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Flood relief update on table |
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Thursday, 14 August 2008 |
Council to hear of progress on watershed, park
Bryant City Council members will receive updates tonight on a number of issues, including Operation Flood Relief, the FTN watershed project and progress at Bishop Park.
The meeting starts at 7 at Boswell Municipal Complex.
Bryant Fire Chief Randy Cox plans to update officials on the condition of several areas of the city following the April storms that caused major damage. Cox was named Operation Flood Relief incident commander.
Then, on July 4th, heavy rain threatened to flood numerous houses in areas of the city, and Cox was again was asked by Mayor Larry Mitchell to address the issues.
“Much has been accomplished since May and you can see that,” Cox said previously. “Every department will be used again in order to complete new projects and assist with projects waiting on materials.”
Public Works Director Richard Penn will update the council on the FTN and Associates watershed project. FTN was hired by the council in January 2007 to conduct a watershed study in identified areas of the city.
The project was initiated not only to identify problems, but also to determine what should be done to improve stormwater drainage in Forest Cove, Sunset Meadows, West Pointe, Springhill Acres, Springhill Manor, Sherwood Estates and Northridge subdivisions.
The objective was to identify steps that could be taken without causing additional harm to other points in the watershed.
The best way to control flooding is to replace the box culverts on the Arkansas 5 bridge near Larry’s Pizza, according to the study. Penn said all of the other projects in the plan are impacted by the bridge.
After FTN completed its study, the city hired McClelland Consulting Engineers Inc. of Little Rock in April to design a plan to replace the culverts. Dan Beranek, McClelland project manager, told the council that the plan must be approved by the Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department before construction could be completed and utility lines moved.
Several engineers, including Penn, Beranek and Roger Dodds with FTN, also informed the council that a temporary road needed to be built around the bridge during construction. Councilmen approved $144,500 on May 30 for construction of the road.
The council approved up to $60,000 to move AT&T lines and cables. The council also approved a $295,500 bid to begin work on culvert replacement at Hidden Creek.
Jeremy Lemons, city parks and recreation director, will update the council on progress at Bishop Park on Boone Road. The 106-acre park, which will cost around $16 million, is expected to be completed in 2010, although city officials said part of the park will be ready for use at an earlier date.
Council members also will vote on the second reading of two revised ordinances related to the annexation proposal that could double the city’s land size. The first ordinance approved a repeal of a Sept. 9 special election concerning land south of Northlake Road.
Bryant is in a dispute with Benton over the section of land. Both cities claim territorial jurisdiction of the area. Bryant wants to pull the special election and place the proposal on the Nov. 4 general election ballot.
Areas in the annexation proposal include Springhill, Midland, Hilldale, Northlake and Wilkerson roads and property surrounding the new Saline County Regional Airport. Bryant Planning Coordinator LaVenia Jones said there are about 1,200 houses in the areas proposed for annexation.v |
 |  |  |  |  | Just being with family and eating good food is the best part!!- Liz McGee Quantz (Haskell, AR)
The Mabelvale United Methodist Church in Mabelvale, AR will
be hosting a fall carnival on Sunday evening October 26th from 5 to 7pm in the
Fellowship Hall. Kids will love it, parents will too! - Roger Poole (Bryant, AR)
I make an awesome Pina Colda Cake. You buy a boxed yellow
cake mix and mix it and bake it per the instructions on the box. After you bake the
cake allow it to cool for about 15 minutes. Use the end of a wooden spoon to poke
medium size holes all in the cake. Take a can of Eagle Brand Milk and Cream of
Coconut and alternate pouring them into the holes. Place the cake in the fridge for
about one hour, remove and put Cool Whip on top, as much or as little as you like.
The cake is better if you let it sit all night in the fridge before eatting. It is
wonderful!!! - Kelly Chase (Alexander, AK)
My favorite memories of Thanksgiving were when we lived in
Tulsa, Ok. There were always folks that didn't have a place to go for the holiday-
so they wound up at our house along with most of my husband's family from Benton.
The house was packed. The Thanksgiving meal was wonderful. But the celebration
didn't end there. At night, all weekend, there were pallets spread throughout the
house and the good eats seemed to never end. And on Friday morning (after
Thanksgiving) all the females were up before dawn and Christmas shopping by 8:00
a.m. Those are memories that I will cherish forever. - Billie Loe (Texas)
I always get to make the turkey for our Thanksgiving. So
you can add more butter or flour for consistency. Wash your turkey, pat dry, take
another stick of butter and rub all over turkey. Then take with your hands and smear
the batter a little thick, all over the turkey. Once all of the turkey has the
batter on it, I will melt the another bar of butter and put it in the bottom of the
pan of my turkey. It will make a wonderful gravy to use on your turkey when done.
So, then get enough aluminum foil to make a "tent" over your turkey. Put in oven and
bake @ 375 all night. It will be so moist, the crispies are great and the gravy
makes it better. Now the flip side to this is, it will be so tender it will fall apart.
So, I do not serve as a whole turkey. I go ahead and slice up, pour some grave
over some of the sliced up turkey for those who like it and then slice up some
turkey without gravy. You will have many compliments on this. Happy Thanksgiving
and Enjoy! - Liz Johnson (Benton) We prepare a traditional Thanksgiving dinner that morning.
Then we pack it all up and travel to deer camp in South Arkansas. We serve dinner to
all those who don't have family with which to share. We'll spend the afternoon
playin' dominos, pitchin' horseshoes and just visitin'. It's a wonderful time. - Pat Stuckey (Bismarck) We invite all the family in and cook the traditional feast.
Everyone gets silly when they get full. That is entertaining. - Jim Perry (Benton) Frozen pizza - Greg Marsh (Medicine Hat) The whole family gets together and we have dinner and noon
visit for a while then go home to take naps and get ready for black friday sales! - Terrie Schulz (Benton)
My childhood memories are of the sumptuous dinners my
grandfather, Byron Yarbrough, Sr. would prepare. Family members came from all over
Arkansas, Louisiana and Texas to our home of South East Street. It was a wondeful
time I really didn't learn to appreciate until he and my grandmother passed away.
Later, my cousin Eleen Murray brought the tradition back and family members gathered
at their home near Lake Norrell. Today, it's the memories of
Thanksgivings past that I treasure. It was because of these gatherings that I came
to realize the importance of family. - David Hughes (Herndon, VA)
My favorite time of remembering Thanksgiving is when all of
my family would get together and enjoy the most wonderful feast I have ever tasted.
My mom would make at least 2 to 3 different stuffings, actually her and my sister
Tammy Parker(Schultz) would make everything. I am not quite the chef my mom and
sister are. I live now and have lived for most of my life away from home in
different states so I have tasted many other dishes. None can compare to my
mom's(Pat Brumley). But most of all it is the family being altogether and just
laughing and having fun. My husband experienced this tradition for the first time in
1999 and still to this day can not stop talking about it. His traditions were not
the same. He couldn't believe the amount of food, fun, and family we had for the
holidays. I didn't understand it because I am used to it always being that way. I am
very lucky to have the family I have. My ex-step dad (David Hughes) still treats me
and my sister like his own so I have extended family to share the holidays with too. Even if it
is just a phone call, prayer, or written. I sure so miss Benton. I was raised
there and even though I am in Hoosier state since 2001 I let everybody know I am
proud to be a Razorback. I will never be anything else. God bless everyone in
Benton and someday I hope to see you soon. - Debbie Brooks (Schultz) (Columbus, IN) |
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Razorbacks
