Directors review work during winter storm
Agencies look ahead to this week’s agenda
Directors of each of the city’s departments offered updates this morning on how they dealt with last week’s winter weather during a meeting this morning at city hall.
"I'd like to thank Richard Rice, Roy Hamilton and their guys who worked and helped us out every step of the way," said FC Public Works Director Darin Flenoy.
Flenoy praised the collaboration between departments for their work through the weather event.
Flenoy also said the public works employees would begin cleaning up the former Road Runner location on North Washington, beginning Wednesday. He said they are also checking on a truck being worked on at Peterbilt.
Richard Rice, assistant public works director, said the solid waste and street departments would be continuing work in several areas to clean up the city throughout the week.
"For solid waste, the leaf machine will be working in the Beech Grove area," said Rice. "They will also be working from Washington to Old Madison. The chipper truck will be in the Beech Grove area and along Highway 70. For the street department, the crew will be working on the ice and snow around the shop, we will be sanding the Arkansas and Wood street areas, snow plowing hills with shaded or wooded areas, and we will also have crews picking up junk."
Rice said pest control employees would be helping out as well.
Edward Gregory, director of the city’s water department, said the city should consider upgrading the public works department's tap to the brine tank to help during cold weather events.
"That line that runs down Forrest Street is a two-inch line," explained Gregory. "It's just something to think about. I thought there was already a sixinch line there, but there is not."
Forrest City Public Library Director Arlisa Harris asked the street department to also consider looking at the condition of the alley that runs next to the library.
Harris also said the library is continuing to collect data for AR Broadband Now and starting to accept tax forms from those who want to drop them off at the library.
Forrest City Fire Chief Shane Dallas thanked the public works department for their hard work during the ice storm and getting the supplies needed to keep roads as safe as possible.
Dallas also reported 37 incidents over the past week including several fires, medical assist calls, motor vehicle accidents, an animal rescue and alarm activations, but no fires. Dallas said the agency is working to replace a battery on the tornado siren on Cherry Street.
Code Enforcement Officer Chris Ray said he is continuing to work with stores to have them clean up around their areas, particularly the Dollar General parking lot near downtown and at Family Dollar on West Broadway.
"Dollar General got their back taken care of, but now we are working on the front," said Ray.
Forrest City Mayor Cedric Williams reminded directors to review the weather event with their departments to address areas of work they exceeded in and areas where there are still issues.
"It's best to do that when it is fresh on people's minds," said Williams.
Williams also asked the directors to be on the lookout during cleanups and patrols for potholes that may be a result of the weather. "We have a lot of street repairs coming up, but we have to address any of those potholes as well," he said.
Civic Center manager Jimmy Gaines reported four events and one funeral service were held at the facility over the weekend. He also mentioned that no one use the Civic Center as a warming shelter last week.
Williams also thanked each of the department leaders for their work in preparing for the storm.
"We had power outages a bit to the south of us but luckily didn't experience any of our own, which is probably why we didn't have anyone at the warming shelters," explained Williams.