Prescott Mayor Terry Oliver returned from a recent trip to Little Rock with nearly a half-million dollars in state grant funding that will be used to solve a longstanding sewer problem that has plagued dozens of homes in the city's New Town and Wildcat Road area.

The meeting can be seen in its entirety in the video below this article as soon as it is processed.

Oliver told the Prescott City Council during its meeting Monday night at the Prescott Senior Adult Center that he had just accepted the Arkansas Economic Development Commission grant alongside representatives of some of the families who have waited years for relief.

"We went to Little Rock and had a picture with the governor," Oliver said. "Brought home right at $500,000. Two of the 64 homes that are involved, they went with us and got in the picture. Sixty-four homes on the Wildcat Road in the New Town area. A lot of them have sewer backups, and this is going to stop all that finally. They've been waiting several years as we prioritize the grants, and now it's their turn. So that's going to be big."

The funding for this grant originated from the federal U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

Council member Ivory Curry welcomed the news but cautioned that projects frequently exceed original estimates.

"I think we probably need to be prepared as a city," Curry said. "I've never known a project to come in on the budget. So I think we probably are going to have to put something to it to make sure the project gets completed."

Even so, Curry said the project would address one of Prescott's most serious infrastructure problems. "Five hundred thousand dollars is a real good start," Curry said. "That's one of the worst things, the sewer backing up in the showers."

Earlier in the meeting, the council heard a report from Police Chief Ann Jordan, who said the city's recent Pastor Appreciation Luncheon had drawn an excellent turnout after a hiatus of several years.

Jordan said the department's next community event will be a Widows and Widowers Luncheon, which has been scheduled for Aug. 19 at noon at the Prescott Police Department. She said the event is intended to encourage residents who have lost spouses and give the community an opportunity to support them.

The council then unanimously approved a resolution authorizing Mayor Oliver to apply to the Arkansas Economic Development Commission for a Site Development Program grant to fund a due diligence study of the former Potlatch property. The resolution authorizes the city to seek grant funding.

During council members' communications, Satarra Williams announced that the Prescott District Education Association will hold its annual Back-to-School Bash beginning at 8 a.m. Aug. 8 at the National Guard Armory.

Curry also announced plans for another community back-to-school event featuring games, food and school supplies for local children at Curry's Community Outreach August 4, 2026, starting at 5:00 p.m. and continuing to 8:00 p.m.

"We're just having fun," Curry said. "We're playing games. We're going to have food. ... Bring the kids out."

Curry asked city officials for an update on deteriorated property near Main Street that has become an eyesore. Mayor Oliver referred the question to City Attorney Eric Hughes, who said progress is being made toward removing the abandoned structures.

"We are working on that," Hughes said. "We've been in touch with the state's lawyer. They say now that they're going to sign the release to allow the city to tear it all down. We're waiting on the guy who has all the junk and then we'll be starting cleaning it up." Hughes confirmed the property includes the former Maxine's Diner and adjacent structures.

Curry also thanked the mayor, city employees and police department personnel for helping make this year's Fred Thomas Day celebration successful.

"Thank y'all so much," Curry said.

"It was a good day," Oliver added.

Near the close of the meeting, Council member Howard Austin addressed concerns that had surfaced after recent heavy rains flooded portions of the city.

Austin said residents should understand the difference between drainage systems designed for normal rainfall and the extraordinary volume of water created by flash flooding.

"I want to make sure people understand that the drainage is working," Austin said. "But if we have a flash flood, it won't hold all that water."

Other council members agreed that even communities with extensive drainage infrastructure can experience flooding during unusually intense storms.

Council members also briefly discussed the recent Arkansas Municipal League conference, with several commenting that this year's meeting had been among the best they had attended.

With no further business before the council, the meeting adjourned.