Council tables decision on waterline extension

Westside Eagle Observer/RANDY MOLL Members of the Highfill City Council review an agenda item at the March 12 meeting in Highfill's city hall. The council uses iPads rather than paper copies, and the documents are displayed on large-screen TVs for those attending the meetings.
Westside Eagle Observer/RANDY MOLL Members of the Highfill City Council review an agenda item at the March 12 meeting in Highfill's city hall. The council uses iPads rather than paper copies, and the documents are displayed on large-screen TVs for those attending the meetings.

HIGHFILL -- The city council in Highfill on March 12 passed ordinances rezoning property belonging to Lyndell Johnson and adding an additional $20 to court costs for misdemeanor and traffic convictions in the city. Both ordinances were passed on three readings by a single vote and with an emergency clause attached.

Property owned by Lyndell Johnson in Healing Springs was rezoned from I-1 Industrial to RR Residential to allow putting a house on the property. The emergency clause was passed to allow the sale of the property to proceed.

The ordinance adding $20 to costs imposed on those found guilty or pleading no contest to traffic and misdemeanor charges within the city was passed to offset the increased costs to incarcerate prisoners for the city in the Benton County Jail. According to Jay Williams, city attorney for Highfill, the increase in fine amount was authorized by Arkansas Code to defray the cost to the city to incarcerate prisoners in the county jail.

The council voted to table any decision regarding waterline extensions to the east side of the Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport until more information can be gathered.

According to Williams, the city has the option to return unused money borrowed for its water service and reduce the amount of its bonded indebtedness rather than extending its water lines to the east side of the airport. He said that, due to future airport runway plans, the city could not extend its water lines to serve water customers on the east side of the airport but could only complete a loop which would serve no customers. He said the bond money cannot be used for a sewer project and probably cannot be used to extend water lines in another area to provide service to water customers since that is not what the voters authorized when they approved the bond.

An ordinance which would have reduced the speed limit to 25 mph from the four-way stop on Vaughn Road, just east of the Northwest Arkansas Children's Shelter to 1/2 mile west of the four-way stop, was also tabled until additional measurements can be taken and the distance west reduced.

Several council members said they were not in agreement with reducing the speed limit for a full 1/2 mile to the west. The speed limit is currently 35 mph, with a school zone (25 mph) at the children's shelter. The problem with the school zone is that state law requires children to be present outside and police officers do not always have time to document whether children are outside at the shelter when patrolling the area.

Williams suggested that the distance from the stop sign to the shelter and the desired distance west of the shelter be measured so that he can rewrite the ordinance to reduce the speed limit to 25 mph in front of the shelter and a specific distance on each side of the shelter.

Councilman David Williamson said the fire department's brush truck had an issue with fuel tank filters and that repair would require replacement of the fuel tank, filters and fuel pumps. He said the cost would be much less than anticipated and reported at the February meeting -- approximately $19,000 for repair or $25,000 for engine replacement.

Michelle Rieff, Highfill's mayor, reported that work on the outside of the community building was complete with the exception of the front doors which were soon to be replaced, with painting then to be finished on the doorframe.

Reiff also reported:

• That Rob Holland had been hired to be the city's new director of operations;

• That an open public works maintenance position is being reposted;

• That she, engineer Tim Mays and grant writer Cassie Elliott traveled to Little Rock to meet with prospective funding sources for a portion of the $3.8 million needed to extend sewer lines to the Northwest Arkansas Conservation Authority treatment plant and brought back some helpful information; and

• That the Highfill Fire Department chili supper and pie auction is scheduled for 5 p.m. on Saturday, March 30, with the pie auction beginning at 6:30.

General News on 03/20/2019