David Clark Executive Director of Arkansas Local Police and Fire Retirement System was present at the meeting of the Hope City Board Tuesday night to answer questions from city leadership.https://youtu.be/J7JJzmthz3M
At the second regular June meeting of the Hope City Board of Directors, which can be seen in its entirety above this story, City Manager J.R. Wilson, in his report given near the end of the meeting described how he has not been able to solve the problem of trains blocking major intersections for hours and, in one part of town, several days.
While trains blocking intersections in Hope for a few hours has been a frequent occurrence, in the case of residents living on Old Lewisville Road, in Hope’s south, citizens have complained about rows of train cars blocking their road for entire weekends.
The discussion was prompted by Director Reginald Easter’s question about how the city had come out after the train derailment of June 2nd. “We were down from close to 10 o'clock in the morning, roughly 10:30ish, to probably nine o'clock at night. And there was nobody hurt, no damage. Just a couple of cars popped off the rail but it blocked our intersections for quite a while,” Wilson said.
Then he told of his work over the past three months on the issue of frequent train stops blocking Hope’s roads, which included calls to representatives of Union Pacific and Kiamichi, the two railroad lines that most often come through Hope. “I am struggling and I'll just tell you what I've done. Old Lewisville Road has been blocked by trains. And I'm not talking about hours. I'm talking about days on end. From Friday through Monday. I've made multiple complaints with people that I know. And they've tried to work with me.”
Wilson said that often one railroad line company would blame the other for the stoppages and the calls he made have not resulted in any pledges to change the lines’ manner of operation. “Ultimately, I think the guys I'm talking , they really want to help us. They try and help us, but we're dealing with organized unions. … When they have citizens walk up to people, they're just saying ‘There's nothing you can do about it. Leave me alone.”
He has tracked the train stoppages and spoken to citizens, Wilson said, “I just told everybody I've been dealing with, ‘Look, I just appreciate all your help. I just don't think we're being productive.” Finally, Wilson said, he sent letters to the registered agents of Union Pacific and Kiamichi Railroad. If in 45 days, the city of Hope is not satisfied with potential measures to solve the problem, it can send its complaint to the Arkansas Highway Commission which has sole jurisdiction over issues of this sort. The commission can hold a hearing in which it can fine the railroads involved. Wilson said any decision by the Highway Commission could be appealed.
Wilson said that although the numbers of citizens affected by trains being parked for days at a time is small, the issue could result in delays for those residents awaiting ambulance or police services. A month ago, he said, an 18-wheeler driver waited for an hour in the Old Lewisville area before finally being told by a resident of the area the train was probably parked for the weekend. Hope Police had to assist as the driver backed out half a mile so he could get back on Highway 29 South.
Wilson said that when he receives complaints of blockages, he goes to see it then asks the train line to de-link train cars to allow use of intersections by cars. He said he recalls this request being granted only once.
Wilson summed up the matter by saying he was trying to be responsive to citizen complaints. “That's really what it boils down to. So we've made this complaint,” he said. “So we eventually may go before the Highway Commission. We'll see how that works out. And they may tell us to pound sand. Each time I'll be leaning on Randy [Wright, City Attorney], and we'll end up in a court somewhere probably.”
Mayor Don Still said, “Each time they come to us to close an intersection, they’ve always got a lot of promises. We need to remind them of that when they do this. I’ll tell you what, they’re on a five-o’-clock schedule. They like to move trains at about 4:30 to 5:30.”
Director Trevor Coffee reported that the train had stopped a bit before 8:00 a.m. last Thursday. Director Montgomery noted that he had take detours around the train Tuesday morning. Still said that in the past the city had encouraged the train lines to use a site north of town and to perhaps move its switching there, but this offer had not been taken up. “But they like it,” he said. “They like it south of town, makes a lot of friends.”
The mayor told Wilson to stay on the issue, though it might be “on the ten-year plan.”
In other business, the board approved, on an emergency basis, an ordinance for the movement of nine former Hope Fire Department employees’ pensions, currently administered by a local board, to Arkansas Local Police and Fire Retirement System. David Clark, Executive Director of LOPFI was present to answer the questions of board members. The city will continue to collect the 1 mill tax to defray costs for membership in the fund. Clark emphasized the benefits to the pensioners and to the city. Pensioners will get an annual 3 percent raise for cost of living and the city will be spared administrative work.
The board also approved a request by the city’s staff to declare surplus a second building currently at the airport that was placed there when FEMA stored residential buildings there shortly after Hurricane Katrina. Potential buyers would be responsible for moving the structure themselves.
It also approved a request by staff to solicit proposals for buying timber on the airport property. Darrel Allen, Hope GIS Coordinator and Airport Manager spoke of the need for a professional assessment by forestry experts of what needed doing in the area toward combating the pine beetle, salvaging damage from it and harvesting trees overdue to be removed. Sealed proposals are due for opening July 6.
Allan also requested the board’s attention to the need to upgrade its fuel pump assemblage. He said that if the airport agreed to display branding by Titan, the fuel supplier, and offer Titan fuel exclusively, Titan would help replace filters and assume the cost of liability insurance. But in the meantime the Hope airport’s fuel assemblage would need to upgraded so its tank automatically recirculates fuel. Allan said a 50/50 grant was likely available from the state department of aeronautics to help fund the necessary work. The city has budgeted about $15,000 for this category of spending.
Director Linda Clark moved that the city pursue the Titan branding and apply for the state grant for the fuel pump assembly upgrades.
Examination of the May financial report followed with directors asking for input on some of the expenses and monies received.
Wilson’s City Manager’s Report included the reporting of many numbers from city departments of services provided to this point in the year 2023. A few highlights are offered here:
Police Department Calls for Service 3,037; Citations 1,046; Incidents 754; Jailed 202 persons; Diverted from jail by citation 96; Incidents investigated by Criminal Investigation Division: 250; Warrants 402; Uniform Crime Report crimes (murders, rapes, robbery, assaults, burglaries, theft, auto-theft) 39; Simple assaults 75; Property-related UCR crimes 116. Total UCR crimes: 228.
Dispatch 15,004 phone calls; Calls referred to responder 4,890; Calls referred to Hope PD 3,037; Calls referred to Hempstead County Fire or Hope Fire departments 1,850; Percentage of calls handled by Hope Police 62 percent; Percentage handled by Hope Fire Department 4 percent; Hope Fire Department calls 197; Residence fires 4; Vehicle fires 8; Commercial fires 2; Grass fires 9; Medical calls 79; Mutual agreement calls: 97.
Code enforcement has issued 16 residential permits; six commercial building permits; electrical and plumbing inspections 47; notices of violations 259. no citations, no building removals. First building of year scheduled to be removed in June.
Animal control calls for service 213; citations issued 10; animals picked up 139; animals reclaimed by owners 24; animals surrendered 42; animals held at points throughout January-May 139; animals euthanized 74; bite report 1; animals held in facility averaged 22.
Parks Coliseum rented 35 times; Northside Community Center rented 35 times; Log hut rented 40 times; Attendance at swimming pool last two days of May: 143.
Street department piles of grass/leaves picked up 156; Grapple truck loads 542; Miles overlaid streets 2.1; Sidewalk repair hours 16; Drainage work hours 20; Downed trees from storms hours worked: 96.
Sanitation. Class I compacted cubic yards 13,018; Class I bailed cubic yards 4,275; Gallons of leachate removed from landfill 1,961,063.
Wastewater. Manhole covers repaired 152; Sewer taps 3; Sewer line locates 647; Line repair 25; Main line repair 6; Lines filmed 26; Emergency after hours calls 106.
City taxes received over last years’ numbers: up 5.75 percent
Wilson also announced he had been in talks with UFS to get a rate study done of Hope’s wastewater bill charges. This would cost about $16,500. The board will vote on that later.
During Citizens Requests, VOTE SoAR representative Sylvia Brown thanked the city leadership for its support of the Juneteenth holiday festivities. Another citizen asked for a repair in the Northside Park bathroom.