Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Playground equipment becomes controversial

What began as a report on playground equipment for Livingston Park became controversial.

Mary Godwin, executive director of the Prescott-Nevada County Chamber of Commerce, presented the Prescott City Council with a drawing of where playground equipment will be placed in the park at the Aug. 18 meeting.

She said the money to buy the equipment came from a 50-50 matching grant from the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism for $50,000. The equipment and area it will be installed will be handicapped accessible so wheelchairs can enter easily.

The new equipment, she said, will be set up where the stage is normally placed for the annual Chicken and Egg Festival. This means the Chamber will have to redesign how the booths and events are set up for the festival in the future.

The playground equipment currently at the part will be moved to McRae Park she said.

This is where the controversy arose. Council member Susie Meeks asked why some of the new equipment couldn't be put at McRae Park.

Godwin explained with the grant the equipment must be installed where the application stated it would be.

Councilman Howard Austin said some sideline thinking needed to be done as McRae Park is also a city park and not a separate entity. "It doesn't look good getting old equipment and putting the good stuff in Livingston Park.

"Most people," he continued, "think McRae Park is a black park."

Godwin said Parks Director Steve Crow spent $20,000 building a new pavilion at McRae Park, and spent a lot of money on improving the ball field and bathrooms there as well.

"I'm a recycling kind of person," she said. "I thought we could use the other equipment until we could get a grant for new pieces there. We don't want the same type of equipment in both parks."

Godwin also pointed out with state budget cuts, the Parks and Tourism Commission will be receiving one-third less money than it has. The grant process, she said, takes years to accomplish.

The grant process for the equipment at Livingston Park began in 2000, and has just now reached the process where the equipment can be purchased.

With the commission getting less money, Godwin said, the process could take longer, though communities seeking funds to buy land for parks are getting extra points on their applications. It could be 2006 or 2007 before a grant could be obtained for equipment at McRae Park.

In addition, Godwin said, representatives from the commission make surprise spot inspections and would know if equipment was not placed where it was stated.

Crow, she said, held a public meeting to find out what the community wanted in the way of recreation equipment. The result was, again, the desire for a public swimming pool.

The commission, Godwin said, rarely approves grants for swimming pools as they can only be used a few months out of the year. Communities building pools, she continued, have been passing sales tax issues for the construction and operation of them.

The alternative, she said, is not pools, but water pads for children. These are less expensive, but require the water to be recycled to use on the pads. The recycling equipment costs about $15,000.

Ann Stockton, a member of the council, said the important thing is to keep the children in mind, and they won't worry about the equipment being used if they're having a good time playing on it.

Austin said he wanted to address this openly in case the council got calls about it. "All parks should be equal.

"We also need to monitor how its taken care of after it's installed."

Prescott Mayor Howard Taylor turned the topic to Bemis Field, saying there were questions about getting the concession stand repaired.

He said no money was allocated for these repairs, but they need to be made, especially as the fair is beginning.

The council also discussed the possibility of a fireworks ordinance. It was said Hope doesn't have an ordinance, and the one Nashville has doesn't have any teeth in it. It was pointed out Prescott could write its own ordinance concerning fireworks.

Billy House said he's like to see it made illegal to sell fireworks in the city.

City Attorney Glenn Vasser said the sale of fireworks is regulated, but the firing of them isn't. At best, those who shoot them off late at night could be charged with disturbing the peace.

Prescott Police Chief Sam Reeder said the Prescott Police Department received about 20 calls a night during the July 4 holiday about fireworks.

Taylor said he would try to get other ordinances on fireworks and have one designed for Prescott by the next holiday, which would be Christmas.

The council accepted a bit of $45,000 to repave West Olive Street from Sid and Sons.

The bid is for two-inches of asphalt to be put down, with the city to grade the street, smoothing it out, and cleaning out the ditches.

This project will cover an area 2,500-feet long and 20-feet wide from Olive at West Third to DeAnn.

Taylor said the Arkansas Municipal League has been told the Legislature will be looking to expand the state's tax base and not raise taxes. This, he said, would be done by eliminating exemptions on sales tax items.

By eliminating the exemptions, he said, the state could add $582 million to its coffers annually, with $370 million to be used to comply with the education standards.

Carl Dalrymple, city accountant, said he would like to meet with the budget committee early this year, and those making fiscal requests should get them in early if they are to be considered.

"I'd like to start around the first of October," he said.