GENTRY — Passed on its third and final reading March 15 was an ordinance repealing a 2006 key-box ordinance and establishing new, less-restrictive requirements for key boxes on commercial buildings within the city of Gentry.

After debating the issue for several months in council and committee meetings, the council at its regular February and March meetings approved onits first and second readings an ordinance which would amenda 2006 ordinance requiring key boxes on all commercial buildings in Gentry by May 1 of this year. The new ordinance will only require the key boxes - currently only those manufactured by the Knox Company- on commercial buildings which are equipped with sprinkler systems or fire alarms.

The change comes as a result of complaints from numerous business owners about being required to install the key boxes on their business buildings. Some were concerned over privacy and security issues and hanging a key in a box outside their businesses. Others objected on the basis of principle that the city should not be able to make such a requirement upon them.

The special meeting was called to consider passage of the ordinance on its third reading. If the council had waited until its regular April meeting to pass the ordinance on its final reading, it could not take effect until 30 days after publication, meaning the current ordinance requiring key boxes on all business buildings on May 1 would have remained in effect until sometime after that May 1 deadline - probably about mid-May.

Marsha Bland, a Gentry business owner who opposed the 2006 ordinance which would have required all business owners to install the key boxes, expressed her thanks tothe council for their work to amend the code and also said it is important for business owners and homeowners to know they can still install the boxes voluntarily by contacting the Gentry Fire Department.

Some council members expressed an interest in not being paid for the special meeting. Gentry Mayor Kevin Johnston told council members if they elected not to receive pay for the special meeting, they could individually notify town clerk Jo Ellen Martin. As of Monday, most of the council members present had notified Martin by e-mail that they did not want to be paid for the special meeting. Martin said she anticipated that they all would before she did payroll for the month.

Also passed at the special meeting was a recommended resolution in support of Arkansas Coalition for Affordable and Reliable Electricity. By adopting the resolution in support of ACARE, the councilexpressed its support for the work of Southwestern Electric Power Company in building the Turk Power Plant to help meet the future energy needs of the state.

The council also held a working session following the special session to review a sign ordinance prepared and recommended by the city's planning and zoning commission after years of study. The council went through the proposed ordinance page by page and identified areas of question and concern with the intent of further study of those areas at a future working session before the ordinance is considered for adoption at a regular meeting of the council. Copies of the proposed ordinance may be obtained by contacting city hall.

A meeting of the police committee is scheduled for 5:30 p.m., Wednesday, March 23, at city hall to consider feral cat issues in the city and work on recommendations to deal with the problem.

News, Pages 1 on 03/23/2011