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Russellville council adopts brownfields coalition, names city lead on $1.5 million EPA grant
Summary
The Russellville City Council voted to form a coalition with Pope County, Dover and Atkins to apply for an EPA brownfields grant of about $1.5 million, authorizing the city to be the lead agency and contracting agent; the council approved the ordinance and an emergency clause by roll call.
The Russellville City Council on Oct. 16 adopted an ordinance forming a coalition with Pope County and the cities of Atkins and Dover to apply for U.S. Environmental Protection Agency brownfields grant funding, naming the City of Russellville as the coalition’s lead agency and point of contact.
City staff told the council the coalition has identified at least 61 candidate sites — roughly 30 within city limits and about 31 elsewhere in the county — and intends to pursue roughly $1.5 million in EPA brownfields funds to assess and, where appropriate, remediate those properties. The ordinance authorizes the mayor, city clerk/treasurer and other necessary city personnel to apply for and accept the grant funds and to execute memoranda of understanding with coalition members and recipients of grant services.
“We would be applying for… one grant for all of the sites,” city staffer Miss John said in response to council questions, adding that the city would serve as the recipient and would contract consultants or contractors to carry out assessments and cleanup work. “The grant does allow for indirect costs, but it’s not a matching grant,” she said. “It’s a $1.5 million grant.”
Councilmembers pressed staff on administration and payment flow for work on sites outside Russellville’s limits; Miss John reiterated the city would receive funds and then pay contractors under coalition agreements. The council also confirmed that sites in Atkins, Dover and elsewhere in Pope County could be covered under the single coalition grant and that the grant would fund contractor payments directly.
The ordinance passed by roll call, with recorded affirmative votes from Mr. Keller, Mr. George, Miss Young, Mr. Olsen, Mr. Bradley and Mr. Pearson. The council separately moved, seconded and approved adding an emergency clause so the measure takes effect immediately; the same members’ affirmative roll-call votes were recorded on that action.
Next steps spelled out by the ordinance and staff comments include completing the EPA application, executing MOUs with coalition partners, and engaging consultants for site assessment and cleanup work if the grant is awarded. The council did not specify which consultant(s) would be used or the timeline for award-to-work start; those details will depend on EPA selection and subsequent contracting.
