GRAVETTE -- David Henzie was sworn in as the new Gravette city clerk/treasurer at the city council meeting Thursday evening, June 23. He will replace Dani Madison who took the position May 26 but who has since moved outside the city limits and is no longer eligible.
Council members voted unanimously to approve Henzie, who had written a letter expressing interest in the job. He was sworn in by Mayor Kurt Maddox and took his position at the council table.
Henzie is a California native who moved to Hong Kong after college. He married while there, had four children and taught English and art. After living in Hong Kong for 17 years, he and his wife moved to Bella Vista, where his parents lived. Finding no teaching jobs in his field, he bought a property in Gravette and has lived here for a year
and a half. He and his wife have operated Henzie's Art Studio for more than three years and three of their daughters have attended Gravette schools for four years.
At the meeting, council members voted to approve the large-scale development plan for a new Dollar General store to be built in the 1000 block of First Avenue S.E. The 10,640-square-foot building will be very similar to the one built in Hiwasse.
In other business, members voted to approve a tract split for a property at 13483 Jenkins Corner Road owned by Kenneth and Connie Fariss. The planning commission had not recommended the split because of questions about the septic system on the property. The owners requested an appeal and provided a letter showing an inspection revealed a functioning septic system in good working order. Another tract split was approved for a parcel of land owned by Gerry Cradduck at 16194 Smith Road.
Ordinances were passed rezoning 1.84 acres at 509 First Ave. S.W. and .24 acre at 409 First Ave. S.W., both owned by the Mitchael Family Trust, from R-1, residential, to C-2, highway commercial. A third ordinance approved rezoning 2.04 acres off Highway 279, owned by Kyle and Sam Evans, from R-1, residential, to C-2, highway commercial.
Four bids were submitted for reroofing the Civic Center, from CRS (Complete Roofing & Restoration Services), FSR (Franklin & Son Roofing), Holland Roofing and State Roofing. Council members voted to accept the low bid of $38,000 from Holland Roofing, of Sulphur Springs.
Council members voted to approve the reappointment of Derek Estep and Bill Mattler to the planning commission and the appointment of Frankie Stephens to the library advisory board.
Council members passed a resolution affirming the city's commitment to life and designating Gravette as a pro-life city. The only dissenting vote came from Jeff Davis, who had expressed the view at the June Committee of the Whole meeting that such matters were a personal issue and should not be a matter of concern to the city.
Two other resolutions were passed, one declaring as surplus a 2012 Dodge Ram 2500 4x4 truck and another approving an adjustment to the 2022 budget.
At the conclusion of the meeting, Mayor Maddox said "Welcome aboard!" to Henzie in his new job.
Carl Rabey, city finance director, reported no changes in the financial statement since the June 9 Committee of the Whole meeting.