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Former Chief Sipes receives special honor |
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Wednesday, 16 July 2008 |
Former Benton Police Chief Gary Sipes received a special honor Monday night in a City Council meeting.
The eight aldermen present voted to present Sipes the city-issued firearm he carried during his years of service here.
A resolution recognizing him for outstanding service noted that during his administration here there were “many accomplishments including bringing the code enforcement department under the police department’s supervision, making it a more effective and successful tool in enforcing city codes.”
The resolution also pointed out that Sipes worked closely with the Benton School District on such programs as the “Every 15 Minutes” program that addresses drunken driving, and that he coordinated with the school district to add an additional resource officer.
During his tenure, Sipes, with the approval of the City Council, also was successful in implementing the “Standards of Conduct” for the city’s police department.
The resolution further noted that “his commitment to ensuring that the department consistently displayed the highest degree of integrity, professionalism and proactiveness was indeed a tremendous asset” to the city.
In another matter, the council approved an ordinance financing the construction of a detention pond and other drainage work for Harp’s Food Store Inc., which plans to build a store at the intersection of Arkansas 5 and Salem Road within the Benton city limits.
The total cost of the project will be $94,079, the ordinance states, while noting that the new jobs created once the facility opens, along with sales tax revenues, will general economic benefits to Benton.
“I think this is a plus,” Alderman David Sparks said.
In other matters, the council approved a resolution authorizing Mayor Rick Holland to apply for grant assistance to the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism.
For many years, the city annually has received 50/50 matching grants from the state parks and tourism department. The application process and the implementation of the grant funding comes under the supervision of Curtis McCormack, director of the city’s parks and recreation department.
The council had been scheduled to vote on the first reading of an ordinance amending a previous ordinance regarding mobile and manufactured homes, but this was sent back to the Community Services Committee for further study.
This followed a question from Sparks, who inquired whether property owners rebuilding homes that have been destroyed by fires or other causes would be allowed to reside in a temporary mobile home at the sites.
Marsha Guffey, director of community development, said the previous ordinance permitted this, “but I don’t think we left it in the new one.”
Guffey said she has talked with one individual, Mary Tiner, who lost her home to arson and has expressed a need to be able to reside on the site in a temporary structure in order to protect the building project.
Guffey said she believes the property owners should have this privilege.
All of the eight members voted for a revised ordinance changing the zoning for truck stops and travel centers to “a more appropriate zoning district.” It amended Ordinance 22 of 1991.
Before the vote, Alderman Brad Moore, who objected to the initial ordinance, noted that he now could support the measure.
The council also approved an ordinance accepting streets and utilities for maintenance in Wildwood subdivision, Phase 3, and a resolution authorizing the mayor to enter into a purchase agreement for the purchase of two parcels of property on East Street.
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