SPRINGTOWN -- The town council on Friday approved a resolution to seek grant funding to build a portion of a proposed walking trail -- from near the Arkansas Highway 12 bridge over Flint Creek to the Aubrey Long Road Bridge -- and to enter in an agreement with Cassie Elliott of Visionary Milestones to prepare the grant application and administer the grant if it is awarded.
The grant funding to develop this first portion of the proposed trail will be sought from the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism, according to draft minutes of the Oct. 10 meeting.
The trail originally proposed would have run along the old highway bed, starting just east of the Arkansas Highway 12 bridge over Flint Creek, and follow the old highway bed to Main Street in Springtown, continue east on a proposed sidewalk along Main, cross the new Aubrey Long Road bridge and follow the creek back to the west and then north along the north branch of Flint Creek. Total length of the trail would have been 1.24 miles, according to Paul Lemke, Springtown's mayor. Lemke said the trail would have great value because of the proximity to Flint Creek and the plants and animals there, as well as historical value because of the Trail of Tears and Civil War roads which followed the creek.
Easements were promised by John Wasson, owner of land to the west of Main Street, and the city owns or already has easements on the balance of the proposed trail, Lemke said Aug. 8. John Wasson has provided a letter of commitment to provide the needed easements, Lemke explained.
The most recent proposal excludes the portion of the trail which would follow the creek bed from the Aubrey Long Bridge and to the north.
The council, after a public hearing on the matter, also voted (with rules suspended and three readings with a single vote) to vacate an alley along land owned by John Wasson on the west side of the town, according to draft minutes. A second ordinance was passed narrowing another street and vacating a portion of it, draft minutes state.
Lemke reported that he has not heard back any decision on the town's second appeal to FEMA regarding use of money originally awarded to the city for repair of the old Aubrey Long low-water bridge. He said he is still working on the possibility of getting the rest of Springtown Road paved. He told the council that trash containers will not be made available by Deffenbaugh. He said council members should contact him if residents are having trouble with animals getting into their trash.
Lemke introduced a proposed resolution to approve the millage to be collected in 2015 by Benton County. The millage is the same as last year: 5 mills on each dollar of assessed value of real and personal property and a voluntary property tax on real and personal property of 0.7 mills for park maintenance. The resolution passed.
Lemke presented a plaque to the council which had been awarded to the town by the Arkansas Floodplain Management Association. The plaque named the town of Springtown as Community of The Year in appreciation of the community's commitment to floodplain management at the local level, draft minutes say.
General News on 10/15/2014