Council Approves New Fire Truck for Cotter

     At their regular meeting on February 20, 2003, the Cotter City Council approved purchase of a new pumper truck from Leeco, Inc. The new truck price will be $131,722. Preliminary arrangements call for $106,722 to be directly applied to the purchase with the remaining $24,548 to be financed over a five year period. Mayor Jennings offered to pay the amount directly from general funds with reimbursement internally from the fire department interest free. The matter will be reviewed and a final decision made shortly. Delivery is expected in mid-May.

     Two resolutions were passed by the City Council. Resolution 03-01 expresses opposition to consolidation of Cotter Schools based solely on the number of students. The resolution asks the General Assembly to establish standards of adequacy and provide funding to school districts for the purpose of achieving and adhering to those standards. This action is in regard to the Governor's recent school consolidation plan that would consolidate schools in Arkansas with enrollment of less than 1500. Copies will be sent to Representative Johnny Key, Senator Shawn Womack, and Governor Mike Huckabee.

     Resolution 03-02 establishes a policy for Cotter police and firemen to be provided all reasonable measures to protect them from adverse exposure to blood-borne pathogens such as AIDS and hepatitis B. Information, education, procedures and proper equipment will be provided to minimize their risks of exposure. Post exposure reporting, evaluation and treatment will take place for all members exposed to these diseases.

     The appointment of Jim Whittington to the Cotter Planning and Zoning Commission was approved. The vacancy occurred when Mayor Jennings, formerly a member of the P & Z Commission, assumed his current position on January 1.

     Mayor Jennings gave a detailed assessment of Cotter today and looked to the future. (See "State of the City" in this edition). He also mentioned that preliminary steps were being taken to bring a manufacturing operation to Cotter that would employ 20 people and directly utilize available rail load/off-load facilities. More will be announced in the near future.

     Cotter Police Chief, Jack Burkhart, reported that a meth lab clean-up ordinance is being worked and should be presented at the next Council meeting.

     The meeting concluded with an extensive discussion of a wide range of city needs. These included trucks and other equipment, radios and cell phones, personnel, and parks. Additional review of these areas will be done before the next Council meeting and specific adjustments may be made. (See related article this issue.)

Nazarenkos Receive Award from VFW

     Cotter, Arkansas, Trout Capital USA, is proud to present the second annual "Great Cotter Trout Festival" at Big Spring Park on Friday and Saturday May 2 & 3, 2003. Trout fishing, boating, great food and entertainment will headline an outstanding event for the whole family on the banks of the beautiful White River.

     The festival will open Friday, May 2nd, with an authentic White River Shore Lunch Fish Fry at the pavilion. Entertainment will begin at 4 p.m. and the fish fry will be from 5 till 9 p.m. A band will entertain throughout the fish fry.

     On Saturday, May 3rd, the festival grounds will open at 9 a.m. and most events will run continuously throughout the day. Trout fishing programs, a major river boat show, fishing and conservation seminars plus a variety of other exhibits will be provided for every trout fisherman from the novice to the expert.

     Fly fishing will be highlighted by fly casting demonstrations and instruction by certified experts. Fly tying demonstrations will show visitors the latest techniques. Special seminars will stress how and where to catch more fish. A special program is being scheduled for the ladies. A variety of fly fishing gear will be on display.

     Bait fishing will be featured at the kid's (16 and under) "fishing hole." A special bank fishing area will be established in the outflow from the Big Spring. The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission will provide keeping size trout. The area will be supervised and kids will be shown the proper ways to rig poles, catch, handle and clean fish.

     A river boat show and sale will be conducted on the baseball field adjacent to the railroad memorial. Boat manufacturers from several states are expected to show their latest designs.

     River boat rides will be offered to the public for a nominal fee. The rides will depart from the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission Cotter Access adjacent to the Big Spring. Rides will be given by experienced White River guides.

     A variety of other exhibits from throughout this area will offer the visitor further opportunities to take home a souvenir. For further information about booth space contact Sonny Sharp at 870-492-4483.

     The Great Cotter Trout Festival is sponsored by the Cotter Area Chamber of Commerce. For festival information contact Festival Chairman, Gary Flippin, at 870-435-6144 or Chamber President, Gil Stammer, at 870-435-2663.

Active Years Visits Cotter

Mayor Jennings Gives "State of the City"

     The news about the City of Cotter is both good and bad. First, the good news. The total cash balance of our "operating" accounts is: $397.000. This represents almost 55 percent of our projected total expense of: $723,028. The most conservative administrators will try to maintain a 25 percent cash reserve. ($181,000) In other words, we have $216,000 cash drawing about 1 percent interest.

     Most of the city owned vehicles and equipment is in excellent condition. The water pumping and treatment equipment is in good shape, with a capacity that allows for considerable growth. We will soon be equipped with a recording pressure meter that will help identify where the problem of low pressure exists. Councilman Mo Mosley and Ronnie Smith are closing in on the solution, and will report their findings at the next meeting. The contractor is about three weeks behind on the waste water treatment plant expansion project. They worked through the solid rock problem and now the only reason for delay is weather. The sewer line crew is steadily making progress on clearing access to the sewer lines and repairing leaks in our system of collectors and manholes that for the first twenty years received total neglect.

    The best I can say about our streets in general is that all but one, Pyeatt, is weatherproof. The City crew is doing a great job in clearing the streets of ice and snow. The ditches along the streets are needing a lot of cleaning and reshaping, but we are hampered by not having a grader with a movable blade to do the work. The street signs are in dire need of repair or replacement.

    A common policy is needed for placement of the street signs on top of the stop signs all in the same location and at the same height. An estimated $2,000.00 would replace the street signs and the City crew could shortly have our street corners functional and neat again.

     Speaking of our City crew, the operating budget for this year has a 5% pay raise for all city employees built in. The neighboring towns have all given from 1½ to 5 percent increases. Gassville employees received 5%. Mtn. Home gave 1½ percent with the plan to look again at their budget in June. On the basis of our conservative but solid budget I recommend a 5% increase for all employees retroactive to Jan. 1, 2003.

     The cost sharing percentages for the construction and operating of the jointly owned waste water treatment plant are calculated to remain the same as last year. The city of Cotter will pay 36 % of the cost of the plant and its operation.

     Last year the city paid the Baxter Bulletin $3,300 in fees to publish our legal notices. State law says that if a newspaper is not published in our town, we can instead post copies of our legal notices in 5 public places. I propose we post notices at City Hall, the Post Office, Cotter High School, Snappy Mart, and the White Sands Restaurant. That savings alone will help defray the pay increase.

     Now the bad news. Our town has regressed about five years, and is looking very trashy again. We have a good "clean-up" ordinance, but it appears that very little has been done to enforce it. March 1 will see a different method of enforcement. Jack Burkhart and I are going to start on Walnut Hill Lane on the North and Cotter Road on the South and start legal proceedings on each piece of property that is not in compliance. Going street by street means that all citizens are treated the same.

     Someday we are going to have an animal control law. The key to the success of any animal control law, is licensing the dogs and cats. Therefore I am proposing a moratorium on the fees for pet licenses for a 60 day period starting March 1, 2003. This means that the first year license for a dog or cat would be free. In my opinion this would be a small price to pay to be able to identify a pet and know that it has had it's shots.

     I am excited about the immediate future for the folks who call Cotter home. There is a electric charge in the atmosphere caused by the positive attitude of people wanting to work to make good things happen in our town. As Sonny Sharp says, "It's a great time to be here," and I'm so glad I am. I want to hear your ideas so I can help in any way to make them happen.

     Janet Latham, co-chair of the Chamber of Commerce garage sale, recently announced that the spring city-wide garage sale, sponsored jointly by the City of Cotter and the Cotter Area Chamber of Commerce, will take place on Saturday, April 12. The event has become a spring and fall Cotter tradition. For more information, see Janet at the Post Office.

     Shelly Baker, chair of the Easter Egg Hunt, has announced that planning has begun for the Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday, April 19, 2003. To volunteer to help, see Shelly at Cotter Hair Studio.

City Reviews Policies; to Develop Merit System