The Pine Bluff City Council has adopted a resolution authorizing the mayor to execute an agreement with UHY Advisors Mid-Atlantic Inc. to conduct a comprehensive forensic audit of the city’s financial records. The firm was selected after submitting what was determined to be the “most qualified submission” among interested vendors.
The resolution, which passed during last week’s city council meeting, mandates an audit of the financial records for fiscal 2023 and 2024. It also includes a review of the special tax fund covering the period from January 1, 2018, through December 31, 2024.
During the discussion phase, the cost of the audit was a point of clarification for council members. Council Member Lanette Frazier questioned the differing amounts in the proposal documents.
“I’m just trying to understand the figures,” she stated, referencing a base cost proposal of $138,812 and another figure of $98,943, totaling $237,755, and comparing these to phase cost ranges that went up to $250,000.
Pine Bluff Mayor Vivian Flowers clarified the difference between the initial proposal price and the total financial commitment.
“The price is $138,812; that’s the price that was in the proposal for the work that they identified that they would do. However, what I’m saying so that we can be completely transparent is that we budgeted $300,000 knowing that the scope of this work and what we’re asking for could turn into more depending on what is found,” she explained.
Flowers also elaborated on the extensive nature of the work, justifying the open-ended budget. “I think the thing about forensic audits, as you know, is it’s not based upon planned samples. It is a thorough audit of all records and we’re looking at 17 departments as well as the urban renewal as it relates to the seven years of activity for the previous sales and use tax.”
Following the vote, the next steps were outlined.
“Once this vote is taken, then tomorrow we will notify them and set up the first meeting. So, immediately there’s no work, it’s just a meeting,” Flowers said. “There’s work to follow, but part of this process is an initial meeting because we don’t know these people … we’re not turning over records, introducing to the finance director, treasurer, clerk’s office… there’s a whole process involved.”
The City Council meeting opened with public comments, during which Joni Robinson detailed a procedural failure by the Code Enforcement department regarding a family property.
Robinson explained her mother received a letter on Aug. 18, 2025, about high grass and weeds, prompting them to cut the lot.
However, a later September letter demanded payment of nearly $5,000 for the demolition of the property, which Robinson stated occurred on Aug. 13 — before the August notice was received.
Furthermore, the August notice referenced a letter dated June 2, 2025, which included a non-sent affidavit.
“The X is by the grass weed and junk and is not by demolition,” Robinson stated while referencing the city’s invoice.
She also highlighted that documentation for a 2023 demolition notice, specifically a certified mail receipt for a P.O. Box, was missing from the file she requested.
Council Member William Fells, who chairs the Development and Planning Committee, recommended removing the property from the list.
The council agreed to pull the item, and Frazier voiced a shared concern about the significant time discrepancy. “My last concern is that a letter was dated in June, but it was sent out in August, and something has to be done because if you write up a letter in June, I could see maybe one or two days before it goes out … but that whole from June to August, that’s a long time.”
The discussion broadened to general property issues with two other public speakers. Julius Lever spoke about the struggle residents face in maintaining their homes and suggested addressing the city’s numerous abandoned properties.
Following this, John Fenley spoke, stating, “Code enforcement is the worst thing about this city.”
Jihad Muhammad spoke for Item No. 1, which was on its first reading, calling for a shift away from urban renewal efforts.
The ordinance recommends abolishing the Urban Renewal Agency of the city of Pine Bluff, which was created in 1961 and revived in 2017.
The ordinance dissolves the agency’s board of commissioners and discharges its members from any further duties or obligations. All assets of the agency are transferred and conveyed to the city and all liabilities of the agency are transferred to the city.
The current activities, programs and projects of the agency will come under the administration and direction of the mayor, with oversight by the city council.
According to the ordinance, the agency is to spend only funds expressly authorized by the 2025 municipal budget for routine operation and not enter into any contractual agreements that extend beyond the effective date of the ordinance.
Any existing contractual obligation of the agency with a term extending beyond the effective date will either be terminated or assumed by the city of Pine Bluff.
If the agency is a party to any litigation, the city will substitute itself in the litigation in the place of the agency.
The ordinance states that the agency’s role can be efficiently distributed among existing city departments with little to no interruption in service delivery.
The purpose, according to the ordinance, is to concentrate urban renewal and revitalization efforts within the city’s administrative framework and eliminate unnecessary duplication of services.
“I think that urban renewal has run its course, has served whatever purpose it served, and I think it’s time to move on,” said Muhummad, citing unaddressed issues with the reconciliation of funds from past projects.