STATE OF THE CITY
State of the City March 20, 2018
Pea Ridge continues to grow, the Census Bureau has our estimated population of 5,117 as of July 2016. However, we have added 314 housing units from 2011 thru 2017-year end. If we figure the average considered per household, which is 2.5, our population is up around 785 (314 x 2.5 = 785). This would bring my estimated population to 5,579 at the end of 2017. Our location, residential development, business environment and schools continue to be the driving force in our community’s growth.
Highlights of 2017 1. Sales and property tax
a. City sales tax from 2016 to 2017 increased 12 percent
b. County sales tax from 2016 to 2017 increased 6 percent
c. Property tax from 2016 to 2017 increased 10 percent (this is due to increased number of housing units built in the city)
2. Street Department
a. Completed drainage repair on It’ll Do Road
b. Completed 2.5 miles of road resurfacing with the State Aid Street Fund, $250,000 cost covered by the fund
c. Crack sealed over 7,000 feet of pavement cracks
d. Worked with Benton County to pave 1,100 feet of Greer Street
e. Over 64 hours of worker safety training conduct with the T2 Program
f. Purchased and using the Pavement Maintenance Program to track pavement conditions and repairs
g. Working with ARDot to be paid for snow removal on state highways in our city limits
h. Working on urban bike trails in Baker Hayes park
i. Completed the Upstream Art Project on Weston Street Storm Drains
j. Began the planning process for the widening of Hazelton Road
3. Parks
a. Submitted application for grant to build a splash pad
b. Continued the Friday night movies in the park
4. Water Department
a. Completed the design, engineering and funding for the new waste water treatment facility, should be going to bid in April
b. Completed a 3-mile, 8-inch water main line on Plentywood Road
c. Completed a 4-inch water main on east Mariono Road
5. Fire/Ambulance
a. Fire/EMS calls: 759 b. Purchased a 2016 Braun Ambulance and moved the existing Wheel Coach ambulance to back up.
c. Pea Ridge currently has two ambulances in service. Unit 461 is our advanced life support ambulance and Unit 462 is our basic life support ambulance.
d. The fire department had 815 hours of training in 2017, 54 business inspections and performed fire prevention for the school system. We are looking forward to what 2018 will bring to the department.
e. The department has applied for a grant from FEMA for 40 new air packs for the department.
f. New training curriculum has been implemented for firefighter’s and EMS personnel to maintain all required training to renew license.
g. 2017 saw the retirement of Chief Andy Fletcher after 25 years of service.
6. Police Department
a. Implementation of K9 program with little to no cost to the city because most upfront costs were raised by donations or from drug funds.
b. Remodel of police department to add two interview rooms, one storage room, one file room, additional bathroom, shop area and gym.
c. Fixed several issues with drainage and flooding.
d. Initiated FOP program to benefit the local community and officers. Held first Shop with a Cop.
e. Replaced several aging and unsafe vehicles.
7. District Court
a. We have seen an increase in the number of cases coming through our district court in the last few years. The numbers testify to the fact that this building was severely needed. We could not have handled this number of cases in our old facility.
a.i. Cases processed in 2015: 1152, cases filed: 1,453
a.ii. Cases processed in 2016: 2072, cases filed: 2,262
a.iii. Cases processed in 2017: 2120, cases filed: 2,283
8. Library
a. New patrons
a.i. Adults: 195 (reason for there being adults added) a.ii. New patrons: 173 a.iii. Senior citizens: 63 a.iv. Total new patrons for 2017: 431
b. Total computer users: 1,833 (average of 153 a month) c. Programs started c.i. OverDrive (eBooks & Audio books)
c.ii. 1,000 Books before kindergarten
c.iii. Reading with a Blackhawk (youth literacy program with the athletic department)
c.iv. Dave Ramsey Financial Peace University Adult Spring Class
c.v. Dave Ramsey Foundations in Financial Peace High School Class
d. Projects & Achievements
d.i. New patron copier/fax/scanner
d.ii. Three new patron computers (donated by the Friends of the Library with grant from local Walmart Neighborhood market)
d.iii. Reboot RX on patron computers
d.iii.1. Restore the computer to original settings after reboot
d.iv. Redesigned library layout for visual appeal and better patron usage
d.v. Summer reading program attendance and party
d.v.1. 84 participants (almost 300 percent increase from 2016 participation)
9. Building Official / Inspections
a. Permits issued in 2017 a.i. Misc. Permits
a.i.1. Building permits: 19
a.i.2. Plumbing permits: 58
a.i.3. Electrical permits: 39
a.i.4. Mechanical permits: 22
a.i.5. Total misc. permits: 138 a.ii. Building Permits
a.ii.1. New Home building permits: 144
a.ii.2. Commercial building permits: 2
a.ii.3. New construction plumbing: 164
a.ii.4. New construction electrical: 148
a.ii.5. New construction mechanical: 158
a.ii.6. Totals new construction permits: 616
a.iii. Permit/inspection totals
a.iii.1. Misc. and new permits: 754
a.iii.2. Inspections performed: 1,380 a.iv. Impact fees
a.iv.1. Total number of impact fees collected in 2017: 131 for a value of $281,517.69
10. City of Pea Ridge projected growth
a. Year 2020 — population 6,106
b. Year 2030 — population 7,649
c. Year 2040 — population 9,428
11. Benton County projected growth
a. Benton County, 2010 — population 221,339
b. Washington County, 2010 — population 203,065
c. Current census estimates for Benton County as of 7/1/2016 — 245,321
d. Year 2020 — population 271,031
e. Year 2030 — population 331,370
f. Year 2040 — population 404,736
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Editor’s note: This is the “State of the City” as provided by Mayor Jackie Crabtree and presented at the March City Council meeting.