Thu January 23, 2025

By Jeff Smithpeters

Announcements Community Politics Local

Prescott City Council hears announcements from Mayor Oliver, discusses police vehicles needs

Mayor Terry Oliver Prescott City Council Blackmon Oil Company Fishing Pond
Prescott City Council hears announcements from Mayor Oliver, discusses police vehicles needs
The January regular meeting of the Prescott City Council took place on a freezing Tuesday night starting at 6:30 p.m. at the Senior Adult Center.  

The meeting can be seen in its entirety below the photos that follow this article.

The mayor opened the session by saying he would run for reelection. He also listed specific projects about to be built around the city, including two new parking lots for truckers and a facility for their comfort. The council also heard from the Prescott Police Department about the state of its vehicle fleet.

Mayor Terry Oliver announced his intention to run for another term as Prescott, Arkansas mayor, saying at the start of the meeting that this decision had been on his mind in the later weeks of 2024 and members of the public had asked him about it.  “Well, tonight I would like to announce I will be candidate for the office of mayor to continue to represent the citizens of Prescott as long as I am mentally able to,” he said. The council members and other attendees to the meeting applauded.

He praised members of the council for attending a recent Arkansas Municipal League Conference themed Called To Serve.  “Our council has definitely been proactive in learning about leadership and ethics, municipal finance, disaster preparation, conflict management, strengthening cyber security and how to get grants,” Oliver said.

Then he listed four projects to come to the city soon as “sort of my state of the city address.” Among these will be the building of two big truck parking lots, one with 195 spaces on Ron Herrod Boulevard (which goes parallel to the eastbound lane of I-30 from just north of Exit 44 to Exit 46). 

With that project a 3,000-square feet building will be constructed, which Oliver described as having “TV rooms, bathrooms, showers, vending machines, fitness areas for truckers. It’s going to be real nice.”

Next, Oliver said a second project will build 135 more truck parking spots in that area of the city. 

The third project will be undertaken by Blackmon Oil Company of Glenwood. They have started some construction and infrastructure has been started, and you can see it on Exit 46,” Oliver said.

Yet another project will be started at Exit 44, Oliver said: “A successful businessman from Texas … He has big plans for the old Split Rail [Residential Care] Facility this year. He's been shopping us for probably a year and a half or so, and he's about to have his permitting completed right now.”

In addition, sites are being considered for a new fishing pond for the city.  “A setting of a location will determine the size. That and accessibility. This is a very exciting project that I hold very dear to my heart, especially since I sold a lot of fish bait for 27 years. So we have a lot going on in question tonight,” Oliver said.

He also welcomed new Council Member Tony Gililand to his Ward 4 Position One seat, noted the attendance of the Nevada County Leadership Class of 2025 and praised the 2024 City Employee of the Year Shanta Wiley and the 2024 Newcomer of the Year Shytavia Hopper. 

The council voted unanimously in favor of applying to an AEDC Site Development Grant which would use the $698,845 in state funds to address drainage issues in the Industrial Park.  The city will provide  in $86,374.26 in matching funds.  

The council also voted unanimously to keep its meetings on the third Monday of the month at 6:30 p.m. with exceptions in January and February when the meetings would take place Tuesday to accommodate Martin Luther King's Birthday and President's Day respectively.

An audit report from the Turner, Rodgers, Manning and Plyler CPA firm was also accepted by the council. 

Assistant Chief Wesley Wright and Detective Casey Autry from the Prescott Police Department provided information about the state of the department's vehicle fleet and will provide options in February's meeting.  At this point several vehicles are out of commission and those that are being used have high mileage. 

Council member Howard Austin told the officers. “Sometimes we put off stuff that can cause us to get in trouble. I appreciate you all bringing this information so we can listen and get what you need.” 

The consensus among the council members seemed to be that at least two vehicles would need to be purchased. Autry said these could be bought at lower rates through state bidding. He was referring to a process by which car dealers submit bids that is overseen by the Arkansas Office of State Procurement. Wright and Autry said at next month’s meeting they would present specific options for the council to consider for purchase as well as requests for equipment replacement.

There was also a report from Prescott-Nevada County Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Jamie Hillery. She reported on having attended a fair manager’s convention in Hot Springs where she heard some ideas she will be implementing for this year’s fair. She also asked for nominations for Citizen of the Year and Hometown Hero.

“We have so many community members that deserve the awards and so few are nominated. So if you would, it just has to be a short little write-up,” she told the council members.

The meeting adjourned after about 50 minutes.

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Above photo: Prescott Mayor Terry Oliver (at right) with Shanta Wiley, the city's 2024 Employee of the Year.
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Above photo: Shytavia Hopper, winner of 2024 Newcomer of the Year, stands at left with Mayor Terry Oliver at Tuesday night's Prescott City Council meeting.

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