Highfill discusses sewer line route, police car purchase

HIGHFILL — The city council in Highfill, at its Feb. 13 meeting, rezoned lands belonging to SK Land holdings LLC, accepted the final plat of Phase 2 of the Healing Springs Subdivision and approved the purchase of additional Scott X3 Air Packs and related equipment for the fire department.

The council, by ordinance, approved the rezoning of four acres of land located at 2753 W. Arkansas Highway 12 from R-1 Rural Residential to C-2 Commercial.

The final plat of Phase 2 of the Healing Springs Subdivision, land just received by annexation in January, was also approved by the council. The developer told the council of work with the Arkansas Department of Transportation and the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission to swap land to create a public natural area for future trails in the area of the waterfalls on Little Osage Creek.

The council approved the expenditure of $57,697 for the purchase of six Scott X3 air packs, 12 Scott SCBA bottles, and six Scott face masks for the fire department. The purchase is part of a plan to replace all the department’s aging air packs. The council approved the purchase of five new air packs in September 2022.

According to information presented to the council by Fire Chief Cody Wynne, the department has 25 air packs that needed to be replaced, so more purchases will yet need to be made in the upcoming years.

The council, by resolution, approved an updated agreement with the city of Centerton for animal control services, appointed Matthew Summit to fill a vacancy on the city’s planning commission, adopted an amended budget for 2022, and transferred $2,814 from the Highfill Water Revenue Fund to the city’s Fire Equipment Fund.

According to Mayor Chris Holland, the amended budget did not add funding to the overall budget but simply adjusted budget line items to reflect expenditures and added funding from unused budget funds to the police department for the renovation of the city’s new police station.

The council considered a request from Highfill’s police chief, Blake Webb, to purchase a 2021 Dodge Charger with all-wheel drive for the department with only 3,000 miles on it for $24,500. He requested the vehicle because the city needed a spare for use by part-time officers and as a backup should any of the city’s aging truck fleet break down.

Councilman Toby Lester reminded Chief Webb of his previous difficulties with using cars on the city’s roads and said he did not support the idea of purchasing another Dodge Charger for use in the city.

Webb said the car was not his first choice but that the waiting list is long to purchase a police truck or police vehicle and the car was being offered to the city at a bargain price from a dealer in Claremore, Okla.

The council failed to pass a motion to commit to buying a truck when one became available by adding its name to a list to obtain one later in the year. A second motion to purchase the Dodge Charger passed only after Mayor Holland somewhat reluctantly voted to allow the purchase.

its commitment to saving lives through the establishment of the nonprofit Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation.

Driven by the passion of more than 400 Firehouse Subs franchisees to serve their local communities, for the fourth consecutive year, based on recent Technomic Insight consumer data, Firehouse Subs was named the No.1 brand in the restaurant industry that “Supports Local Community Activities.” This year, Firehouse of America and Firehouse Subs suppliers will together donate a portion of purchases at Firehouse Subs locations to Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation for the purchase of lifesaving equipment, with a minimum donation of $1 million.

To learn more, visit http:// www.firehousesubs.com.