HIGHFILL -- In addition to rezoning a large portion of Highfill to industrial, the council approved resolutions accepting the transfer of a Dodge Durango from the Bentonville Police Department, accepting a bid for replacing windows in the community building, and heard from a representative of Republic Services regarding a trash contract bid with the city.
The council approved a resolution accepting the transfer of a Dodge Durango from the Bentonville Police Department to the Highfill Police Department. The transfer indicates that Highfill accepts the vehicle as it is.
According to Blake Webb, Highfill's police chief, the Durango was used by a school resource officer and was not used as a patrol vehicle. He said the vehicle has less miles on it than any other department police vehicle and expressed his gratitude to Bentonville for transferring the vehicle to Highfill to help fill the gap for the department which has been short on reliable patrol vehicles. Webb said he anticipated that the Rogers Police Department would also be transferring patrol vehicles if the city of Rogers approves.
Webb said that much of the equipment from the city's Dodge Charger would be transferred to the newer vehicle, with a minimal amount needing to be purchased (possibly a radio and some striping). The Charger, which is not running, will be sold by sealed bid.
The council accepted the bid of Morris Beck Construction to build and replace the windows of the community building. Stacy Digby, Highfill's mayor, said the building's siding would be removed first, possibly with jail inmate work crews, and repairs made to restore the siding, as close as possible, to its original condition. The windows will be ordered, and Digby said the siding work can be completed while the city is waiting for the windows to be built.
The goal of the work is to restore the building and eventually include it on the register of historic places. The building was once a school house in Highfill and replaced an earlier school in the Hoover Community.
The bid of $20,715 for the windows and costs for any needed siding repair and repainting will be paid out of grant money the city was awarded for the restoration project. According to Digby, the city has approximately $28,000 available for the restoration work.
In another resolution, the council adopted the Benton County Hazard Mitigation Plan, a plan developed for the county in connection with the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Arkansas Department of Emergency Management. The resolution makes the city of Highfill a participant in the county plan.
Jennifer Fagan, representing Republic Services, spoke in regard to the trash services offered to the city in the company's bid. Two other companies bid to provide trash collection services to the city and may send representatives to next month's meeting -- a meeting Fagan will not be able to attend due to previous plans. The council is expected to take up the bids and decide on a service for the new year at the October meeting.
General News on 09/21/2016