Council OKs Selling Land By Sealed Bid

FARMINGTON — The Farmington City Council last week agreed to offer for sale about 3.4 acres of land, now used as Ecology Park located off Double Springs Road in the Farmington Creek Subdivision.

The council authorized Mayor Ernie Penn to advertise the land for sale and accept sealed bids but gave him the right to reject any and all offers that are not acceptable to the city or to negotiate offers.

The park is located along Farmington Branch and has five picnic tables and some grills for the public to use. City workers say the park does not have much activity.

Penn said the discussion was precipitated by a property owner who has purchased four duplexes and two four-plexes in the subdivision and updated and completely remodeled the units. The developer asked if the city had ever considered selling the park land.

The city purchased the property, which consisted of eight vacant residential lots, for $37,000 from First National Bank in Springdale in 1986, according to a memo about the staff’s recommendation to sell the property.

Floyd Shelley, city public works manager, said the park is strictly a maintenance issue for city workers who have to mow and weed-eat the property. It is rarely used and the city has to replace fencing on occasion that is damaged from flooding during heavy rains, Shelley said.

The park does not have a bathroom facility, any off-street parking or any amenities, such as

playground equipment for children. It floods during heavy rains because of the creek that runs on the northern boundary of the property.

Penn said he’s not sure if the land can be developed because a sewer line runs through part of the property. The land also would have to be built up for any development because of the flooding issues, he said.

If someone wants to use it for a multi-family development, the property owner would have to ask to rezone the land and then submit plans for approval, he added.

City Council member

Bobby Morgan said he did not like selling city land but noted the park is not being used.

City Council member Sherry Mathews, who chairs the city’s Parks and Recreation Committee, said she’s always thought the property would be a good place for a dog park. That idea got “shot down,” she said.

The park will be sold as one piece of property, not separate residential lots, and includes Lots 12-21 located on Ecology Drive and Nature Lane.

In other action, the council gave approval for the city to destroy municipal records from 2011 and 2012, as allowed by Arkansas Statue 14-59-114. The law allows the city to destroy records such as invoices, bank statements, payroll records and annual financial reports. City Clerk Kelly Penn said destroying old records will free up space in the city’s store room

Kelly Penn said an affidavit will be prepared outlining what records are being destroyed and how they will be destroyed. The affidavit will be signed by the city employee performing the destruction and by one council member. In the past the city has used Shred-it to destroy records.

Penn said the city has requested to destroy records on an annual basis but has not done it in recent years because of the embezzlement of city and court funds by former city finance director and court clerk Jimmy Story. Story pleaded guilty to one count of theft concerning programs that receive federal funds and one count of filing a false income tax return on Nov. 27, 2017. He is now serving time in a federal prison.

Farmington’s 2018 audit conducted by Legislative Audit did not have any issues to report. The city was cited on three minor items by Legislative Audit for the 2017 audit.

Kelly Penn said electronic copies of the records would still be kept by the city.

City Council also approved the purchase of a 2020 Ford F350 Crew Cab for the public works department for $46,710 from Lewis Ford Fleet Division through the government municipal purchasing discount. The truck will replace a 2009 Ford 350 truck that has begun to have major repair problems, according to Shelley.

Shelley said the new diesel truck has automatic transmission, instead of standard transmission, and comes with a five-year, 100,000-mile warranty. The truck will have a dump bed and a snow plow package.

The city will purchase the new truck with $40,000 from the street department’s budget and $ 16,700 from reserves.

In addition, the council voted to re-appoint Morgan as vice mayor for the year and approved $25,000 for Farmington Senior Activity and Wellness Center (this is an annual budget item).