Gentry Cemetery soon to get face-lift

Council approves moving forward with plans to build new fire substation in southwest part of city

— Gentry’s city cemetery will soon be getting a face-lift, thanks to a generous donation from Robert Krein, Jr., who has volunteered time and materials to erect an archway sign and pillars for a fence at the cemetery located along Pioneer Lane, just south of the public school complex.

What began as a request to place a memorial for his father, Robert Krein, Sr., has continued to grow into building an archway and sign, and pillars which will one day be connected by a fence.

Krein offered to donate the materials and labor to erect the archway and the labor and a good portion of the split-face block for the pillars (approximately 400 of them).

The council voted on Monday to buy the additional block and materials needed to complete the sign and to erect pillars for a future fence on both sides of Pioneer Lane. The city’s share was approximately $5,000, according to Gentry Mayor Kevin Johnston.

Purchase of the additional materials so that the sign and pillars could be completed was discussed and recommended both by the council’s cemetery committee and finance committee. With $2,000 in the current budget for a sign and money saved this summer on mowing at the cemeteries, it was estimated that the additional cost from reserve funds would be minimal to make the cemetery improvementswhich the council had discussed for a number of years.

Others have offered donations for the project, according to Krein. Once the project is begun, there is a possibility of more donors coming forward, Johnston said at a committee meeting last week.

“I appreciate this generous offer,” said councilman James Furgason. “I am a supporter of this (project). It’s always been a desire over the years,” he said.

In other action, the council approved moving forward with a Trails for Life Grant application for $70,000 to complete planned walking trails in the city park (connecting the north and south sides of the park on the west side). Because the estimated cost of the walkways would be almost $70,000, the council approved the city covering the cost of professional fees for the project, which would include items such as feasibility studies, site review, grant submittal, contract documents, bid packages, construction contracts and project oversight.

If the city receives the full grant, Johnston estimated the cost to the city would be between $9,000 and $13,500, with the higher number being the “worst case scenario.” If the project has to be scaled back because the city receives less grant money, or if the city does not receive the grant at all, the costs for professional fees would be less, Johnston said.

The council also approved the early payoff of two bonds, one for $95,825 and another for $8,567. Paying off the two bonds early would save the city close to $10,000 in interest, Johnston said, and there is no penalty for early payoff.

Councilwoman Janice Arnold said the city had enough reserve funds to be OK in the event of a catastrophe. Paying off the bonds early “would be a wise decision,” she said.

The early payoff was also the recommendation by the council’s finance committee after reviewing the matter last week.

Also approved by the council was moving forward with construction plans for a second fire department substation - this one on land near the intersection of Taylor Orchard and Marion Lee Roads donated to the city by American Electric Power and Southwestern Electric Power Company for a fire station.

The city already holds $54,200 in Act 833 money which can only be used for fire department equipment and stations, and about $3,000 is added to the account quarterly. The total cost - which was paid by the county - for the threebay Cherokee City substation was about $60,000, according to Gentry Fire Chief Vester Cripps.

Cripps hopes to build a three- or four-bay station in an effort to provide better fire suppression coverage to the southwestern portion of the city, including the Ozark Adventist Academy and the Flint Creek Power Plant.

See the related article in this week’s issue of the Eagle Observer regarding ISO ratings in Gentry and the surrounding area and how that relates to distance from fire stations or substations.

Mayor Johnston told council members that the city was awaiting final approval on a sidewalk grant to begin work on a project along South Collins.

He also told council members that Empire District Electric would be working with the city and other utility companies to see that abandoned utility poles are cleaned up and removed in the city. In numerous cases, the cleanup will involve the moving of other remaining utilities to the new poles so that the old poles can be removed.

News, Pages 3 on 09/12/2012