GRAVETTE — GENTRY -- Purchase of additional park lands was on the agenda of a city council finance committee meeting in Gentry on May 31. Kevin Johnston, Gentry's mayor, suggested the city move toward purchasing an additional 14-plus acres along the Kansas City Southern Railroad to be used for city parks and trail systems.
Johnston said the land is located south of the tract of land the city purchased earlier this spring and north of the Gentry Cemetery along the railroad tracks. He suggested the city look at purchasing the land, along with a strip or easement to connect the tract with the recently purchased parcel so that residents could have easy access to it.
Johnston said he thought the land could be purchased at a cost of $8 to 10 thousand per acre. He suggested he be authorized to sign a letter of intent from the city to purchase the land but not actually make the purchase until the funding details are worked out.
In a related matter, Johnston proposed, and the council at its June 5 meeting approved, an agreement with McClelland Consulting Engineers to hire the firm to develop a master plan for the city's park system to determine the best possible use of city park lands. Johnston said major work is needed on the bleachers at the Main Street ball fields and suggested it would be wise to consider the best locations for current and planned amenities in the parks before any work begins. He said it could be that another area would be a better location for ball fields. Among amenities discussed were ball fields, soccer fields, a splash pad, a top spin area, walking trails, a mountain biking area and others.
The council on June 5 unanimously approved spending $22,000 on a first work order with McClellend Consulting Engineers to develop a master plan for Gentry's park lands, including the land proposed for purchase above. According to the work order, "the intent of this master planning project is to identify the highest and best use for the parcels based on the city stakeholders and citizens' visions, needs and desires for the Gentry public park system." Total land area included in the study is approximately 78.66 acres.
The work order includes public input sessions to learn the wishes of area residents for amenities to be provided in the city's park system, evaluation of available parcels of land and the best use of those parcels, conceptual drawings and cost estimates to develop the park areas in accord with the master plan.
Johnston told those in attendance at the May 31 committee meeting that financial assistance is all but guaranteed if the city were to design and build a mountain biking area in its park system, possibly on the land he proposed for purchase.
An increase in Gentry's sales and use tax rate was suggested by Johnston as a way to help pay for park projects and other improvements in Gentry. He said the city currently collects one and one-eighth cent for every dollar spent in Gentry. He said the library receives one-eighth cent, streets and alleys receive one-half cent and all the other city services are paid for from the remaining half cent. Johnston proposed asking the voters to increase Gentry's sales tax to two cents per dollar, making it comparable to what most cities in northwest Arkansas collect. He said the additional seven-eighths of a cent could go a long way to help Gentry improve its amenities.
The state receives 6.5 cents per dollar, and the county receives one cent per dollar, making Gentry's current combined tax rate 8.625 percent. Many nearby cities have a combined rate of 9.5 percent.
Johnston suggested that a plan and conceptual drawings showing improvements which could be made with the additional tax revenue be prepared so voters can see the reason for a requested tax increase.
General News on 06/14/2017