Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

City won't lead sales tax issue

Gurdon Mayor Clay Franklin addressed the one cent sales tax issue at the Gurdon City Council meeting on Monday, June 11.

Franklin declined the job of spearheading' the issue to Clark County, saying "There's a forgone conclusion that if the issue of returning the sale tax money to the cities got on the ballot, that the cities would win.

"If Arkadelphia works for it I'll join them, but I won't be spearheading an issue Gurdon's already gotten' a bad reputation for."

Franklin had talked with Clark County Judge Floyd "Buddy" Manning on the issue after accepting the post as interim mayor in Gurdon.

Newly appointed at the meeting was Ward 1 alderman, Sally Tarpley, who commented on looking forward to serving.

Health insurance and retirement changes for city employees were discussed. The city is working with the Arkansas Municipal League to get information on making retirement funds available for city employees.

Gurdon's workman's compensation insurance has hit a snag. The City of Gurdon has been deemed a hazardous employer. According to city treasurer, Tambra Smith, a total of three claims in one year on workman's compensation insurance produced the "hazardous employer" label from the insurance company. Franklin has presented to the aldermen present a copy of a preliminary safety policy.

The basic information for the safety policy was compiled from copies of the State's, Cities of Camden's and Arkadelphia's safety policy manuals.

"We need to implement safety rules to avoid our rates going up and hefty fines," said Franklin. "We need to show a paper trail as proof we are trying to comply and challenge our employees. I believe a realistic challenge would be six months (180 days) without a lost time accident. The reward would be a large fish fry/Christmas party to celebrate the employees."

Budget meetings between each department head, the mayor and city staff members will be held before or at the next council meeting on July 16. Franklin said, "Everyone's doing their dead-level best to stay on budget."

The Gurdon Fire Department will be requesting an inspection with the hopes of raising its ISO rate number. Currently, the department's rating is seven.

"We would like to see is lowered to a five," said Franklin. "If the rate is improved by lowering the number, home owners insurance cost may be lowered with it."

Street department manager, Jim Caldwell was present and reported on last month's spring clean-up.

"We had seven large bins of just appliances carry off, and no telling how many dump trucks running to the landfill,"Caldwell said.

City Treasurer Tambra Smith commented on the cost of $600 the city had to pay for the appliances to be disposed of. Caldwell and Smith both said in previous years the city was paid for the appliance scrap metal, but no longer.

Animal Control Officer Carroll Martin announced the awarding of a Horace C. Cabe Grant to fund the construction of an animal control facility for Gurdon. Smith and Wendy Maxwell, administrative assistant, will be working on the specifications for construction.

Franklin announced the new construction of an apartment complex by the Arkansas Development and Finance Administration,(ADFA) and Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

Bunn Construction with build and manage the apartments located on a new street to be constructed off the Linden and Deer Creek streets near the Kansas Road.

The 36 unit housing will cost $2 million complex and provide lower cost housing for Gurdon's working families, according to Franklin.

Gurdon census information was distributed to the aldermen with Franklin commenting on the median age and percentage of home-owners verses renters.