Karlovec approved for PFD

PRESCOTT – There was little business for the Prescott City Council at its May meeting Tuesday night, and what there was didn’t take long to finish.

The council approved replacing Gerald Heath with Brad Karlovec on the Prescott Fire Department. Basically, the council followed the PFD’s recommendation. Karlovec will have to go through the required classes and trainings to become certified.

Still, with that as the only item of business, the council found something to talk about. Bobbie Brown asked about an expenditure of $1,722.04 for the street department, questioning where any work was done. She was informed most of this money was for equipment repair.

She said there’s a lot of problems with the city’s streets, and a culvert on Manor is coming up. Brown questioned whether the street department’s employees were skilled enough to be doing this type of work, and if the city has the equipment it needs. She also asked about sealing the city’s streets to keep the water out.

Prescott Mayor Terry Oliver said other towns also have problems when it rains, especially with the storms the area’s been getting lately. Water damage, he said, has happened before, and is worse now. “The problem with sealant is the cost.”

Oliver said three years ago he checked into doing sealing work and found it to be cost prohibitive. The city, he continued, uses a company from Texarkana to do its sealing and street work, but a small area costs between $3,000 and $5,000. “We may need to get an engineer to look into it.”

Brown asked about the city buying its own sealing equipment, and whether the current street crew members are skilled enough to operate it.

Oliver said the department members have the ability, but the problem is the cost. He added the street department needs more equipment.

Changing gears, Brown said she’s tried reaching out to Ron Glass about his ideas for Trade Days, but the two haven’t been able to meet. She said she’ll schedule a meeting with him in a couple of weeks.

Mary Godwin, executive director of the Prescott-Nevada County Economic Development Office said the Prescott-Nevada County Chamber of Commerce tried to start a Trade Days, but couldn’t get local craftsmen to participate.

Oliver was asked about the electricity situation. He said there hasn’t been much change, but Hope will be having its meeting Wednesday and once this happens the Prescott City Council should be getting more involved.

Susie Meeks asked about the splash pad and was told Godwin and Oliver have met with Mike Marlar, the project engineer, who’s writing the specs and plans for the pad. From there, she was told, the information will go to the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism for its approval. Once it gives the OK, the contracts can be let. Godwin said she may have more to report at the June meeting.