Council approves bid for pond work in Flint Creek nature area

GENTRY - City council members, on Monday, approved a bid for work on the ponds located on city-owned property along Flint Creek and chose a list of professionals so that plans could be prepared for public restrooms in the city park.

The council approved a bid from Hub-Co and Associates for $91,100 to remove silt from two ponds and make them deep enough for fish habitat on land the city owns along Dawn HillEast Road, just north of Flint Creek. Transportation of dredged silt and sediment is being cut from the contract to reduce costs by about $30,000, with some of the silt being used to build a berm along the edge of the property as a buffer between traffi c on Dawn Hill East Road and the nature area and other silt stored on site until it can be removed.

The city received a grant for $83,000 to do work on the ponds as a part of turning the site into a nature area with fi shing and trails. Approximately $10,000 of that money has been spent onengineering and architectural services, leaving more than enough for the pond work if the transportation item is taken out of the contract.

Three other bids were received, with the highest being $151,300.

Once the contract is signed, the work is expected to take about 45 days, depending on weather. And once the pond work is complete, other work on trails and access can begin, as well.

Related to the project, Jodye Pool is completing a summer internship project funded by the Arkansas Department of Education to develop curriculum materials for students in grades K-12 to use the nature area for a variety of field trip studies. Copies of the curriculum are available at city hall and at the Gentry Chamber of Commerce.

In order to develop plans and learn construction costs to build public restrooms in the city park, the council reviewed qualifi cations and selected three architectural firms, with which the mayor is authorized to negotiate a contract for services, in the following order: 1. Architects, Inc., of Gentry; 2. JKJ Architects of Rogers;and 3. Crafton Tull of Rogers.

Gentry United Way is providing the city $35,000 to move forward with a project to build restrooms in the park, with additional money possibly available from other sources, including grants.

The council passed, on its fi rst reading, an amendment to the city’s zoning ordinance to make allowances for more than one accessory or portable structure on a lot in areas zoned for residential use. The reason for the proposed change, according to Jay Williams,city attorney, is the fact that the existing ordinance did not allow more than one such structure on a lot, meaning a resident could not put up both a car port and another accessory or portable structure on his property. The ordinance was recommended by the city’s planning commission.

A resolution was passed re-appointing David McNair, Gentry’s public works supervisor, and Johnston to serve as board members on the Benton Washington Regional Public Water Authority for another term.

In other business, the council approved a tract split ordinance on its last two readings with a single vote, and also passed an attached emergency clause, for land belonging to Lyndon Winn on East Third Street.

Kevin Johnston, Gentry mayor, told council members that a bid approvedlast month to purchase dash cams for the city’s police cars was not awarded because the audio portion of the system did not meet the city’s needs. Johnston said he would be working together with the chief of police and would bring back another recommendation soon.

McNair also reported that the city’s current sewer-line project was nearing completion, with only about 60 feet left to go, though part of that is through solid rock, he said.

News, Pages 1 on 08/07/2013