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Fun days at the local libraries. (See p. 6.)
Volume 121 Number 25 - USPS 225-680
Serving all of Prairie County and the Grand Prairie
Wednesday, June 22, 2022
Community Calendar of Events Tuesday June 21 Des Arc City Council Meeting Public Hearing 5:00 p.m. City Council meeting follows. Retired Teachers meeting DeValls Bluff Methodist Church 12:00 noon Light lunch will be served. Summer begins! Summer Reading Program at Prairie County Libraries continued until August 31 Thursday June 23 Carlisle Public Library Ocean Commotion Shark Attack 10:00 a.m. Food Distribution Hazen Methodist Church Drive Through 10:00 a.m.-noon DeValls Bluff Public Library Arkansas Game & Fish shows animal pelts 11:00 a.m. Tuesday June 27 Des Arc School Board meeting 6:00 p.m. Community events brought to you by Hazen Chamber of Commerce and the
Please call F&M Bank (255-3042) or The Grand Prairie Herald (255-4538) to list events.
The Prairie County Courthouse in DeValls Bluff has undergone a facelift on the second floor of the building. The old oak floors have been stripped, sanded, and refinished, and new furniture was ordered for the courtroom, judge’s office, and jury room. The work was done to national preservation standards using a federal grant for historic buildings. Work is also being done on the Des Arc Courthouse, and pictures of that work will be shown in a future Grand Prairie Herald. Special thanks go to Prairie County Clerk Gaylon Hale who has been overseeing the renovation.
PC Quorum Court discusses finances County Judge Mike Skarda was present for the regular June meeting held on the 14th. He reported on the Hwy. 11 chipseal work, despite higher prices for materials. “We need to watch everything that we do,” he said. Skarda also said that county employees were going to need raises at the end of the year to keep up with inflation. “I’m worried,” he said,
“I look at the numbers and I’m afraid.” Some money will be coming in this year, but Skarda expressed worry about next year. But Budget Committee Chair Lawrence Holloway said, “We look to be right on the mark (for this year). It’s in line.” In new business, the court appropriated money to buy two Durango ordered last
October for the Sheriff’s Department. The money to purchase the vehicles is already in the sheriff’s budget. The vehicles were expected to be delivered in January of 2023, but they came in last week. Justice Paul Hooks asked about the deadline for spending federal PPP money. Skarda said that the county had until 2028 to spend that money. Heating
and cooling systems in both courthouses need to be upgraded to improve air quality, he said. County Treasurer Tamara Dabney reported that “the money should be getting in at the end of this month or next.” County Clerk Gaylon Hale told the justices that the county received a court security grant for $20,000 which was used to pur-
chase two walk-through portals and one hand held metal detector. County Election Commissioner Rita Dobson told the court that early voting has begun, and that voting day is Tuesday, June 22nd. All the justices were present at the meeting except Judy Hinson. County lawyer Abram Skarda was also present.
Hazen City Council approves amended contract The city voted to enter into a contract with A&M Flying Service to provide aerial mosquito abatement this summer. The resolution was passed without an indemnity clause requested by A&M that would make the city responsible for any claims or action that result in bodily injury or property damage unless they are the result of sole negligence of A&M Flying Service. City Attorney Keith Rhodes told the council that the city can’t be responsible by law, and that the clause should not be included. Mayor David Hardke agreed, saying that the Municipal League, which represents and advises Arkansas cities, also advised against the additional clause. If A&M doesn’t agree to the contract without the clause, the city will approach another company that does aerial spraying for Carlisle, Lonoke, and Stuttgart will be contacted. Hardke said that the city will also be employing ground spraying throughout the city twice a week. The Hazen City Council also voted to apply for a fun park grant through the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism at its regular June 16 meeting held at Hazen City Hall. The grant will pay for upgrades to the park which is locat-
ed behind the Hazen Post Office. (For more information, see page 3.) The council voted to make Juneteenth, a federal holiday, a city holiday as well. At least 20 other Arkansas cities are doing this, Hardke said. The council also agreed to compensate city employees covered by the family plan with the Municipal Health Benefit Program. This was done because the city of Hazen has been upgraded to a medical rate class 4 with a $500 deductible. The city was a class 2 in 2021. The present family plan will be $497.12 per month, up from $414.62 in November of 2021, a difference of $82.50. The rate then went up another $49.50 in May of 2022, another $49.50 for a total of $132.00 per employee. The increase will be covered by the city for a total of $1419 per employee. The total cost to the city will be $10,469.67.”We can afford this,” Hardke said. Six employees are on the family plan. In departmental reports, Utility Manager Chad Swaim reported water leaks everywhere, which are being repaired. He also said that a new gas valve has been installed in Carlisle which will stop a leak there. He also announced that Clay Reynolds has been hired as a part-time
The Union Pacific caboose that sits beside the depot in Hazen now has its original markings. The painting was done by KD Graphics in Lonoke. employee and that Adam Bowman has been hired as a fulltime city employee. Swaim said that there is a major sewer collapse under Hwy. 70 at Leslie St. An emergency permit has been obtained to work on the problem. If the cost to the city is more than $50,000, a special meeting will have to be con-
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vened to approve the cost. The sewer is still flowing, but dirt is falling into the pipe, Swaim said. The repair could be as much as 500 to 600 feet of pipe. Fire Chief Seth Skarda reported one truck fire at Loves, two structure fires, and four first responder calls. The city has entered into a mutual aid
agreement with DeValls Bluff, which will be discussed next month. The new DeValls Bluff Police Chief will aid Hazen Police, and the Hazen Police will assist the DeValls Bluff Police Department as needed. The Hazen chief will assign duties as needed with no liability to the city.
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