Gravette mayor gives update on new city hall
GRAVETTE — The City Council held the monthly Committee of the Whole meeting March 9 and heard an update on the new city hall.
Mayor Kurt Maddox gave a report on the city hall update. He said closing on the purchase of the new city hall property on Main Street and sale of the former city hall and police station property had been signed that day and the city is ready to put the city hall remodeling project out for bids. Architects’ drawings of the proposed project were on display at the meeting.
Realtor Larry Boling attended and requested approval to install a six-inch water line on 20 acres on the northwest corner of Mount Olive Road and Arkansas 59.
The owner wishes to build residential housing on the 12 acres adjacent to Mount Olive Road and use the corner 8 acres for commercial development.
Water Department supervisor Richard Sutherland submitted copies of the city water code specifying no water main can be less than 8 inches in diameter “unless prior approval is obtained in writing from the director” and he recommended requiring compliance with that regulation.
Fire Department representatives present reported they have done tests on the property and the 6-inch line wouldn’t provide sufficient water flow to meet the state fire code, which calls for a minimum of 1,500 gallons per minute for a residential structure up to 3,600 square feet.
The six-inch line on Mount Olive Road provided only 650 gallons per minute, while the 8-inch line on Arkansas 59 produced 1,186 gallons per minute. The 8-inch line produced almost double the water flow, Randy Ates pointed out, and even though it was still below fire code requirements, that’s what the Fire Department recommends because “it is best to be prepared,” he said.
Council members discussed rezoning of 29 acres and 10 acres at 14595 Arkansas 72 W. from A-1 agricultural to R-1 single-family residential. The property is owned by John Mazarian who proposes to sell the land to Can-Ark Diamond Realty for development as a single-family subdivision on one-acre lots, with no more than 50 homes.
Scott and Kelli Belts, who own property across the road, submitted an objection to the rezoning. The rezoning was on the agenda for the next City Council meeting.
Also on the agenda for the council meeting will be submitting an application for a Community and Economic Development block grant and approving budget adjustments for the 2021 budget.
The budget adjustments are related to grants received and adjustments for workers’ compensation.
Finance director Carl Rabey said, in response to a request from Councilman Ron Theis to reduce paperwork, he’ll continue to email full financial reports to all council members but will have only one paper copy available for reference at the meeting rather than one for each council member.
Rabey said $260,909 in county and city sales tax has been received, up from $228,398 last year. He also gave an update on the bond funds reporting the sidewalk fund, with a balance of $216,993, is the only one with any substantial money remaining.
Firefighter and paramedic Randy Ates said the Fire Department has responded to 131 calls in 2021. He said the campaign for more volunteers has paid off and three volunteer firefighters and one junior volunteer have been recruited.
They have begun training and will be completing certification classes over the next several months.
A joint live fire training exercise with the Maysville and Sulphur Springs departments was held in Maysville recently. Training covered wall breaching, overhaul operations, fire suppression and some advanced fire hose handling.
Tim Dewitt, Street and Parks Department supervisor, said the city received the outdoor recreation grant it applied for from the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism. Grant money will be used to construct bathrooms at Kindley Park.
Police Chief Chuck Skaggs said his department has responded to 429 calls in 2021, down from over 600 last year.
Library manager Karen Benson’s written report showed the library held its annual “Blind Date with a Book” promotion in February and also observed Black History Month and Random Acts of Kindness Week. Library staff members participated in the 2021 Big Talk From Small Libraries online conference. Two shipments of art kits have been donated by Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville.