GRAVETTE -- Mayor Kurt Maddox swore in the slate of city council members just prior to their Committee of the Whole meeting Thursday, Jan. 10. Council members include newly elected James Brown and Ashley Harris and returning members Rod Clardy, Jeff Davis, Ron Theis and Margo Thomas. Council members voted to appoint Ron Theis as committee chairman.
No citizens were present for comments. Mayor Maddox introduced Richard Page, superintendent of Gravette schools, who gave an update on four school construction projects, career center expansion, improvements at Glenn Duffy Elementary and Gravette Middle School and construction of a new high school gym.
Page explained that the new 54,000-square-foot gym is designed to seat 1,700 to 1,800 people and will enable Gravette to host state competitions. This will bring additional revenue to Gravette and, coupled with the fact that recent growth in Bella Vista is mainly in the Gravette School District, will further economic growth in the area. He related how the city had helped with construction projects in his previous position at Neosho, Mo., schools and asked council members to consider helping the school district by waiving some of the building permit fees.
Mayor Maddox said the city didn't have the manpower to install water and sewer lines for the building projects but agreed to consider giving the schools a break on permit fees. Council member Theis said he favored giving the school a break, especially since state competitions held here would bring increased income. Jeff Davis noted that Bella Vista's population growth in the district was a plus, and city clerk Mike von Ree said some fees had been waived for construction of the high school and for the building of CV's grocery store. David Keck, building inspector and code enforcement officer, favored waiving some fees, and Mayor Maddox asked him to bring an estimate of total fees to the next council meeting.
Each department head made brief reports. Fire Chief David Orr reported a total of 1,070 calls in 2018 and 90 calls so far this year. He said average turnout time for EMS calls is 2.19 minutes and, for fire calls, 2.29 minutes, and responders are always working to reduce those times. Police Chief Chuck Skaggs reported a total of 6,758 calls in 2018.
Karen Benson, library director, presented a chart of library growth from 2016 through 2018. Patron visits, items checked out (including e-books) and computer use were all at new highs at the end of 2018. Benson said she is working on inventory and planning February programs, including the popular Blind Date with a Book, and a second seed swap on Feb. 9.
Tim Dewitt, street and parks department supervisor, said he was advertising for road grading bids, and bids would be opened on Jan. 16. Mayor Maddox reported a $200,000 donation for walking trails from the Meade Family is being processed through the community foundation and will be added to the $400,000 already allocated for the trail system. He reported a $250,000 road overlay project was being recommended and he would know on Jan. 16 whether it has been approved.
Corey Reardon, water and sewer department supervisor, reported four new water taps have already been added in 2019 and noted that, with the sale of new homes in Gravette, more people would bring more water sales. David Keck said he is supervising the completion of several projects and working on restarting development of the city's bike trail.
In new business, council members discussed a new library board ordinance. The ordinance establishes the name of the library as the Gravette Public Library, changes the library supervisor's title to library director and provides for a five-member board with four members from inside the city limits and one within the Gravette School District. The ordinance will be voted on at the Jan. 24 council meeting.
Also on the agenda for the Jan. 24 meeting will be a resolution to use state aid street monies for city street overlay and resurfacing projects. This is a recap of a resolution passed four years ago.
Council members retroactively approved closure of the street operating account and water operation account and the opening of new accounts due to a fraud attempt. Resolutions authorizing the activity will be voted on at the January council meeting. Outstanding checks on the water operating account will be honored on the new account. The bank has a list of those outstanding checks and will not honor any other transactions on the old account.
A resolution eliminating the collection of ambulance fees for 2019 will be on the agenda for the Jan. 24 council meeting. City attorney David Bailey suggested adding an additional section stating the rest of the ambulance ordinance remains in full force and effect.
Council members discussed a piece of property owned by Sam and Christie Green in Nebo Valley. The Greens are asking the city to make an offer on the property, which contains the original town plot, and suggest it be used as a park. Council member Ron Theis said he thought the city already had enough parks. Chief Skaggs noted that the property's proximity to nearby curves would make entry and exit there hazardous.
Council members considered an emergency medical services backfill agreement and agreed it would be wise to have Chief Orr negotiate a pricing structure and financing agreement upfront. Mayor Maddox noted this is not a regular mutual aid agreement. The city ambulance service is now interacting only with municipalities and this is the first proposed agreement with a for-profit ambulance service.
Council members considered a proposed ordinance updating water department policies. A former policy to reconnect water service after hours will be eliminated and no reconnection will be made after 4 p.m. Mayor Maddox noted the $75 reconnect fee barely covered the city workers' overtime pay. The water policy is largely the same as the current ordinance but raises a renter's security deposit from $75 to $100. Landlords and real estate agents who request temporary water service to show a house are charged $20 for the turn on. Council members recommended the fee be increased to $35 if the person making the request is not present and a second trip to connect service must be made.
Council members discussed rezoning of property owned by Tom Fredericks in Bella Vista which has already been approved by the planning commission, rezoning of property owned by Jerry Hawkins on Camille Lane in Hiwasse from agricultural to R-1 residential for a proposed 32-unit subdivision with a commercial strip up front and issuance of a conditional use permit for property owned by Ward on Highway 72 in Hiwasse for the proposed construction of greenhouses where chicken houses formerly stood. Votes on the proposed rezonings will be on the agenda for the Jan. 24 council meeting.
Carl Rabey, finance director, gave the December financial report and a summary of bond expenditures. He reported it is time to approve the final 2018 budget according to state law. He said the city is now debt free other than bond money. He said he is working to set up a program called Positive Pay to help prevent fraud and noted that 2019 is going to be tougher because of loss of ambulance revenue. In response to a question from councilman Theis, he said there is $720,000 in the water reserve account and $725,000 in the general reserve account.
General News on 01/16/2019