GRAVETTE -- A short public hearing was held preceding the Jan. 24 meeting of the Gravette City Council. The hearing was to discuss the rezoning of properties owned by Tom Fredericks on Highway 279 in Hiwasse and by Jerry Hawkins at 13253 Camille Lane and part of 13331 Camille Lane in Hiwasse. No one was present to comment, and the hearing was subsequently closed.
During the citizen comment period, Larry Kenemore, CEO of Stat-Medicament Disposal Corporation, addressed the council with a proposal to help remove illegal drugs from the city, eliminate improper disposal of drugs and provide safe, effective, easy methods of disposal without spending any tax dollars. Kenemore proposed a plan to provide drug disposal bottles for each household in the city and establish kiosks where the filled bottles could be returned. He expressed a desire to be allotted time for a longer presentation to the council in the future.
Mayor Kurt Maddox opened the meeting by presenting his state of the city address. He outlined projects and improvements in eight key areas: finances, bond and grant projects, city growth, audit, public safety, water and sewer, streets and the library. He thanked the city staff members for their dedication and hard work and city council members for supporting city goals and providing guidance. He invited Gravette citizens to follow Gravette news on the city's website, wwwGravetteAR.com. He said they could stop by city hall, call or email any time with questions or concerns.
"It's been a good year," he concluded.
Mayor Maddox swore in Tom Boettcher, an incoming planning commission member, and Mike Walker, an incoming library commission member. Rachel Galloway, another new library commission member, was unable to attend and will be sworn in at a later date.
Under new business, council members voted to approve an adjustment of building permit fees for Gravette Public Schools. The school district had asked them to consider discounting permit fees for work on the middle school, career center and gymnasium. David Keck, the building inspector, reported permit fees without the discount would be $39,990, a $26,660 permit fee and a plan review fee of $13,330. He recommended adjusting the permit fees to $10,000, a savings to the school of $29,990. The state commercial construction surcharge tax of $6,175 will still apply. Council members voted to approve Keck's recommendation.
In other business, council members voted to pass three resolutions. The first expressed the city's willingness to use state aid street monies for overlay and resurfacing of Gravette city streets. The other two approved closing the street operating account at Grand Savings Bank and opening a new account and closing the water operating account at Arvest Bank and opening a new one.
Council members voted to pass five ordinances. The first amends the current library ordinance and creates a municipal library board of five members, four from within the Gravette city limits and one from within the school district. Another amends the current ambulance service ordinance and eliminates the collection of ambulance membership fees. The third repeals the current water department ordinance and sets dates and procedures for water meter reading, dates and procedures for water billing, appeals and penalties for non-payment of water bills and establishes fees for meter deposits and temporary water service hookups.
Two ordinances were passed approving property rezoning. The first rezones property owned by Tom Fredericks on Highway 279 in Hiwasse from A-1, agricultural, to C-2, highway commercial. The second rezones property owned by Jerry Hawkins at 13253 Camille Lane and part of 12331 Camille Lane in Hiwasse from A-1, agricultural, to R-1, single family residential.
Council members voted to approve Sand Creek Engineering and Land Surveying, of Bentonville, for engineering on the second phase of the city's bike and pedestrian trail project and passed a resolution approving the adjusted budget and closing out the 2018 city budget.
General News on 02/06/2019