Nicky Boyette – Craig Hull of the Osage Group addressed city council May 9 about his suggestion that the city establish an Improvement District to undertake projects mentioned in his Hazard Mitigation Plan. He said other cities in Arkansas have established Improvement Districts, the term for a specific area that requires an additional tax from members inside the area to fund projects within the district’s boundaries. An example would be repairing the tunnel downtown that lies beneath the assets of several different owners.
Hull said an Improvement District is a long-range solution and a way to handle right-of-way issues.
Hull said defining the area would be the next big step, indicated there are state resources that could assist with this part of the plan.
Alderman David Mitchell wanted more information. “The devil is in the details,” he remarked.
Hull clarified that council was only at the point of launching the project, not adopting any particular plan. He acknowledged it would be a hard sell for some, but he’s already spoken with some large property owners who would be in the district, “and they get it,” meaning they understand it will take a cooperative effort to solve a common dilemma.
Alderman James DeVito moved for Mayor Butch Berry to set up a joint workshop with Planning, Hull and the state expert on Improvement Districts. Approval was unanimous.