Highfill to set fees for those who neglect to pay fire dues

— With only three council members and the mayor present, Highfill's city council passed three ordinances on their first reading at its March 13 meeting.

Mayor Stacy Digby joined in voting with council members Ryan Evans, Paula Pautsky and Michelle Rieff to suspend the rules and read by heading only ordinances establishing fees for fire service to those not paying fire dues, updating the city's flood-plain ordinance and adopting a procedures manual for the Highfill Police Department.

In a proposed ordinance, fees for fire department responses within the fire district but outside the city to those who have neglected to pay fire dues are set at $85 per hour for each responding truck or vehicle and $15 per hour for each responding volunteer fire fighter, plus the cost of water, foam and all other supplies or equipment used and depleted in connection with the call.

The ordinance exempts from payment volunteer firefighters and those who hold membership in the rural fire association by paying their annual dues.

Another proposed ordinance amends the general provisions of city code relating to flood damage prevention to reflect the revisions of the Federal Emergency Management Agency's Flood Insurance Rate Map and Flood Insurance Study which go into effect on June 5.

A third proposed ordinance adopts a policy and procedures manual for the police departmentprepared by Highfill Police Chief Eric Jones.

The three ordinances will be brought back for second readings at the regular April council meeting.

Ordinances passed on first and second readings in February - an ordinance to amend the city budget for 2011 (first reading), an ordinance authorizing inter-local cooperation for emergency services between Highfill and Bentonville and agreeing to pay Bentonville $400 for each transport call within Highfill’s city limits (first reading) and an ordinance establishing the Highfill Festival Committee to plan, organize and promote city-wide events (second reading) - were not taken up on March 13 but held over until the April meeting for furtherreadings.

During open hearing, the council heard an appeal from Rodney and Andrea Coggins for relief on water charges after a water-line was damaged by livestock, causing a water leak not detected until the city attempted to read the meter. The council authorized water supervisor James "Butch" Wiand to charge only the actual cost to the city for lost water and to set up a payment plan for the bill which amounted to about $2,200.

Mayor Digby announced the hiring of Curtis King to fill the post of city planner, which includes duties as building inspector and code enforcer. Digby also reported on some street resurfacing projects being contemplated by the city, saying he would bring back more information and cost estimates at a future meeting.

News, Pages 7 on 03/21/2012