Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Council Discusses Safety Needs

Concerns about the safety of police officers prompted discussion about buying bulletproof vests by the Gurdon City Council.

During its regular meeting, Monday, May 12, councilman Philip Giles said an officer has approached him asking what it would take to get vests for the Gurdon Police Department. Giles brought this up to the rest of the council.

Gurdon Mayor Rick Smith said the vests the GPD currently has do not meet certification because of their age. The council, he said, can authorize the purchase of bulletproof vests if it so desires.

He pointed out a lot of officers don't like wearing the vests all the time they're on duty, but will in times of emergencies.

Smith said if the city buys vests for the officers they should be worn at all times the officers are on duty. "It would be money well spent," he said of buying vests.

However, the problem would be finding money to buy bulletproof vests. Smith said there is no money in the general fund for such purchases, with Mary Burns, administrative assistant, adding there are no state or federal grants available to be used for this reason.

There is $1,600 in the drug fund which could go toward buying vests, but this wouldn't be enough to get a vest for each officer.

Smith said the City Fines 2 account could be used to help with the purchases if the council desired. The mayor told the council he would speak with city marshal David Childres on the matter again and see how money could be obtained to buy vests for the GPD.

The council also discussed a survey sent out this week. The survey is to see how the electorate feels about the need for animal control, an emergency siren system and additional funding for the GPD. Different methods of funding these projects are also broached on the questionnaire.

Smith hopes to get the results back and tabulated in time for the June council meeting.

He added questions to the original survey form about stray dogs running loose, causing problems and getting into people's garbage, to find out what the populace of Gurdon thinks of this issue.

The council agreed more money is needed in the general fund and the GPD needs additional money to operate on as well. Smith said if more revenue is not generated, another officer may have to be laid off. The GPD has already laid off one part-time officer.

Smith said the voter information for the survey was garnered from the county's election records. He said if any registered voters inside the city limits don't get a survey form they need to call city hall at 353-2514.

Glen Hughes suggested for those people who don't return the surveys to call their representative on the council to let them know how they feel.

Hughes said the response he's gotten so far has all been positive. "People are concerned about dog laws and how strict they'll be initially," he said.

Smith said the city can be lenient but exact when and if any animal control laws are enacted. "It won't take long to see who's abusing the system," he said.

"The survey is primarily to help fund the GPD. By doing this it will help the Street and Fire departments. We're taking money from them now."

Next up was funding for solid waste. Currently this is done through charges to the customers. Residential rates are $6.35 monthly, with senior citizens getting a discount at $4,90 per month.

Smith said it would be unpopular to say everyone should pay the same amount. Of the city's 619 residential accounts, he said, 214 are senior citizens.

But, at this point in time, the solid waste department is not operating in the red. The way it was originally designed, Smith said, allowed it to grow. The growth, though, stopped last year, when it started to decline.

The downturn began when Arkadelphia raised its rates. It costs the city $93.50 per ton to dispose of the refuse.

Additionally, he said, there are those who are abusing the system. Smith told the council there are residents who put out more garbage than their household could logically produce, and this is in excess of the five bag maximum limit.

He suggested those with large amounts of trash should call city hall to work out a plan for removal. Smith said it would costs the person(s) extra. It isn't fair, he said, for others on the system who don't have as much trash to pay the same as those who do.

There is a surplus of $6,900 in the solid waste account at this time, he said, and the city will do everything possible to avoid a solid waste rate increase.

The council also discussed streets to be repaired this summer. Smith said the street department has been working in the area of Plum Street, and there are not many gravel streets left in the city.

The county, he said, agreed to pave 10th Street later this year, getting it done the same time it paves the back entrance to the new Gurdon High School.

At this point in time, he said, the city has no plans to work on Stone Street. This is due to trucks being rerouted around the Caney Creek Bridge while it's being repaired. Smith said once the bridge is fixed the county has agreed to do a chip and seal job on Stone.

Residents in the area are unhappy with the trucks being routed through their neighborhood, but Smith said this was the closest route to the mill. Otherwise, they would have to go down 10th Street by the Gurdon Primary School.

The city's department will be working to repair Front Street in the area of the No. 2 Fire Station and Phillips Drive.

According to Jim Caldwell, street superintendent, the two resurfacing jobs can be done for about $15,000 total. He said it would cost about $6,000 to redo Front Street and around $8,500 for the Phillips Drive project.

Smith said the city has the money in the budget to do these two projects, but will have to bid out the asphalt work.

Specifications will be sent out soon so bids can be opened at the June meeting.

In other business, Smith said the rural water project has begun. He said the crews are doing a good job and this will help a lot of people.

The city received a $500 grant from the C. Lewis Cabe Foundation for the cemetery and may use the money to buy a new mower.

The council talked about establishing rules for having rummage-type sales at the park pavilion. In the past, non-profit groups have held such sales, but the problem is with individuals selling their wares on public property.

Smith said the pavilion should be utilized the same way the city hall board room is, with people making appointments to use it.

City recorder/treasurer Tambra Smith received a scholarship from the Arkansas Clerks and Recorders Institute to attend classes the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville toward her certification as a clerk. This is the third year in a row she's earned this scholarship.

Mayor Smith said he met with representatives of a company looking to locate a business in the area. Sho