During the Mountain Home City Council meeting Thursday night, the council approved an updated ordinance which would address acceptable humidity levels when burning yard waste. The only change to the ordinance would restrict residents from burning when the humidity is 25% or less. According to Arkansas State Forestry, fires spread faster when humidity levels are lower. Residents who want to burn yard waste are to call the fire department for permission prior to burning on the non emergency line at 425-2611.
The council also heard ordinances to adjust water and sewer rates based on the local the consumer price index (CPI) which would raise water rates by 7% and sewer rate by 12%. Councilmember Bob Van Haaren stated the CPI the city goes by is local and is considerably less than the national average. Currently the water department carries the sewer side financially and with Arkansas Act 605 passed in 2021, each entity has to carry itself by 2025. These increases will help ensure the sewer department will be able to function independently by that time. The new rates will be seen on the June 1 statements.
A table of estimated increases can be viewed with this story at ktlo.com
Sewer Rate Estimates by KTLO News on Scribd
In other business the council approved ordinances to allow the Mountain Home Police Department to auction off older vehicles and destroy police equipment no longer operatable, in addition to dated paperwork. The council also approved for the department to dispose of older guns and allow the option of officers to purchase them if they wish, which would return a higher amount than the buyback option for the new equipment.
An ordinance was also approved for the police department to replace their current body cameras. Many of the cameras within the department are not in working order and they will be migrating to new cameras and a new platform through Axom. Old cameras still in working order, will be able to be donated or sold to other departments who use the current platform Watch Guard.
The council approved an update to the zoning use table which omitted large residential properties and made it easier to understand how each property should be zoned within the city.
Requests were approved for the fire department to create new accounts and move funds as necessary for donations and the new fire station. Act 833 funds, which are state turnback monies from insurance, can only be spent on specific types of fire equipment and the department is audited each year. These new accounts would allow for easier record keeping.
The tabled ordinance from early March in regards to building incentives for pre-existing subdivisions plotted prior to 2020 was approved. The updated ordinance stated lots in a subdivision on or before July 17, 2020 are eligible for a one-time payment of 2% (or up to $7,000) of the estimated cost of construction listed on the building permit for a single family residential home.
The council also approved an amendment to the citywide noise ordinance which was previously passed in January. The amendment added language which would allow existing industrial businesses who have not changed their processes, to be grandfathered into the ordinance. If those industries change processes in turn increasing noise, they would no longer be grandfathered in.
During the announcements, Mayor Hillrey Adams shared a timeline for the construction drawings and plans for the new community center. The design process for the center is 90% complete and construction plans and specifications should be 100% complete by July 14.
Photos and timeline can be viewed with this story at ktlo.com
Community Center by KTLO News on Scribd
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