Discussions are ongoing within Blytheville city government about the possibility of purchasing the old Fairview Elementary School property from the Blytheville School District.
District Superintendent Richard Atwill told Mayor James Sanders that the district wants to sell and is willing to offer the city first option.
At a Monday evening meeting of the city council's airport and utilities committee, council members discussed the possibility of using the property to house multiple city offices, including the wastewater department and the police department, both of which are occupying facilities falling into disrepair.
"I know everyone isn't buying into it, but with all the changing going on at wastewater, I still say it would be a smart move to at least look at the feasibility of moving that office over to Fairview," said Councilman Tommy Abbott. "We can get that property for less than what we're planning to spend on constructing a new facility. The school is going to divest themselves of that property soon, and we can surely do better than what we're looking at now for that whole property."
"Then we have facilities to move other offices there too, like the one we're in right now [the police department]," Abbott continued. "I understand we have some old buildings and we don't need more to maintain, but this would be a no-brainer, especially as we're looking into the future budget-wise. There is plenty of room there for the wastewater offices and lab, and the police department offices and courtroom, and it's right on the edge of the park property that we already own."
The city has $155,000 budgeted for the construction of a new wastewater lab, and Abbott said he feels the Fairview property could be purchased and renovated for less than that. A GIF grant for $25,000 which the city received for new wastewater construction would have to be returned if the Fairview option is used, but Kevin Snow said the city could possibly apply for different grant funds for the renovations.
Snow said he would work on planning a walk-through of the building with a representative from wastewater, Mayor Sanders and Police Chief Ross Thompson.
In other business, the water department's online payment kiosk, which has been at the waterworks office, will soon be placed somewhere in the community to create an easy payment spot. The kiosk will accept cash, check and credit card payments through the waterworks website. Council members discussed either using Hay's or Kroger to host the machine, but discussions with each store's management will have to be scheduled.
Some waterworks motors are having consistent problems, according to a report by city CFO John Callens. He said a spare was available and an electrician has been scheduled to come and re-wire the motor for $7,000-$8,000 -- but that the department is hoping for a diagnosis of the problem, because the same machinery has gone down twice in the last few months. Waterworks filters have been probed by utility services, and water samples taken to check their effectiveness. Callens said the results are not back yet, but he expects some of the filters will have to be replaced -- their usual life expectancy is 15 years and the city's newest filters are 17 years old.
Callens added that an auditor is scheduled to come and do an audit for the city in May, who will also perform the 2012 and 2013 audits needed by the Arkansas State Police for its ongoing investigation regarding recent management of the water department's funds.
Wastewater director Kenneth Ellis has taken medical retirement, Snow told the committee, which leaves the city without a wastewater, waterworks or public works director.
"And yet everything is still operating," said Snow. "And we're saving on salaries, which is why I still like the idea of just having supervisors."
The full city council meets in the Blytheville district courtroom at 5 p.m Tuesday.
sspears@blythevillecourier.com