Benton OKs hiring of local architects

Firm to design expansion of parks

BENTON - The City Council unanimously voted to allow the city to enter into a contract with an architectural firm that will help design the city’s parks.

The council approved a resolution during a meeting Monday to secure a contract with Black Corley Owens & Hughes Architects, a Benton-based company, to provide design services for the expansion of all municipal parks, according to the resolution.

In a November special election, voters approved a half-cent sales tax increase for the city’s parks. The new tax will fund $36.65 million in improvements to Holland Park and the construction of a new complex called Riverside Park.Both would include a softball complex with five fields, a three-field soccer complex, a community center, an aquatic center, a new Boys and Girls Club and a senior citizens center, Mayor David Mattingly has said.

The agreement came after a parks subcommittee reviewed several requests for proposals, Mattingly said. City Attorney Brent Houston said after the meeting that the city will negotiate fees with the firm and then review the contract.

Once the administrative actions are done, the firm can move forward with executing plans.

“Up to this point, we’ve been putting the pieces together of what it ought to be,” Mattingly said after the meeting.

In other council action Monday, aldermen approved a separate resolution that will begin a voluntary curbside recycling program in the city. Benton is the first city in the county to publicly support the measure, Mattingly said.

The Saline County Regional Solid Waste Management District backed the voluntary program, which would let residents decide if they want to participate and choose their haulers. Two companies - Allied Waste and Terry’s Waste - have agreed to take part in the program, according to the county waste management website.

Alderman James Herzfeld wasn’t at the meeting.

Arkansas, Pages 12 on 02/11/2014

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