Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Questions Arise Over Daycare

Questions have arisen as to the possibility of the City of Gurdon donating land for use as a daycare center.

This happened following an article in the Times about the Gurdon School Board agreeing to give land to Crossroads church on Red Springs Road and why it was illegal.

According to Gurdon Mayor Rick Smith, the city has never given land for a daycare. The Hours of Joy daycare is wholly owned by the city, but is leased and operated by Johnny Harris.

Smith said the school district signed a quit claim deed for the property Hours of Joy is located on, but never owned the land to begin with.

The city followed quiet title action to get the deed to the property and still maintains ownership of the land.

When the process to build a daycare began Daryl Potratz was Gurdon's mayor.

Public hearings were held in 1993 to determine what would be the city's top priority for community needs.

Potratz called the special meeting for Aug. 23, 1993, telling those present the city was considering applying to the then-Arkansas Industrial Development Commission (now the Arkansas Department for Economic Development) for a community and economic development grant.

The state, he said, receives federal monies which are distributed through the AIDC and are made available to cities and counties according to need.

Clinton Wingfield, a consultant with Wingfield and Associates Consulting Services, Inc., was called in to help identify and explain the criteria for the meeting.

He said funds may be available for housing rehabilitation, community facilities or economic development, but had to meet specific criteria.

The objectives included providing benefits to low and moderate income families; aiding in the prevention of slum and blight; or meet other community needs which pose a serious, immediate threat to the health or welfare of the community where no other funding is available to meet such needs.

Wingfield introduced Harris, president of the Hours of Joy Child Care Center in Arkadelphia and Gurdon.

Harris explained his plans for the Hours of Joy in Gurdon, saying a new facility would serve the children of Gurdon, with the city being the recipient of funds for the center.

Then-city attorney Bryan Chesshir, with Wright, Chaney, Berry and Daniel, asked about a site and purchase price of land.

Potratz looked into the options of buying land as it was decided the child care facility was the city's top priority.

This required the scheduling of a second public meeting so the council could discuss it further.

The second meeting was held September 21, 1993 at City Hall.

In this meeting, the council voted to apply for a $100,000 AIDC grant for the purpose of building a new child care center.

The city applied for and received funds to build the child care center, with agreements being made between Harris and the city concerning its operation.

In fact, Harris put up $20,000 of his own money to help the project become a reality.

Harris, under the lease, is responsible for the building's maintenance and keeping it insured. However, the city pays the insurance premium, and is reimbursed by the Hours of Joy.

However, the city not only owns the land the center sits on, but owns the building as well.