GRAVETTE -- The Gravette city council held its regular meeting June 24 with all members present. City attorney David Bailey and city financial director Carl Rabey were also in attendance.
As the first order of business, council members voted to approve an upgrade to the gateway radio read water meter system. Two of the gateways in the current system quit working in May, resulting in over 300 water meters having to be hand read. Cost of the upgrade is $47,176 from Henard Utility Products in Searcy. This price includes four new gateways and related equipment and 48 new meters in a package deal. Funds will come from the water department operations budget.
In other business, council members approved issuing a conditional use permit to allow a food truck park at 201 Second Ave. S.W. The property is zoned C-2, highway commercial, and the permit will allow owners Jered Furlow, Charles Furlow and Karen Furlow to park up to four food trucks on the property. The permit is valid provided there are plans for proper trash removal, restrooms, adequate parking spaces and grease traps if needed. Failure to provide these will result in revocation of the permit.
An ordinance was passed rezoning 1.01 acres owned by Kimberly Cowgur-Dagley at 12359 Bluebird Road from A-1, agricultural, to R-1, single-family residential. The owner plans to build a home on the property with the current pole barn used for storage and parking.
Council members voted to approve the reappointment of Dani Madison and Michael Deniston to the planning commission. Current terms for both these members expire on June 30.
Three resolutions were passed at the meeting. The first establishes a temporary new fund account for the American Rescue Plan Fund for the city. The second approves accepting a discounted amount for certain ambulance bills. Up to a 25% discount may be offered to patients who pay their ambulance bill in full in one payment. This discount will also be available to patients whose bills are in collections. Discounts are subject to approval from the fire chief or his designee and sign-off by the mayor.
The third resolution approved several adjustments to the 2021 budget. Raby gave a recap of his financial report at the June 17 Committee of the Whole meeting. He reported a net surplus of $30,000 in the general fund due to increased property tax revenue. There is also a surplus of $15,000 in the street fund. The report showed a net loss of $16,000 in the water department fund for May because of a $21,000 payment to the engineer and an $18,000 payment for the water audit. He said year to date all funds are in good shape.
In comments at the conclusion of the meeting, Richard Carver asked if there was a way to speed up the planning commission approval process. He reported he had been contacted by persons who complained surveyors are charging more for surveys conducted in Gravette because of the lengthy approval process. Maddox commented he would like to know who was having this difficulty so he could address the problem.
Both Carver and Maddox commented that they had been approached in regard to designating Gravette as a Pro-Life City and Maddox said this would likely be discussed in July.