For the second time this year, and the second time in the city's history, Mayor Frank Anderson is looking at purchasing land.
The City Council in March voted to buy a parcel of land off Forest Hills Boulevard near Buckston Road for the construction of a fourth fire station.
At a council work session Monday night, the mayor presented a real estate contract, pending council approval, for the purchase of a 32-acre tract intended for the construction of a permanent Street Department.
Currently, the department works out of a temporary location off Bella Vista Way and Pinion Valley Drive, which the city leases from Cooper Communities, Inc. The council, at its regular meeting April 28, will vote on extending that contract from the end of April through August of this year.
The parcel being eyed for purchase is one of four plots recently annexed into city limits, located south of Rogers Road along the east side of Arkansas 279. The 32-acre parcel is owned by Freda Perry.
Anderson told aldermen the negotiated price of the land is $235,000, which he called a "reasonable price." Pending a land survey, he said between 20 and 24 acres of the land will be usable, and seven or eight acres would be needed for the Street Department facility, which would be tucked in the back of the property off the highway.
The remainder of the land can be used by future city councils, Anderson said, to build something like a park or move City Hall to that location. Or, the land could be sold for commercial development, he said.
That area is very close to the geographic center of the city, he said.
Alderman Jim Wozniak said "go for it," and other aldermen agreed.
Aldermen will vote on the purchase Monday night.
Also on the agenda for Monday, the council will consider the condemnation and razing of a dilapidated and unsafe residential structure at 9 Washington Lane.
Property owners, who do not live in the house, have received legal notification, Planning Director Chris Suneson said, and a public hearing on the issue will be held at the meeting Monday night.
The cost of demolition will be the responsibility of the city, and will impact the budget, Anderson said. Liens can be placed against the property in an attempt to recoup funds lost, but it's not clear whether the city will get money back for the project.
He gave an estimated cost of $5,000, but Suneson said that would depend on the method of demolition. He has a budget of $20,000 this year for such projects.
This has been a nuisance property for at least 3, maybe 4 years, Suneson said, and has had a structure fire, been secured and then broken into. The property has a history of vandalism, he said.
Anderson said it's taxpayers' money that will fund the demolition, and the property will likely become unmarketable.
"If we proceed, we are going to have more, I'm afraid," he said.
Suneson said there is no other fix, however.
In other business, the council discussed a contract with Diamond C Construction for the improvement of Murphy Drive, after it was badly damaged following heavy rains last August. The cost of the project is estimated at around $100,000, and after completion the city will submit information to FEMA to be reimbursed up to 75 percent of the cost, and to the Arkansas Department of Emergency Management to be reimbursed for an additional 12.5 percent.
All improvement projects from one disaster must be completed before any reimbursement funds are handed out by FEMA, Anderson said.
The council will also at the regular meeting Monday vote on contracts for asphalt hot mix from Decco Paving, slurry seal from Vance Brothers and chip and seal from Hutchens Construction for the resurfacing of some city streets this spring and summer.
After the meeting, Alderman Larry Wilson, chairman of the Salaries Committee, announced that the committee would meet from 11 a.m. to noon on today and Friday as well as 9 to 10 a.m. Saturday at American Legion Post 341, U.S. 71 and Kingsland Road.
The regular meeting is set for 6:30 p.m. Monday, April 28, at Highlands Crossing Center.
General News on 04/23/2014