Gravette city council considers bids for airplane maintenance, ball field improvements

Wednesday, June 14, 2017

— The owner of property at 302 Fourth Avenue, S.W., spoke to the city council at the June committee of the whole meeting and requested that he be able to remove a sidewalk on his property. Mayor Kurt Maddox replied that, according to city ordinance, if a damaged sidewalk is removed, it should be replaced with a new one. The homeowner asked for a variance so that he would not have to add a new one. Maddox said the request would be placed on the agenda for discussion at the June 22 city council meeting.

Corey Reardon, water and sewer department head, reported that opening of bids for sewer projects would be held at 10 a.m. Monday, June 19, at the city hall. He said excavation work at Main Street and Third Avenue had revealed an abandoned two-inch water line that was leaking. His crew is working to add a Tee which will allow removal of the abandoned line. He also reported the leak study on the lagoons is continuing.

Karen Benson, library supervisor, reported Teen Tuesday programs would begin this week and continue on the second and fourth Tuesdays of the month at 6 p.m. She announced the summer reading program kick-off would be held June 24 with a hamburger fry sponsored by the library advisory board. Reading clubs for teens and adults will be held for eight weeks, and the children's reading program will begin July 11 and continue for five weeks. Council member Rod Clardy commended Benson for a job well done at the library.

Tim Dewitt, streets and parks department head, reported that Dickson Road had been paved and Gordon Hollow Road was prepped and ready for paving. Work on Gordon Hollow Road should be complete by the end of this week.

Mayor Maddox reported that the city has an agreement with the Air Force to keep the donated airplane in Kindley Park in good condition. He said the plane needs some refurbishing to bring it back to good condition. He presented a bid of $18,000 from Ponsford Ltd. of Acworth, Ga., to restore the plane and replace decals. The work will take four weeks. A vote on acceptance of the bid will be on the agenda for the June 22 council meeting.

Chuck Skaggs, Gravette police chief, reported for the fire department that the annual fireworks display would be held Saturday, June 1, with the fire department shooting off the fireworks. He also reminded council members of the department's pancake breakfast Saturday, June 10.

Chief Skaggs reported that the new camera systems were in and they will be installed in the city's police cars the week of July 10-14. He said officer Jonas Edgmon is the department's new investigator, and Brian McKenzie is a potential new hire for school resource officer.

A bid of $27,750 from BiLD Architects PLLC was presented for parking improvements and soccer fields at Pop Allum Park. The work will include paving of the north parking area, building three soccer fields on the south end of the site, ADA compliant sidewalks connecting parking to soccer fields and master planning of a future baseball field north of the soccer fields. A vote on acceptance of the bid will be on the agenda for the June 22 council meeting.

A discussion of Centerton water rights was held. Mayor Maddox reported he had met with Bella Vista. It had started discussing purchase of Centerton water rights years ago and wants to go to the corner of Highways 72 and 279. However, Maddox said he felt it is in Gravette's best interest to control the area that is within its city limits.

Maddox reported an engineering firm has been hired. His proposal is to request that Centerton sell water to Gravette wholesale until Gravette can get a system in place and build a water tower in the Hiwasse area, probably five to 10 years. His intention is to give written notice to Centerton of the city's intent to purchase, then set up a meeting with them and give them the opportunity to serve the area. Centerton mayor Bill Edwards was present and made brief remarks. Both he and Maddox expressed a willingness to negotiate.

City planner Mike von Ree presented a proposal to rezone property at 209 Second Avenue, S.E., owned by Kim and Marylea Hendren, from I-1, industrial, to C-2, commercial. The building is the location of the former Farmers Supply Company and is being proposed as the site of a funeral home chapel.

Also presented were proposals to rezone property on Second Avenue, S.W., owned by the Schmeigelow family trust, from I-1, industrial, to C-2, commercial, to bring it in line with surrounding property and to adjust a lot line for property at 209 Redbud Lane, N.E., owned by Randy Deason, to give Robert and Beverly Blocker access to property they own adjoining the parcel. A vote on all three proposals will be on the agenda for the June 22 council meeting.

Mayor Maddox said he had been in discussion about the proposed water park and had also talked with BiLD Architects about the community building in Hiwasse. He said a committee of Hiwasse residents was formed to advise about work there. He is currently waiting for the committee to decide what color of metal to use on the roof.

Concern was expressed that the city is adding parks and making improvements on parks but not adding manpower to maintain them. Councilman Rod Clardy also commented that current employees can only do so much. Maddox said the city is currently hiring others to do some of the mowing and all the code enforcement. City employees are maintaining the bathrooms at the ball park. Tim Dewitt reported his workers had sprayed the infields twice.

Council member Margo Thomas asked if someone could be hired just to do brush-hogging of rights-of-way. Dewitt said that two extra workers he has obtained through workforce development will be here through September.

Maddox reported that Main Street improvement work should be complete by the end of June.

Carl Rabey, finance director, gave the monthly finance report. He said about $100,000 was spent last month including $50,000 in repairs for the water department, a $32,000 insurance payment and purchase of an $11,000 mower but his projections for the year had not changed. Rabey said the mayor had asked city employees to prepare a one-year, a three-year and a five-year plan. Rabey said his one-year plan was to investigate every contract the city has and make sure it is getting the best deal. His three-year plan is to look into getting technology to make financial operations more efficient.

Mayor Maddox reported that the city of Decatur had asked for Gravette to determine a price for ambulance service within its city by August, so Gravette needs to be looking into setting a price for next year. Decatur is paying $30,000 for service in 2017.

Maddox said the city is working through the Arkansas Heritage Commission to try to get the old Presbyterian Church on the National Register of Historic Places. To do that, the east portico must be torn off since it is not original. He also reported there is a small leak in the basement.

Melissa Burnett commented at the end of the meeting that she had heard rumors that she had moved. She said she wanted to confirm that she had not moved and was still residing in the ward in which she had originally been elected.

General News on 06/14/2017