GENTRY -- Gentry City Council on Monday amended its ordinances adopted last month regarding increasing the city's sales and use tax by 7/8 of one percent to comply with wording recommendations of the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration. The amending ordinances were passed on three readings with a single vote.
The new ordinances don't change the substance of the previous ordinances, said Jay Williams, attorney for the city, but they change some wording to comply with recommendations of the state's Department of Finance and Administration, which collects and distributes the tax revenue.
The tax increase will be on the ballot in November, in conjunction with the general election, and voters will have the final say on the increase.
If voters approve the increase, the city will receive an even 2 percent tax on items purchased or delivered within the city of Gentry.
The state currently levies 6.5 percent and the county, 1 percent. If approved, the total sales tax rate in Gentry would be 9.5 percent.
Siloam Springs, Gravette, Highfill, Bentonville and Rogers all collect a 2 percent city sales and use tax, and some cities collect more. Decatur collects 1 percent.
The council also passed an ordinance (on three readings with a single vote) which will ban animals, except those which are a feature of the event, from Gentry's city park on July 4th and during the annual fall festival. The council expanded a previous ordinance which banned dogs in the park on those two days because of the crowds of people and the risk to people in the park.
In other business, the council passed a resolution declaring property located at 510 West Main Street in Gentry a nuisance property because of nine listed property code violations. The property owner (believed to be a financial institution) will be given until Aug. 30 to abate the nuisance or the city will remove the nuisances and seek a lien on the property to cover the abatement costs.
The council also approved a bid for $6,400 plus tax from Magnum Air, Inc., to replace the heating and cooling system at the Gentry Fire Station on Third Street. The air conditioning system quit working and the heating system was described as "on its last leg." The new system is expected to produce some savings because of improved efficiency over the current 20-year-old system.
Finally, the council approved the purchase of three new LED street lights to be used for light at the new pocket park which will be built for the city by Arvest. The estimated cost was approximately $12,000.
Council members were provided an update on the city's draft "Walk/Bike Action Plan" which will be included in a regional Northwest Arkansas plan for walking and bike trails to link the area together. They were also updated on the success of the "Kids in the Woods" camp held in the Flint Creek Nature Area last week, with a suggestion made that the Parks Commission meet soon to consider rules for the new city-owned area.
General News on 08/06/2014