HIGHFILL -- The city council in Highfill, at its Jan. 12 meeting, authorized the use of $30,000 to finish the planned sleeping area and upstairs at the fire station and tabled a fireworks ordinance until some modifications could be made to the proposed regulations.
The council authorized the use of $10,000 from Act 833 funds and $20,000 from the fire department's fire equipment fund (both funds are restricted funds for firefighting equipment and the fire station) to buy lumber and needed materials to frame and rough in the sleeping area and upstairs, including putting in the plumbing and electrical system.
According to Chris Holland, speaking for Gene Holland, the fire chief, most of the work will be done with volunteer labor, except where licensed installers are needed. He said everything would be done up to code and the department would get done as much of the work as possible with the money.
He said plans to proceed had been put on hold because of the high price of lumber but, since it does not appear the price of building materials will fall in the near future, Chief Holland wished to proceed with the project and move toward the completion of the fire station addition.
An ordinance to regulate the use of fireworks in the city was again brought to the council after a task force modified a proposed ordinance not accepted almost a year ago. The difficulty in writing the ordinance relates to regulating the use of fireworks in subdivisions and high-density population areas without over-regulating the use of fireworks in rural areas.
The proposed ordinance would have set dates and times and when fireworks could be set off within the city -- 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on July 3 and 5 and Dec. 24 and 25, 10 a.m. to 1 a.m. on the night of New Year's Eve, and 10 a.m. to midnight on July 4. The current city code does not make provision for any use of fireworks within the city.
The council discussed whether the ordinance would be enforced when complaints are received or if officers would watch for violators and enforce it uniformly across the city.
In the end, the ordinance was tabled and sent back to the task force studying the issue to be brought back to the council at its next regular meeting.
J.C. Brenaman, the city's public works director, told the council that the city needed to begin moving forward with upgrades to its now-aging water and sewer system. He reported on the need for more repairs to the drip field in the sewer system and the need to continue to expand the water system to take in more customers. Brenaman asked for direction from the council in regard to how to proceed with improvements and expansion, mentioning all the new subdivisions coming into the city.
Jay Williams, the city's attorney, reminded council members of the legal process of obtaining qualifications from professionals and then, after reviewing those qualifications, selecting three and authorizing the mayor to negotiate a contract for services related to the city's water and sewer system using the council's choices in order of preference.
Councilmember Chris Holland suggested Brenaman bring these questions to the next water and sewer committee meeting.
Brenaman also reported on work done to open Douglas Cemetery Road and work and funding still needed to clean out the creek there to get the water off the road.
Complaints on road grading were voiced but Brenaman said the person doing the grading was doing more than filling holes in the road but was cutting and repairing damaged roads. He said roads may be rough initially but he thought people would be pleased with the long-term result.
Blake Webb, Highfill's police chief, told the council of a need to upgrade the city's radio channel used by the police and fire departments to digital so that it could be used with the new radio equipment. He said the frequency is used to set off the storm sirens and as a local talk-around channel for police and fire to avoid congestion on the county's emergency radio frequencies.
He said, if the frequency is left as is, the sirens could still be activated through an analog signal but the police and firefighters would not be able to use it as a talk-around channel with their new digital radios.
Webb said the city pays $350 per month for the hosting of its current antenna and that the cost for the new digital antenna is $375 per month. He did not yet have certain amounts for other upgrades to the channel but said it would be a significant expense.
He said the city has already had to make a $37,000 payment for the new digital radio system which it can't use because the county still doesn't have it online, though the Eagle Observer was notified last week that the new system was to go online Tuesday.
He said if the city doesn't upgrade, it will still need to maintain the analog system to operate the storm sirens.
Webb suggested the upgrade and seeking a USDA Rural Development grant to assist the city with the cost of the upgrades to the channel and repeater.
The council was informed that the city of Centerton would cease managing Highfill's water and sewer system and billing on May 1, 2022, giving the city more than a year to prepare to again manage its own utility services.
According to the letter, Centerton's rapid growth was the reason for plans to terminate the service to Highfill.
Council members and city personnel expressed their appreciation for Frank Holzkamper, Centerton Utilities director, and Centerton Utilities for all the help provided to the city. Holzkamper also offered assistance to Highfill in the transition.
The council approved an ordinance accepting the final plat of Phase II in the Little Osage Hills subdivision. Also approved were resolutions transferring money to the fire equipment fund, vacating a part of Linwood Street, authorizing an application for a tree grant with the Walton Family Foundation, and amending the 2020 budget.
The resignation of Ryan Evans from his council post representing Ward 3 in Position 2 was accepted. Anyone from the ward interested in filling the post until it comes up for election is asked to contact the mayor and City Hall and submit a resume or qualifications.
Blake Webb told the council of streets and roads within the city which may not have been included in properties annexed into Highfill, making police jurisdiction there questionable. He suggested working toward cleaning up Highfill's borders and annexing in streets and lands surrounded by the city.