GENTRY — The city council in Gentry authorized the mayor to sign an agreement to house bound volumes of local newspapers at the library, to establish a public tree policy and to move forward with the placement of sharrows on certain streets within the city to encourage motorists to give room to cyclists.
Council members gave unanimous approval to a resolution authorizing the mayor to enter into an agreement with Northwest Arkansas Newspapers LLC to house bound volumes of the Gentry Courier-Journal from 1991 to 2010 and the Westside Eagle Observer from 2010 to the present at the Gentry Public Library. The bound volumes cannot be checked out but will be made available on a restricted basis to those doing research on local or family history. The goal is to preserve the volumes from loss or damage but to keep them available for those doing research.
The bound volumes contain local history from the past 25 years which may not be available from any other source and are a treasure trove of information for Gentry and surrounding communities. The library also holds digital copies of many issues of the Gentry Journal and Journal-Advance dating back to 1896. The Journal began publishing in Gentry in 1894. Gentry was officially incorporated in 1895, according to newspaper records housed by the Benton County Clerk's Office.
The council also approved of a public tree removal and maintenance plan referred by the city's parks advisory committee. The plan includes an application form which residents can complete requesting the city maintain or remove a public tree (growing on city property or in a city right of way) which may be dead, diseased or causing damage or other problems. The city could then review the application and determine the best course of action to take.
Current plans include planting two trees for every tree removed and using a recommended tree list so that trees planted are more appropriate for the space in which they are planted. Kevin Johnston, Gentry's mayor, said he is consulting with the Arkansas Forestry Commission to obtain a list of recommended trees for different locations within the city and the list could also be used to make recommendations to residents, developers and landowners within the city.
The council also gave the nod to move forward with the placement of sharrows on certain city streets most used by cyclists to remind motorists of their lawful duty to share the road with bicyclists on city streets and highways.
Sharrows are pavement markings to remind motorists to share the road with cyclists. Johnston said he thought it would be best to place the markings in the center of the lane for visibility and to keep them from being worn away more quickly by vehicle tires. He said he was talking with cyclists to determine the best locations for placement of the pavement markings. He said they could only be used on streets and roads with a speed limit of 35 mph or less. Signs donated to the city may be placed on private property along state highways with higher speed limits, Johnston said.
Keith Smith, Gentry's police chief, reported to the council on the success of the police department's drug take-back program, saying 150 pounds of unused or expired medications had just been turned over to the Drug Enforcement Agency. The drugs had been collected at the department's secure site over the past six months.
Janie Parks, executive director of the Gentry Chamber of Commerce, reminded council members of the upcoming Freedom Festival on July 4, a fishing derby on July 22, a glow ride on Sept. 30 and a Zombie Run on Oct. 28. She said a Hobo Festival was being considered for this fall as well.
General News on 05/10/2017