Street Overlays, New Sidewalks On Tap

FARMINGTON -- Farmington City Council accepted bids for two public works projects at its June 13 meeting, a street overlay and sidewalks.

Hutchens Construction submitted a low bid of $71,384 for asphalt overlay on South Appleby and Drain roads. The project calls for overlaying .5 mile on Drain Road and one mile on South Appleby.

For the second project, aldermen accepted a low bid of $36,701 from Tomlinson Asphalt Co., of Fayetteville, to install about 1,100 linear feet of sidewalk along the north side of Rheas Mill starting at Main Street. The sidewalk will go to the parking lot for Northwest Arkansas Education Service Cooperative.

The city still has to be get easements from several property owners before the sidewalk project can start, said Melissa McCarville, city business manager.

The Council adopted two ordinances.

One will rezone 7.26 acres on Garland McKee from A-1, agriculture, to RE-2, residential estate district. Property owners in Meadow Sweet subdivision, located across from the land, objected to the rezoning request in April and the Farmington Planning Commission turned down the request from property owner, Lots 101 LLC.

With Mayor Ernie Penn casting the final vote, the City Council overturned the Commission's decision at its May meeting in a 5-4 vote.

Last week, the Council voted 6-4 to adopt an ordinance to rezone the property. Council members Bobby Morgan and Keith Lipford voted against the ordinance.

Another ordinance accepts and confirms the dedication of certain streets, sidewalks, storm drainage and sanitary sewer for Holland Crossing Commercial subdivision, a planned multi-family development on Alberta Street. The complex, owned by Rausch Coleman, will have 25 duplexes, a total of 50 units, on 17 acres.

Financial information shows revenue from the city sales tax was up in May, compared to a year ago. In May 2015, the city received $41,898 from its 1-cent sales tax. For May 2016, the city collected $44,883. Revenue from the county sales tax increased by about $1,000 for May 2016, compared to the same period last year.