Rucks, Hammond and Hurst research the issue and bring a recommendation back to the council.

Rucks said he wants to make sure the city supports local businesses, including DP’s Food Truck Park.

The council also handled several appointments. Janis Vanhook was unanimously reappointed to the Civil Service Commission. Jeff Fort was also unanimously appointed to the Advertising and Promotion Commission.

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Council members also approved a resolution for the disposal of non-salvageable AV equipment at the El Dorado Conference Center. Officials said any equipment that can be recycled will be recycled, while any reusable equipment will continue to be used. The resolution passed unanimously

Near the end of the meeting, council members discussed ongoing public safety concerns downtown, particularly late at night.

McGhee said Police Chief Ricky Roberts should not be the only person held accountable for the issue. He said families also have a responsibility to help keep young people safe and address behavior before it becomes a larger problem.

Roberts said much of the concern involves young adults, mainly in the 18 to 26 age range, staying out well past midnight and creating dangerous situations downtown. He said the activity has become frequent enough that police are having difficulty keeping it under control.

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Roberts said the city needs “more teeth” to address the problem. He also raised concern about the amount of taxpayer money being used for police resources to respond to fights, shootings and other dangerous incidents.

Roberts said he believes more people in the community need to speak up and say, “This is wrong within our community.”