SPRINGDALE -- City officials are seeking grant money for a trail to connect the Razorback Greenway to the west side of the city.
Aldermen approved at Tuesday's City Council meeting a resolution expressing the willingness of the city to use grant money to pay for part of The Pride of Springdale Trail. The trail would be 5 1/2 miles long and provide more accessibility via the trail to parts of the city, Patsy Christie, director of planning and community development, said before the meeting.
Springdale Council Action
Springdale’s City Council met Tuesday night and ?
• Aldermen designated the Springdale District Court clerk as the official responsible for collecting fines assessed for Springdale.
• Aldermen approved a contract for consultant services with H3 Studio for the expanded Downtown Economic/Revitalization Plan.
• Aldermen amended the city’s code allowing owners of multiple residential units of six or fewer units the option to not combine trash streams.
• Aldermen approved a contract for emergency medical services billing and amending the 2015 budget.
Source: Staff Report
The trail would connect the greenway in the downtown area to Northwest Medical Center-Springdale, Murphy Park, Springdale High School and Har-Ber High School, Christie said. The trail would probably have an overpass over Interstate 49 and another over Thompson Street.
The city will apply for the grant through the Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department, Christie said. The grant would require the city to match 20 percent. The maximum grant amount is $500,000, in which the city would match $100,000.
Mike Overton, alderman, asked how much the bridges included in the trail would cost. Christie said there isn't an estimated cost yet for the overpasses, but she said the project will be expensive.
Mayor Doug Sprouse referred to trails after the meeting as "a lifestyle enhancement." He said trails are an amenity that can attract people to live in the city, which can help improve economic development.
Aldermen also approved amending the 2015 budget of the Springdale Police Department. The move allows $14,200 to be transferred from the department's drug seizure money for a new police dog and related equipment, according to meeting documents. The equipment includes a kennel, harness and collar.
The department only has one police dog, which is used to search for drugs, said Lt. Derek Hudson, public information officer for the department. The dog can also use scents to track suspects or lost children.
The department's police dog, Xato, is about one year away from retirement, according to a memo from Kathy O'Kelley, police chief, to Wyman Morgan, city director of finance and administration. O'Kelley wrote buying the new dog before Xato retires will allow the new dog and new handler to train and work with Xato's handler.
German Shepherd police dogs, such as Xato, usually retire around seven to eight years old, O'Kelley said before the meeting. The officer who works with the dog usually keeps the dog after it retires.
The new dog is named Bosko and is also a German Shepherd, O'Kelley said. Bosko is about three years old.
An officer will start training with the new dog on April 3, O'Kelley said. The training will last three weeks.
NW News on 03/25/2015