The Bella Vista Property Owners Association issued a statement in response to potential litigation from the city to secure access to POA water for fire suppression inside a planned public safety building.
POA chief operating officer Tom Judson said that he and the organization he represents would strongly prefer to see the public safety building -- expected to house the police department, dispatch center and court facility -- completed.
"The board and the POA are 100% supportive of the city's effort to build a new public safety building," he said.
The city council voted to authorize litigation against the POA in order to secure water access during a special meeting last Tuesday. More information about this meeting can be found on 1A.
According to its press release, the POA has been in contact with the city about this project since 2019 and has maintained that it will require permission from Cooper Communities Inc. in order to supply water to the facility, which is outside of the POA boundaries.
The press release also indicated that the POA was denied permission by Cooper Communities earlier this year.
From the statement: "Once the Property Owners Association has been granted by Cooper Communities the authority to provide water to the site, the Association will do so as quickly as possible."
The statement also indicated that the POA does not currently have an assessment increase planned, though the organization is working on a long-range plan that will be presented to the community for input in 2022.
Judson said he hopes this disagreement can be settled without going to court.
"My hope is that the city and Cooper can resolve their differences to avoid litigation," he said.