Library millage request clears final hurdle with council vote

The Forrest City Public Library cleared its final hurdle last week in securing a requested millage increase to operate the facility is on November’s general election ballot. Members of the Forrest City City Council voted 6-to-0, with council members Jim Bailey and Louise Fields absent, to suspend the rules and read the ordinance the required three times before adopting it along with an emergency clause. The council’s approval was required for the measure to be placed on the ballot. The library is seeking an increase of 1.1 mills from its current 1.9 millage rate to give the facility 3 total mills to help generate funding for maintenance and operation of the facility located on South Washington Street. In other business, the council authorized city officials to apply for a community assistance grant through the Arkansas Economic Development Commission for about $95,000 to help fund renovations to Southside Pool. If awarded, the city would be required to pay about $19,000 on the project. “What kind of renovations?” asked councilman Bobby Astin. “It’s a blanket list,” said Bryant. “Everything from commodes to water heaters. The main thing will be painting and resurfacing the pool and putting new lines in.” “Are children swimming in it this summer?” Astin asked. “Even when we’re not there they’re swimming because they cut a hole in the fence to get in,” said Bryant. An update on the closure of Crowley’s Ridge Road was on the agenda but not discussed. City attorney Marshall Wright told the council he is waiting to receive information from the residents supporting the closure. Wright had also been asked by the council to prepare an ordinance outlining the process for renaming or seeking an honorary name for city streets. Wright said he did not have the ordinance ready for the meeting. “That’s my fault. Lowry (Astin, councilman) got me a copy of something a while ago and I’ll take the blame because I haven’t looked over it. I apologize Lowry. I’ll look over it and get back to you,” said Wright. On the subject of condemnations, Wright told the council that he would “have to go back to the drawing board” and resend some certified letters, even though they had already been sent. “Who’s not following these steps?” asked Lowry Astin. “We’re following all the steps. We have a check list, Lowry, but there’s about 18 steps,” said Wright. “I understand how it goes, but every time something is brought up, something is messed up,” Astin responded. “We’ve condemned a lot of houses. The mayor and code enforcement have done a great job,” said Wright. “If anybody wants a copy of the steps I’ll be glad to give you one. There’s just a very, very detailed process. We have a checklist of things that have to be done and it’s a long and arduous process. If you’re taking somebody’s property, it’s a big deal.” “How many are we looking at tonight?” Astin asked. “It would be 10 or more,” said Wright. “I’d say let’s look at three at a time,” said Astin. “It would be the same amount of time,” said Bryant. “If there was any way not to have to send another certified letter we would do it. “We sent certified letters to all of these people and none responded negatively. We posted them and we advertised them in the newspaper,” added Bryant. “We can have a special called meeting to work on this within the next week because we need to get this moving. We have 15 or 20 in the mill that we also want to pursue.” The council approved reappointing the current members of the Forrest City Housing Authority to another term. The members include chair Earnestine Weaver along with Emily Holley, Christine Wynne and Larita Moore. “All indicated they would like to stay on the board,” said Bryant. “The terms are not staggered like they were so I think what they’ll do is stagger them and we’ll add one more.” The additional member on the board will replace the late Leodis Williams once that person is approved by the council. The FCHA Board recently asked the council to appoint Jim Bailey, but he could not serve due to his position as a city councilman. The board submitted another suggestion, but that person lives outside the city limits and is also ineligible, according to Bryant. Before adjourning, Bryant said the recent health and wellness fair was a success with over 300 people attending along with 48 vendors. “We had a full plate of a activities for people. We had line dances, exercise classes and yoga,” said Bryant. “Overall, it was a good festival and next year should be even better.” Bobby Astin updated the council on the city’s Homecoming Festival scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 12, at Hicky Field. “It’s going to be somewhat similar to the old Harvest Festival without the hot air balloons,” he said. “We’re going to have a drone show, which is kind of unique to this area. We’ll have a car show and something for everybody from little children to old folks. We’ll have food trucks and all kinds of vendors. I think everybody is going to enjoy it. It’s growing a lot larger than we first thought it would.” Bryant asked that the council’s personnel and budget committees schedule meetings soon to begin working on the city’s 2027 budget. “We have eight months of financials to go on. Overall, we’re doing ok,” said Bryant. The council voted to pay $27,491.62 in bills from the general fund, street fund bills of $59,083.47, solid waste bills of $5,331.05 and $228,451.27 in water bills.

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