GRAVETTE -- Members of the Gravette city council held a brief public hearing preceding the regular Committee of the Whole meeting Thursday evening, April 8. Architectural drawings of the new city hall/police station were on display. No one was present to comment.
Several city department heads reported at the committee meeting. Police chief Chuck Skaggs reported his department has answered 670 calls so far in 2021 and told of several upcoming training sessions the department has planned.
Jeremy Johnson reported for the code enforcement and planning department since building inspector David Keck was attending an economic development conference in Little Rock. Johnson reported condemnation of two properties in Hiwasse was on the agenda and said plans have been submitted for building a Dollar General in Hiwasse and rezoning and a lot adjustment will be needed.
Richard Sutherland, water department supervisor, reported receiving several requests for new water taps.
Library manager Karen Benson reported the library recently received a $3,000 Libraries Transforming Communities grant which requires interaction with the community. She has invited library patrons, local business and nonprofit leaders and other members of the community as a focus group to meet May 4 at the Civic Center to share their views and expectations of the library's purpose and programs. Information obtained will be used for strategic planning.
Fire chief David Orr reported his department has responded to 183 calls in 2021 and department members have undergone 752 hours of training. Firefighters have saved property estimated at just under a half-million dollars with losses of only $67,000. All fire department personnel have renewed their EMT licenses.
Tim Dewitt, street and parks department supervisor, reported the city spring cleanup is scheduled April 12-17, from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, and from 8 to 11 a.m. on Saturday. Dumpsters will be available to residents who live inside the city limits from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, and from 9 to 11 a.m. on Saturday. He said there will be another tree giveaway on Saturday, April 24, with several species available.
Mallory Weaver, assistant to the mayor, showed the new promotional video about Gravette developed in cooperation with the Greater Gravette Chamber of Commerce. It will be shown to inform those wishing to move to the area or establish businesses here.
A new ordinance establishing city speed limits will be on the agenda for the April 22 city council meeting after it was discovered the current ordinance is in conflict with state law. The ordinance to be voted on sets the speed limit in a school zone at 25 miles per hour to make it consistent with state law and elsewhere in the city at 30 miles per hour unless otherwise posted.
An ordinance annexing a strip of land south of the concrete plant owned by Spavinaw Investments will also be voted on at this month's council meeting. The property is surrounded by city land.
Now that the unified development code has been updated, the code enforcement department plans to begin work on updating the city zoning code. Mayor Kurt Maddox said no bid has been received yet from Garver Engineering for work on the update.
Council members briefly discussed a large-scale development proposal by PB General Holdings to build a Dollar General store on property on Highway 72 near Holloway Road owned by J. Todd Mains. A rezoning of the 2.79 acres from A-1, agricultural, to C-2, commercial, will be voted on at the April 22 council meeting in preparation for the project. Also on the council meeting agenda will be the rezoning of 20.78 acres on Forest Hills Blvd. owned by Thomas William Fredericks from A-1, agricultural, to R-3, multi-family residential. This property is near the Bella Vista Boys and Girls Club, adjacent to the Bella Vista city limits.
Mayor Maddox reported condemnation proceedings had been started on properties at 17031 Highway 72 and 13587 Highway 279 in Hiwasse but both properties now have prospective buyers who had promised to clean up and have asked for the issue to be tabled, so council members voted to table the condemnations until the May Committee of the Whole meeting.
Mayor Maddox reported work on a proposed metal building for the new restrooms at Kindley Park could not be started until August or September because needed metal supplies are on backorder, so other bids are being solicited for a frame or concrete block building in hopes the project can be completed before Gravette Day.
Maddox reported bids for the city's new trash collection contract were opened earlier in the day. The city's current provider, Republic, submitted the lowest bid for residential trash pickup at only a slight increase over the current rate. Only one other bid was received. Republic has also reduced its rate on commercial trash pickup. A proposed curbside recycling service is offered at a monthly fee of $5 per customer, which would have to be paid whether the customer used the service or not. Council chairperson Ron Theis said he felt this service should be rejected in favor of continuing the current voluntary recycling service, and Maddox said Republic is open to offering trash collection service only with the option of adding the recycling service at a future date if desired.
Carl Rabey, finance director, reported on budget adjustments which will be voted on at the April 22 council meeting. Most are due to $98,000 in grants which have been received by various city departments. He distributed the March financial report and said it was basically a break-even month for the general fund, with a surplus of $122,000. The water department had a good month, with a surplus of $48,000. Other significant income came from a $31,000 SRO reimbursement and $374,000 from the sale of the city hall and police department properties. He noted a significant expense was the use of $18,000 in grant funds for the purchase of trees. Rabey said it was too early in the month for him to have a bond update.
In comments at the conclusion of the meeting, council members noted it was good to have Chief Orr back at the meeting after some time off for medical leave, and Mayor Maddox asked those present to keep council member Rod Clardy in prayer since he has recently suffered a stroke.