HIGHFILL — With council members Michelle Rieff and Ryan Evans present at the opening of the meeting (Toby Lester arrived later; Sandy Evans and Paula Pautsky were absent), a public hearing for an Arkansas Community and Economic Development Program grant was held, with grant writer Cassie Elliott explaining details for the wastewater improvement grant.

Three resolutions relating to the grant were passed by votes of the two council members and Mayor Stacy Digby, one authorizing the grant application, the second establishing an anti-displacement plan for the city and the third prohibiting the use of excessive force against individuals engaged in non-violent civil rights demonstrations by law enforcement agencies within the grant applicant’s jurisdiction.

Also passed by Digby and two council members were resolutions authorizing the mayor to apply for a mowing machine grant, an agreement approving an increase to basic trash rates for service provided by Deffenbaugh Industries - a 6-percent increase amounting to about 53 cents per customer each month - and a resolution transferring excess sales tax revenue from the water improvement fund to the general fund for the city.

Ordinances passed, after Lester arrived, were an ordinance to amend the city budget for 2011 (first reading); an ordinance authorizing interlocal cooperation for emergency services between Highfill and Bentonville (first reading) and agreeing to pay Bentonville $400 for each transport call within Highfill’s city limits; an ordinance establishing the Highfill Festival Committee to plan, organize and promote city-wide events (second reading); and on their third and final readings, ordinances to establish three wards in the city and to provide for the election of aldermen in the city’s wards to comply with state law for cities of the second class.

Digby reported that he would soon be advertising to fill the position of Planning Coordinator/Code Enforcement/ Building Inspector, stating that he will be looking for greater emphasis on the need for city planning.

News, Pages 3 on 02/29/2012