GRAVETTE -- Gravette city council members, at their regular meeting Thursday, Aug. 23, voted to accept a bid of $105,438.65 from Arkansas Sign and Banner for the city's wayfinding sign project. The Bentonville firm was low bidder for placing 13 wayfinding signs and three large monument signs in the Gravette area. Two other bids were received, $118,466.48 from Sign Studio of Cave Springs and $286,000 from Creative Design Concepts of Van Buren.

Before the vote, Melissa Burnett said she thought the proposed signs were very attractive but she felt they were a want, rather than a need, and the money might be better spent for other projects. Mayor Kurt Maddox commented that, for the last three years, the city has focused on a combination of infrastructure projects and quality of life projects and it has worked well for city growth. He noted that additional infrastructure projects, including street improvements, are planned for the next expenditure of bond money. Burnett cast the only dissenting vote.

The city has budgeted $75,000 for the purchase and installation of the signs. Council members voted to approve a budget adjustment to cover the remainder of the project.

In other business, council members approved an ordinance rezoning property owned by Mike and Cheryl McMillan on Arkansas Highways 72 and 279 in Hiwasse. The ordinance, passed unanimously, rezones the property from C-2, highway commercial, to A-1, agricultural.

Mayor Maddox reported that the sludge removal project for the lagoon at the wastewater plant was expected to cost $200,000. Only one bid was received for the project and it was more than $500,000, so council members voted to put the project out for bid again.

An item on the agenda to consider hiring a part-time water clerk was tabled. Maddox reported that Carl Rabey, finance director, was trying a new system which should be effective for the rest of this year, then consideration will be given to adding salary for a part-time clerk in the 2019 budget.