Springdale seeks Bethel Heights data

Mayor: Getting services to residents top priority

SPRINGDALE — Getting services to his soon-to-be residents was the No. 1 job for Mayor Doug Sprouse on Wednesday.

Voters in Bethel Heights and Springdale on Tuesday voted to annex the smaller city into Springdale. The measure passed by 70%, with 1,467 voters in Springdale and Bethel Heights voting yes and 334 voting no.

The consolidation will become official Aug. 21, when the Election Commissions in both Benton and Washington counties certify the results.

Springdale will gain nearly 3,000 residents, and Sprouse wants ensure they have city services during the 10-day transition.

“But we need some information,” Sprouse said.

Sprouse on Wednesday morning hand-delivered to Bethel Heights City Hall a list of information needed to start the transition and make it smooth for the residents of Bethel Heights.

“We were not well received,” he said.

Springdale officials hadn’t received any of the requested information by Wednesday evening, Sprouse said.

“We’ll be weighing other options tomorrow,” he said.

Bethel Heights Mayor Cynthia Black fought the annexation effort, which was started in August 2019 by residents of both cities as a way to resolve the issue of the Bethel Heights wastewater treatment system.

The system was overloaded and spilled untreated wastewater on the surface of the city’s two plants and neighboring yards.

The Arkansas Division of Environmental Quality has had the two Bethel Heights plants and the city’s former operator under investigation since May 2019. The city was ordered in October to close the system and find another way to treat its wastewater.

But weekly testing continually showed the city was not adhering to the parameters listed on its license to operate the plant, according to division documents.

The city has fought annexation into Springdale for 51 years. Bethel Heights was incorporated in 1969 to block another annexation effort.

“Bethel Heights respects the democratic process and the people’s vote and vows to help the transition go smoothly, ”said attorney Robert Rhodes on Wednesday. Rhodes has represented the city the state investigation.

Sprouse’s list request included information about Bethel Heights bank accounts, building permits, street and land use plans, property the city owns and more, he said.

Springdale’s City Council on Tuesday night gave Sprouse permission to spend some of that city’s budget to ensure Bethel Heights residents continue to receive city services — things such as sewer service, police protection and mowing the city’s property.

The measure was approved without a limit on money spent, Councilwoman Kathy Jaycox pointed out.

Sprouse said he and his staff were unsure when the Bethel Heights bank accounts would be transferred to Springdale. But he said the Springdale budget would be reimbursed from Bethel Heights’ assets.

Rumors of questionable actions by the Bethel Heights city leaders have been swirling through residents of both cities for several days.

Sprouse said Wednesday he received a report the Bethel Heights Fire Department was shuttered at midnight Wednesday morning. Lowell Fire Chief Pete Melnicki received the same report.

“Nobody is without fire protection,” he assured.

Bethel Heights had a contract with Lowell to provide fire protection at night. The Bethel Heights department worked only business hours, Melnicki said.

His said his department will extend its service around the clock until the transition is complete.

And Springdale technicians are working with their Benton County counterparts to get emergency calls from the Bethel Heights community transferred to Springdale Police Department dispatch, said Springdale Police Chief Mike Peters. In the transition, Benton County dispatch will simply transfer calls to Springdale, which they already do, Peters said.

Heath Ward, executive director of Springdale Water Utilities, on Wednesday morning told drivers for White River Environmental Services it was business as usual, keep hauling.

In August 2019, the state told Bethel Heights it must haul for treatment elsewhere 25% of its daily 80,000 gallons of wastewater — or no less than 20,000 gallons a day until wastewater stops surfacing on the ground.

During the week of July 13-19, the city trucked 612,000 gallons of wastewater at a total cost of $54,834, according to invoices the city supplied to the state. The city sends its sewage to the Northwest Arkansas Conservation Authority’s Bentonville plant and the Huntsville treatment plant on weekends when the Bentonville plant is closed.

But starting this morning, the wastewater will go to the Springdale treatment plant, Ward said.

This will mean a shorter trip and faster turnaround of the trucks. Their haul will be 3.6 miles and nine minutes to Springdale as opposed to 14 miles and 25 minutes.

And it will cost less, Ward said.

“We are happy, happy, happy,” said Joetta Bowen on Monday. She and her husband’s home for 42 years sits next door to the Bethel Heights treatment plant on Lincoln Street. The state investigation was started after her husband, Lawrence, filed a complaint in May 2019 about untreated wastewater from the plant flooding his lawn.

“It’s been a long battle, but we’ve got victory,” she said.