Rosie Simmons
The Delight City Council met on August 10, 2015 at the Delight Library, the meeting was called to order at 6:53 pm. Those in attendance were Mayor Paul Lane, Council members, Tom Wilson, Keith Woods, Randy Abbott, Ronnie Cox and Clerk/Recorder Brent Alexander, Chris Goodson was absent.
The minutes of the July meeting were reviewed and a discussion ensued about the purchase of the track hoe. Mayor Lane had purchased the track hoe for the city after he contacted each of the council members for their vote on the matter after last month’s meeting. Mr. Wilson made the motion to approve the minutes and Mr. Abbott seconded. The minutes were approved.
While reviewing the city transactions Mr. Wilson made the motion to divide the cost of the track hoe between the water/street department and the general fund. It was also mentioned that income on the city sales tax were up slightly since the Family Dollar store had opened. The minutes were then approved by a motion from Mr. Woods, and seconded by Mr. Abbott. The Mayor also mentioned that while insuring the track hoe he found out the new truck purchased eight months ago, had not been insured through the municipal league, even though the information had been sent to them. It is now.
The council reviewed the water transactions and there was a question why there was a deficit in the water transactions. This was because the water department had bored under the road for a customer and had not received payment for this yet.
The work in the Park to complete the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism Outdoor Recreation Fun grant the city received last fall, will start August 11, 2015. This involves installing handicap parking, sidewalks and a new pavilion. The work is supposed to be completed in two weeks.
The city has also received a grant from the Pike County Conservation District working with the Arkansas Natural Resource Commission (ANRC). The grant states that the City of Delight currently has a substantial ditch and gulley erosion in the city park area and that the measures to control and stop this problem is an underground drainage system installed behind the baseball field. This is to begin at the edge of the city street with controlled release into a wooded area. The term of this grant is one year from the date of execution which was June 8, 2015. The total amount of money requested for this project was $7,500. Two-thirds of the request was funded by the ANRC and one-third of the project $2,497.50 will come from the city. This can be in-kind such as labor or equipment use. The Mayor would like Dewayne Reed the road foreman for the county, to give the mayor an idea as to how many culverts/pipes will need to be used to make this project successful.
The rest of the meeting was discussion over drainage in the town and  which streets/ditches will be worked on first. The Mayor personally purchased a transit level, but it also can be used by the city to shoot the fall on the streets where the drainage needs to be improved. At this time Reid St. and Railroad St. will probably be the first ones worked on.
In Councilmen comments, Mr. Abbott was asked about signs coming into Delight and he said they are being worked on. Also that Sean Campbell, Josh Campbell’s brother is bringing a new business to town.
At 7:44 pm Mr. Woods made the motion to adjourn and Mr. Abbott seconded.
