Ambulance service agreement with Siloam Springs approved

Trash receptacle ordinance passes on its first reading.

— City Council approved a memorandum of agreement with Siloam Springs to provide ambulance service within the city for 2012.

The agreement, now approved by both cities, promises to provide continuing emergencymedical-related services within the corporate city limits of Gentry for a fee of $15,000 for the first year of service. The number of calls is unlimited, but the agreement is subject to review after six months and can be rescinded by either city with a 90-day notice.

A previous draft version had proposed a 200-call limit for $13,000 and a per-call charge for calls exceeding 200. Gentry's council members requested thelimit be removed and agreed to pay an additional $2,000 so that an amount could be included in the city's budget.

The agreement does not relieve patients transferred by ambulance from liability for their own medical expenses, and the ambulance service will still bill patients for services. The fee charged to the city is to help offset the cost of providing the service to Gentry due to patients who cannot or do not pay for services.

The council vote to adopt the memorandum was unanimous of those present. Kyle Jordan was not present to vote on the agreement.

With rules suspended and read by title only, the council passed on first readings an ordinance governing the use of the new poly-cart trash receptacles and an ordinance to update the city's flood-damage prevention code.

The proposed ordinance regarding flood plains and flood damage simply changes dates tocomply with the Federal Emergency Management Agency's "Flood Insurance Study for Benton County, Arkansas, and incorporated areas," which includes an effective Flood Insurance Rate Map dated June 5, 2012.

The proposed ordinance regulating the use and placement of the poly-carts now in use for the city-contracted trash service would require residents to use only the approved carts provided by the trash service, to put them within two feet of the curb, street or alley line by 6 a.m. on trash service days and require the carts be kept behind any street-side front line (or sideline on corner lots) of a house except during a period of 24 hours before and after trash pickup. It also includes a provision for residents to apply for variances to the ordinance under special circumstances.

According to the proposed ordinance, each day of violationwould be counted as a separate offense, meaning that fines could add up in cases where the trash receptacles are left curbside for a number of days.

An ordinance granting a re-plat for Larry Curran of parts of lots 20-23 in Block 22 of the original town of Gentry was passed on three readings with a single vote. The ordinance repairs lot lines which pass through Curran’s house.

The council approved the purchase of one new pickup truck to replace the two which were severely damaged in an accident. Considered were Chevrolet and Dodge trucks on state bid prices. The Dodge bid price for a crew cab 4x4 truck was $22,885 plus a $1.25 per mile delivery charge. The Chevrolet bid on an extended cab 4x4 was $23,073 plus a $1.75 per mile delivery charge. At the recommendation of David McNair, head of the street and alley/water and sewer departments, thecouncil unanimously approved the low bid on the Dodge.

With a single vote, the council approved the re-appointments of Roy Jech, Jim Kooistra, Wanda Meyer and Mike Parks to the city’s planning commission and Mike Parish to the city’s parks commission.

A council resolution was passed authorizing the shredding of paid water bill invoices from the years 1993 to 1995.

Also approved by unanimous vote was the repair or placing of new street lights at the following locations: Along S. Gentry Blvd., at the entrance to Walmart and near Spavinaw Stove; E. Main Street and Allen Ave.; E. Crawford Street and Robin Road; N. Pleasant Ave. and Arkansas Street; and on S. Pioneer Lane at the entrance to the Gentry Primary School.

The council approved allowing the Library Board to use two of the spare ceiling tiles for awards at the Library Gala scheduled for April 21. All money raised by the Gala will be used to purchase e-books for the library.

News, Pages 1 on 02/15/2012