GRAVETTE — Gravette City Council postponed action Thursday night on bids to repair the municipal swimming pool, pending a further review of the three bids and possible options. The question will be addressed at the Council committee meeting March 10.

Alexander Pools of Gravette/Grove submitted the lowest bid, $39,850. Other bids were $46,805, $60,726 and $69,675.

The Council approved three resolutions which authorized applying for grants. The first, with no dollar amount listed, will seek funds to further improve and expand the city’s wildlife walking trail through Pop Allum Park.Any grant would require no matching city funds.

The second non-matching grant seeks $186,500 from the State Highway and Transportation Department to build additional sidewalks from existing school zone sidewalks through other parts of the city, including into western subdivisions in Gravette.

The third grant seeks $20,000 in funds for additional improvements/recreational facilities at the swimming pool. Matching funds from the city are already in the city’s budget.

Allyson Ransom, communications and resource efficiency director, presented the proposals for which she has been researching and preparing documents.

The above actions were all unanimously approved, as were the following actions:

◊Approved an ordinance closing out the city’s 2009 budget. The new ordinance was required to correct a date in an earlier ordinance.

◊Removed words “construction requirement” in a partial easement waiver document dated October 17, 2006, involving Lot 9,Block 4 in the Highland Addition, site of the old Gravette hospital.

◊Nixed an offer by Steele Communications to purchase the land on which a communications tower is located.

◊Agreed that no change is needed in the existing ordinance governing the Gravette library.

Mayor Byron Warren informed the Council that McGoodwin, Williams and Yates, the city’s engineering firm for the wastewater facility project, will have final cost figures by Wednesday (March 2). How the city progresses on the plan, which would involve transporting Gravette’s sewage to the Decatur plant, hinges on that information.

Prior to the meeting, Mayor Warren presented certificates to three teens, Kendall Toeller, Michael Edwards and Blake Ortman, who assisted a fall victim at City Hall during the recent inclement weather.

Community, Pages 10 on 03/02/2011