City Council increases funding for maintenance on the trails

The Bella Vista City Council unanimously agreed to update the city’s trail maintenance agreement with the POA, raising the annual contribution from both parties to $35,000 during its regular meeting Monday, Oct. 23.

Previously, each party contributed $25,000 annually to trail maintenance.

Mayor Peter Christie explained that this increase is to prepare for the expansion of trails in Bella Vista. An additional 50 miles of trail, he said, is planned for the central part of the city. Construction could begin next year.

This funding, he said, is strictly for maintenance and not the construction of new trails. Christie said he expects that, when the new trails move past the planning stage, the funding will look similar to the Back 40’s funding, which saw the Walton Family Foundation paying for construction while the city and Property Owners Association collaborated to cover maintenance.

Council member Frank Anderson said “this is the maintenance for what will now be 93 miles of trail.”

Council member Doug Fowler said he is in support because the trails are bringing people into the city. On a recent trip to Greenville, S.C., he said, he went for a drink and met someone who has brought groups to Bella Vista on two occasions to ride the trails.

“We all know, the Back 40, the new trail system we have is really beneficial for Bella Vista,” Fowler said.

The council unanimously approved a licensing agreement for a trailhead at the Bella Vista Community Church, which sits right next to the Back 40 main loop on Lancashire Boulevard.

Christie said that this use started when the church hosted the Fall for All event on Labor Day, but now the city is officially recognizing the location as a trailhead.

“All the other trailheads are very, very busy and parking is at a premium,” he said.

The council voted unanimously in favor of electrical work at the Bella Vista Public Library. The budgeted $7,000, Christie said, would cover portable plug-in electrical systems that could be used for food trucks. This will help with an upcoming

library event in December, he said.

“They’re hoping to attract a number of food trucks,” he said.

Previously, he said, the library had a food truck on site for an event but only had the electric capacity to handle one at a time. Christie added that these portable electric units could also be used to provide power at the farmers market or during trail events.

The council unanimously passed a resolution to establish rates for garbage pickup.

“We do this every year, the increase this year is 42 cents every month,” Christie said.

Council member Linda Lloyd said that she recently learned Fayetteville

offers three different sized trash cans, with lower rates for customers who produce less waste. She asked if this might be an option for Bella Vista in the future.

Christie said that, while the city has an agreement with Republic Services now, that could be a consideration when negotiating a future agreement.

The council unanimously agreed to allow the Streets Department to purchase sand and salt based on price and availability, waiving the typical requirement for competitive bidding.

Christie said that getting bids can be impossible, and this is something the council does each year.

Anderson said that,

while the city has done this for all but its earliest years, there should be sand and salt storage facilities on both sides of the city next year.

“Could we not buy sand and salt earlier in the year and do that by competitive bidding?” he asked.

The council also approved:

• Easements and rights of way on a handful of lots;

• Clarification to the agreement to purchase land for the new salt and sand storage facility;

• Liens against properties for grass cutting and nuisance abatement costs;

• Recognition of grant revenue;

• Spending $197.70 for a change order on wayfinding signage.