Gravette council OKs ambulance agreement

GRAVETTE — Members of the Gravette city council, at their regular meeting Thursday, approved an agreement for ambulance billing services and passed a resolution of intent regarding capital improvements. Both actions were by unanimous vote.

The ambulance service agreement is the same agreement now in place and will renew the billing service for three years. The document was approved, with only minor changes from the original draft, to allow for changing the venue for adjudicating a dispute or disagreement from McCracken County, Kentucky, circuit court to Benton County Circuit Court.

The resolution of intent declares that the city plans to advance its own funds to pay the costs of street improvements, park and recreation improvements, sewer improvements and sidewalk improvements prior to the issuance of bonds and to repay itself from proceeds of the respective bonds.

In other action, council members appointed Corey Reardon as director and Tim Dewitt as alternate to the Benton/Washington Regional Public Water Authority Board. They also approved payment of $913 to reimburse a school employee for damage to her vehicle caused by a rock thrown up by a city weed trimmer. This payment will come from the administration fund.

Heather Finley addressed the council in the comment period prior to the meeting and thanked council members for providing the budget for Gravette Day. She also praised the hard work of the city employees and the community effort that helped make it one of the best Gravette Days in recent years. Kurt Maddox, Gravette mayor, thanked Finley and said she did a “fantastic job” as Gravette Day chairperson.

Roy Perrine also addressed the council and said he believed many people didn’t know what the library offers. He urged council members to come in and familiarize themselves with the services of the library. He also encouraged council members to plan to bring in residents from surrounding towns for the visit of the KCS Holiday Express train in December.

A short executive session regarding an employee was also held at the beginning of the meeting. Mayor Maddox reported no action taken.