The new tax, if passed, will not increase the sales tax currently being paid in Trumann, if all issues on the ballot are approved. Passage of this tax, according to discussion at the council meeting, is a necessity.

The tax revenue would be used for water and sewer repairs and improvements, as well as street repairs. It would also provide yearly operation and maintenance funds to use in maintaining city buildings, streets, water and sewer equipment, as well as be used by police, fire and the city parks.

Aldermen voting for the special election were Carmack Johnson, Rick Atkins, Edward "Shorty" Hargrove, Eddie Crain, Eugene Thomas, Cecil Passmore, Herb Maxwell and James Baker. Two aldermen, Larry Henderson and Jimmy Williams, were absent from the meeting.

Mayor Sheila Walters said the city has decided to ask for the bond issue due to several factors.

"Our city's water and sewer system needs repairs and improvements immediately," she said. "The Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) recently fined the city $29,400 for not replacing the sewer curtains in our sewer lagoons and the fact that some testing was not done correctly or correctly recorded.

"City Clerk Marlene Hancock and I went to Little Rock to appeal the fine along with Trumann Waterworks Employee Scotty Jones. The fine was reduced to $5,000, but will be reinstated to the full amount unless improvements are made quickly."

The city must replace the sewer curtains at a cost of approximately $210,000 within the next few months. If they are not replaced, the ADEQ could possibly take over Trumann Waterworks and run it.

"Our water and sewer department is basically operating at the barebones today," Walter added. "If this bond issue does not bring us the money we need, we have no way to afford these improvements.

Other improvements are also needed in the water and sewer system in addition to the sewer curtains. The Trumann water and sewer system was begun in 1951 and much of the system's equipment has never been replaced.

"We have to have water and sewer," councilman Rick Atkins said. "If we don't, we don't have a town."

The 1 percent city-wide sales and use tax has been approved twice in Trumann in recent years. In 1998, Mayor Jack Coggins put together an initiative that gave the city $990,000. in park improvement bonds, $1,035,000. in street improvement bonds, $645,000. in fire station bonds, $320,000. in judicial complex bonds and $365,000. in sewer improvement bonds.

Mayor Ronnie Harrison assembled a bond package in 2005 that gave the city $550,000. in park improvement bonds, $575,000. in fire department improvement bonds, $165,000. in police department improvement bonds, $190,000. in sewer improvement bonds, $535,000. in street improvement bonds and $70,000. in animal control improvement bonds.

Those two bond issues provided the city with the Trumann Sports Complex, the new Trumann Fire Station and improvements to the judicial complex in the city. Funds were also used for street improvement, sewer improvements, and improvements to the city's animal control program.

The 2005 bond issue was originally scheduled to be paid off in 2013, but since tax revenues from the bond issue have increased, that bond would have been paid off in 2009.

Councilmen also discussed a new carrier for Trumann city employee's health insurance. They were to meet Tuesday to have a final vote on the insurance issue.