Food distribution coming in October

By Staff, 09/9/20 10:01 AM

PRESCOTT – Area residents should be happy to hear another food distribution event is coming to Prescott and Nevada County.

Amy McLane, with the Central Arkansas Development Council (CADC) told the Nevada County Quorum Court, at its September meeting Tuesday, the last distribution was so successful another one has been scheduled. The number of boxes to be distributed isn’t known at this time.

McLane said the distribution will be done on Oct. 22, but volunteers will be needed at the Potlatch Building on Oct. 21 to box up the foodstuffs.

When the first distribution event was planned, enough people showed up to pack the food in 45 minutes with the 300 boxes handed out in less than an hour. Packing, she said, will be done from 8 a.m. until noon on Oct. 21, or until it’s finished, whichever comes first.

She also had some bad news, letting the court know the CADC has run out of money to help with utility bills for the remainder of the year. She added, more funding may be available next year.

McLane told the panel she’s been working with census employees, taking them around the county to help get census forms filled out.

In other business, Mary Godwin, executive director of the Prescott-Nevada County Economic Development Office, updated the county on grants. She said a grant the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office submitted to the Department of Finance and Administration (DFA) for $92,000 is on hold as there’s been issues on making a decision on it. If approved, $30,000 of the grant will go to the NCSO for overtime, with another $7,000 for employee benefits, while a portion will be used to pay for professional services to clean the Nevada County Courthouse for the corona virus and equipment for the NCSO.

She had Justice of the Peace Chris Fore talk about the Laneburg Volunteer Fire Department grant. He said the slab is down, but weather problems have prevented volunteers from getting the building up, though the steel skeleton is in place. The LVFD is seeking an extension because of the weather problems, and, with luck and good weather, the building will be completed in six to eight weeks.

The corona virus also caused delays in the Oak Grove community center project. JP Herbert Coleman said a pre-construction conference will be held on Sept. 14 and work will start thereafter.

Godwin said Bodcaw has been awarded a rural water grant for $500,000 for water extension. What makes this grant different, she said, is it includes running water to homes directly, while other grants required homeowners to fund getting water from the meter to their houses.

She reminded the court the Southwest Arkansas Planning and Development District (SDWAPDD)  requires the county to redo its hazard mitigation plan every five years. Nevada County is in the third year of its current plan. Godwin said the update is a two-year process and will cost around $9,000, adding the county needs to think about this at budget time.

Last time, the county split the fee into two payments and plans to do the same this time.

Jamie Hillery, executive director of the Prescott-Nevada County Chamber of Commerce, provided the court copies of the Chamber’s annual report, which included an updated list of the members along with the new executive committee on the board of directors. The board of directors are: Katherine Crain, Sarah Cross, Hillery and Daren Neal.

The Chamber, she said, has big plans for the coming year, including holding the annual Fall Festival on Oct. 10 from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. on the courthouse lawn. However, she added, because of COVID-19, things will be different and the festival will be scaled down. There will be no bounce houses and fewer vendors with the vendors spread out. In fact, she said, there will only be a third as many vendors as usual.

Plans are also in place for the Chamber’s annual Trick or Treat on Elm St. on Oct. 29 at 5:30 p.m.

Toward  the end of the meeting, Nevada County Judge Mark Glass said he’s heard nothing on the Nubbin Hill project as plans are being drafted.

JP Bob Cummings informed the court Ricky Reyenga, chief deputy with the Nevada County Collector’s Office, has tendered his resignation due to health reasons. He will continue to volunteer during tax and election season.

The resignation was accepted, with the court deciding to hold off on hiring a replacement until the first of the year to save money and see of a replacement is needed. There are still two employees in the office.