City to purchase land to build fire training facility
Council required to take training as city’s water governing board
The Forrest City City Council on Tuesday agreed to purchase land to build a training facility for the city’s fire department.
“We are looking at something similar to what West Memphis is constructing," Forrest City Fire Chief Shane Dallas told the council.
Dallas said the facility would be made from interlocking metal shipping containers that would allow for controlled burns to be set so that new firefighters could be trained on how fires behave.
"This does not build the facility but acquires the land," Dallas told the council of the request to purchase two acres of land near Fire Station 2 on Dawson Road at a cost of $20,000 per acre. The money would be paid from the department’s bond improvement funds. "We will seek other funding opportunities to build the facility, such as grants."
Dallas told the council the facility would not only help improve firefighters’ abilities to fight fires through education, but also help the ISO rating for the city.
"The city is currently at three. It is my goal to get the city to a two while I am here," said Dallas, adding that the facility could also be used by surrounding fire departments to train their firefighters.
Councilman Marvin Metcalf voiced concerns on the cost of the land, saying it believes the price is too expensive for undeveloped property.
"They are selling at cost to us," said Forrest City Mayor Cedric Williams.
"What is it zoned?" asked councilman Astin Lowry, to which Dallas replied “single and multi-family residential.”
"Does it carry us as far into the future as where we want to go? Is two acres enough?" asked councilman Rev. Ronald Williams.
"It gets us in that direction," replied Dallas.
Dallas further explained that two acres is the minimum recommendation for an adequate training facility, per ISO.
Councilman Chris Oswalt asked how the facility would work and if there would be any smoke pollution or potential fire hazards for nearby neighborhoods or the Central Elementary campus.
Dallas said the department would use hay to burn for training and that the smoke would be minimal in the area.
He said the metal containers would allow the department to control the fires without risk of spreading outside. "They are set up for different aspects to train our firefighters," he said.
Training would include fighting fires in multiple story buildings, roof venting, rescue from confined spaces, rappelling training, fire behavior observation and more.
"How much is left in the bond?" asked Oswalt.
"We haven't spent it all but we have committed it all and this will leave us with around $5,000," said Dallas.
When put to vote, the council voted unanimously to purchase the land with all council members present.
The council also heard from water department director Edward Gregory regarding Arkansas Water Act 605 that requires training for city officials.
"The council only has eight years of experience as the governing body, considering it didn't take over until 2014 when the water commission was abolished," Gregory told the council. "This would mean all or the majority of the council needs training before December 31, 2022."
Gregory explained that the Act requires all members of a retail water provider governing board to complete eight hours of training within one year of becoming a board member unless the member had 10 years or more service on the governing board.
The Arkansas Natural Resources Commission will consult with an advisory training board to develop the curriculum for the training, according to Gregory.
According to the curriculum provided by the ANRC, required topics include state and federal rules, board organization and governance, financial management, water system operation and technical assistance resources.
The ANRC also provided a list of approved board training
(Continued from Page 1) providers that Gregory presented to the council.
"There are only three approved ones," he said. "Arkansas Environmental Training Academy, Communities Unlimited, Inc., and Arkansas Rural Water Association."
Oswalt asked if it the training would be required each year, to which Gregory replied it would be one-time training per council member, which means any new council member would have to receive training upon taking office.
In other business, the council passed two resolutions regarding grants.
The first was for a matching outdoor parks grant for the Forrest City Public Library.
Oswalt asked library director Arlisa Harris if the project includes a fence around the area, to which Harris said it does.
"Will you have security outdoor cameras?" asked Capps, to which Harris also answered yes.
The council voted unanimously to pass the resolution.
The second resolution was for the authorization to accept a USDA Rural Development Community Facility grant that would help cover a portion of the costs for the purchase of police vehicles and equipment for the Forrest City Police Department in an amount not to exceed $32,000.
The council also opened bids for asphalt work and renovations at the Sports Complex.
M & T Paving and Construction of Forrest City was the sole bidder.
A pair of companies from Memphis bid on the Sports Complex work.
Project Management Services FairGround Partners, LLC and Athletic Services Plus each submitted a book of information with their bids.
The council also held a lengthy discussion on the inclusion of “tiny homes” into mobile home parks within the city limits.
The recommendation was from the city’s planning commission but the council questioned the best way to move forward with the allowance in terms of legal zoning policies.
The issue was narrowly tabled in order to better define the term “tiny homes" and to ask City Attorney Marshall Wright the proper way to allow the tiny homes into mobile home parks per policy with council members Oswalt, Astin, Jason Evansingston and Louise Fields voting to table the recommendation, and Rev. Williams, Danny Capps and Justin Reeves opposed tabling the recommendation. Metcalf had to leave the meeting prior to the vote.
The council also approved the payment of bills from general in the amount of $35,186.78; solid waste in the amount of $33,540.48; street in the amount of $39,292.75, and water in the amount of $95.641.63, with Evansingston abstaining from the votes.