Biking & hiking

Council to dip into tax fund to pay for master plan to develop bicycle, walking trail system

The El Dorado City Council agreed Thursday to dip into the city's economic development tax fund to pay for a master plan to develop a bicycle and walking trail system in El Dorado.

Alderman Billy Blann broached the issue, which was not on the council's agenda. Blann, who has long advocated for a dedicated bike/pedestrian route in El Dorado, referred to a vote the council took on March 19 for a $230,000 package of improvements for several city parks.

Aldermen approved recommendations that were presented by Kyle Recreation, Inc., of Little Rock. The improvements call for new pavilions, playground units, picnic tables, benches, trash receptacles, basketball goals and water fountains with pet attachments for Mitchell, Mosby, Mellor, Mattocks, Old City, Neel, Oakhurst, Bodenhamer, and Lions Club parks and the walking/running/ biking trail that encircles the Lions Club Municipal Golf Course and the Union County Fairgrounds.

The recommendations were drafted by Kyle and the El Dorado Parks and Playgrounds Commission with input from city council members.

Blann reminded other city officials on Thursday that an initial proposal that was submitted by the EPPC

was awarded $325,000 in funding by the El Dorado Economic Development Board.

The council later requested that the plan be tweaked and Mayor Frank Hash brought Kyle on board.

Blann noted that the effort initially included $48,000 to commission a trailhead study, but that component was left out of the final revision of the plan.

The total estimated cost for the study was $68,000, which would have been offset by $20,000 in private donations.

Blann said officials from the Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department met recently with a local contingent to discuss the proposed project to widen Hillsboro/U.S. 82B through El Dorado and possibly add five-foot bike lanes.

"They asked to see our master plan, and we don't have one. Without a master plan, it's hard to get grants to get projects like this going," Blann said.

He asked that the council amend its March 19 vote to include the $48,000 for a trailhead study.

An initial product price of $230,085 was quoted for the equipment that will be purchased for the applicable city parks.

The installation work is to be bid out, and Robert Edmonds, director of public works, previously said that even with installation, project costs should still remain under $325,000

"I recommend that we amend that plan and spend that $48,000. I think it would a great asset to our city," Blann said Thursday.

Alderman Willie McGhee said he supported the study, adding that the council should be equally focused on repairing city streets as they are adding bike lanes to the streets.

Blann noted that if voters agree to extend the El Dorado Forward economic development tax, money will be set aside for street repairs. A special election will be held on June 9.

"I'm talking about the current EEDB fund," Blann said.

Aldermen discussed possibly pulling the $48,000 from another city budget, with McGhee suggesting the reserve coffers.

Aldermen Mary McAdams reiterated that $20,000 in private donations has been committed to the project, and Alderman Michael Rice pointed to the pending project to widen U.S. 82B.

"Let's get the study done while construction is going on before we get too far along in the process," Rice said.

In other business, McGhee urged Hash to assign aldermen to committees that oversee community projects to help improve the city.

McGhee said aldermen should serve on committees that play to their strengths, skills and expertise.

"Mayor, you can give me the 'stop the violence' committee because I've been working on that," McGhee said.

He called out Alderman Vance Williamson -- who works for Diversified Services, a lawn and garden landscaping business --, saying that Williamson could head up efforts to develop some of the vacant lots around the city into community gardens.

Williamson said work began last weekend on a community garden on Pecan Street. He said the project is a partnership between two area churches and the city.

"Each one of us is trying to do something positive in the community, and we need the support of the city for each project we're doing, not just for one or two aldermen," McGhee said. "We have to rally our city and be like cheerleaders for our people."

McGhee said he was bothered by a recent comment from a citizen that city council proceedings appear to be running smoothly, a reference to past conflicts and tension that have arisen between him and other city officials.

"I've been trying to keep my mouth shut, but I'm thinking, am I really representing our city? Sometimes things aren't meant to run smoothly. We can disagree on things and find some common ground," McGhee said. Also on Thursday: * Ray Beardsley, of Crews and Associates, a Little Rock investment banking firm, presented city officials with the 2014 Arkansas City of Distinction Award for Workforce Development in a category for cities with less than 20,000 people.

The ACDAs are handed out annually by Arkansas Business magazine and presented by Crews.

* The council adopted an ordinance designating the 35th Judicial District Court clerk as the responsible party for collecting fines that are assessed for city defendants.

* Aldermen re-appointed Robert Green to the EEDB and Scott Ellen to the El Dorado Civil Service Commission.

* The council heard from Kelsey Moskovits, Trisha Turigliatto and Matt Lawrence, all teachers in the El Dorado School District, as part of Teach for America, a program that seeks to recruit college graduates to teach in rural classrooms.

The three hail from Florida, California and Nebraska, respectively, and they discussed projects in which they are involved to help improve the quality of life in El Dorado.

Moskovits said that of the original six members of her TFA group who were placed in the ESD, five have chosen to remain in El Dorado.

Hash said the local effort is tied to the El Dorado Promise scholarship program, and audience member Brett Williamson, of the Murphy Foundation, said fundraising is an ongoing effort to attract quality teachers to El Dorado for the TFA program.

"There are a lot of bright young minds and teachers, and we just need to give them the platform to do what they do," McGhee said.

* City Clerk Heather McVay thanked the city and local businesses, industries, organizations, etc., who participated in the planning of the University of Arkansas Municipal Clerks Institute District 2 Spring Workshop, which was held in the El Dorado Conference Center on March 19 and 20.

McVay said it was the first time an El Dorado city clerk has hosted the event here, and the workshop drew 50 participants, many of whom said they had never before visited El Dorado.