At Tuesday night’s Blytheville City Council meeting, the council approved an emergency ordinance to address a cave-in at Lockard and Hollywood near Sonic Drive-In.
The measure allows Jowers General Contracting to make a sewer main point repair at Lockard and Hollywood for $80,880.
“The repair needs to be made as soon as possible, which is necessary to the efficient operation of the Wastewater Department," the ordinance reads
The cost estimate prepared by Jowers summarizes the point repair as, "point repair 50LF of collapsed 12" sanitary sewer main description of work required listed below."
Councilman Matt Perrin also contested a resolution to appoint Stan Parks to the Planning Commission as well as re-appoint to Vivian Harrison and Marty Orr. Perrin stated that he would like for the resolution to be voted on separately for each individual. Perrin stated that he would not be voting for one of the individuals.
Blytheville City Attorney Chris Brown stated that they could vote to table the resolution and it could be presented at the next meeting. Perrin, Councilwoman Barbara Brothers, and Councilwoman Vera James all voted in support of the change with Councilman John Mayberry, Councilman R.L. Jones, and Councilman John Musgraves all voted "no." Mayor James Sanders was forced to vote as a tiebreaker and opted not to vote in order to cancel the vote to table, stating that he had presented the resolution. The council then voted on the resolution as presented with Perrin being the only "no" vote. Orr and Harrison's terms were set to expire in 2022 and Parks' term will expire in 2027.
Chief of Police Ross Thompson spoke briefly about Blytheville Police Department's new street crimes unit, which will incorporate proactive policing. Thompson stated that the officers that volunteered for this unit will not spend their working hours in a normal schedule, but will be out in high crime areas during most of their day.