SPRINGTOWN -- Arguing that the unanimous council vote in October only authorized but did not mandate the mayor to apply for a grant to fund a walking-trail project in Springtown, Preston Barrett, Springtown's new mayor, on Feb. 10, defended his action to withdraw the grant application submitted by Paul Lemke, Springtown's previous mayor.
Barrett said he wrote the letter to withdraw the grant application because the application did not accurately reflect the wishes of the people of Springtown, not taking into account a signed petition opposing the walking trail.
According to Barrett, a majority of the voters did not want the walking trail and he was acting on behalf of the people he represented.
Barrett said there were inconsistencies in the grant application and the project ignored the people it would impact most.
"We do not know what obligations we would have in the future or the costs to the town," Barrett said of the proposed walking trail.
"Can we file again for the grant?" asked council member Chuck Guess.
"No, I'm not going to file (a grant application for a walking trail) again under these circumstances," Barrett said.
George Rhoades of Rogers, the town's new attorney, said it was his opinion the previous council vote was authorization for the mayor to apply for the walking trail grant and not a mandate to do so.
"I think we need to respect the wishes of the people," said Terri Klein, a new council member, "I'm along the (proposed) walking trail; I don't want it, and my neighbors don't want it either," she added.
Lemke, who was allowed to speak briefly at the opening of the meeting but not when the issue was being discussed by the council, said he thought the new mayor acted amiss and suggested he rescind his letter to withdraw the grant application.
"I think you overstepped your bounds," Lemke said to Mayor Barrett. "How can the votes of five council members not count?"
Lemke also told the mayor his "mission is already accomplished" because the grant won't be given to people who don't want it.
A Jan. 24 letter to the Department of Parks and Tourism obtained by the Eagle Observer and signed by Springtown's new mayor, Preston Barrett, asks that the grant application approved by the previous council be withdrawn.
The letter, addressed to John Beneke, director of the state agency, and signed by Barrett, states: "There has been concern expressed by the community here in Springtown with regards to the proposed walking trail. Back in June and July 2014, a petition circulated in town that acquired the signatures of many property owners and registered voters who opposed the creation of a walking trail. I was elected to represent my constituents and therefore request that the application applying for the Trails for Life Grant Program be withdrawn."
The town council on Oct. 10, 2014, 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.
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, Paul Lemke, Springtown's former mayor, said Aug. 8. John Wasson provided a letter of commitment to provide the needed easements, Lemke said.
A second letter, from Beneke to Barrett and dated Jan. 30, acknowledges the withdrawal request and offers answers to questions should the town apply for assistance in the future.
In August of 2014, it was reported that after the town council voted 5-0 to proceed with plans and begin to seek grant funding, a petition signed by 24 area residents -- five of whom later withdrew their signatures, and not all signers being voting residents of the town -- put plans on hold in the hope that information provided at a special August 14 town meeting would alleviate concerns and unite area residents behind the plan.
In other business, the council passed an ordinance on three readings with a single vote and an emergency clause, to amend an existing ordinance and change the regular meeting times to 6 p.m. on the second Tuesday of each month. The existing ordinance required meetings to be held on Friday nights.
Barrett reported to the council on street work accomplished during January and said the town had received no new information regarding the town's appeal of a FEMA decision regarding grant money for the repair of the old Aubrey Long Road Bridge. He said he had heard that the county clerk had received paper work for an undisclosed number of area residents requesting to annex into the town.
The council voted to waive the building permit fee for a storage shed to be built at the cemetery provided plans are submitted to the city for approval.
Barrett also reported that he had applied for a Street Aid grant to pave Springtown Road and the town had received preliminary approval for the project at a cost of up to $250,000. The only cost to the town would be 2 percent of the grant -- up to $5,000 -- to pay for engineering services the Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department would provide for the paving project.
According to the State Aid City Street Program website, "The State Aid City Street program was created by Act 982 of 1975 and was funded with Federal Revenue Sharing Funds until 1981, at which time the revenue sharing program was eliminated. Act 1032 of 2011 amended Arkansas code by establishing the State Aid City Street Program to be administered by a State Aid City Street Committee, whose responsibilities would include determining which projects receive funding through the program. On November 6, 2012, Arkansas voters approved Issue #1, a constitutional amendment, which temporarily increased the state sales tax to fund surface transportation improvements and permanently dedicated one cent per gallon of the existing motor fuel tax to the State Aid City Street Fund."
General News on 02/18/2015