The Alexander City
Council approved an ordinance accepting an offer from the Arkansas
Department of Human Services (DHS) to take ownership of the Human
Development Center property. The abandoned 65.69-acre property is
located in south Alexander along Highway 111.
In the ordinance the
city agrees to “honor” an existing lease between Pathfinder, Inc.
and the state. While Pathfinder occupies approximately one acre of
the property and five housing units, according to the lease
Pathfinder pays one dollar ($1.00) per year and must maintain the
grounds of the entire property. The lease expires in 2022.
The phrase in the
proposed ordinance, “Shall approve any new or continuing lease,”
came under scrutiny by Alderman Dan Church who thought it could be
interpreted as a requirement the City maintain an on-going lease with
Pathfinder until Pathfinder decides to leave. Alderwoman Joy Gray
interpreted the wording to mean if the city doesn’t want to
continue with the current lease and doesn’t propose a new lease
then Pathfinder must move. As a precautionary measure the council
agreed to change the word “Shall,” which appears twice, to “May”
and approve the ordinance.
According to their
website, “Pathfinder, Inc., a nationally recognized nonprofit
organization, is dedicated to the development and implementation of
individualized strategies designed to enable citizens with
developmental disabilities, and/or behavioral health needs, total
access to community life.” Pathfinder operates facilities
throughout Arkansas for both children and adults.
“This facility
(Alexander) is currently home to fifteen individuals,” the
Pathfinder website states. “Most of the residents work in the
community at various jobs.”
DHS has been trying
to sell the property to developers since it was closed several years
ago as the result of a state-wide lawsuit. To settle the suit
residents were moved out of the Alexander facility, and others like
it throughout the state, and into apartment-like settings.
Since DHS first made
the offer in early 2017 it has been Mayor Paul Mitchell’s intent to
use the property as a lure to attract individual businesses or
developers who couldn’t afford the state’s asking price for the
entire property. Mitchell would like to have a super market as an
anchor store along with the usual smaller businesses found in a
commercial retail setting. He has also suggested one of the three
smaller existing buildings could serve as an animal shelter.
Under the terms of
the agreement Alexander will pay a purchase price of ten dollars
($10.00) to the state and provide a copy of the signed ordinance and
minutes of the February 26 meeting. The State of Arkansas will then
send a “Special Warranty Deed” to Alexander. According to
Mitchell the city attorney will register the deed with Saline County.
In other action
at the February 26 meeting;
By a voice
vote council members gave Police Chief Robert Burnett permission to
add Delta Dental/Vision to the benefits package for city employees.
Chief Burnett noted area police departments are trying to “pick
off” city officers for their departments. Mayor Mitchell said he is
working on a retirement package for city employees but it will have
to wait until after the new one-cent sales tax collection begins
April 1.
Chief Burnett
was also given permission to buy a used Humvee from the Federal
Surplus Depot in North Little Rock. He said several have arrived
recently but the one he wants has 544 miles at a cost of $2,500.
Burnett said the Humvee will be used mainly in bad weather conditions
when an area is either flooded or a street is too steep and icy for a
police car to travel. He told council members during the recent
winter storms he almost had a vehicle slide into a ditch on a hill.
He said he would rather damage a used Humvee than a new police car.
The next regular meeting of the Alexander City Council is
Monday, March 19. Meetings start at 6 PM and are held in the
courtroom at the Alexander City Hall. The public is invited to
attend.
