Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Village Moving Into Gurdon

A "village of friends" will soon be coming to Gurdon.

At Monday night"s meeting of the Gurdon City Council, Mary Jane Allen and Dr. Claudine Chamners spoke of plans for the old Gurdon Hospital.

Allen said there have been a lot of false starts at the old hospital, but work is being done to renovate the facility so it can be made into an assisted living center.

Along with assisted living, she said, the facility, which will be called "Ami Village", roughly translating from French to the "Village of Friends," will also have a full service restaurant.

According to Allen, the restaurant's menu has been completed and the search for cooks is underway.

Work on the old hospital is being done in phases, Allen told the council, with different parts being opened as the phases are completed.

However, she stressed the assisted living center and restaurant would be the first phase finished so the facility would be operational.

Dr. Chamners, who hales from the Gurdon area, said the concept is about to give birth.

At one time she operated an alcohol treatment center in the region, and another such center may be opened in the future, she said. But, one of the first venues of treatment to be opened after the assisted living center and restaurant will be for those with multiple chemical sensitivities.

Dr. Chamners said there are few such centers in the nation existing with the capability of treating those people suffering from this modern malady of chemical sensitivity. "These are normal people who become ill because of the chemicals around them," she told the council.

This center, once open, could help bring people, business and new industry to the Gurdon region, she said. A full wing of the old hospital will be cordoned off for those with chemical sensitivity. The patients there will be virtually living in a "bubble" free of toxins.

Another idea for the old hospital and Townhouse Restaurant, is the opening of a child care facility to help working parents.

Dr. Chamners said they are studying the possibility of a "mini-mall" type of business in the structure as well. These businesses, she said, would be health food stores, book stores and an antique shop

Plans also include having lecture series at Ami Village with noted speakers from around the nation and world speaking on various topics. "We'd like to use the locale for educational seminars, Dr. Chamners said.

Allen said they have equipment for working with children with attention deficit disorders. Currently this equipment is in storage.

She said no medical treatment or therapy will be offered specifically by the "Village", but the equipment will be on hand to be used by trained personnel with the Mercy Medical Clinic.

Once the entire facility has been renovated, Allen said, open portions will be used for whatever is in demand.

However, she stressed this project is not competing with the local and area nursing homes, but is offering a completely different, yet needed, service.

Ami Village, she said, will not have the capability to tend residents who are ill, as no medical staff will be on hand.

At this time, though, no specific date has been set for the opening of Ami Village. Allen said hopes are to have the initial renovations completed by mid-January.

After the facility opens, she said, it could employ a minimum of 20 people, as it will be open seven days a week, 24 hours a day for the residents. As more renovations are completed and businesses come in, more jobs will be open.

One of Dr. Chamness's plans is to make films and documentaries of the operation to create a video library of what is done there.

Gurdon Mayor Rick Smith said the idea sounds good and informed the council a doctor has visited the area and is looking at possibly relocating his practice to Gurdon. Nothing more is known at this time.

In other business, Smith said the city has enough in its budget to fund the Gurdon Police Department for this month. This is possible, he said, because other areas are under budget and the funds can be transferred to the GPD.

However, there are problems with the solid waste budget. Smith said for the first time ever, the city does not have enough money in the solid waste budget to pay the Gurdon Water and Sewer Department for its handling of the billing. The city, he said, is about $215 short.

At this time, he suggested nothing be done as the Gurdon Water and Sewer Commission will be meeting Monday, Dec. 15. The mayor will attend this meeting and explain the situation to the commissioners, asking if they will agree to a reduction in the handling fee.

The commission has agreed, in the past, to reduce the handling fee, going from 10 percent to 6 percent.

Smith said the Southwest Central Regional Solid Waste District, comprised of Clark, Garland and Hot Spring counties, is looking at ways to help reduce the cost of handling solid waste.

He said a study is being done to see if it is feasible to build a landfill in the area. Preliminary testing shows the Gurdon region to have the best land for such a facility.

But, a landfill would require a bond issue done by three counties. This has never been done in Arkansas.

In other business, Smith said Union Pacific Railroad has been contacted about problems with trains delaying traffic in the city. However, the UP's attorney is on vacation and the rail company wants to wait until he returns before discussing the issue.

Because of claims filed, insurance rates for city workers will be going up. Individual plans will go from $40 to 44 per month, while the family plan will rise from $175 to 189.

Smith said the city received a letter from the law firm of Wright, Chaney, Berry and Daniels, stating the firm would no longer be handling criminal cases, instead focusing on civil law.

However, city attorney Rodney Moore has agreed to represent the city as its prosecuting attorney until a replacement can be found.

City employees will be getting a bit more in their Christmas bonus this year. The council voted to give full time employees $100 and part-time workers a $50 bonus for the holiday.