GRAVETTE -- Scott Taylor, administrator at Ozarks Community Hospital in Gravette, and Dr. David Tucker, medical director, attended the regular meeting of the Gravette City Council Thursday evening, Nov. 18. Taylor spoke to the council and made the announcement that, as of Jan. 1, 2022, OCH will become a nonprofit hospital and will be called Ozarks Community Hope. He said that this will not result in any significant changes in hospital operations.
In unfinished business, Mayor Kurt Maddox announced that discussions had been held with Dr. Ty Russell regarding the building on his property that was built more than halfway inside the city's right of way. They had reached an agreement to tear the building down and also repair paving in the area at the city's expense. The building in question was located over an existing water line and needed to be removed in order to complete the water line upgrade in that area.
Carl Rabey, city finance director, reported that the city had received a no material findings audit for 2020. This has been a goal of the city for several years and Mayor Maddox pointed out that a no findings audit is very difficult to obtain. Council members voted to accept the 2020 audit.
In other action, council members passed three resolutions. The first approved adjustments to the 2021 budget.
The second adopted premium pay for certain municipal employees from the American Rescue Plan Act. The city will provide each worker premium pay in an amount not to exceed $2,000 for eligible full-time employees and not to exceed $500 for eligible part-time employees hired prior to Oct. 1, 2021, for work performed during the time period of Oct. 1, 2020, through Sept. 30, 2021. Amounts provided for premium pay will be prorated for employees who started after Oct. 1, 2020, based upon their hire month.
The third resolution adopted the proposed city budget for the year 2022. Copies of the budget are available at city hall for anyone who wants to review it.
Rabey said there were no changes in the financial statement or the bond fund since the Nov. 4 Committee of the Whole meeting.
At the conclusion of the meeting, council member Jeff Davis asked if there were any updates on the city hall renovation project. Mayor Maddox replied that a recent meeting with BiLD Architects revealed all work is on schedule. He said they hope to have the project completed by Christmas.
City attorney David Bailey wished all in attendance a happy Thanksgiving.