Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Commission Working On New Budget

It's almost budget time for the Gurdon Water and Sewer Commission again.

Harold Hurst, department manager, told the commission a preliminary budget would be prepared for them next month, as the fiscal year begins June 1.

This year, he said at the regular monthly meeting, held Monday, May 19, the department will be running close to its proposed budget. Hurst said the figures were off somewhat in the area of sewer revenue, bad debts and miscellaneous income. "It's hard to predict," he said of the budgeting process.

The department will be audited in June, he said, with auditors scheduled to be in town June 17-18.

The commissioners agreed to name Hurst as the city's code enforcement officer, with the approval of the Gurdon City Council.

Hurst is currently the plumbing and electrical inspector. The other duties would include checking the installation of all new heating and air conditioning units.

The commissioners discussed how the fee for inspections should be handled, deciding to go with an 80-20 split. Hurst, they decided, would receive 80 percent of the inspection fee for his work, while the city gets the other 20 percent.

The council has addressed mechanical codes during its last two meetings. In June, it will vote on adopting the codes.

Hurst told the commissioners the contractor doing the installation is liable for any work done improperly, and must correct any problems found in the inspection.

The code enforcement, he said, is mandated by the state. Currently it is being done by the Arkansas Department of Health.

Having an inspector in Gurdon, Hurst said, would help the city when it applies for grants and low-interest loans.

The commission's decision will also be addressed at the June council meeting.

One of the hottest topics in town is the survey the city has sent to all registered voters.

Hurst said the council talked about placing an additional fee on the water bill for animal control, an emergency siren system and the Gurdon Police Department.

"I'd hate to see this on the water bill," he said.

The survey was mailed to find what the voters thought about these issues, and how they felt about funding them.

The added charge on water bills was one means of funding, with taxes of up to 1/2 cent being the others.

Hurst said if the fee is added to water bills, the department should get something for handling the transactions.

In other business, Hurst said a motor on the airport well burned out recently and had to be repaired. This resulted in a drop in water pressure in the affected area.

He said a new three-phase electric motor would cost about $1,600 and one would be nice to have on hand. However, it would be impractical, he added, to have it just sitting around.

The airport well motor is a 25 horsepower motor, while most others the department uses are 20 horsepower. These motors, Hurst said, are sized for the wells they are used in for the capacity the wells will produce.

He said once the new customers are added from the rural water system, having a backup motor will be more critical than it is now.

In discussing the rural water project, Hurst said it will be around the first of June before the well contractor starts drilling test sites for the well to be used on the project.

He reminded the panel it took three separate drillings before an adequate location could be found for the airport well.

According to Hurst, installing the lines in the Beirne area is almost complete, with the crew getting ready to move out of this region.

Some work has been done in the Red Springs Road area, he said, but no digging has taken place as of yet.

The contractor, he said, is trying to get more people in to help with the project so they can begin work on the Highway 53 and 67 portion.

"From all accounts I've seen," Hurst said, "they're doing a good job. I don't think the inspector will let them screw up."

He said the contractor is doing a good job on rough clean up as the work progresses.

According to Hurst, five condemnation escrows have been settled by property owners. He said several have called and came in wanting to settle up on the easements.

In other business, he said, the department has changed beeper companies and numbers. So far there have been no problems with the new supplier, but, he pointed out, there hasn't been a situation come up like the one recently when the airport well shut down.

There is a vacancy in the department, with applications being taken. Hurst said about 10 applications have been received and the personnel committee needs to meet to set up interviews with these candidates.