Standing-Room Only Crowd At Hope Board Meeting

HOPE – A standing-room only crowd met the Hope City Board of Directors as they made their way to their seats Tuesday night.

The meeting opened with Mayor Montgomery proclaiming February as Children’s Dental Health Awareness and Prevention Month.

The next order of business was the reappointment of Sharon Caldwell to her position on the City of Hope Advertising and Tourism Promotion Commission.

The topic that sparked the most discussion from both the Board and the audience members was the City of Hope Downtown and Hope Visitor’s Center position.  City Manager Catherine Cook stated that interviews were taking place and a recommendation regarding the preferred candidates should be forwarded to her within the next two weeks. Ms. Cook also discussed her talks with Main Street Arkansas about the petinters of of the program, funding and community involvement.

Discussion was then opened up to the audience, where a group of Hope/Hempstead County Chamber of Commerce Board Members presented a proposed agenda they have developed entitled “Achieve Hope”. Under this program, the positions of Chamber Director, Arts Council Director, Depot Manager and a Main Street Developer would be combined into one position. This position would be be governed by a ‘master board’, with three members from the Chamber Board, three from the Arts Council and three from the city. Mayor Montgomery thanked them for their participation in  the discussion.

Audience discussion then turned to the condition of the majority of the buildings downtown and why the city can’t do something about them. Members of the audience claimed that that there was an obvious discrepancy in how city code enforcement was handled; Cook replied that that the codes are the same for any property within the city limits. Attorney Blake Montgomery discussed legal procedures on how properties could be taken by the city and offered to do the legal work for free. The Board agreed that more needed to be done and this was a serious matter that they would look into.

Next, Ms. Cook gave an update on Nature and Extent Investigation on the city landfill; no action was required or taken.

The Board next voted to waive bids for the repair of a 2010 Freight Liner Residential Trash Truck that needs a complete motor replacement. The quote for repairs is $21,566.70 from Texarkana Truck Center, with a one-year warranty.

The Board also voted to authorize increasing the rail car fee from the current $15 per rail car to $40 per rail car. The City Attorney will draw up amendments to the user industries’ agreements and, if the user industries wish, they can pay retroactively to 2016. Ms. Cook noted that she is working with the Hempstead County Economic Development Corporation to find grants that might address entire rail spur rehabilitation.

Cook gave an update on the landfill project, noting that the City was unhappy with the work progress being performed by the contractor. She said there had been a meeting between the City and the contractor, Cleve Batts, as to what needed to be done about the lack of progress. Work is now expected to be completed in May.

The wastewater project contractors are making good progress, but it was noted that the Midland Street part of the project is still in bad shape.

Finally, a reception for former Mayor Dennis Ramsey and Director Willie Walker will be held February 21st, from 4:00pm to 6:00pm and is open to the public.