Cotter 2025 Takes on Major Project
City to Provide Support
The Cotter 2025 Committee will sponsor extension and beautification of the walking trail along the river across the southern reaches of the city along Round House Shoals.
The project was an original recommendation of the University of Arkansas community design group that spent eight weeks here last summer. Their final report was designed to serve as a long range plan for improvements to Cotter over the next 25 years.
A committee of local community leaders was formed to study the University's recommendations and implement wherever possible. This committee took the name "Cotter 2025" and is chaired by Gil Stammer, President of the Cotter Chamber of Commerce. Members include Bill
Jennings, Jim Whittington, Doris Anglin, Peter Peitz, and Bob Nordell.
Preliminary plans are for a walking trail of 2600 feet between the sewer plant and the road to Miller's Trout Dock. The trail will be either pea gravel or concrete with appropriate dirt work provided by the city of Cotter.
Plans include landscaping, picnic tables and other beautification along the trail, improved river access, and a possible boat launch area near the sewer plant (with Arkansas Game and Fish Commission involvement).
The Cotter 2025 final report is being placed on the Internet at www.cotter2025.com. A paper copy can be checked out at city hall.
Fire Department Needs Volunteers
Anyone interested in joining the Cotter Volunteer
Fire Department should come to their meetings the first and third Monday
of each month at 7 pm at the fire house. You must be 18 years old to be
a fire fighter.
The department has been extremely busy during the
recent storms and handling medical calls. Special thanks to Ranger Boats
of Flippin for their recent donation of a river rescue boat and trailer.
Chief Urban is working toward getting a motor.
The Cotter Volunteer Fire Department Auxiliary
does not meet during the hot months. However, they have been busy
ordering new yellow mm-outs for the fire fighters. Some haye been
received, and the rest are back ordered. It will be great when everyone
matches.
For more information contact Chief Urban at
435-2471.
Old Rollins Hospital Re-Opens as Museum
Phase One of the Rollins Hospital Museum at
Gassville opened to the public July l, 2000. After extensive renovation
directed by Cotter resident Elvan Hudson, the first phase contains
several display rooms and a genealogy library.
The facility is now owned by the Baxter
County Historical and Genealogical Society and has plans to be open on
Thursdays and Saturdays from 10 to 2 and on Sundays from 1 to 4. If you
have genealogy or local history books you would like to donate or if you
have time to volunteer on one of these days - or possibly another day -
please call Jane Messick Andrewson at 425-4502.
Music in the Park
Linda Mclntosh advises that every Thursday
evening from 5:30 to 8 pm the Grizzly Bear Boys will lead
a jam session in the park. Other musicians are invited to come and
participate. Every third Thursday there will be an added potluck dinner.
The public is cordially invited to come and join the fun!
Ladies of the Clubs Take Summer Break
Presidents of the Tennie Craig Guild
and The Saturday Club, Judy Nazarenko and Evelyn Denton,
report that the clubs do not meet during June, July and August. We'll be
looking forward to great things coming in September!
City Council Meets Twice in June
At their regular meeting June 15, 2000, the
Cotter City Council approved hire of Garver Engineering to complete
design work on the joint Gassville-Cotter sewer plant expansion. The
council approved authority for the mayor to sign associated agreements.
The Gassville City Council made corresponding approvals at their meeting
June 20, 2000.
Discussion of the following matter was
extensive, often pointed, confusing to some, and exceeded the scope of
most newsletters. This article attempts to report only the principal
points of view. Individual quotes are not addressed for fear of missing,
or misinterpreting, specific points made. -- The Editor.
The council considered a request for support
by a local businessman for a major water line extension that he had
already completed for his new RV park on Denton Ferry Road.
This was a request for re-consideration. He
had previously been denied support by the city based on long standing
policy that required developers to complete water systems prior to
eventual ownership by the city. He came back to the council due to their
recent approval of an exception to this policy and awarding $8000 for
water line completion to Rainbow Crossing, the new shopping center under
construction. The proposed council action was to reimburse the same
amount of $8000 to the owner of the RV park.
Supporters argued that the fundamental issue
was fairness. Other alternatives had been considered but this was deemed
the most fair course of action.
Those opposed also favored support of new
city business, but questioned the same amount being given to one
business (the RV park), when the other action to the shopping center
supported three (a motel, grocery, and dollar store). It was suggested
that the item be tabled until more projected sales tax information could
be obtained or at least until two absent council members were present.
It was suggested that the city of Cotter should not be in the business
of reimbursing anyone.
A vote was called by the mayor who believed
the matter had been discussed enough. The vote was two council members
for support, one against and one abstention. The mayor advised that the
abstention must be counted as a "no" vote and voted
"for" support to break the tie, presumably passing the issue
and the meeting was adjourned.
It was later determined a minimum four votes
were required to pass the measure. A special city council meeting was
called for June 20, 2000, to again consider this single issue.
The special meeting was well attended by the
public and one additional council member was present. Both sides of the
issue were presented by council members with additional supporting
information for their points of view.
Supporters explained that the city of Cotter
now owned the water line in question and the benefits to the city were
far greater than the $8000 reimbursement being considered. The cost to
build the line was $72,000. Long term benefits to to the city of having
a water line already down the hill on Denton Ferry Road was impossible
to calculate, but could be tremendous.
Those against, objected to the fact the
request from the RV park was made after the work had been done, and was
essentially a "gift" from the city. Those favoring support
countered that the request was a re-consideration after the RV park had
previously been told "no."
Participation from the audience was also
spirited as a number of comments were made that questioned the proposed
action.
The vote was three council members
"for" and two "against" still lacking the necessary
fourth vote for passage. The mayor voted "for" to pass the
measure.
This caused some confusion as most recognize
the mayor's prerogative to vote as only to break a tie. However,
Arkansas law allows mayors of smaller cities to vote to establish a
quorum of the council, or (when the mayor's vote is needed) to pass any
ordinance, bylaw, resolution, order or motion.
Cotter Chamber of Commerce to Join OMR
At the Cotter Chamber of Commerce meeting on
June 20, 2000, members voted to join the Ozark Mountain Region, an
organization that serves this area as a regional chamber of commerce to
promote tourism. This is a significant step and the local chamber is
optimistic of future benefits from much greater visibility for chamber
members. More information about OMR can be found on the web at www.ozarkmountainregion.com.
Heather Crunkleton, President of the White
and North Fork Rivers Outfitters Association, briefed the membership
on her organization's efforts to effect minimum flows on the White and
North Fork Rivers. The legislation has been passed as part of the Water
Resources Development Act last fall, but completion of the required
environmental impact study remains a major issue due to lack of funding.
The outfitters have been in touch with the Arkansas congressional
delegation and President Clinton requesting the necessary funding.
Preliminary planning was discussed for the Cotter Chamber of Commerce
major event, Arts, Antiques, and Architecture .... A Cotter Open
House. The event will be September 1 & 2 in downtown Cotter,
in conjunction with the 23rd Annual Cotter Alumni Reunion.
Major components will include a variety of exhibitors (similar to the
Art Train several years ago) in the downtown area, the Cotter Care
Crew's Pig-In-A-Poke Barbeque at the Park, music, and several
special attractions in between. Local clubs, churches and other
organizations will be invited to have booths to raise funds. More
information will appear in the local media in the near future. Please
plan to participate either as an exhibitor or volunteer and have a grand
time in historic downtown Cotter.
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