Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Walking trail project next up

Another project will soon be underway in Prescott.

The Prescott City Council, at its October meeting, approved a resolution stipulating the city would pay 20 percent to receive a grant to renovate the walking trail by the Nevada County Health Unit.

Jon Chadwell, executive director of the Prescott-Nevada County Economic Development Office, said the city had received a $43,000 grant for the project, but is required to put in 20 percent for matching funds. The resolution states the project will use federal funding and, when completed, the track will be open and available for use by the general public. It will also meet Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) regulations for the handicapped.

Chadwell said the resolution had to be passed for the city would show its support. He added the city's 20 percent match need not all be in cash, but can be, partially, in-kind labor. Additionally, the city's portion can come from the 2004 budget.

The city will be responsible for keeping the walking track maintained, along with keeping up with the lighting as there will be lights similar to the ones downtown along the track. However, the city must pick up the tab for the lights.

If the trail isn't lighted, Chadwell said, it won't be used. This is because more people tend to walk either early in the morning or later in the evening  around dawn and dusk. The lighting also provides safety and will help keep the track from being vandalized.

According to Chadwell, it will cost about $10,000 for the lighting.

The grant is from the Arkansas Highway Department, the same agency that funded the renovation of the Depot Museum. Once done, the track will be covered with asphalt to make it easier on those using it. Chadwell said the city's street crew could put the asphalt down as in-kind labor.

Councilman Howard Austin asked if the city could put a fence around the track to keep all-terrain vehicles off of it.

The grant, Chadwell said, doesn't pay for a fence, but the city isn't bound to this particular site for the project. However, this is the location of a former walking track and exercise area.

A site, though, must be selected as the resolution has been approved. Chadwell said this particular property is owned by the county. An interlocal agreement will be needed for the city to be able to do the project, but, he added, the county is willing.

Once complete, the track will be seven-feet wide and at least = mile long. "We could almost go 2/3 mile," he said."

But, as to fencing the property, he reminded the council the track must be open and available to the public. A fence would have to have a gate and the gate would need to be open at all hours. However, a fence could be constructed where an ATV couldn't get through. The city, though, would have to pay for the fencing as well.

Chadwell updated the council on the fire station/park building on the east side of town. He said plans call for the structure to be 120 feet by 65 feet, and halved so each agency gets a building 60 by 65.

The building, he said, will be on a solid concrete foundation with four-foot fill footers on each corner to help keep the water out.

The building committee suggested the bid be let for all of the work, but make the interior portion additives that can be deleted if the bids come in higher than the $110,000 budget.

Chadwell said the architect estimated the cost of the building would be between $138,000 and $168,000. But, he pointed out, this is the same architect the city used for the sidewalk project and the bid was about $85,000 less than his projections.

Mary Godwin, executive director of the Prescott-Nevada County Chamber of Commerce, presented the council with results from a survey it had commissioned her to do on the smoking issue. The survey showed most business owners did not want an ordinance regulating where people could or couldn't smoke for the city.

This issue was brought up at the August council meeting initially, and died at the October meeting as the council took no action on it.

Gregory Seborn, animal control officer, said the new addition to the Nashville shelter is almost complete. Another 50-feet was added to the existing building, making it 32 by 100 feet now.

The structure, he said, has 32 pens and can hold from 34 to 150 dogs, depending on how big they are. It can hold more than 200 puppies if need be.

In October, he said, 18 dogs and 18 cats were adopted out from the shelter.

"We come to Prescott two or three times a week," he said, "but we come at different times. The people of Prescott have been friendly and are happy to see us here."

The council also approved a 5 mill tax. This is not a new tax, but one that must be approved annually in order for the city to continue collecting it.

James Cox and Ann Stockton were not present for the meeting.