Springdale seeks federal money for bridge replacement

SPRINGDALE — Federal money will be pursued to replace a bridge destroyed by spring flash floods.

The City Council unanimously voted Tuesday to use federal emergency relief money administered by the Arkansas Department of Transportation to replace the bridge over Spring Creek on Pump Station Road.

“That bridge is important to a lot of people in the community,” said Melissa Reeves, public relations director for the city.

Mayor Doug Sprouse said last week replacing the bridge will cost $700,000 to 800,000.

Federal money will pay 80 percent of the cost and the city will pay the remaining 20 percent, Reeves said.

The city will deposit 2 percent of the estimated construction costs up to a $15,000 maximum to the Department of Transportation. The city will maintain the bridge once it’s built as part of the agreement to use federal money.

The one-lane concrete bridge was about 11 feet wide, 100 feet long and near Lake Springdale, according to Sam Goade, city public works director.

The city originally contacted to the Federal Emergency Management Agency for assistance, but FEMA told the city aid for the bridge falls under the Department of Transportation’s purview. Sprouse said that works out well, because the city will only have to co-pay 20 percent rather than the 25 percent required with FEMA.

Alderman Mike Overton asked how long it would take for the bridge to be repaired.

“We could be looking at a year and a half or two before it’s done,” Sprouse said.

The council also voted to amend the city’s personnel and procedure manual.

“Periodically, the Human Resources department will update the manual,” Reeves said.

The change is to Section 2.1 of the manual. It consolidates language concerning providing equal employment opportunity for city jobs, saying that people will be hired based on ability regardless of factors such as race, religion, color, sexual orientation, verbal accent and physical appearance, among others.

Sprouse said this doesn’t change personal appearance requirements for employees whose job has specific appearance requirements such as a dress code.

Reeves said those descriptions were spread throughout the handbook, but will be consolidated at the beginning of the handbook so they can be more easily found and referenced.

“That bridge is important to a lot of people in the community.” — Melissa Reeves, Springdale public relations director