Highfill approves funds for street, trail repair

HIGHFILL -- The city council, on April 11, voted to free up funds for street improvements and for repairs to the city's walking trail in the city park.

At the recommendation of Mayor Stacy Digby, the council voted unanimously to allow the spending of up to $60,000 from city savings on repairs to streets. The allocation of the money will make it possible for the city to seek bids for much-needed street repairs.

The city is seeking to repair Malone Road by patching the bad spots and putting a 1½ inch overlay between Arkansas Highway 12 and Main Street. Also on the list are overlaying a portion of Holland Avenue, replacing the culverts on Linwood Street with concrete culverts and overlaying the street with 1½ inches of asphalt and patching a short section of Mason Valley Road.

Initial cost estimates for all four projects were between $65 to $85 thousand but actual bids had not yet been requested.

Also approved by the council was the expenditure of up to $10,000 to repair the city park walking trail. According to Digby, the trail was pretty rough and needed an overlay. Initial cost estimates ranged from $10 to $27 thousand.

Digby reported that lighting on the trail -- a complaint was relayed to him at the March council meeting -- had been greatly improved.

Also approved by the council were law-enforcement mutual aid agreements with Benton County Sheriff's Office, Cave Springs, Siloam Springs and Bethel Heights. The agreements are similar to other agreements approved in the past. Additional aid agreements may be brought to the council in the near future.

Mike and Allison Stephens addressed the council to seek guidance on how to proceed with plans to develop property near Pautsky Lane. Their plans included building a storage facility, a home and possibly a women's shelter. They were directed to the city's planning commission.

Blake Webb, the city's police chief, told the council his department no longer needed the black Dodge Durango, which had 175,000 miles, because of the newer white Durango donated to the city and now in the police department fleet. He said he would like to swap the tires between the two vehicles before selling the black Durango. He also suggested that money obtained from the sale could help pay to put the department's second Crown Victoria into service.

Before ending the meeting, Mayor Digby read a proclamation, declaring May of 2017 as Heritage Month in the city.

General News on 04/19/2017