Plans progress on urgent care facility

Drainage and sewer lines were two of the main issues discussed with engineer Dillon Bentley for property at 2003 Slack St. for a new urgent care office to be constructed.

Bentley told city officials and Planning Commission members that two more businesses are planned for the site for later development and that he has sized the detention pond for the full development.

Asked what the plans were, he said possibly a small restaurant or coffee shop and enlarging the urgent care if business warrants it.

“Are you taking into account these other buildings with water and sewer?” asked Mike Nida, water utility inspector.

“No, sewer is only for the urgent care. There’s a possibility of off-site sewer expansion,” Bentley replied, adding that he plans to bore under Arkansas Highway 72 to connect to the sewer line at the storage facility on the north side of the highway.

Water Utilities superintendent Ken Hayes said asked whether Bentley had checked elevations and said putting a small lift station on the south side of the property would allow gravity flow from the back of that property.

“One small one similar to the one at Pickens Place … and pump down to Crump Street and that wold save you the bore under the highway,” Nida said.

“I will take into consideration and talk to our client about it,” Bentley said, adding that budgetary considerations are important to the developer.

“We want to look long range,” Nida said. “We don’t want a bunch of utilities going under that highway if we can help it.”

City building official Tony Townsend asked whether ambulances would be going to the urgent care.

“No, it’s not an institutional facility,” Bentley said. “It’s just a walk-in urgent care, non-emergency.”

Bentley said Dr. Alan Schumacher is the only doctor who will be working on site and there will also be nurses and staff. Four or five exam rooms and an office are planned. He said it is not associated with MedExpress.