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Good things are happening in Cotter; it's a great time to be here! |
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 The official birthday of Cotter is July 7. On that date in 1904, the Baxter County Quorum Court approved the petition of the city to incorporate. MUSEUM On Wednesday, July 7, 2004, the Saturday Club of Cotter will host a preview party for the Old Cotter Museum, which will be set up for four days in the historic Spring House. The preview party, complete with a birthday cake by Judy Nazarenko, will be from 4 pm to 7 pm. The museum will also be open on Thursday and Friday from 1 pm to 4pm and Saturday from 11 am to 4 pm. The Saturday Club will be selling a book on the earliest history of Cotter based on period newspapers and including many old photographs of the town. PICNIC IN THE PARK On Saturday, July 10, from 11 am to 10 pm, the City of Cotter is hosting a "Picnic in the Park" at Big Spring Park. Food, music, and fun will be the order of the day. MUSIC Musical events will be a jam session in the Gazebo from noon to 4 pm, the Monkey Run Boys from 4 - 7:30 pm, and Wildfire from 8 -10 pm. FOOD Hamburgers and hot dogs will be cooked on the grill from 11 am ‘til 7 pm, or until they're gone. Chips and soda will also be served. Specialty foods available for purchase include lemonade from the Lemonade Factory, Hillbilly Hank's Homemade Ice Cream, and Granny Judy's Funnel Cakes. FUN The North Arkansas Youth Center and the Cotter High School FBLA will have games just for kids on the ball field, and the Cotter Volunteer Fire Department will provide a sprinkler waterfall to help the kids cool off. Johnny Harris will be making balloon animals for kids of all ages. Other special events will include a Big Spring Duck Race, a Watermelon Eating Contest and some surprises. JOIN THE PARTY! The City of Cotter invites all residents, former residents, friends, and everyone who wishes to help celebrate this very special birthday of a very special city to come and learn about our history and join in the fun under the Rainbow Bridge. Council Improves City Services
At their meeting June
24th the Cotter City Council made wide ranging improvements
in Fire, Police, accounting and Public Works departments.
First, they voted to complete funding of extraction equipment for the Cotter Volunteer Fire Department. The state-of-the-art gear will provide increased life saving capability to assist victims of car wrecks in the Cotter area. A federal grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency is expected to fund 90% of the cost, and Cotter’s portion is expected to be $2450 The Council also supported a proposal by Chief Jack Burkhart, in conjunction with Cotter Schools, to place a Cotter police officer on campus. The officer would essentially be on the faculty during the school year and be paid by the school. During the summer the officer would serve the City and be paid by the City of Cotter. The program would begin Aug 12th, and a federal grant application is also in process that would defray initial program costs for the first three years. The Council approved purchase of a computer program that would greatly improve financial reporting and cost controls of City business. New book keeper, Jolene Treat explained the Municipal Fund Accounting and Payroll computer program was designed to provide standard financial statements and budget reporting for small municipalities like Cotter. The Council approved purchase of the $3400 product. Finally, the Council authorized Mayor Jennings to advertise for one additional full time employee in the Public Works Dept to help satisfy heavy workload. In other action the Council amended the Water Rate Ordinance to allow citizens to install a separate water meter on their property and exclude water used for lawns, gardens, etc. from sewer charges. Installation charges for the additional meter will be $175 on same service lines with a primary meter already installed. Where main lines must be tapped the fee will be $325. The Council waived competitive bidding and awarded local small jobs for remodeling in the police/fire department, and paving near the school. Approval was given for sale of lots 1385, 1386, and 1387 owned by the City. The Council discussed but took no action regarding continuing objections by a citizen to the draft plan by the Ark Game and Fish Commission to create a handicapped and youth fishery at Spring Creek. Cotter Chamber Membership Drive As indicated by the growing attendance at their monthly meetings, there is no more enthusiastic bunch in the Cotter area these days than the Chamber of Commerce. The distinction is well earned by the great things that they do for the betterment of this area. The spring and fall festivals bring large crowds to town. The Chamber sponsors a college scholarship and recently donated $2000 to the high school band for new instruments. They are continually looking for ways to make Cotter better. Most of the members are not business owners and many are not even Cotter residents. But they all have faith in Cotter and believe that good things will just keep happening, especially if everyone works together. All residents and friends of Cotter are cordially invited to come to the Chamber meetings at 8 a.m. at the White Sands on the third Tuesday of each month and join the fun. Membership dues are only $15 for an individual or $35 for a small business, and the satisfaction of helping Cotter is enormous. Give President Bev Pence a call for more information at 430-5012.
Profiles of Cotter Peggy Hammack If you have come to City Hall for most anything to do with water, sewer, trash, permits, or just general information you probably have visited with Peggy Hammack, City Hall's most familiar face short of the Mayor himself. This Cotter native has worked periodically for the City of Cotter starting with a summer youth employment program at age 14 under Mayor Rex Bayless. Back then, she did a variety of jobs ranging from clerical help to "policing up the streets." Peggy now heads up Cotter's Water Department and routinely provides secretarial support to the Police Dept and Mayor of Cotter. Peggy has played an important role and has seen many changes in City administration, perhaps the biggest were the move into the new City Hall in 1976 and increases in technology and computerized billing. Jolene Treat The newest member of the staff at City Hall is bookkeeper, Jolene Treat. She has lived in California and New York and has been a Flippin resident since 1982. She describes herself as a "black and white bookkeeper." She has 30 years experience and her early resume includes Apple Computer, when that company was just getting started. Jolene’s considerable skills have already made a positive impression. At a recent City Council meeting she presented the need for a particular computer software program designed for Municipalities under 10,000 entitled "Municipal Fund Accounting and Payroll." She explained that the product would simplify financial reporting, improve accuracy, and enable better management decisions. She did an outstanding job and the council approved purchase of the $3400 product. Jolene has a ready smile and is happy to be here. The Incorporated Town of Cotter On July 7, 1904, the petition to incorporate Cotter was heard at the Court of Baxter County, what we now call the Quorum Court., and approved. The petition was presented by V. A. Matthews and signed by these residents of Cotter: It is recorded in Record Book 4, pages 21-23.
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Cotter Residents!
Ads are $10 per month payable to the City of Cotter at City Hall. They appear in both the print and online versions. If you have a Web site, it will be linked online.
Money is used to offset printing costs.
Free short classifieds! Send yours here.
For more information, call Judi at 492-4483 or leave your copy and logo at City Hall.
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Mayor’s
Minute
