VanHook new parks director

PRESCOTT – Carlos VanHook was introduced to the Prescott City Council as the new director of the Prescott Parks and Recreation Department.

This was done Monday night at the council’s August meeting. VanHook replaces Steve Crow who’d been the director more than 20 years. He told the panel he looks forward to working with the Parks Commission and working with young people is a passion of his.

Prescott Mayor Terry Oliver pointed out VanHook was selected by the commissioners and is already on the job. Oliver said VanHook has a lot of good plans and a good work ethic. He added the VanHook family has made a name for itself in Prescott’s athletic archives as members have played on three state football championship teams. Oliver said Vanhook has coached in the parks league with him, but he also umpires baseball and has directed a lot of large gatherings.

From there, the council voted to approve Berry Marks to the parks commission to replace Satarra Williams, who stepped down. Oliver said Marks coaches pee wee football with him and brings “big town” park experience with him as he’s worked in Indiana and Florida. Additionally, Oliver said, Marks has coached youngsters who have gone on to become professional athletes.

Mary Godwin, executive director of the Prescott-Nevada County Economic Development Office (EDO) updated the council on what her office has been doing. She said the bid sheets for the sidewalk project were opened on Aug. 2, adding this was the third time bids were sought for this project. One bid was received for $230,769.

Oliver said the big jobs are the ones getting the bids but Prescott was lucky with this one. He pointed out the engineers did the preliminary cost report in 2018 to do both sides of Hwy. 67, with the figure being $230,000. Four years later, he added, the bid is $230,769.

Godwin said there’s no start date yet as there’s still work to be done before construction begins, but the project could begin this year. Councilman Howard Austin asked if the city has the money for this. Oliver said the city’s part was 20 percent. Godwin said the city has that and it was put back in 2018, but delayed because of COID-19. This project will see sidewalks added down Hwy 67 from the Department of Human Services to the former Smiles office on one side and from Family Dollar to Baptist Clinic on the other.

She continued reminding the council a few years ago the EDO applied for a drainage grant through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) but was turned down. This year, she said, her office applied to the Arkansas Economic Development Commission (AEDC) for the same area and was approved. The  grant is for $300,000 and will involve shoring up streets around McRae Park as they’re eroding dangerously, especially in the Hays Street area.

She said her office is finishing up the grants for McRae and City Park, trying to get the last things in place. The city should know if the grants are approved by the end of the year.

In discussing cleanup around the city, Godwin said the city has had problems finding an excavator this summer, but finally found one in Shreveport. This piece of heavy equipment should be in town next week and will be used to raze 8-10 houses. She reminded the panel the county only allows so many houses to be put in the landfill each year. She said she’ll bring a list of houses to be torn down to the September meeting. The city will have use of the excavator for a month.

In addition, she said the EDO has been working on making sure people are taking care of their yards. While most comply, she told the council, there are some, usually the same ones, who won’t mow unless they’re contacted in person or receive a letter. Godwin pointed out these are local landlords with rental property.

Councilman Ivory Curry suggested the city develop an ordinance for landlords who don’t maintain their properties.

The longest portion of the meeting came under citizens communication when Jacob Brown wanted to discuss the utility bills in town. He said his light bill has been high lately and he’s paid $2,000 the last three months. He asked if the city has a plan to do something about this, or if it’s just going to continue as is. He pointed out there are people who can’t afford their light bills. He also asked if there were different utility rates.

Larry Jones, Jr., with the electric department, said there are two rates – one for homes that are all electric and one for homes that aren’t. However, he added, the rates are roughly two cents different per kilowatt hour (kwh).

Oliver said the city has been using the best electric lawyers in the state, but has a contract that goes until 2038. He reminded Brown the contract was approved before he became mayor and has no exit clause, meaning the city has no way out. He said the city has been working with the lawyers and InFront Consultants of Florida to try and get some relief. He said when city officials meet with SWEPCO and tell them they’re killing the community, the SWEPCO people act like they just want to get home to supper.

Brown asked what the city is doing to let the public know what’s being done. Oliver said the city has put information in bills and on social media, but nobody believes what the city says.

Members of the council agreed, with Curry saying he has six meters and does what he can to manage things by paying attention to his usage. They agreed they, too, have to pay high electric bills and don’t get special rates for being on the council.

Jones said the department could add fliers to bills again, letting the people know what’s being done, but doubts anyone will read them. “I don’t see things changing in the near future. Natural gas prices are still high keeping the light bills high.” Jones continued, saying the outage Sunday was because part of Entergy’s equipment failed and the company is down to one transformer as the other was damaged. Water is being ran over the transformer to keep it cool, but, he added, if it goes down, Prescott won’t be the only area affected.

Austin asked about getting the decorative trees on street corners trimmed as they impede the vision of drivers. Godwin said the trees were paid for via donation by Pete and Meredith DeWoody, who say the trees have to be trimmed a certain way. She said it would be best to let the Master Gardeners take care of trimming these trees.