HIGHFILL -- The council approved spending up to $7,000 to obtain an analysis of the city's sewer system and a rate study in order to assist the city in making the best choices in regard to providing sewer services to new subdivisions and developments in the city.
Though the city's current wastewater treatment facility is permitted by the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality to treat up to 100,000 gallons of sewage per day and is operating at only 10 percent of that capacity, the health department will allow only 400 connections to the sewer system and the city is nearing that limit with the new housing subdivisions. The health department limit would require the city to build Phase Two of the city's treatment facility to provide sewer service to the next 400 homes, or it could connect to Northwest Arkansas Conservation Authority and not be limited by the health department regulation, though the city would have to pay NACA for the sewer service and pass on costs to the customers.
The study would analyze the city's current and projected future sewer needs and outline anticipated costs for the city and for customers, looking at options available to the city. Though some council members expressed hesitancy to spend $7,000 for the study, Alderman Chris Holland said that, in light of the costs to the city to expand its sewer service and enable future grown, the amount might not be all that much to pay, especially since the city cannot approve further developments without a plan in place to provide adequate sewer service.
Holland also asked James "Butch" Wiand, the city's water and sewer supervisor, to contact the state health department and find out why it limits connections to 400 when the sewer system is only operating at 10 percent of its capacity with nearly 200 connections.
Preliminary estimates presented to the council by Wiand indicated building Phase Two of the wastewater treatment plant would cost the city $3.5 million and building a gravity-flow pipeline to NACA would be about $3.8 million. The possibility of a shorter route with a lift station was also mentioned and may be included in the sewer study. When it was completed, the first phase of the city's water-treatment facility cost roughly $2 million, according to Wiand.
Tim Mays and Engineering Services Inc. of Springdale have been working with the city on its wastewater needs and ESI is the presumed engineering firm the city would hire for the study.
Vernon Reams, the city's street supervisor, reported on the completion of repairs to flood-damaged roads and said that $13 to $15 thousand was left over. He asked the council if he could go back and reinforce culverts replaced on Douglas Cemetery Road and place any funds left over into the street department's savings account since it may only be spent on street and road repairs. He said there may also be some leftover FEMA funds from last year.
Holland suggested using the money to begin fixing some of these culverts the right way instead of doing band-aid fixes which wash out every time there is flooding. He asked Reams to get cost estimates and bring back numbers to the council. Part of those cost estimates would be based on whether the county would help place box culverts if the city purchased them.
Among trouble spots mentioned at the meeting were roads at Duke Hill and Douglas Cemetery. Also mentioned were Waddell and Rocky Comfort.
Gene Holland, Highfill's fire chief, reported that the department had received fire suppression kits from the Arkansas Forestry Commission to help in protecting firefighters and in extinguishing wildfires.
The council failed to pass a resolution (3-3 vote) approving a petition for annexation into the city 8.31 acres adjacent to the city along Rocky Comfort Road belonging to Justin and Emily Allen. Concerns were raised regarding city services to be provided. Holland asked that the annexation documents specifically include language which would exempt the city from providing paved roads and other city services not mentioned in the petition within a specified time frame. He said he wanted the documents to specify which services the city would provide and when. Allen argued that the language already made clear that the city would only be obligated to provide water service, road maintenance, trash service, police protection and fire protection.
Michelle Rieff, Highfill's mayor, suggested the petition be brought back to the council with the specific language added.
A resolution narrowly passed allowing the police department to order a new patrol pickup truck when the new state bid package is published, likely in the latter half of September. Blake Webb, Highfill's police chief, said the city's vehicles, including those donated to the city in recent years, had high mileage and were becoming unsafe to operate for his officers. He said maintenance costs were rising and the city needed to have a plan and schedule to begin replacing the older vehicles. Some council members said they would like to wait and consider the city's finances before making the commitment.
The council did unanimously approve allowing the police department to use $2,600 from its police savings account to add dash cameras in the patrol cars.
A resolution was passed allowing the city's recorder/treasurer to continue to move money between the city's savings account and general funds to pay bills as necessary.
A resolution authorized the creation of a conservation easement at the community building to further facilitate the city's grant application for a $75,000 grant for the building's restoration work. Holland and Mark White voted against the measure.
The council was informed of the approval of the first two phases of Woodland Hills subdivision, named after a man who farmed the land during Civil War times. The subdivision will have nine phases of 50 homes each.
Alderman Toby Lester raised the issue of city employees smoking while operating city vehicles. Webb said none of his officers smoke and Reams said the issue had been addressed some time ago.
General News on 08/22/2018