Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Rogers council accepts project, equipment grants
ROGERS — Nearly $700,000 in grant money will help pay for various city projects and equipment.
The City Council on Tuesday accepted a $497,000 matching grant from the Walton Family Foundation for design related to Poplar and 13th Street improvements.
The city’s $497,000 contribution will come from the nearly $300 million bond approved by voters in 2018. The bond included $180 million for streets.
Although design plans for the street improvements aren’t complete, the intent of the project is to add sidewalks, bicycle lanes, trees and lighting along the streets, said John McCurdy, community development director for the city.
“The proposed street improvements will enhance safety and accessibility for all users — drivers, pedestrians and people riding bikes — by connecting downtown to nine different schools, neighborhood parks and major employment centers,” Jeremy Pate, Walton Family Foundation senior program officer, said through a spokesman in an email.
The council voted 6-1 to accept the grant with council member Betsy Reithemeyer opposed and council member Mark Kruger absent.
The council unanimously accepted a nearly $182,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to purchase five lifting cots for Fire Department ambulances. The city also will contribute more than $18,000 for the purchase.
The Fire Department has three of the cots and will have eight with the grant money, Fire Chief Tom Jenkins said.
Council members unanimously voted to enter into contracts with deMx Architecture of Fayetteville and Milestone Construction Company of Springdale for the design and construction, respectively, related to the renovation and expansion of the Fire Department’s Emergency Training Center.
The department uses the training center off of West Oak Street every day and needs more space, Jenkins said. Firefighters from all over the state also use the center for training purposes, he said.
The center opened in 1997, and Jenkins would like to begin the renovation and expansion as soon as possible, he said. The project was included in the 2018 bond issue, which included $9.5 million for the Fire Department.
The project will include adding 2,800-square-feet to the center and renovating 650-square-feet, said David Hook, facilities development manager for the city.