Prescott City Hall in downtown Prescott.https://youtu.be/WxDenJuL4Mo

The Prescott City Council regular July meeting last night, whose video is posted above this story, was taken up with a mayoral talk concerning retirements, reports from city and county officials, from organizers of city events for young people and two residents’ communication regarding a traffic light on Highway 67 and a derelict house posing danger to kids.

After the opening prayer and the pledge of allegiance, Mayor Terry Oliver spoke about the civility with which city council meetings have been conducted recently, in contrast to the days prior.  “We must continue to express ourselves in ways that demonstrate our respect for other people,” he said.

He also noted the high number of city employees retiring soon, listing each by name. He said about half the city’s workforce is going to need replacing over the next year.

He said the replacement of about 375 years of experience would be difficult, because so few young people possess or seek the skills and the endurance necessary to work in the dangerous and uncomfortable circumstances many outdoor city workers must face.  Seeing themselves criticized in social media was also a hindrance for many young people thinking of taking a city job, Oliver said.

Then the meeting moved quickly through approval by the council of the minutes of the June 20th meeting and the acceptance of the June financial report.

Reports were presented by Prescott-Nevada County Chamber of Commerce Director Jamie Hillery, Chief of Police Ann Jordan and Prescott-Nevada County Economic Development Director Mary Godwin.

Hillery announced there would be a groundbreaking ceremony at Emmet City Hall July 21 at 11:00 a.m. for a pavilion that will be constructed thanks to a grant the town was awarded. She also reported on the ribbon cutting for Trina’s Diner at the old Wolf’s Den location and said the food there was good.

South Central Connect is planning a back-to-school cookout in Prescott City Bark from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. and is hoping, said Hillery, to begin making connections of broadband in the Prescott area starting at the end of August. A representative from the utility is likely to come to next month’s council meeting.

Prescott Chief of Police Ann Jordan invited the public to attend the town’s National Night Out event. “Last year was a good turnout,” she said. “But I want it to be bigger and better this year.” She said vendors were going to be present and characterized the event as a way for members of the community and particularly young people to better know their first-responders. National Night Out falls on August 1 at Nevada County Fairgrounds from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.

Mary Godwin reported that this past Thursday a group of citizens enrolled in her leadership program had experienced Local Government Day with tours of city hall and the Nevada County Courthouse. Members of the council received photos of the tour with their meeting packets and several members of the leadership course were present at last night’s meeting.

Godwin said, “You’ve got to like the latest tax numbers at your city as well.” Indeed a table included in the council’s meeting packet showed a nearly $11,000 increase in sales tax receipts compared to last year’s number. 

Godwin also updated the council on the progress of a sidewalk project. Large holes near a carwash will be addressed by the contractor, she said, before the project can be considered closed. Rain in the area over the past 16 days, she said, has hampered efforts in other projects, including one related to drainage.

The Economic Development office itself is also slowly recovering from storm damage that came in the form of a lightning strike that destroyed the office’s air conditioning system and other items. Only recently had the air conditioning of the office resumed because of a replacement unit.

Godwin reported that the weather had also caused many residents to fall behind on mowing their yards because the rain has made mowing a risk for finding oneself stuck in the mud.

She also said she and Mayor Oliver had attended a Resource Fair at UAHT, where a number of  state agencies had set up tables and where she was made aware of potential grant opportunities for the area. She said he may have secured at least one grant for about $40,000 through the fair.

She said zoning would be a priority soon and work would start, including the education of members of a new zoning commission once a new city attorney is hired.

A large area of TA Road near the TransAmerica Travel Center is needing work, Godwin said, because of the recent rains. “We'll be addressing that at the end of the year with the with the budget committee,” Godwin said.

Godwin closed by reporting that Nevada County’s Broadband Committee, at the request of state broadband officials, had now been established with 20 members.  Its next work will be to conduct a survey of the county’s citizens which can be done on line.

Councilman Ivory Curry asked Godwin whether Prescott could start a group like the Hope Downtown Network to distribute grants to businesses for beautification of their storefronts. “It's something we could look into,” Godwin said.

Moving into the Tonight’s Business portion of the agenda, Mayor Oliver introduced Jason Butler, an athletic trainer and community developer originally from Prescott, who is organizing a 5K Run/Walk Saturday July 22nd starting from 325 East Elm at 7:30 a.m. The men’s and women’s winners will be awarded $500. Registration will start at the East Elm location an hour before the race and will cost $30 to each entrant.

That day the Flexx Fun Day Bro Holiday will take place at Prescott Raceways from 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.  Motorcycle and Chevy Corvettes will race on the track. There will be live music performers, too, along with kids activities and food trucks.

Butler said he would like to start a community-run workout program for area youth and others wanting to improve their health.  He has the equipment and training personnel, but he needs a suitable building.

Next, Paul Ridgell spoke on the growth of the Nevada-Depot Museum. It has hired a curator, Janice Simmons, who will have office hours at the museum during business hours Thursday through Saturday.  Ridgell said more and more people are visiting the Nevada-Depot Museum and are especially interested in the caboose.  The lot across from the museum is being used for camper parking.

Ridgell pointed out the museum was also intended as an information center for the city. In the future, he said a full-time attendant will be hired, most likely with grants coming from T Mobile and Union Pacific.  With more traffic coming in from the interstate, he said, the museum can play a role in bringing people into the town who will patronize its businesses. Advertising will be needed to help achieve this.

Ridgell also announced a program for children being readied in late October that will include living history demonstrations.

Simmons said in the future the museum hopes to create a historic hiking trail in the prairie and a space for gatherings of people for weddings or family reunions.

Ridgell spoke of the upcoming total solar eclipse viewing that will be taking place April 8 as an opportunity for the museum and the town as well.

Curry asked if fishing was being allowed at the Prairie. Ridgell said though some of the surrounding area may have snakes but that the pond contains a number of scrumptious fish.

In Citizen’s Communications, a resident called attention to a traffic light on the intersection of Elm and Highway 67 (West First) that she said could be changed to a constant flashing red light allowing for the intersection to be a four-way stop.  She was told by Electric Operations Manager Larry Jones Jr that the state of Arkansas determined the use of the light.  Mayor Oliver said the resident’s idea was good and that he would start communications with the state to have the change made.

Citizen Adam Beck brought photos of a dangerous abandoned house that needed to be addressed so that it posed no danger to children.