City of Alexander council members approved a plan to buy playground
equipment for the city park. The new equipment will occupy the same
space as the existing monkey bars, slide and swings.
The purchase plan was proposed by Mayor Crystal Herrmann and added to
the agenda under New Business. Herrmann wants to take advantage of
this time of year when outgoing models are on sale.
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| Timbertopia VI model by Infinite Recreation |
“And now is a very interesting time of the year where they really
start putting the playground equipment on sale,” Herrmann said. “I
think, I guess multiple people had mentioned we looked at a train in
the past, but they're so expensive for a themed train playground
area. But we also started discussing, okay, well, the city was
founded on a logging trail. So we thought it would be kind of fun to
have a tree-like, a log-type theme, which is more affordable.”
The mayor is asking to spend $73,000.00 from the general fund.
Although it’s actually a reimbursement owed the parks fund.
“The streets and parks guys did all of the repair work in the park,
in our city park, from the floods,” Herrmann explained. “With
that being said, the city was reimbursed through the FEMA rates. And
because they (city employees) did all the in-kind work in the park
themselves and we didn't have to hire somebody else out to come do
it, we were reimbursed FEMA rates. And that was like $123,000. It is
in general funds because that's how they (FEMA) reimbursed it back to
general funds.”
The mayor has been trying to purchase new playground equipment
through the state’s FUN Park Grant program. The FUN Park Grant is
provided by the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism.
The grant would have funded 100-percent of the purchase with no
matching funds provided by the city.
“You'll know that we have tried multiple times for the Fun Park
Grant to try to save the city money, but they made it so
competitive,” Herrmann said. “We've not been chosen for that in
the last two cycles. Because we have this opportunity, I thought it
would be a good time for the parks to be able to afford a brand new
playground system for the kids.”
Herrmann selected the Timbertopia VI model by Infinite Recreation.
The price listed on their website is $93,893.00.
Herrman said she has already ordered new swings to replace the
current set. The merry-go-round has been rebuilt and the play
equipment for the new trail, around the playground, is ready for
installation. She’s wanting to install everything at the same time.
According to Herrmann, estimated delivery time is 11 to 14 weeks. The
actual cost of the playground is $72.251.00.
In other news at the April 20 meeting
Permit ordinance gets first reading
Additions to the existing permit ordinance received a first reading.
The added language includes a permit and regulations for new fences,
a road cut permit and regulations covering the rental and placement
of permit boxes.
The cause of the delay in passage is concern over the description of
the types of fences to be allowed. The section describing allowed
fencing materials states, “[W]ooden fencing materials and chain
link.”
Council Member Joy Gray said it sounds as if people will be limited
to wood or chain link. Other types of possible fence material
mentioned were vinyl and brick.
The amendments to the permit ordinance are expected to receive their
second and third readings, with changes to the fence material
language, at the May council meeting.
Grant application to fund transportation study approved
The city council approved giving Mayor Crystal Herrmann the authority
to apply for grants offered by the Federal-aid
Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) or Recreational Trails
Program. The first step will be to fund a transportation study that
locates areas that can benefit from sidewalks, trails and how to make
school bus stops safer.
Dispersal
of the Federal funds for the TAP grant are overseen by Metroplan. The
Arkansas Department of Transportation handles the bidding and
monitoring of construction.
Funding for TAP grants is split 80/20 on a reimbursable basis. The
city will have to fund the entire study, and any resulting
construction, before being refunded 80%.
This
is not the first study approved this year. In January the council
approved applying for a grant to conduct a storm water study in the
Pulaski County portion of Alexander.
Meeting ends in accusations
During the Public Comment section of the agenda Alexander resident
Brandon Jacks levels accusations at Council Member Juanita Wilson.
Jacks lives on Kent Dr. next to the property that was rezoned from
residential to neighborhood commercial earlier in the meeting.
“I feel that it's absolutely inappropriate that a city council
member are going to call me to basically try to inform you, of
something I've already been informed of, that they turn around and
bash the mayor, bash the police chief and so forth,” Jacks said.
“How do you got my number? You lose it. Don't ever call me either.”
While he was speaking Jacks was looking at Wilson. To make sure
everyone knows who he was speaking to Council Member Joy Gray asked
some questions.
“Sir, question,” Gray began. “What's your name for the record?”
“Brandon Jacks. Brandon Jacks,” he responded.
“Do you live in Alexander?” Gray continued.
Jacks responded, “Yes.”
“And which City Council
member, are you talking about?” Gray asked.
“Miss
Wilson,” Jacks said.
In a telephone conversation the next day, Wilson explained she
contacted Jacks to inform him of the proposed rezoning since his
property abuts the property being rezoned to neighborhood commercial.
She said she had no way of knowing if proper notification of
surrounding property owners had been done.
According to Wilson, Jacks left out one piece of information. During
their conversation Wilson says the discussion switched from rezoning
to police driving skills when Jacks describe to Wilson his encounter with a
police car that crossed the center line in the s-curve on Hwy. 111.
Wilson says she suggested he contact the police chief but not to
expect any satisfaction since Chief Preator doesn’t like being told
how to run his department.
Next Meeting
The next meeting of the Alexander City Council is Monday, May 18, at
6:00 PM in the courtroom of the Alexander Municipal Complex (City
Hall). Meetings are open to the public.
