Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

No Funds Available For Rosston Water Tank

Rosston's City Council got some bad news at its regular monthly meeting, Thursday, April 6.

Jon Chadwell, executive director of the Prescott-Nevada County Economic Development Office, informed the panel there were no grants available for building a new water tower.

Chadwell called Cathy Lee with the Southwest Arkansas Planning and Development District, to check on the matter as this is her field of expertise. While grant money is available for new water systems, no such funds exist, at this time, for upgrading existing ones.

The City of Rosston had been considering adding a second water tower to its system for emergency purposes. The current tower holds 50,000 gallons, enough for a one-day supply.

The council's idea was to have enough water on hand for two days should there be a problem with the system elsewhere.

Lee, Chadwell said, will most likely visit with the council concerning other options in the future.

However, he said, the city can apply for low-interest loans to build a tower, and if an emergency can be shown to exist, the interest rates could be even lower.

The loan, though, would have to be paid back to the lending agency.

At the March meeting of the panel, a standpipe was discussed instead of a standard water tower, as the standpipe would be less expensive.

In addition, Chadwell said while there are grants to help with the construction of a new fire station, most of the entities providing them have spent their allotment for the year.

This is a problem as the city's new fire truck finally arrived, but is too long for the existing fire bays at the station.

Jim Cross, with the Rosston Volunteer Fire Department, said a 39 by 39 foot building is needed for the truck.

He said the firemen have agreed to put the building up if the city can get the materials.

According to Cross, the materials could be purchased for about $20,000.

He said it would be better for the city to put up a wooden structure instead of a metal one, as so many metal buildings collapsed during the January blizzard this year.

In addition, he said he doesn't have a crane to lift the metal beams in place for a metal building.

Returning to the topic of the water tower, Chadwell said in non-emergency cases the loan interest is 4 or 5 percent, with the payments stretched over a long period of time.

The city, he said, would have to justify the need and show the ability to repay the loan. He added, these loans are usually easy to get.

In discussing the fire station, Chadwell said he will check with the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) as it has community and economic development safety funds.

"I don't know if this will apply," he said of the station project, "but I'll check on it."

He also suggested the city look into obtaining money from private foundations to build a new fire station.

Most of these foundations, he said, are set up as tax shelters and give money to communities.

While most government grants, he continued, require community matching funds, foundation monies don't. They also have less red tape and paperwork involved.

One problem the city would have in building a new firehouse is where it would be put. Unless the current station is razed the city would need to buy land for the structure.

In other business, the council was told the cost of a new computer system for the city would depend on what the city wanted.

Rosston Mayor Lewis Jackson looked into the purchase of a new computer and was given a price of $1,200. This system, he said, had more frills than the city needed.

Jackson will get more prices and bring them to the council at the May meeting.

The current computer can no longer be expanded, but could be used by the city's water department or sold.

Two letters were received concerning the open seat on the council. Jeanette Fort and David Budd expressed interest in taking on the position.

The opening was created when Sally Drake resigned due to health reasons.

Fort and Budd will be invited to the May meeting to talk with the council on why they should be selected for the spot.

This will only be a temporary position as all members of the council must run for reelection in the November 7 General Election.

As the meeting wound down, Jackson said he's and water superintendent J.D. Luck have been discussing the Waterloo-Bodcaw Rural Water Project.

The system will run less than a quarter-mile from Rosston's lines, and Rosston, Jackson said, may be able to hook into it with a master meter for emergency use should something happen to the city's wells.

Jackson will talk with Bodcaw Mayor Larry Hicks about the possibility of Rosston hooking a three-inch line with master meter into the Waterloo-Bodcaw line.

Rosston, with the master meter in place, could then be charged for the water the city uses.