The last Prescott City Council meeting of the year saw the approval of the 2026 budget, news about the city’s progress on paying back SWEPCO for energy use during the winter storm of 2021, and a decision regarding police radios.
The meeting can be seen in its entirety in the video below.
The budget for 2026 was passed by ordinance by a unanimous vote. City Accountant Carl Dalrymple told the council the budget will show around a $400,000 surplus and that as of this month, the debt of $1.2 million owed to Southwestern Electric Power Company for power use during the snowstorm of 2021 was retired as of this month. This information led to a round of applause from all in the room.
Now that the debt amount is paid off, as Council Member Ivory Curry observed, the city can be reimbursed in that amount from the proceeds of a sales tax. After the meeting, Dalrymple said the tax would sunset and if the council wanted it to continue, the matter would have to be placed on the ballot.
The council also voted to accept the low bid of $520,690.94 from Premier Facilities Group based in Russellville to replace the Industrial Park Water Main. A.L. Franks Engineering vouched for the quality of Premier Facilities’ work. Mayor Terry Oliver said the low bid being lower than expected was additional happy news for the city.
Prescott PD Detective Casey Autry requested a vote from the council to purchase police radios from a firm in Texarkana capable of allowing more direct communication between PPD patrol officers and other law enforcement agencies and emergency first-responders in the region. Autry described the financing arrangement as requiring no payments until one year from now, with those being about $1,500 a month. After the vote, Autry said these radios can be picked up as early as this week.
Autry also introduced Lacey Grace, a recruit to the PPD who has just returned from the academy, having attained the status of squad leader while undergoing many weeks of training. He also said a soup fundraiser held by the PPD had raised $600 to provide Christmas gifts to 15 youngsters.
Speaking of Christmas gifts, Curry, who heads the Curry Outreach Ministry, announced at the end of the meeting the Toy Giveaway scheduled to occur Saturday, December 20th at the former National Guard Armory on 841 Gee Street at 11:00 a.m. Curry urged everyone to invite as many kids as possible who might be lacking Christmas gifts due to living in low-income households. Children must be present to receive gifts. Food and refreshments will be provided.
Mayor Oliver said results of an audit had come in the form of a report, which he would go over with city leaders in the January city council meeting. Phyllis Hicks tendered her resignation of her city council seat because of a change in residence, with Mayor Oliver reading her resignation letter. Oliver will appoint Megan Box, longtime city employee, to replace her in Ward 3 Position 1.
A resident sought and got clarification about ordinances relating to where trashcans can be placed in relation to streets. They must be away from the curb of streets.
Adjournment occurred about twenty minutes after the meeting began.