Park Advisory Committee assigned numerous tasks
GENTRY — The Gentry Parks Advisory Committee met on April 12 and members were asked to begin thinking about the direction the city should take on a number of programs and projects related to the city’s parks and recreational opportunities.
First on that list, since the committee serves as the city’s tree board in connection to the city’s designation as a Tree City USA, was to begin work on developing a policy relating to the care and removal of public trees (those growing in parks and in public right of ways in the city).
Kevin Johnston, Gentry’s mayor, asked the committee members to begin thinking about a policy which could be used by city employees when a city tree becomes damaged, diseased or needs to be trimmed or otherwise maintained. He said the policy was needed so that city work crews would know how to proceed when tree work needs to be done.
Also suggested by Johnston was the adoption of a recommended tree list to be used in the city and the possible adoption of a city tree or trees. The tree lists could be obtained from the Arkansas Forestry Commission and would provide guidance to property owners and city workers in regard to the best kinds of trees to plant in yards, along streets and in larger areas such as the parks.
Also discussed at the meeting were preliminary plans for the city to designate certain streets and routes within the city as bicycle routes. Johnston asked the committee members to seek and gather input from bicyclists on the best routes within the city for consideration. Johnston suggested the placement of pavement markings designating certain streets or lanes as bicycle routes and educating the public about duties and responsibilities related to sharing the road with cyclists.
Johnston showed sample educational signs purchased by GentryOutside.com through a GoFundMe account to be placed along popular bicycle routes within the city. The signs remind motorists to give cyclists at least three feet of clearance as required by Arkansas law. According to Johnston, GentryOutside.com, along with OORC (Ozark Off-Road Cyclists), has been working with the Gentry Chamber of Commerce to promote bicycling in the Gentry area. Johnston said he would like to see the city of Gentry welcome cyclists to ride and spend time in Gentry.
Johnston asked committee members to begin thinking about the best uses for the new park land (11.6 acres) being purchased south of Smith and Little Streets and east of Avalon Drive. He said the advisory committee should also consider whether it would be wise to move other park amenities, such as the ball diamonds, to make the best use of all the city’s park lands. He said the city will soon need to rebuild the bleachers at the ball diamonds so it would be a good time to consider the best location for ball diamonds now, before that work is done.
Johnston also suggested making space for playing topspin in the city’s park space since it is a popular game among the Hmong population in northwest Arkansas and the city park is currently used for the game by people from Gentry and surrounding communities.
Johnston also shared survey results from a community survey taken last year in Gentry which indicated the preferences of city residents for new or improved amenities in the city. Included in the survey was a question to measure willingness to increase city sales tax by 7/8 of a cent to 2 percent (a total of 9 percent with state and county taxes included). According to the limited survey, nearly 80 percent of respondents were willing to increase sales taxes to pay for additional amenities.
Johnston said a sales tax increase was the fairest way to pay for additional amenities since it is paid by all who do business in Gentry and not just those living inside the city.
The committee is next scheduled to meet at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 26th, in the city’s council chambers, across the street (north) of the Gentry Public Library.
Serving on the advisory committee are Mayor Kevin Johnston, Alderman Michael Crawford, Alderwoman Janice Arnold, Alderman Todd Wagner, Ber Thao, Kevin Hodges, Luke Klassen, Bobby Krein, Josh Coones, Richard Stripling and Craig Millsap. The committee is advisory only, with its recommendations being submitted to the city council for official action.