Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Short Meeting Wasn't

A short meeting was anticipated for the October meeting of the Gurdon City Council.

Didn't happen.

The meeting began Monday night with Gurdon Mayor Rick Smith making up a quorum. This changed when councilman Phillip Giles arrived and the meeting got underway.

Following the passage of the September minutes, councilman Mickey Jones showed up.

She questioned taxes for the animal control department, and was informed these were simply standard payroll taxes for the animal control officer.

Next on the agenda was the paying of bills, with Jones asking about 9-1-1 booklets.

Smith said these booklets contain maps of all city and county roads in Clark County, with the booklets given to all emergency personnel, as well as the Street Department. The idea of the booklets is to help emergency personnel find where those in need live quickly so they can arrive faster and assess the problem, hopefully working the situation out to a safe ending.

Jones then asked about signs for the animal control vehicle.

At this time, though, there is no "official" animal control vehicle. The department will purchase the pickup from the Street Department once the vehicle ordered for it through state purchasing arrives. This should be sometime around the first of the year.

When both departments have their vehicles, signs will be placed on them denoting what department they belong to.

Smith added animal control signs were also bought to go on the trailer used by the animal control officer.

Then came questions about the animal control officer's uniforms.

The mayor explained the officer was given the option of having the uniforms rented or bought outright. He chose having them bought and being placed in his care for cleaning.

The animal control uniform will be along the lines of the Gurdon Police Department, including a badge, which has been special ordered and is being custom made as are all such badges.

When all is said and done, the animal control officer will have three sets of uniforms and a jacket for cooler weather. These uniforms, Smith said, should last 18 months or more, depending on how they are used and cared for.

He said the new truck, a 1999 Dodge, for the Street Department has been ordered at a cost of $16,967.

The council was informed Don Stone donated 1.25 acres to the city for the cemetery. The property adjoins the cemetery. Trees on the property have been cleared and the deed has been recorded in the city's name.

However, more cleanup work will be done before the land can be used for its intended purpose. The property borders the southeast side of Rose Hedge Cemetery and will add quite a few burial plots, extending the cemetery's life span.

Smith will contact the Hot Springs engineer who helped work on the city maps to draw a plat map of the cemetery's newest addition.

He said there is another acre between the cemetery and electric substation the city could use for burial plots. This land is owned by Entergy and Smith will contact the utility company about possibly donating it to Gurdon.

The city, he said, will send Stone a letter acknowledging his gift to the city.

On the topic of the housing authority, Smith said the two positions formerly open had been filled.

Jerry Hill will be the new housing director, while W.H. Wright will be the maintenance man.

From housing the council turned to the topic of solid waste. A public hearing will be held at the Gurdon City Hall Tuesday, Nov. 24 for the purpose of discussing the acquiring and permitting property for a landfill near the city.

Smith said the Southwest Regional Solid Waste Management District, made up of Clark, Garland and Hot Spring counties, currently have a contract with BFI to handle the tri-county area's garbage, but need a backup for the future.

The backup is getting the option on some property and having the land permitted for a landfill through the Arkansas Department of Pollution Control and Ecology.

Smith told the council it would cost the district between $5 and $8 million to build a landfill, and will take about two years to get the land permitted by the PC&E.

However, he said, getting landfills permitted is getting harder each year with new regulations being sent down from the federal government, as well as the PC&E, on environmental protection, so it's best to get the permit as soon as possible.

But, getting the land permitted for use as a landfill won't mean one will be constructed immediately. Instead, the permit will be used as a bargaining chip when the district has to negotiate a new contract in a few years.

Smith then discussed the recent clean up campaign in Gurdon, saying there were 120-125 slips turned in by residents to have refuse picked up.

The campaign began in 1994, during Smith's first year in office, and became so popular the city tries to have it twice each year. Smith said the city is looking at doing this three or four times each year because of its popularity and the response from the public.

Animal Control was next on the agenda, with Smith telling the council Dr. Waymack, the Arkadelphia veterinarian working with the city, charges Gurdon $125 per month for consultation and euthanization. However, this amount could be reduced when the volume of animals from Gurdon slows down.

As it stands, since the city began picking up stray dogs, nearly 60 have been picked up.

But, Smith said, the city can be certified to do euthanize animals. He said a deal could be worked out where Gurdon would euthanize the animals for both Gurdon and Arkadelphia, while making use of the Arkadelphia dog pound.

In the Mayor's Report, Smith said he'd contacted the Boy Scouts of America about a piece of property the group owns by the Gurdon Post Office. The Street Department uses this land to put equipment on when not in use.

The property was originally appraised at $12,000, with the Boy Scouts asking $9,500 for it. Smith offered the BSA $8,750 with the conditions the city get a clear marketable title, title insurance and a survey done.

Representatives from the Boy Scouts verbally agreed to these terms, but nothing is in writing yet. The deal, Smith said, could be closed within 30 days.

He said the Clark County Industrial Council will be meeting in Gurdon Thursday at the Cabe Student Center at Gurdon High School. Smith will inform the CCIC of what's been going on in Gurdon of late.

Jones broke in with a question about the emergency warning sirens the city is to purchase and install.

Smith said the reason the sirens haven't been bought and put in is money. The half-cent sales tax Gurdon residents passed in Nov. 1997 for the sirens, animal control and the Gurdon Police Department, didn't start getting collected by the state un