Zero input from Alexander residents at public hearing; Timing of hearing questioned

A public hearing was held Monday evening (June 16) prior to the Alexander City Council’s monthly meeting. The hearing is required when submitting a grant request for the FUN Park Grant program.

The grant is provided by the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage & Tourism. This application is for Fiscal Year 2026.

It funds 100-percent of a project with no matching funds needed by the city. The grant will be used to replace the playground equipment in the City Park.

What was unusual about this hearing is its timing. This is the third year Alexander will apply for the grant. The first two were in 2023 and 2024, for the 2024/2025 fiscal years.

The process followed in the past was to have the hearings before the council adopts the resolution that gives the mayor approval to submit the grant application. This year the resolution was adopted at the May council meeting.

At the June hearing Council Member Juanita Wilson questioned the legality of having the public hearing after passing the resolution.

“We're … (doing) it backwards,” Wilson said.

“But we are ... legal,” Mayor Crystal Herrmann replied.

Another break from past norms was the absence of Leanne Poole. Poole is a representative from the Arkansas Community and Economic Development Program (ACEDP). ACEDP aides Alexander in submitting grant requests.

When asked by this reporter about her absence City Treasurer Jennifer Hill responded, “They had other arrangements and couldn't make it tonight. There's a lot of grants going on.”

The purpose of the public hearings are to identify Alexander's needs. This year no one attended the hearing to offer any additional suggestions.

In 2023 and 2024 Alexander scored 32 out of 32 points to qualify. However, Alexander was not selected to receive a portion of the limited funds. Only a handful of applicants are eventually chosen out of the multitude of applications.

Herrmann did say this year’s application was submitted early.