Brinkley City Council Q&A session provides a number of answers

The Brinkley City Council held a question-and-answer session prior to its regular meeting on Tuesday, September 7 at 6:30 in the courtroom of City Hall. Citizens were invited to ask questions and express thoughts. Present to answer questions were Rob Parkman, Brinkley Water Department Manager and Brad Wingfield of Pollution Management Incorporated. The 45-minute recording is available to anyone wanting to listen by contacting the Monroe County Herald at 870-589-5055.

The following highlights are questions and remarks raised at the meeting.
• New water lines and work on the L.C. Dial water plant (age 45 years) as well as sewer lines are a project. This is a continual project that will never be completed. Testing, applying for grants and funding and then the actual work, gives a timeline of approximately 3 years.

• Would a reservoir solve the problem of different chemical issues? This is a possible option, but not a viable one currently. (We operate on a ground well system at this time.)

• Before Congress is a bill that could possibly help fund this project. The sales tax will provide seed money that is necessary to obtain grants. Many times, the city must provide 20 percent to attain 80%.
• Prices before the first of the year for the pipe needed for water lines were $9 a foot. The price is currently $29 per foot.
• Do we have a game plan for more than just fixing the problems as they arise? Right now, that is not possible because of the lack of funds. A concern was expressed that this is not a problem that we want to pass on to our children and grandchildren.

• The water department’s reserve account was $280,000 at the first of the year but is now at $70,000 because of the collapsed sewer lines as well as pump repair/replacement.

• According to Parkman, we have the second hardest water to treat in the state of Arkansas due to the manganese, iron and organics that are in the ground here. Our chemical cost per year is $200,000. In Earl, where Parkman was manager for 4 years more than 11 years ago, the chemical cost was $8 – 10,000.

• Is there a definitive plan in place for this sales tax money? Mayor Henard expressed that it had been discussed but that the council can change it. The mayor stated that his plan currently is 50% of the sales tax will go for the water and sewer, 25% for street and cemetery improvements, including things that need to be done to the new cemetery to get it into operation. 25% would go to fire and police equipment, youth development and park improvements.
• A new fire truck is needed (the newest one we have is 19 years old) two trucks will be sold and one purchased. The purchase price is between $700,000 and 900,000.

• A question was raised about the Advertising and Promotion tax (Hamburger Tax) possibly funding the park improvements. Mayor Henard stated that the A and P Commission didn’t have that kind of money and that they take care of the ball fields, and major work was needed to be done to Chaney and Greenlee.
• Councilman Eddie Harvey, who is also the Chairman of the A and P Commission, stated that the A and P helps fund the city park, Marian Anderson and Chaney Park. He also said that the A and P did not have the funds for the kind of improvement needed for Greenlee.