Highfill holds off on fireworks ordinance

Council sets new permit fees for the city

Council members suggested police use the noise ordinance in dealing with complaints of fireworks being set off late at night ...

HIGHFILL — The City Council on June 9 decided to hold off on passing a lastminute ordinance to regulate fireworks in the city.

The action came after a resident spoke during the open hearing portion of the meeting in opposition to regulating fireworks beyond state statute requirements.

The proposal would have made it illegal for anyone to possess, sell or explode fireworks in the city except between 10 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. June 20 to July 3 and from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. July 4.

It would have banned fireworks if a burn ban is in place and restricts fireworks in or around motor vehicles or near any person or group of people.

Council members suggested police use the noise ordinance in dealing with complaints of fireworks being set off late at night and the council take its time and adopt an ordinance which better meets the needs of the city with its mix of rural homes and subdivisions.

A proposal for condemnation action to obtain easements on two properties for the city’s project to send wastewater to Centerton’s system was passed on three readings with a single vote and with an emergency clause attached.

After a brief discussion, the council set permit fees in the city. The ordinance adjusts fees that had been in place for about 10 years.

JC Breneman, the city’s public works supervisor, asked the council to purchase a side-by-side mower for mowing at the sewer plant’s drip field and elsewhere. He said the city continues to borrow Centerton’s equipment and needs to have its own. He said he had about $12,000 in his budget for the purchase.

Council member Chris Holland suggested he find out what kind of price the city could get on a side-byside if it trades in its seldom-used Mahindra tractor and equipment.

The council heard from a representative of Crews and Associates regarding potential savings if it refunds one or two of its current bonds at a lower interest rate.

He projected the possibility of significant savings on a 2015 bond with current rates almost a full percentage point lower than the rate of the bond. He said refunding the 2018 bond could be restructured to save the city about $1,000 per month for the term of the bond — something which may be important to the city with the current shortfall in sales-tax revenue.

The amount of savings will depend on the interest rate locked in at the time of the bond sale and how the new bond is structured.

The council urged him to proceed and bring the matter back at a special meeting later this month or in the July meeting.

During the mayor’s report, Mayor Michelle Rieff set budget workshop meetings.

She reported on the city obtaining permission to clean out a ditch on private property which will allow water to drain in the ditch rather than on the road at Duke Hill and Douglas Cemetery Roads.

She told the council of numerous requests to use the Community Building and the need to complete the plumbing so it can be used. She suggested the possibility of donated labor to install the plumbing if the fixtures and supplies are purchased.

Rieff also told the council Highfill wasn’t eligible to obtain grant money to extend broadband services in the city.