Hope City Board

The Hope City Board met in the city hall Boardroom on Tuesday (2-18). The meeting started with a prayer and the pledge of allegiance and followed with the approval of the minutes.

There was a presentation by Jared Parrish from the Company Waterplay. He brought before the Board renderings on splash pads to give the members an idea of what one would look like. Parrish talked about a Life Floor material that is fully waterproof and would have an adhesive. This material is rubberized foam and is the industry standard.  Parrish contrasted this to Tough Coat paint that would have to be touched up.  The splash pad recirculates the water. The water use is 70 gallons a minute. The water doesn’t run all the time. The estimate was the water use would be 33,000 to 35,000 gallons a day. The model displayed included an activity center that has its own activation point and can be set for how long it operates. The age range for the splash pad is 3-9.  The total time from ordering to it being ready for use is 16 weeks. When asked about whether city staff would need to hire someone to supervise it, Parrish said to his knowledge no supervisor would need to be hired.   Waterway has only built a few splash pads in Arkansas, one in Little Rock and one in Rogers. They have constructed a number of them and the Parrish said he could get the board a list.  The concern was raised about whether it could be ready for use this year. There isn’t a large window especially if the board reviews a few different designs with different companies. The hope is to at least get one built this year.

The next topic was an updated estimate of sources and uses of bond funds and request for proposal for trustee services. Jason Holsclaw with Stephens, Inc. presented this information. A main difference from what was talked about in the summer is the use of municipal bond insurance. Holsclaw recommended obtaining this insurance as it could lower the rates since investors like the fact that it is less risky for them. Not as much money would need to be borrowed. Holsclaw also talked about having trustee services to manage the money.

Street superintendent Kenneth Harvel presented a proposal for the 2025 Street program. These streets are from around the city, the streets deemed to be in the worst shape. Harvel said if the list was accepted, the improvement would begin in April. A motion passed to approve the list.

The Hope School District has expressed an intent to purchase 12.97 acres of land. It would also like to purchase another 2 acres the city owns adjacent to that land. All of this land was one piece owned by the city previously. The city isn’t able to simply give the land but could make some kind of exchange. The city could get an appraisal for the land and see what it is currently worth.

Darrell Allen talked to the Board whether or not it wanted to keep maintaining the second crosswind runway at the Hope Municipal Airport. The FAA only funds the main runway, taxiways, and apron. If the decision was made not to fund the second runway, Arkansas Aeronautics money could be used to maintain other assets of the airport such as hangers, aging buildings, and lighting projects. Allen estimates the second runway is used 15-20% of the time. If it were 40%, the FAA would pay for it.

The airport brings in about $65,000 a year with its leases to New Millennium, Pafford and other sources of income. The costs of the airport are at minimum $90,000. The city has been spending $125,000 to maintain it.

Other airports and what they are doing was discussed. Texarkana is closing one of their runways while other airports are keeping them open.

The crosswind runway is slated for rehabilitation projects in the 2025 budget with a match on the city’s part of $138,414. The state is expected to contribute $500,000 to the project. With Garver’s anticipated cost overruns, the match is closer to $200,000. The costs of maintenance include striping with $80,000 budgeted for the removal of the old striping.

City Director Mark Ross raised the concern that the city hasn’t been pushing the airport needs as it should and the possibility of the city losing out on businesses if the runway was closed. Allen said it would cost $20,000 to close it and it would be expensive to reopen requiring FAA approval.  City Manager JR Wilson said he knows places that have grass runways but admitted with the black lands it would cost a lot of money to build one of those as an alternative.  Hope already has one runway that has been closed and is being used by New Millennium.

Allen said there is one plane in the hanger. The city could build 5 hangers and fill 5 hangers.

Allen made the suggestion of using the money originally budgeted and see how far that gets the city. If the city doesn’t like the bids or only half the work is being done, it can let the runway go.

City Attorney Randy Wright read a proclamation honoring Black History Month and urging the citizens to join together in making this a period of re-education to the principles of justice and equality for all people.

The consideration of an appointment to the planning and zoning commission was tabled.

A request to make a TAPS (Transportation Alternatives Program) grant application was approved by the board. If the grant is approved, it will help the city redo sidewalks in the downtown area. This would be part of a 5 to10 year renovation plan.

Mayor Don Still issued a proclamation honoring the Hope High School Marching Band with all the recognitions it has received around the state.

City Manager Wilson didn’t have anything else to report.

Director Steve Montgomery asked about downtown parking with backing into a space being okay but not parking the wrong direction (i.e., against traffic). Chief Kim Tomlin addressed the issue.  The issue of parking in bike lanes was brought up. City Attorney Wright is working on the ordinance. 6th and 16th streets will definitely be included. Signs will be put up one per block. The new ordinance will be modeled on state law. The cost of bike lane posts was said to be $85 and the signs $40.

Residents and a merchant have asked who owns the Klipsch garden property. The city has been leasing it for a $1 but that is set to increase the lease to $2,500. Klipsch would like to take it over.

The meeting then adjourned.