of the day.
Treadwell asks for change in contract, fire department to get washer and dryer
By Lisa Mills
The Des Arc City Council met on July 16th. Mayor Roger Scott, Recorder/ Treasurer Janice Huffstickler, and Council Members Jodie Mayher, Nicole Fisher, Gail King, Judy Burnett, and Keith Knupp were present. Cemetery Sexton Craig Treadwell had recently requested that he become an independent contractor, rather than a city employee. After Carlee Fisher received advice from an Arkansas Municipal League Attorney, and Human Resource Officer, an agreement between the city, and Treadwell was drawn up and signed by Treadwell
and Mayor Scott. The contract is valid July 1st through December 31st, 2024. The contract outlines Treadwell’s duties, states that the city will provide necessary equipment and supplies, and no city benefits will be included. The pay will be $630 per week. Knupp asked Scott if it is clear that Treadwell will be responsible for paying any help he uses, and not the city. After some discussion and consulting with City Attorney Rufus Buie, the council passed a motion to accept the contract.
Fire Chief Don Harvey addressed the council concerning the purchase and installation of the commercial washer and dryer needed for the
Harvey wins cash
Congratulations to Don Harvey for winning the $1,000.00 cash giveaway on July 06, 2024! Mr. Harvey graciously donated the winnings back to the Baseball Complex Project. The $1,000.00 cash giveaway was sponsored by Michael and Donna Jean McIntosh and Top Notch Roofing and Construction (Aaron Stuckey).
A 50/50 grant was applied for and granted by Arkansas Parks and Tourism. The grant will provide for the baseball program and the community a concession stand, ADA bathrooms (federal law to be in compliance), storage space, a dining pavilion,
and a walk way from the handicap parking area to field one and the complex. During this individual fundraising event, over $5,700 was raised! To date, $112,431.19 has been raised, which is over 70% of our goal!! Other donations and an additional grant are expected as well. You may still donate to the Baseball Complex Project at Des Arc City Hall, F&M Bank, or online at www.cityofdesarc.com. In kind donations are also being accepted.
Information and forms are provided at Des Arc City Hall. The project will begin in the summer of 2024.
turnouts. He recommended a quote of $22,000 from CLI Enterprises of Bryant for the purchase. Three quotes for a hot water heater, and installation of equipment, including water supply and drain work were presented to the council. Riverbend Mechanical quoted $5,883, Josh Gibson quoted $6,411.48, and AIM Plumbing quoted $8,200. Harvey recommended Riverbend, not only because it is the lowest quote, but includes some work that the others didn’t. A motion was passed for the purchase from CLI and installation from Riverbend.
King reported that bids were opened at 2:00 pm for the construction of
the new ball field concession stand/restrooms
The grant requires the council to approve sending the lowest bid to the architect. The architect will then negotiate the bid with the contractor. A motion was passed to send the lowest bid to Schelle Architect. King also reported that around $22,000 is left to be raised for the city’s grant match of $158,000, which can be donations of equipment, materials and labor. Donation forms are available at City Hall for anyone who is interested. The forms must be submitted by August 9th.
Bids were opened at 2:00 p.m. for the water booster pump. The grant requires the coun-
cil to approve sending the lowest bid to the engineer. The engineer will then negotiate the bid with the contractor. A motion was passed to send the lowest bid to Bond Engineers. The council passed a motion to pay B. Ward Electric $2,413 for the installation of a load center and five 50 amp outlets at the park for the July 6th event. These will be permanent so the council felt that the city should pay the full cost instead of the Chamber paying part of it. A motion was passed to purchase 14 window shades for the City Hall building from Suzie’s Blinds in Pangburn. The cost will be $3663.
PC Election Commission to keep Sand Hill poll open
The Prairie County Election Commission met on Friday, July 19, to discuss closing the polling station in Sand Hill and having those voters travel to the Des Arc Methodist Church to vote. Des Arc is about four miles from Des Arc. Chairman Rita Dobson, County Clerk Gaylon Hale, and commission members Harvey Joe Sanner and Stan Ferguson talked about the poor conditions at the Sand Hill Fire Department where voting takes place. It was told that the fire house has no air conditioning,
and floods when it rains. The Sand Hill church was suggested as an alternative polling place, but Dobson said that it is not totally handicapped accessible. Sanner was against closing the polling place in Sand Hill and said that local people would be willing to fix the problems at the fire department. Because the decision to close the polling place had to be unanimous, and Sanner was against it, the commission agreed to allow Sanner time to find local people to correct the problems at the fire-
house. Voters from Sand Hill will be able to vote there in the upcoming election. But if the problems are not corrected by the 2026 election, the polling place will be closed. There are 144 registered voters in Sand Hill, of which 55 voted in the last election, according to Dobson. Of those who voted, 42 voted at the fire department on the day of the election and 13 voted early at the Des Arc courthouse. Hale said that her office will begin setting up for election in August.
Brenda Ann VaughnMcNees
Brenda Ann VaughnMcNees was born in Dyess, AR on June 28, 1940, and received her wings on July 13, 2024, in Hazen, AR.
She worked as a secretary, insurance agent, and finally as a cosmetics associate.
Brenda loved makeup and making people look their best. Another thing Brenda loved was cooking, especially baking sweets. She was always baking. Everyone loved her pies and cakes, especially her cheesecakes. Besides baking, she enjoyed working with her plants and flowers.
Brenda was a member of the Church of Christ along with her parents and siblings. She is preceded in death by her parents, Bill and Rheba Noblin, and her brother Ron (Judy) Noblin. She is survived by a son, Robert Vaughn Jr (Debbie), and a granddaughter Jayme (Josh) and two great grandchildren(Cheyenne and Joshua), and a daughter, Robin Rolland(Timothy), along with four grand dogs. Also survived by four
brothers, Billy (Mary), Jerry (Sonya), Terry (Carolyn-deceased), and Tim (Tereasa) Noblin. She is also survived by a host of nieces and nephews and many other loved ones and friends.
Services were held at 2pm on Wednesday, July 17, 2024, at the Hazen Memorial Cemetery.
Buster "BR"
Van Houten
Buster "BR" Van Houten, 87, of Hazen, Arkansas passed away peacefully at his home on Tuesday, July 9, 2024. BR was the son of Commie and Viola (Mathis) Van Houten. BR was preceded in death by his wife of 39 years, Shirley Van Houten; A son Joseph "Joe" Van Houten; Four brothers, John, Leroy, Rudy, and TL "Skinny" Van Houten; and Two sisters, Gladys Vick and Charlotte Ivy. BR is survived by one son Scott (Diana) Van Houten of Hot Springs, Arkansas; One Granddaughter, Tess Van Houten of Okeechobee, Florida; One great granddaughter Aniya Dunn; two sisters, Ruby Petrus of Stuttgart, Arkansas and
Bobbie Petty of Hazen, Arkansas; one brother Kenneth "Bumpin" Van Houten of Des Arc, Arkansas; and many nieces and nephews. BR leaves behind a special friend and caregiver Ms. Martha Holyfield. BR served in the National Guard, loved farming, was an avid duck hunter, and loved visiting with his friends and family. BR also loved going to Craig's Barbeque with his sons. A memorial service was held Wednesday, July 17, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. at the Hazen Cemetery. Arrangements are entrusted with Westbrook Funeral Home of Hazen.
Wanda Sue Davis
for many years. She served as the president of the Golden Branches senior group for 15 years. In her free time, she enjoyed tending to her vegetable and flower gardens, cooking, and baking. She was known for her coconut cakes. In her older years, she grew to love watching the WWE.
Welcome Miles...
The Herald welcomes the newest member of its newspaper family, Miles Oliver Lawson! Miles is the son of Karmen and Mitchell Lawson and the newest grandson of Trudy Johnson and Tommy and Angie Lawson. Rosetta Van Houten and Betty Kerr are his great-grandmothers. He is also the little brother of Beckett and Henry Lawson.
Wanda Sue Davis, 86, of Olive Branch, MS went to be with the Lord on Sunday, July 7, 2024. Mrs. Davis was born on February 19, 1938 in Des Arc, AR to the late Rene and Lola Brazeale. She is a 1956 graduate of Des Arc High School where she played basketball. She married the love of her life, Bobby Davis, in 1956. They moved to the Memphis area in the late 1950s. She was a social butterfly here in Olive Branch
Mrs. Davis was a believer in Jesus Christ and a member of Oak Lane Christian Church. Along with her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Bobby H. Davis; son, Bobby A. Davis; son, Jimmy Davis; grandson, Brad Davis; and grandson, Hunter Davidson. She is survived by her daughter, Kathy Davidson (Brad); son, Billy Davis (Judy); grandchildren: Kelly Cheseldine (Richard); Kristen Oster (Grant), Lindsay Foley, Brach Davis (Katlin), Brooke Davis (Toni), Kristopher Davis (Ronda), JonMichael Davis (Lauren), Samantha Dade (Sterling), and Jessica Rucker (Bo); and 18 great-grandchildren.
The family will receive friends for a time of visitation at Brantley Funeral Home on Tuesday, July 30, 2024 from 10-11 am with a funeral service to begin at 11:00 am. Burial will follow at Memorial Park Southwoods.
E nter g y b i ll assistan c e no w a v ai l a bl e
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. –Entergy Arkansas customers who need help paying their summer
Arkansas Press Association
Member 2023 The Grand Prairie Herald (USPS) 225-680
The Grand Prairie Herald is an independent publication that has served Prairie County since December, 1901. It is published weekly by Herald Publishing Company
P.O. Box 370 111 Hwy 70 E Hazen, Arkansas 72064
Ph. 870-255-4538
Email: heraldpublishing@gmail.com
energy bills can apply now for up to $475 through the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) on a first come, first served basis.The program’s application period opens July 8 and runs through Sept. 30 or until funds are expended. LIHEAP is funded through several federal programs and helps keep families safe and healthy through initiatives that assist with energy costs and lower the energy cost burden for low-income customers, who pay a higher proportion of household income for home energy costs. The Arkansas Department of Energy & Environment manages
the program in the state, but applications for assistance must be made through a local community-based organization. Eligibility is determined by household size and income. For example, a single individual with a maximum monthly countable income of $1,859 and a family of four with $3,574 would both be eligible. The program is offered in all 75 counties in the state through community-based organizations, which can be found online at https://www.adeq.state.a r.us/energy/initiatives/p dfs/LIHEAP_Flyer.pdf , along with a complete list of eligibility and required documentation to complete the application.
L o c a l st ud ents
are U C A g ra d s
POSTMASTER: Send
Roxanne Bradow
Circulation/Accounts
Trudy Johnson
Sports Editor Mark Buffalo
Correspondent
Lisa Mills
Correspondent
Debbye Harrison
Photographer Ruth Corley
CONWAY, AR (07/16/2024)-Jocelyn RomeroDawson of DeValls Bluff, Emily Wrigley of Hickory Plains, and Pedro Valdes of Griffithville were graduated during the University of Central Arkansas spring commencement held on Friday, May 3, and Saturday, May 4, 2024, in the Farris Center on campus.
Romero-Dawson graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts. Wrigley graduated
summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in Education. Valdes graduated with a Master of Science. The university conferred approximately 1,600 undergraduate and graduate degrees and certificates from the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences; College of Business; College of Education; College of Health and Behavioral Sciences; College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics; and the Graduate School.
Bill assistance is available for all utilities, with an online application available for many Entergy Arkansas customers at GetLIHEAP.com, based on which community action agency serves them. Applications can also be made in person at local communitybased organizations. Once approved for LIHEAP funding, Entergy Arkansas allows agencies the opportunity to “pledge” on an account to prevent disconnection. LIHEAP funds can also be used to reconnect a customer account.
As summer temperatures heat up, Entergy Arkansas is committed to helping our customers manage their usage and bills through a variety of tools and programs. Our new Bill Toolkit empowers customers with resources and available assistance options through a onestop online shop at BillToolkit.entergy.com.
Hazen Cemetery Donations
The most recent Hazen Cemetery Donations are: In Memory of: Johnny Larkan By: Jay and Katherine Bednar; David & Nita Hardke and Don, Eileen, and Jerry Vaught In Memory of: Carole Sue Day By: Vickie Stephens In Memory of : Marie Price By: David & Nita Hardke In Memory of: B.R. VanHouten By: Don & Eileen Vaught and Billy & Nona Gail Booth In Memory of: Bob Hamric By: Billy & Nona Gail
Booth Upkeep: Pich Farms Donations are greatly appreciated and may be mailed to: Hazen Cemetery, P.O. Box 92, Hazen, Ar. 72064. Thank You
Bison , E a gl es , H ornets
f eat u re d in state w i d e
f oot b a ll ma g a z ine
By Mark Buffalo Sports Editor
The three football teams in the Grand Prairie Herald circulation area are featured in the annual Hooten’s Arkansas Football magazine, which was released last week.
The Carlisle Bison, which finished 11-2 and advanced to the Class 2A state semifinals, are ranked second in Class 2A behind Junction City, which dropped from Class 3A to 2A this season.
Des Arc, which finished 8-4 and advanced to the
second round of the playoffs, is ranked 11th. Hazen, which finished 8-3, falling in the first round of the playoffs, is ranked 12th.
Defending Class 2A state champion Bigelow is ranked fifth. The top five are 1. Junction City, 2. Carlisle, 3. Conway Christian, 4. Mineral Springs and 5. Bigelow.
Several area players are among the 2024 Hootens.com Super Team. They include Des Arc running back Dayvion Bell, Hazen offensive lineman Brance Williams, Hazen
defensive lineman Hunter Smith and Carlisle linebacker Gabe Boyle.
In a poll of conference coaches, the Des Arc Eagles are picked to finish second in the 2A-2. Marked Tree is picked No. 1, followed by Des Arc, East Poinsett County, Cross County, Earle, McCrory, Izard County Consolidated and Marianna.
The Carlisle Bison are picked to win the 2A-4 conference title. They are followed by England, Hazen, Bearden Poyen, Clarendon, Baptist Prep and Hampton.
H ornets w or k in g har d
to g et rea dy f or season
By Mark Buffalo Sports Editor
Longtime Hazen Hornets football coach
Joe Besancon said his team is working hard to get ready for the 2024 season.
Hazen finished 8-3 last year, falling to Marked Tree in the first round of the Class 2A state playoffs.
“We’re trying to figure out some spots,” he said.
“We’ll probably be around 22 or 23 kids.
We’ve lost some to school choice. That’s
going to hurt us pretty bad.”
Besancon said his team has been working on its identity — what it’s going to be this year.
“And how we’re going to approach things,” he said. “We did a couple of 7-on-7s. It wasn’t like a tournament. It was just going and playing games. We played a lot bigger teams. We weren’t real successful, but it kind of gave me a gauge of who can do what.”
Besancon said the biggest question mark is
at linebacker.
“We’ve got to find some linebackers,” he said. “We’ve got some kids, but we’ve got to make sure they can carry the load at the spot. We lost our center to Des Arc. Now, we’ve got to find a center. Our skill spots, the ones we’re usually really strong in, we’re not strong on those areas this year.”
Hazen will scrimmage Little Rock Episcopal on Aug. 23. The Hornets open the regular season Aug. 30 at Conway Christian.
Bison to honor past teams in home opener
By Mark Buffalo Sports Editor
The Carlisle Bison football team, which went 11-2 a year ago, is ranked No. 2 in Class 2A by Hooten’s Arkansas Football, which hit newsstands last week.
The Bison open the season Aug. 30 at Drew Central in Monticello.
The Bison will then host Class 2A No. Junction City on Sept. 6 at Fred C. Hardke Field.
The Dragons gave the Bison their only regular-season loss a year ago, winning 33-26 in
south Arkansas. The Dragons dropped down from Class 3A to Class 2A this season.
Carlisle coach Gary Wilson wrote on the Bison Facebook page about doing some special that night.
“It’s going to be a huge game with two tradition-rich teams squaring off,” Wilson said. That night, the Bison will be honoring some of the best teams in school history at halftime, including the 1960, 1989, 1991, 1993, 1999, 2011 and 2022 teams. The 1960 team finished first in the Associated
GP Q u i l t Societ y ho ld s
“Sit an d Se w ” J uly 7
By Marsha Heien
The Grand Prairie Quilt Society met July 7, 2024 at the First Christian Church, Fellowship Hall, Stuttgart, for their Sit n' Sew with 7 members present. Shelley opened the meeting with the Thought for the Day, "Sure, a day without quilting probably won't kill me, but why risk it?" The June minutes
and treasurer's report were given. July Happy Birthday greetings were extended to Winnie, Happy Birthday, Winnie! Glenda showed the Children's Comfort quilt she has finished. It will be given to a young lady who is undergoing medical procedures. Show and Share: Marsha showed a prayer quilt and pillow she has finished for a
friend. Ann asked for ideas for arranging a charm pack into a quilt design. She will work on this and bring it to the next meeting.
After the business meeting, Maeola worked on a baby quilt and Marsha crocheted on her red, white, and blue afghan.
The next meeting will be August 14, come join us.
Rice Research Center to ho
ld ann u a l f ie ld d a y
STUTTGART, Ark. —
Press Class B poll, giving it a state championship, even though it’s not recognized by the Arkansas Activities Association.
The other teams were state runners up in either Class A, Class AA or Class 2A — the smallest classification for 11-man football.
“If you were a member of those teams, admission is free for you,” Wilson said. “We will be putting together a lot of former players that plan on attending, so please reach out through Facebook or contact me at (501) 650-1842.
The Bison also went 50 in a 7-on-7 tournament at England High School.
Carlisle will scrimmage Yellville-Summit on Aug. 20 at Fred C. Hardke Field.
The Aug. 1 field day at the Rice Research and Extension Center in Stuttgart will feature presentations on breeding, germplasm, remote sensing and more.
The field day is presented by the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station, the research arm of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, and the Dale Bumpers National Rice Research Center, part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agriculture Research Service.
There is no cost to attend. Participants are asked to RSVP online by July 26. The center is located at 2900 Highway 130 East in Stuttgart.
“Hosting this event in partnership with our neighbors at the Dale Bumpers National Rice Research Center enables
us to offer a broader picture of the research and other work being done in support of the rice industry in Arkansas and across the United States,” said Alton Johnson, director of the Rice Research and Extension Center.
The field day begins at 7:30 a.m. with field tours and the opening of oral and poster sessions.
There will be two field tours which start at 7:30 a.m. at the Foundation Seed Facility and will repeat at 9:30 so attendees can see all stops.
Tour 1:
Stop 1 — Rice Breeding Updates — Xueyan Sha, professor of plant rice and genetics, and Christian De Guzman, assistant professor of plant rice and genetics.
Stop 2 — Rice Insect Management — Nick Bateman, associate professor-extension entomologist, and Gage Maris, graduate student.
Stop 3 — Agronomy — Jarrod Hardke, professor, rice extension agronomist.
Stop 4 — Pathology — Camila Nicolli, assistant professor, extension pathologist; and Felipe Dalla Lana, assistant professor, rice pathologist, LSU AgCenter.
Tour 2:
Stop 1 – Weed Control in Rice — Jason Norsworthy – professor, weed science and Bob Scott – professor, extension weed scientist.
Stop 2 – Germplasm Evaluation and Disease Resistance — Yulin Jia – director, Dale Bumpers National Rice Research Center, and Trevis Huggins –USDA-ARS research scientist.
Stop 3 – Drones and Remote Sensing — Jason Davis – assistant professor, remote sensing and pesticide application specialist. The lunch program begins at noon and speakers include Johnson, Hardke, Kevin McGilton, president and CEO of Riceland Foods; Keith Glover, president and CEO of Producers Rice Mill; Wes Ward, Arkansas’ secretary of agriculture; and Deacue Fields, head of the Division of Agriculture. This year’s field day is sponsored by the Agricultural Council of Arkansas, AgHeritage Farm Credit Services; Arkansas Rice Growers Association; Arkansas Rice; MirTech Harvest Center, US Rice Producers Association, Belchim Crop Protection, Riceland Foods, Producers Rice Mill, USA Rice, Wintersteiger and Valley View AgriSystems.
To learn more about Division of Agriculture research, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station website: https://aaes.uada.edu. Follow us on �� at @ArkAgResearch and Instagram at @ArkAgResearch.
To learn about Extension Programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit https://uaex.uada.edu/. Follow us on �� at @AR_Extension.
To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit https://uada.edu/. Follow us on �� at @AgInArk.
of Commerce sponsored “Hazen Fight Night” on Saturday, July 20. The event was held in the Hazen Community Center, and approximately 150 people attended. The concession stand was manned by the Chamber members.
Turner resigns from Carlisle Council, Parks and Recs applicants speak
The Carlisle City Council met on Tuesday, July 16, to discuss the hiring of a new director for the Parks and Recreation Department, to rescind a 2018 resolution, to hear committee reports, complaints, and to accept the resignation of Councilman Todd Turner.
The meeting began with three guest speakers, DeMarcus Ingram and Johnny Miller who both would like to apply for the Parks and Recreation director’s position, and Sarah Matlock who wanted to address a certified letter that was sent to her by the city.
Ingram said that he already comes to Carlisle three times a week, and he coaches the Savage girls’ softball team. He is originally from Allport, graduated from North Little Rock High School, and played for the St. Louis Cardinals for 6 ½ years.
Miller says that he has coached for 25 years and sponsored a tournament in Carlisle five years ago. Ingram said that he would be willing to move from his home in North Little Rock to Carlisle. It was suggested that parents and students be organized to help with field upkeep.
“The parks job is not an easy job,” Mayor Ray Glover said.
Sarah Matlock addressed the council with a complaint about receiving a certified letter from the city concerning the requirement to mow the grass on her property. She stated that the letter requires her to get the property mowed within 30 days. She said that she would have to pay someone to mow the lawn, and that she was not financially able to do that. David Walters said that a door hanger is placed at the property first before a letter is sent. One of the complaints was that certain people were targeted to receive letters, but Walters said that he only inspects areas of the city on a rotational basis. Councilman Jon Plafcan told Matlock that “It’s expensive to maintain a property.”
The audience was also told that property owners are responsible for the maintenance of ditches.
Councilman Kevin Kegley gave a report on the work on the concession stand, stating that $2000 has been spent so far. The electrical work, sealing of the floors, and closing up the walls are next to be done. Kegley is doing the duct work. He also reported that Derden Heat and Air
has donated an airconditioning unit, and Kegley asked that the council pay the company to hook it up and get it running. Kegley was told to make sure that he collects and turns in all receipts for any work done. Tina Hillman told the council that she plans to apply for a grant for the concession stand and the parks. The proposed “hamburger tax” that will be on the ballot in November will only be allocated to the Parks and Recreation Department’s account and will not go into the city’s general fund. The director’s salary will be taken out of that fund. If the tax passes, a board will have to be selected to determine how the money will be spent. The expenditures will have to be agreed to by the mayor. Kegley also said that the city needed more help maintaining the city in general. Presently, workers are being kept busy with mowing, spraying, and weed eating. They are also responsible for taking care of the pots of flowers and putting up and taking down the flags along the streets. The flags cannot remain up permanently due to wear and tear. He said that there needs to be a schedule stating when they are to be displayed and taken down. It was decided that the flags would go up before Zip Code Day and could stay up through Labor Day.
The council has not yet advertised the Parks and Recreation position, and Councilman Ashley Golleher volunteered to put together a description of the job, the requirement criteria for the position, and the salary and benefits. The council will meet again on Monday, July 22, at 5:00 p.m. to approve the job posting. The Police Department is also in the process of hiring another officer. In the committee reports, it was announced that the Fire Department’s green Number 3 truck is for sale for $35,000, and the city has gotten some offers already for it. The department had bought a “jaws of life” spreader to help extricate people from wrecked cars.
Truck Number 1 has problems keeping up the
H a z en Cit y Council meets
The Hazen City Council met on Thursday, July 18. Two council members, Bob Juola and Larry Anthony, were absent. Rajbir Singh addressed the council requesting to purchase all or part of 2.97 acres which the city owns near the junction of Highway 63 and Interstate 40. The property is located just south of the Super 8 Motel, and is the only remaining property that the city owns in that area.
Singh, who recently purchased the two liquor stores in Hazen, would like to move the Chillers store to the interstate. He also wants to build an Indian restaurant there. To do this, he would need at least one acre of land.
water pressure when used, and the department also needs a truck for grass and brush fires. The Fire Department will be demonstrating how the new equipment works on Tuesday night, July 23, at 7 p.m., and everyone is invited to attend.
It was announced that the city’s food bank is now able to purchase veterinarian-grade dog and cat food for the animal shelter for $2 per 30 lb. bag. The shelter has installed dog doors and is in the process of doing dirt work.
City Attorney Mike Stewart presented a resolution to rescind Resolution 309. An audit of the city Water and Sewer Department 2018 accounts, found that there was no adequate documentation of the resolution actually being passed by the council.
An outside Certified Public Accountant (CPA) was hired by the city to do the audit. There was also inadequate documentation for $69,950 spent during that time. Mayor Glover said that he would ask the CPA to attend to answer questions at a special meeting that would be held on Monday, July 22.
Stewart also presented Ordinance 341 that would address the problem of council members missing meetings. The ordinance, if passed, would force council members to forfeit the next month’s $200 payment that each member is paid for attending meetings after three meetings are missed. The ordinance was put on the first reading, and the council was asked to study it and suggest changes at the next regular meeting.
The council was also told that a new budgeting system is now in place that separates the city departments from each other and from the city general account. Mayor Glover said that he gets a budget report for all of the departments each week.
At the end of the meeting, Glover read a letter from Councilmember Todd Turner resigning his position on the council, and thanking the city for allowing him to serve.
During the discussion, the council talked about the possible need for another water tower that would have to be placed on the same plot of land.
Mayor David Hardke said that someone has already pledged to donate land to the city for a new water tower and lift station out by the interstate.
Councilmen Steve Chlapecka and Tim Juola asked that the matter be tabled until the city could determine if the offer of the land to the city was still valid, and to find out how much the land is worth. Singh said that he would be willing to pay for the appraisal. One other problem was mentioned. The city utilities in that area are located on the west side of Highway 63 and connections would have to go under the road which would cost a minimum of $10,000. The issue was tabled until more information can be gathered.
The dog ordinance that was given to the council last month was discussed. The new draft drops specific breeds for the wording “vicious dogs” and “possibly vicious dogs.” Vicious dogs are defined as ones that cause injury. There is also a section addressing the problem of a “reckless” dog owner who has three or more problem citations within a 24 month period, which says that the owner can no longer own dogs in the town. Hardke will narrow down the ordinance and present it in three parts in future meetings. “I want it to be as concise as it can be,” Hardke said. The council passed a condemnation of a property located at the corner of West Washington St. and Chester St. The property is owned by Gary Rogers and Billy R. Long. Hardke also announced the receipt of $2,596.68 County and Municipal Aid Distribution Loan from the state which will have to be paid back at a later date.
Utilities Manager Chad Swaim said that ten water leaks and two gas leaks had been fixed in the past month and that a large gas meter was installed between Hazen and Carlisle in an attempt to get correct readings. The city is working on the filter beds at the water plant. One needs another understructure and media which will cost approximately $60,000. The city has gotten a bid of $54,000 for new media for the other bed. The new filter pad won’t arrive until November or December.
Last month the city was asked to provide water for the city of Des Arc while that city’s water system undergoes repairs, but this was rejected because presently Hazen is running on only one-half of its water plant. This is plenty for Hazen, but not enough to provide water for two cities. Swaim hopes to have all the work at the Hazen water plant finished by December.
Fire Chief reported two first responder calls and a grassfire at I-40. He also said that his department had burned down two houses on Front St. Police Chief Bradley Taylor said that his department had received the two new vehicles. They are now being outfitted with lights and computers. Tim Juola asked when a fence would be put up on the property located at the old Chevrolet dealership. Hardke said he would contact the owner and also Billy Hill about a similar problem next week. Hardke ended the meeting with the Hazen Library’s 2nd Quarter report. Head Librarian April Highfill reported a circulation of books and DVD’s of 3830, with 20 new library cards issued and 47 existing cards updated. The library had 37 children’s programs with an attendance of 677, and 15 adult programs with an attendance of 617. The public computers at the library were used 249 times. Highfill was praised by the council members for the hard work that she and her staff do.
Arkansas State Senate Report
By Senator Ron Caldwell
Arkansas and Tennessee received grants totaling $393 million for their joint project to replace the Interstate 55 bridge across the Mississippi River at West Memphis. The bridge is 75 years old, and is narrower than the Interstate 40 bridge that crosses the river from West Memphis to downtown Memphis. It is the largest grant ever received by the Arkansas Department of Transportation. The total cost of replacing the I-55 bridge is an estimated $800 million. In addition
to the federal grant, Arkansas and Tennessee have each pledged $250 million toward the project. Replacing the aging bridge is important to all Arkansas citizens, not just those in West Memphis, because of its statewide economic impact. As the governor noted when the grant was announced, West Memphis is where “America’s road, river and rail infrastructure meet.”
The confluence of highway, railroad and barge traffic was a factor in the growth of the northeast Arkansas steel industry. Improving traffic across the river along I-55 will solidify Arkansas’s role as a leader in transportation and logistics, the governor said. Currently, traffic across the bridges averages about 48,000 vehicles a day, and by 2050 it will increase to an estimated 64,000 vehicles a day. The new bridge will be larger than the existing one, and it will have more features to withstand earthquakes.
Wrestling matches in Hazen...
The Hazen Chamber
Carlisle celebrates once in a lifetime “Zip Code Day”
A once in a century event happened in Carlisle on Saturday, July 20, 2024a date and a zipcode match. Carlisle’s zipcode is 72024 making July 20, 2024 (7-20-24) the perfect day to celebrate.
The morning started with citizens getting postcards with a picture of the post office and a July 20 cancellation date at the Carlisle post office. That was followed by fun and games in the city park from 11:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. A cornhole contest and blowups for the kids were at the west end of the park, and vendors lined up their wares along the sidewalk and east end of the park. Midnight South provided entertainment on the city stage, and the Carlisle Fire Department sold hot dogs. During the morning the city was presented with flags from the Woodmen of the World.
At 5:00 p.m. King Kat served catfish and chicken at the Community Center while Zaden J performed a tribute to Elvis. The day’s activities were organized by the Carlisle Chamber of Commerce.
