Council Prepares To Apply For Sewer Grant

FARMINGTON — Lincoln City Council approved several resolutions last week that are part of the requirements to apply for a $200,000 grant from the Arkansas Economic Development Commission.

The city plans to submit an application under the Community Development Block Grant program for a rehabilitation project for its sewer system. Northwest Arkansas Economic Development District will submit the grant on the city’s behalf.

The council will hold a public hearing on the city’s application at its Nov. 19 council meeting.

As part of the grant application, the council passed a resolution designating the development district as its grant administrator.

Other resolutions approved as part of the grant application state that the city will follow obligations regarding any funds received under the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974, that the city prohibits the use of excessive force by law enforcement against individuals engaged in non-violent civil rights demonstrations and that the city affirms and supports open housing and equal opportunity employment.

The deadline for the application is in March 2020.

In other action, the council approved two agreements with Washington County, one a per capita jail fee agreement and the other an inter-local agreement with the county for the operation of the

Northwest Arkansas Crisis Stabilization Unit.

The resolution approved by the council says Lincoln agrees to enter into an agreement to pay a fixed fee based on per capita to help with jail funding.

Mayor Doug Hutchens said the “bottom line” for the city is to either pay the jail a fee per day per prisoner or agree to pay a per capita fee annually.

“Based on the numbers, it’s beneficial to us to do the annual fee,” Hutchens said, adding that if the city was paying by the inmate per day, its cost for the month of September would have been around $2,200.

For 2020, the city will pay $6,358 for the per capita fee, based on a 2018 estimated population of 2,474 at $2.57 per person.

“With that being an example, we’re money ahead to do the per capita fee of $6,358,” Hutchens said.

According to the agreement, the per capita fee amount is calculated using the projected shortfall in the maintenance and operations budget of the county jail for the previous year. All cities in Washington County that use the jail will have to help pay for the funding shortfall using either method.

Council member Johnny Stowers noted, “We’re going to get stuck either way.”

Stowers said his concern is that if the Washington County Quorum Court decides not to fund the jail as much next year from its county budget, the cities would have to pay more money.

Hutchens agreed the cost is a “moving target,” but said it’s not as much if the Lincoln pays a per capita fee, instead of the daily inmate fee.

City Attorney Steve Zega warned the council costs will go up for the jail.

“Long story short, the 2020 census is coming and the county’s share of the countywide 1% tax is about to go down,” Zega said. “Which means they’ll be looking for other alternate ways to fund the jail again. The reality is you’re going to see something come back next year with a higher price tag.”

The ordinance authorizing the city to enter into an inter-local agreement with Washington County for the operation of the Northwest

Arkansas Crisis Stabilization Unit is effective Jan. 1, 2020. As part of the agreement, Lincoln will pay $40 per day for the length of stay for each individual from Lincoln delivered to the unit for treatment.

Lincoln will be responsible for transporting its individuals to the unit. The county will send an itemized bill by the 15th of each month.

The council also approved the low bid for a portable vacuum excavation system for $55,464 from Vermeer Midsouth of Springdale. Money for the new system is in the 2019 budget.

It approved selling a 1995 Ford trash truck to Allen Moore for $1,205. The bid winner did not come forward after repeated attempts to reach him and Moore submitted the second highest bid for the trash truck.

The council also approved the 2018 audit.

“The reality is you’re going to see something come back next year with a higher price tag.” Steve Zega Lincoln City Attorney

EDITOR’S NOTE: INFORMATION FOR THIS ARTICLE CAME FROM A RECORDING OF THE COUNCIL MEETING.