Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Council informed on economic projects underway

Projects are progressing in Prescott, while prospects are paying the city visits.

Jon Chadwell, executive director of the Prescott-Nevada County Economic Development Office, updated the Prescott City Council on what's been going on with the EDO.

Construction on the Depot Museum is done, with the last pay voucher being submitted.

He said the city received $164,000 in grant money for the project, while the city had to put up $42,000 for matching funds.

The Depot board of directors toured the renovated facility, and currently in the midst of reorganizing and finding a new curator.

Under terms of the grants, the museum must remain open 37.5 hours a week to the public.

Prescott Mayor Howard Taylor named Karen Ward to represent the city on the museum board.

Letters, Chadwell said, have been sent to 132 people concerning easements for the rural water project. These letters detail how much the property involved is worth.

The average value of the easement, Chadwell said, is about $60, while the lowest one was $10. "We felt if most people knew the actual value they wouldn't want to go to court. We hope to generate the last few sign-ups and get started the first of the year."

In discussing the combination fire station/parks department building, Chadwell said the committee will have to get back together after the architect's estimate came back at $328,000 to build.

"We need to see if we can order the building ourselves and build it," he said. "We can get a local contractor to pour the slab and do the rest ourselves."

Some of the amenities, he said, may have to be cut out.

Should the city do the work, neither an architect nor engineer will be needed to sign off on the project. However, the structure will still have to be handicap accessible.

Chadwell said this building will not be built with grant money, but funds from the city.

The architect who looked at the plans said it would cost $120,000 to pour the slab for the 140 foot by 50 foot building.

The idea, he said, was to build a fire station similar to the one Rosston recently built, but more was added.

Plans for the building call for three bays for the fire department, two for trucks and one for training, two offices and storage room for the parks department, and two or three restrooms.

The city set aside $110,000 for the building.

Details on the old Nevada County Hospital, he said, are still being worked out with the Nevada County Quorum Court, he said.

Chadwell said there are two prospects looking at the facility, and it looks promising for one of them.

Taylor appointed Dick Bright, Billy House, Howard Austin and Danny Beavert to the budget committee.

This panel will examine the city's finances and report back to the council at the December meeting.

The city doesn't have to officially pass a budget until March 1, 2003, though.

Mary Godwin, executive director of the Prescott-Nevada County Chamber of Commerce, told the board how funds from the Chamber's budget had been spent during 2002.

The budget, she said, was broken down and held the various committees accountable, and this kept them focused and finish their projects.

The trash pickup held during the summer went well, she said, adding the beautification committee also managed to keep downtown mowed and weedeated.

A total of $5,000 was spent on plants and bedding, with the same amount being requested for 2003.

A billboard was erected for Miss Arkansas, while $9,000 was spent for holiday banners and decorations.

Godwin said the brackets for new decorations are in and will be more attractive. Banners will be placed on the new light poles, bearing holiday greetings, though not Christmas specifically.

Generic banners will also be purchased for spring and fall.

The gazebo by the railroad tracks is in need of repair, she said. The roof leaks and it needs to be painted. It has been suggested to put a metal roof on the gazebo, as metal lasts longer than wood.

The nativity scene normally put up by the gazebo is in bad shape as well, Godwin said, and needs to be replaced.

The budget contains $3,000 for the old city jail as well. Godwin said the old jail, located behind City Hall, is currently being used for storage.

"We'd like to clean it up, make it was like when it was used as a jail and put up a plaque for visitors," she said.

The Chamber also plans to put signs up on Interstate-30 for the city. However, this will have to be approved by the Arkansas Highway Department, and Godwin will have to get prices for the signs.

Chadwell talked about the budget as well, telling the council it was initially the same as it was for 2002.

However, in order to obtain a grant for sidewalk renovation required some of the sales tax money usually set aside for economic development to be used as matching funds. It will cost about $155,000 to repair the sidewalks downtown.

In addition, the EDO is looking to retrofit the Red River Knitting building and make $10,000 in repairs to the old armory.

For the armory, formerly Funshine Furniture, the funds will be used to fix a leak in the roof over where the offices were, and to seal the hole used for dust collection.

Funds from the sales tax will also be used in proactive marketing by going to trade shows in an attempt to get businesses to visit Prescott.

This will leave $109,000 for the EDO, which is $70,000 less than the 2002 budget.

A parking lot will be laid at the Depot Museum, with concrete preferred, he said. However, the problem will be keeping tractor-trailer rigs from parking on it. Otherwise, the lot will be in constant need of repair.

The parks budget has been reduced to $15,000 with $5,000 being put in the library budget, raising it to $20,000.