Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Council passes resolutions for new industry

Four resolutions were approved by the Prescott City Council to help get a new business underway.

Actually, the resolutions were for two businesses being housed in the same building, the old Prescott manufacturing plant. One of the businesses is Southern Standard Molds, the other is Milwaukee Concrete Studios.

A public hearing was held before the council meeting, with those attending stating they favored working to help obtain grants for the new businesses.

The first resolution was to apply for a grant through the Arkansas Community Economic Development Agency. Prescott Mayor Howard Taylor will submit the grant application, and, if approved, the money will be used to purchase equipment. The second resolution was to name the Southwest Arkansas Planning and Development District as grant administrator, should the grant be awarded. These resolutions dealt with Southern Standard Molds.

The next two resolutions were identical, but were for Milwaukee Concrete Studios.

A fifth resolution passed by the council was approving a five-year contract with the Nevada County Ambulance Service. The contract will run from Jan. 1, 2005 through Dec. 31, 2009.

The NCAS will be partially funded by the city and county. The county will pay $25,000 per year in 12 monthly installments, while the city will give $20,000 in one lump sum on July 1 of each year.

The council also passed an ordinance raising the water rates in Prescott by $5 per month. What was interesting in the meeting was councilman Jerry Wilson voting against allowing the ordinance to be introduced, and once passed, voted against the emergency clause which puts it into effect.

The last water rate increase was in 2001. Taylor said the hike is needed to defray the cost of operating the water system. The increase will generate $92,000 a year for the water and sewer department.

Under the ordinance, the new minimum charge for residential users with a 3/4 inch meter will be $13.30 per month. Commercial customers with this size meter will see an increase to $15.10.

For one inch meters it will be $13.90 for residential users and $15.70 for commercial customers. One and a quarter inch meters will be $14.50 for homes and $16.30 for businesses. With meters 1.5 inches the residential rate will be $15.10, while the commercial rate goes to $16.90. Finally, two inch meters will be $16.90 for homes and $19 for businesses.

Connection fees will be $175 for a 3/4 inch tap; $225 for a one inch tap; and $530 for a two inch tap.

This ordinance does not affect the cost for rural water customers.

"We don't like raising rates," Taylor said, "but there's fiscal responsibility involved."

Carl Dalrymple, city accountant, told the council the auditors said the rates needed to be raised  in fact, he said, they were adamant about it.

The council also approved buying a truck from Golden hart of Camden. The truck, for the city's electric department, was in this year's budget. Bids were sought, with two being submitted.

Golden Hart's bid was $23,067, while the bid from Smackover Motors was $23,195. The city will have to wait six to eight weeks for delivery.

Howard Austin, chairman of the committee to look into the park commission's charter, said the group discussed the park's situation and examined the old ordinance.

The ordinance calls for five people to act as commissioners, all from the City of Prescott. However, it also grants the authority to increase the number to seven commissioners, with a minimum of five being from the city.

Austin said there are currently only two members on the commission, though there are some possible candidates. All terms are for five years, and the mayor will be required to make the appointments.

City Attorney Glenn Vasser said he wasn't sure the state statute will allow residents from the county to serve on the commission and will check into it. He will report his findings at the March meeting, along with having an ordinance prepared.