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Mayor reports budget under-run, bridge timeline and grants; Jeff Scott named to airport commission
Summary
Mayor Steven R. Rose told the council the city is about 16% under budget projections, reviewed recent purchases funded by CARES/ARPA, reported a bridge reopening target of Oct. 10, 2024, and announced a $3,986.54 grant for the senior center and appointment of Jeff Scott to the airport commission.
Cherokee Village, Ark. — At the Sept. 19 meeting Mayor Steven R. Rose updated the City Council on the 2025 budget preparation, capital purchases made with federal CARES Act and ARPA funds, infrastructure projects and community grants.
Mayor Rose said department heads are assembling materials for the 2025 budget and that sales-tax and street-turnback revenues have shown a slight downturn in recent months but overall remain on track. He reported the city’s budget is running about 16% under (no further revenue or rate details were provided in the minutes).
The mayor reviewed recent capital activity, naming new fire apparatus, police vehicles and upgrades to City Hall technology and lighting as purchases funded by federal CARES Act and American Rescue Plan Act dollars. He said crews are repairing the City Hall parking lot and that the highway/bridge project includes raising the roadway to match a new bridge profile, adding sidewalks and railings; a 30-day extension to the construction contract was granted with the bridge expected to reopen to traffic on Oct. 10, 2024.
On parks and public works, Mayor Rose said crews have been cutting back roadside overgrowth and applying cold patch; recent pug-mill production yielded roughly 650 tons in the latest batch and an earlier 450 tons had already been applied to streets.
The mayor announced the appointment of Jeff Scott to fill a vacancy on the airport commission; Scott was described as having aviation experience across electronics, airframe and power-plant inspections and as potentially helpful in starting an Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) chapter locally. He also said the City Hall digital sign has an irreparable motherboard and will be removed and replaced later; flag lighting will be preserved.
Mayor Rose confirmed a $3,986.54 grant for the senior center air-conditioning was received Aug. 27, 2024, and thanked Council Member Thompson and State Representative Trey Steimel for assisting with the funding. Council Member Thompson also reported that Animal Control construction is scheduled to start Oct. 7 and that funds have been released from a trust account for that project.
The mayor’s updates were provided for council information; no formal council action was required on the departmental or project-status items discussed.
What’s next: Animal Control construction is slated to begin Oct. 7; the mayor indicated the timing for reconsideration of the tabled ordinance is at his discretion.
