City seeks two grants

One would make improvements to Gravette's Old Town Park

— In two separate meetings, one of them a special meeting, the Gravette City Council approved resolutions seeking two state grants, one for additional improvements to the municipal swimming pool, the other for major improvements in Old Town Park.

The parks grant, which seeks more than $100,000 for a major Old Town Park project, was approved at a special council meeting last Tuesday. If awarded by the state, the non-matching grant will enable the city to make various park improvements, including construction of a pavilion, an access driveway and electrical improvements.

The plan is a project of Mayor Byron Warren, who believesthe park can become a special place for concerts, programs, movies, entertainment and other community or family functions if such a facility is available.

The resolution Tuesday was approved unanimously by the four council members present at the noon meeting. The application was handdelivered to the appropriate agency in the State Capitol the following day by Warren who was in Little Rock to attend a meeting.

Council members present for the meeting were Melissa Smith, Larry Stidham, Margo Thomas and John Rambadt. Unable to attend were members Jimmy Denver and Tena Crose.

The $100,702.68 is being sought through the GeneralImprovement Community Enhancement Grant program.

A Second Grant

In action at the council’s regular meeting Thursday night, a resolution was approved to seek a $15,000 Rural Services Community Development grant to complete improvements at the municipal swimming pool, including the “kiddie pool.”

The pool was repaired and other improvements were completed earlier this year through a $40,000 grant which allowed the pool to open after being closed the previous summer. The city also contributed some $20,000 to the improvement project. The city has already matched the expected new state grant through purchase of a pool cover and a lift chair.

Other Council Action

In other action at Thursday’s meeting, the council approved on third reading two ordinances, one a water billing ordinance, the other an ordinance setting water connection backflow requirements for certain water customers. Both ordinances will become effective in 30 days.

The council authorized Mayor Byron Warren to spend up to $15,000 for engineering a storm drainage project which, if an expected grant is received, will improve water drainage problems near Highway 59 south, El Paso Street and Second Avenue SW. The engineering is required before grant funds can be sought. The area in question is subject to water overflow problems.

Appointments Approved

The council approved appointment of Lavon Stark as a member of the Gravette Museum Commission and Makayla Brown to the Gravette Library Commission.

Also approved was a resolution changing the regular December council meeting from Dec. 22 to Dec. 13.

Action on two items, a maintenance contract for the city’s water tanks and a plan to close and create certain bank accounts, was postponed until the December Committee of the Whole meeting.

Ordinances Explained

A brief explanation of Ordinance 11-16 approved by the city council fixes dates and procedures for water meter reading, billing and payment, providing for appeals and penalties and establishing deposits for meters and other purposes.

Briefly, meters will be read on or by the 10th of each month, weather permitting; customer assessed a 20 percent penalty if bill is not paid by the due date; sets a disconnect date unless payment is made or arrangements made forpayment; sets a $50 homeowner and $150 renter/ leesee deposit and deposits for other users; allows a sewer adjustment for certain situations; provides for notification of customers of a leak and sets a temporary $10 - 24-hour fee under certain conditions.

Ordinance 11-17 details “cross-connection” regulations outlined by the Arkansas Rules and Regulations of Public Water Systems for numerous commercial/industrial water customers. Most residential customers are exempt.

This basically is a backflow device which prevents the back flow of water from the individual meter into the public system. This prevents possible system contamination. All new construction in the city will be governed by the ordinance.

Both ordinances are on file at City Hall and will be published in the Westside Eagle Observer.

News, Pages 1 on 11/23/2011