Gentry council approves land purchases, bond issue
GENTRY — City council, on July 8, approved the purchase of two properties in the Dawn Hill East Road area, one to expand the Flint Creek Nature Park and the other to improve drainage and, hopefully, prevent flooding of Dawn Hill East Road at the Arkansas Highway 59 intersection.
The council unanimously passed a resolution authorizing the mayor to negotiate a purchase contract for 4.35 acres of land (currently three parcels owned by Larsen Revocable Trust to the east of the current Flint Creek Nature Park to extend the park to the land owned by the Arkansas State Highway Commission along Arkansas Highway 59 on both sides of Flint Creek, as well as a .11-acre parcel along Dawn Hill East Road at the west side of the Highway 59 and Dawn Hill East intersection. The land also takes in a spring-fed pond on the west side of the highway.
The resolution authorizes the land transaction at a purchase price not to exceed $45,000, to come out of the city’s general funds.
The second purchase, approved by all council members present but Jason Williams (Janice Arnold and James Thorburn were absent), includes two parcels (totaling less than .4-acres of land) along Dawn Hill East Road belonging to Edward Gee. The land purchase was to improve drainage along Dawn Hill East Road just west of the Highway 59 intersection. The resolution allows the mayor to negotiate for the purchase at a price not to exceed $80,000, to come out of the city’s street department funds.
Also approved by the council was a resolution authorizing the mayor to purchase easement to relocate the city’s water utilities at the intersection of Arkansas Highways 12 and 43 to make room for the roundabout to be built by the Arkansas Highway Department.
The council passed on three readings, and with an emergency clause attached, an ordinance calling for a special election to consider issuing bonds for the purpose of financing the costs of capital improvements to allow the city to move forward with its park improvement plans. The bonds, if approved by the voters, would be backed by pledging one-half cent of the seven-eighth cent increase in the city’s sales and use tax already approved by the voters and would not result in another new tax in the city.
The ordinance would allow a bond or series of bonds in a principal amount up to $15 million for the city to use to buy land, construct recreational-use facilities and improvements and parking areas. The money could be used for the construction of amenities like a splash pad, athletic courts and fields, bicycle and walking trails, parking areas and more.
The special election date will be on Sept. 10.
The council approved a resolution to accept state aid funding for street paving projects in the city at the maximum amount of $250,000. Also approved was a resolution accepting a right-of-way easement from the Shockey Family. The easement will allow the city to complete a street paving project on what is currently a dirt road. According to Johnston, city paving plans will allow it to complete most of the streets on the east side of the city this year.
Mayor Johnston told the council that Simmons Foods and the city of Gentry may still work together on a water-tower project but it would not be the same large tower plan previously considered. According to Johnston, Simmons has reconsidered its plan to build its own water storage facility. He said he would bring more information to the council as it becomes available.
He reported that 90-percent plans had been sent to the state for approval on the Dawn Hill East Bridge project and things are moving forward more quickly. He said utilities were being moved to prepare for the construction of the new bridge.
Johnston reported on the results of the Walton Foundation tree grant the city received last year, allowing the city to give away trees to city residents and plant numerous trees in the city parks, including a community Christmas tree. He said the city would be applying for another grant to continue its tree-planting work in the city.