GARFIELD -- Numerous residents from Garfield attended the public hearing Tuesday, March 8, to express their support for the city to apply for a community grant for sidewalks. The hearing was held immediately prior to the regular City Council meeting.
Alan Jay Stallard, senior grants administrator for the Northwest Arkansas Economic Development District, told Garfield residents that the community has more than 51 percent of low to moderate income. "That means you're slightly poor. That's a good thing for you all. It makes you eligible for community grant block funds," Stallard said, adding that he had spoken with the mayor and a council member about possible uses for the grant.
He said holding the public hearing was the first step in applying for the grant.
"I've been here since 1980," Mayor Gary Blackburn said. "It's long been a desire of mine to see sidewalks in the downtown area. I have a genuine interest in getting sidewalks built ... I see in the future ... us being connected to the walk system from Fayetteville to Bella Vista. With that in mind, I would like to see sidewalks constructed so we could attach them and go all the way to the Rob and Melanie Walton Nature Conservancy. That would be a dream come true if you could help us accomplish that."
Stallard said he usually turns in a dozen grant requests and plans to submit five or six soon and hopes to get one or two funded. "I hope you're one of those," he said.
Zannie Morrison, city code enforcement officer, said he would like to see the sidewalks that were built along U.S. Highway 62 extended to the Garfield school and would like to see them extended to Rogers.
"From City Hall to the Garfield School is .7 miles," Stallard said, adding that at a cost of $25-$35 per linear foot, the project would cost about $115,000. "The typical grant application is between $75,000 to $200,000. This is a realistic application. They want realistic."
Several other residents spoke in favor of sidewalks, including Wayne Simonton and council member Dale Watkins.
Simonton, who said he had lived in Garfield since 2013, lives in Ashmore Creek and said that there is a blind curve that makes walking along the highway dangerous. He said he would like to see a sidewalk provide access to the school. "I hate to jump in the car for a 30-second drive," he said. "The only other way is through brush and a ravine."
Stallard asked all persons present to provide signatures proving they attended the meeting. The City Council approved resolutions also required by HUD as part of the grant application process.
Community on 03/16/2016