Prospect looking at Potlatch property

By Staff, 02/23/21 10:42 AM

PRESCOTT – A Zoom meeting will be set up next week to discuss the zoning situation in Prescott.

This was discussed at the February meeting of the Prescott City Council Monday night. The meeting was live as the councilmen had to be sworn in, and were, at the start of the meeting. Members of the council will be given the chance to ask questions and suggest changes to the city’s zoning ordinance.

Mary Godwin, executive director of the Prescott-Nevada County Economic Development Office, said this could take more than one meeting.

She also told the council there is a prospect looking at the Potlatch facility as a trans-load facility which would require access and use of the railroad tracks on the property. This company would offload tractor trailers so semis could hook up and take them to their destination. She said the city would have to enter into an agreement with the short line railroad there and the council would need to approve it. Copies of the agreement have been given to Prescott Mayor Terry Oliver and city attorney Glenn Vasser. A special meeting may be required as the company in question doesn’t want to wait until the March meeting for a decision to be made by the city.

Godwin presented the lone bid for mowing for the city. The Colbert family was the only bidder with a bid of $290 per mowing for downtown. This, she said, is the same price as last year.

She toldĀ  the council Farmer’s Bank and Trust donated the former building to the Economic Charitable Foundation and it has been leased to Percy and Donna Malone for use as a child safety center. She also said 134 people were issued license for medical marijuana in Nevada County.

Jamie Hillery, executive director of the Prescott-Nevada County Chamber of Commerce, said there will be a ribbon tying event for the Malone center on March 4 from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. She also said there will be a community cleanup on May 5 with the Chamber partnering with the Arkansas Great Cleanup. There will be cash prizes to the teams collecting the most trash.

Normally, she said, the Chamber holds its banquet in April, but one was held recently so the date has changed. The banquet will be held in August this year, she said, and the Chamber is taking nominations for Citizen of the Year and Hometown Hero at this time. She pointed out all nominations must be done in writing and given to the Chamber.

Oliver informed the council the Nevada County Ambulance Service (NCAS) had been bought by Pafford Medical Service of Hope and the city will have to have an agreement with Pafford.

Vasser said the city has a contract with the NCAS with around 3.5 years left on it and it will probably continue to exist under Pafford, though the city needs to execute the assignment and assumption of the contract to Pafford. The city, he added, needs to be assured the same equipment and personnel will be in Prescott.

Oliver said he’ll try to have a representative from Pafford at the March council meeting.

Blake Rogers was on hand from Turner, Rogers, Manning and Plyler CPA of Arkadelphia, to inform the city of the results of the 2019 audit. He said Prescott has been a client of the firm since 1978 and received an unqualified opinion in the audit, which is good as no problems were found. While there were no problems, there were areas of concern needing to be addressed, primarily with receipt books. He said no books are missing, but they’re not being used in order. Additionally, invoices are not being approved by authorized personnel, and in district court, there’s a problem with the segregation of duties. The district court situation, he said, is nothing new as there’s such a small staff it would be impossible to segregate all the duties the way auditors want them done. Some tickets, he continued, are unreadable and others aren’t being properly voided. The council approved the audit report.

As the meeting came to an end, Vasser brought up the Nubbin Hill project. He told the council there will be a hearing next week and a deal has been reached to move the city’s water line in the area. Most of the line will be within the existing easement, but some will be moved to the new right-of-way and be condemned by the county. The county will pay the city more than $11,500 for boring and material, while the city will absorb labor cost.

Vasser said this has been in the works for months with the city and county working together. He asked for the council’s approval so it could be submitted at the hearing. The council approved.

Councilman Ivory Curry said he’s been asked about having skateboard ramps installed in the park. No action or discussion was done on this topic.