Thursday night, the Blytheville City Council's Finance and Purchasing Committee approved several requisitions, including one that will bring the Walker Park fountain back to life.
The board gave its blessing to replace the fountain, which hasn't been functional in several years, at a cost of $4,864.30.
According to Parks and Recreation Director Elroy Brown, the fountain will aerate the pond and, combined with a proposal to stock algae-eating Nile Tilapia fish, it will hopefully prevent the annual fish kills.
Brown noted the fountain is cheaper than the original proposal to purchase a 10-horsepower floating brush aerator, which was estimated to cost $9,200.
Brown said his next requisition will be for the algae-eating fish "so we can start purifying that pond."
The board also approved:
-- A request to complete the new Public Works building. The remaining projects cost $30,119, $5,300, $6,500 and $600, respectively. Councilman Tommy Abbott, chairman of the Finance Committee, said funds are already in place to pay for the work.
-- Equipment requests for Thunder Bayou Golf Links. TBGL got the green light to purchase a mower and bunker edger, which combined will cost $1,500. The committee also authorized the golf course to make $1,172 in repairs to a spray rig.
-- A $4,604 request for Walker Park pool chemicals.
-- A $4,690 request for a roof and paint job on the Blytheville Youth Sportsplex pavilion.
-- A municipal airport contract with the Federal Aviation Administration showing Mayor James Sanders as the chief operating officer for the city.
-- A contract with Golf 18 Network allowing the company four weekly rounds of golf at Thunder Bayou in exchange for marketing the golf course on its website.
Meanwhile, Brown pulled his $108 request for next Thursday's "Clearing the Air Conference" in Pine Bluff, after council members expressed some concerns because of his role in the Mississippi County Coalition for a Tobacco-Free Arkansas.
Brown argued there is "a correlation" between the Coalition's work and parks and recreation.
He noted the event has been advertised in a national parks and recreation magazine and isn't "something out in left field."
Brown added Blytheville is ahead of the curve in having tobacco-free parks.
"I'm all about what you're doing, but I'm not sure that smoke-free is something that the city of Blytheville needs to pay for," Abbott said. "I'm not totally convinced of that."
Brown said he applied for the conference because he wants to be the best in every area of his profession and being health conscience is what he said parks and recreation is about.
"A lot of people are going to assume that you are trying to get by on your Tobacco Coalition on the city's dime, that's how it looks up front," Councilman Kevin Snow said. "I'm just telling you, that's how people are going to perceive it, even though we know it's two different things."
Abbott told Brown he has about $132 left in his budget to attend conferences and, if he chose to use that remaining amount for the event then that would be all of the funds in that line item.
Brown said he would pay for event himself.
"What might be clouding a person's mind, is he trying to do Tobacco Coalition and run the parks and recreation?" Brown said. "I have to because if you look, it says the largest litter is tobacco use. We are one of the few places that have tobacco-free parks."
Abbott said: "One of the things that this Council is dealing with every single day is perceptions."
Meanwhile, also Thursday night, the committee compared what each department spent from January through April with their budgeted amounts.
Most of the departments were under budget.
"Apparently, everybody is doing a good job of keeping an eye on what they're spending, and we really appreciate it," Abbott said.
He pointed out the Corrections expenditures are about to rise because the county and city appear to be close to an agreement on the jail fees issue. Abbott said he has heard rumblings that the county is making a counteroffer to the city, which owes between $700,000-$887,000 as of Dec. 31.
Abbott also touched on the five-year plans that the departments recently submitted, saying some gave the panel exactly what it was looking for. He noted he likes "to see dreamers," but the requests are subject to the city being able to afford them.
"What's in that five-year plan could wind up being a 10-year plan," Abbott said.
In other news, Abbott said he was asked to talk about creating a policy for Freedom of Information Act requests.
He said the law allows the city to charge a fee for copies and the city currently charges 10 cents per copy, though there is no policy in place specifying that. Abbott said that fee would be charged to anyone.
He pointed out if a Council member sends a FOI request, he or she would have to pay as well. Abbott said Council members have access to the information without an FOI request, but if they make that request then they can be charged.
Councilman R.L. Jones, who recently submitted three FOI requests, said he wouldn't have needed to make the formal requests if he had been given the information when he first asked for it via a letter back in February.
The full City Council would have to vote on the policy.
Also Thursday, Councilman Kevin Snow clarified remarks from resident Anthony Welspom, who claimed Nucor Steel isn't eligible for Act 9 bonds.
Last month, the City Council approved a resolution demonstrating its willingness to assist Nucor-Yamato Steel with securing Act 9 bonds for a $115 million expansion that would allow it to reportedly become just the second producer of widest sheet piling in North America.
Snow noted Welspom would be correct if Nucor was using tax-exempt bonds, but the company is seeking payment in lieu of taxes instead.
mbrasfield@blythevillecourier.com