Hope City Board

On Tuesday Hope City Board met in Hope City Hall. Mark Ross, Steve Montgomery and Reginald Easter were absent.

The first topic of consideration was the Soccer and Kelly Field concession stand bids.  The first concern with the contacts was the question of whether or not those operating the concession stand would be required to open for all events and the lack of consequences if they didn’t open.  There was a motion by Trevor Coffee to approve the higher bid, which was seconded and approved.

The next topic was the consideration of the Hope Housing Authority appointment of Stephanie Espinoza to the Board of Commissioners. The question was asked if this appointment could be voted against and the Mayor said yes and someone else would have to be appointed. As Espinosa was seen as an appropriate person for the job Coffee made a motion to accept the appointment which was seconded and approved.

Sylvia Brown then spoke on the second annual Juneteenth celebration. She stated that it was the 163rd anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation.  Brown stated they were planning to have a reception at Historic Washington.   She noted in addition to being the Confederate capitol of Arkansas, it was also the Southwest Freedman’s District Headquarters. She expressed the desire to reestablish the black community within the fabric of Hempstead County and to move forward in partnership within the community government. Brown talked about three levels of sponsorship of the event – Black futures at $500, Carter G Woodrun Pioneers at $175 and Freedom Fighters at $50. The police chief will approve the route for the parade.

The board looked at a waive bid ordinance concerning the purchasing of AWIN talkgroups. The city received confirmation of the award of grant funds from the Arkansas Public Safety Communications Grant Project in the amount of $135,917.60. Part of the project was a request and the receipt of approval for funds to purchase two radio talk groups on the Arkansas Wireless Information Network system. The total cost of the talk groups is $40,000 of which the city will need to pay $10,000 and the state will pay the rest The Hope Police Department sought emergency board authorization to waive competitive bidding for the purchase of the two talk groups. This would be a one-time fee and the city would not be required to pay for maintenance costs. These talk groups would be for the police and fire departments. This was approved.

The next topic was wastewater rates.  Revenue is less than the costs incurred.  The deficit is $4,668 a month.  The Hope Housing Authority and its residents have not been charged. The question was asked whether the Housing Authority or its residents would be charged. City Manager J.R. Wilson said he hasn’t made a recommendation yet. Wilson said that the basic charge for customers was $10.50 and $2.75 per thousand gallons. The statement was made the law requires the board to review its rates annually. Currently, the city is out of compliance with its own ordinance.  The discussion included fixed rates and whether they are equitable. The sewage pipes run outside of the city. Non metered users are charged $16.50.  No action was taken.

In the City Manager’s report Wilson stated that he had received two letters from the ADEQ and the city has 30 days to respond.  The first was a disposal plan. This has been completed. The other dealt with the landfill.

Wilson next talked about the city wanting to purchase or lease 3.5 acres in the industrial park so that it can be used for a non-industrial purpose. Dana Suttles Tucking Company will use the land.

Wilson said that he had toured the airport and that it was looking good.

Wilson said both batting cages were up.  The dirt has been shaped but the sod hasn’t been placed as it is too wet to cut. Wilson said the only thing lacking in the Pocket Park is a bench.

Wilson stated that he would be out of office from the 12th through the 16th attending a Manager’s Meeting in Little Rock and then firearms safety in Dallas.

The City Manager talked about the Streetscape Project. The engineer wants $65,000 to add electrical sockets to the light poles, which would be on their own circuit. Wilson stated it was too much money and that solar would be an additional $2,000.

While laying some sidewalk next to Hope Builders, 2 or 3 pipes were encountered. All of them are completely clogged and water is leaking back making the area wet. These pipes need to be dug out and layered for an additional $5,000.

Darrel Allen talked about the FEMA building and an estimate he received to tear down and put in a foundation which came in at $156,000.  This would be bare bones with no electricity.  The question was asked how much a new metal building would cost and at was estimated at $500,000.  This would be for the housing of equipment worth several million dollars that is now out in the weather such as garbage trucks and bulldozers.

Trevor Coffee asked if the 6th Street crew was still working and was told no, they were currently on Patmos road.

The next item was a Citizen’s Request to improve the high school soccer field which lacks drainage.  Another issue is the lights, only one of which is fully functional. The citizen runs the adult league and noted a lot of games get cancelled because of drainage issues.  Mayor Don Still said he wanted to replace all the lights once Kelly Field’s lights were replaced which will take 12 weeks.  The fields can be hard to get into because it is wet and later too dry with cracking soil.  Mayor Still asked if turf would be a good thing or bad thing and was told a good thing.  The high school baseball field cost $125,000 to do and the soccer field is larger.  The citizen told the board he felt the drainage should be the first priority.  The city has a truck to check out the lights but right now it is too wet to get onto the field to check whether it is a light or electrical problem.

The meeting then adjourned.