Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Commission Looks At Condeming 27 Project Easements

Who is responsible for signing condemnations for easements on the Gurdon Rural Water Project?

This was discussed Monday night at the regular monthly meeting of the Gurdon Water and Sewer Commission.

According to Harold Hurst, superintendent of the department, 27 easements will have to be condemned so the project can begin. He told the panel city attorney Eric Hughes has been working on the problem and said it is up to the department manager and chairman of the water commission to sign the condemnations.

However, project engineer Charles Summerford said it is the mayor's duty to sign the papers condemning the property in question.

But, following Hughes' reasoning, the law states the governing body should sign. In this case, the governing body of the project is the Gurdon Water and Sewer Commission. This would mean Hurst and board president Bill Dulin would sign off on the easements.

Dulin, though, said he was under the impression the county judge had to sign off on the condemnations, while the mayor signs other papers on the project.

Hurst said Gurdon Mayor Rick Smith has been signing project papers all along, and agreed with the concept of the county judge signing the easement condemnations. However, Clark County Judge Grady Runyan, Hurst added, has only signed off on the contract from the Arkansas Industrial Development Commission (AIDC).

"I figured it would all go through the county," he said. "I've been told the city will own and operate the water line, so the city has the right to sign off on the easements."

Then came the next problem. Dulin's term on the commission ends March 31. He told the board he will not sign these condemnations because he doesn't want to get the city in trouble. "I have no right to sign," he said, adding he would like to serve another term on the panel.

"Someone will have to sign (the condemnations)," Hurst said, "but it's not fair to ask y'all to sign anything."

The remaining members of the board moved, seconded and voted to keep Dulin on for another term. His name will be submitted to the Gurdon City Council for approval at the council's April meeting.

Hurst said if the council says Dulin has to sign the condemnations, he can always resign his post.

"I appreciate you staying on, and don't blame you for not wanting to sign the condemnations," Hurst said.

In other business, Hurst said the department received a report from the Arkansas Soil and Water

Commission on how the Gurdon department ranks according to rate structure.

He said Gurdon's rates are lower than 70 percent of the rates in the state for water only.

According to the figures, based on 4,000 gallons of water, the lowest rate was $4.35, while the highest monthly bill was $50 on average. The median monthly bill was $16.02, with Gurdon being $13.95.

"We're in the top 30 for the lowest price," Hurst said.

Additionally, Gurdon's system is not in violation of any rules or regulation concerning a water system.

Then came a discussion on maintaining the water tanks. Utility Services, a Georgia-based company has offered to maintain the city's tanks for $7,761 per year, with a guarantee of painting the tanks once in a 10 year period.

The company also said it would repair the tank on 10th Street, bringing it up to standards at a cost of $34,761.

This would include cleaning out the inside, repairing a protection grate on the interior fill pipe, grouting mould from the exterior legs, repairing the cables, bringing the safety climb and catwalk up to today's standards and repair the lights on the tank, along with repainting its interior. The outside of the tank was recently repainted.

Hurst said the last time the tank's exterior was repainted, it cost the department almost $30,000, and this was in 1991.

And, he said, the city can apply for a grant for up to $15,000 to help offset the cost of the initial repairs. However, the city cannot apply for the grant until the next cycle, as the deadline for this grant cycle has passed.

Hurst said two public meetings must be held to meet some of the requirements for the grant, and he will check on what else is needed for making an application.

Under the contract with Utility Services, though, Hurst said the city would never touch the tanks again. Every two years, under the contract, the tanks will be drained and cleaned of any mud and silt residue inside.

The tanks will be painted "when needed", with the company making the final determination on when this is done. However, Hurst said, the city can call the company at any time when it thinks the tanks may need painting.

This won't cost Gurdon anything, and the company will send a representative to inspect the tanks and make a determination.

Additionally, the company can't raise its fees for the first three years of the contract, and then cannot, under terms of the agreement, raise the fees by more than 5 percent.

Hurst said Utility Services has been around for about 30 years, primarily working in Georgia and along the East Coast. The company is now working to get into the nation's heartland.