City applying for sidewalk grant

By Staff, 04/30/18 2:14 PM

PRESCOTT – In a special meeting of the Prescott City Council, Monday afternoon, a resolution was passed to apply for a sidewalk grant.

If approved, sidewalks will be built on both sides of Hwy. 67 from Baily Street to Hale Ave. on one side, and from Bailey to the Baptist Clinic on the other. This is an 80-20 grant, with Prescott to put up 20 percent of the construction costs, if the grant is approved by the Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department using federal-aid funds.

Mary Godwin, executive director of the Prescott-Nevada County Economic Development Office, said several similar projects have been done in Prescott already, one being from Main to the schools, and the other the sidewalks on Main Street itself.

The five members of the council on hand for the meeting were told there were several options. One option was to do from Bailey to Hale Ave. on one side only. Another was to do the stretch on the other side, which would lead to Baptist Clinic, and the third was to do both sides. The cost, the panel was told would be $125,000 to do either side alone, with Prescott having to come up with $41,000, which would cover its part and the engineering fees at $16,000. Doing both sides, will cost $230,000, with the city’s part to be $62,000, along with the engineering fees.

Godwin said a lot of people walk in this area to the grocery store and drug store, but use the shoulder of the road. The five-foot wide sidewalks would help prevent this from happening. She reminded the council it put $30,000 in the budget for grants, using sales tax money, for this year, and the rest could be added in the 2019 budget. However, she added, the engineering fees of $16,000 will have to be paid by the city this fall.

The city should know if its grant application is approved by late summer. If it is, engineering work will begin in the fall, with work to be done in 2019.

City accountant Carl Dalrymple told the panel it needs to make sure the funds are earmarked in the budget for 2019 from sales tax, or the city will have to come up with the money elsewhere.

Prescott Mayor Terry Oliver said there’s $45,000 available for the renovation of Bemis Field that could be used if the field isn’t worked on.

Godwin told the council there will be an Arbor Day Celebration at 10 a.m. on May 9 at Prescott Elementary School. Students in the fourth grade will be given a seedling to plant, and a tree will be planted at PES.