AT A GLANCE
Rogers City Council
What Passed:
A $108,541 contract with Consolidated Electrical Distributors for 34 street lights and poles to be placed along Walnut Street in downtown. The lights are replicas of antique street lights from around the turn of the 20th century, said Derrel Smith, senior planner. Similar street lights will be added on First and Second streets later as part of project to beautify downtown.
A resolution supporting issues 2 and 3 on the general election ballot. Issue 2 would unlink from the federal discount rate, according to a news release from the Rogers-Lowell Area Chamber of Commerce. That would make it easier for local governments to sell bonds, according to the news release.
Appropriating $1,000 from grants and donations to the police dog expense account. The money will be used to purchase body armor for a police dog and a specialized police dog immediate care kit.
A resolution authorizing a $3.4 million sewer revenue bond offer. Revenue will be used to purchase a sludge dryer for the wastewater treatment facility. Tom McAlister, water utility superintendent, said the dryer will reduce the volume and weight of sludge, saving the utility thousands of dollars in fees to dump the sludge in a landfill.
A resolution authorizing the city to buy 1.64 acres of land adjacent to Dock Wheeler Park for $150,000. The land, at 1706 S. 26th St., was appraised at $128,000, said Rick Stocker, recreation director.
Source: Staff Report
ROGERS — The fate of a local wedding business is still uncertain after a City Council meeting Tuesday.
Aldermen voted to table a decision on whether to renew a permit for the wedding venue in the Creekwood area near Lake Atalanta.
The decision came after the council heard from several members of the public, most of whom spoke in favor of the wedding venue, which is named Creekwood Gardens.
Some neighbors said the venue draws commercial traffic down their private drive, a violation of the conditional-use permit for the venue.
Alderman Greg Hines, who made the motion to table, said the council needed more information to make a decision.
He said it sounded like there was room for compromise, and offered to mediate between the venue’s owners.
Hines is one of five candidates for Rogers mayor in the Nov. 2 election.
Lisa Rose, the venue’s owner, said she was willing to pay to install a gate on the private drive, discontinue fireworks at weddings and continue to notify neighbors of upcoming events.
The council tabled the matter until its Nov. 9 meeting.
The Planning Commission denied renewal of the permit Oct. 19. Rose appealed the decision to the City Council.
A conditional-use permit allows the holder to use property in a way inconsistent with the property’s zoning. For example, Rose’s permit allows her to commercially host weddings in a residential area.
Rose said she has 14 weddings planned for the venue for 2011.
Rose provided letters and Facebook comments from people expressing their support for the venue.
“I’m so anxious and excited for my wedding — June 25th, 2011, and would ask council to members for their consideration in allowing Creekwood Gardens to host my dreamday,” wrote Sarah Earle.
The council also heard Tuesday from a wedding caterer and a wedding photographer who have work planned at the venue.
Jennifer Keaton, owner of Kruton’s Catering, noted weddings can bring substantial tax revenue to cities and counties.
Complaints about the business and requests to deny the permit have come from neighbors including Dick Smith, Clint Hopper and Mark Taylor.
They’ve said they want no commercial traffic on the private road, and there has been such traffic despite Rose’s attempts to direct visitors to another entrance.
Taylor said at the meeting Tuesday he knows Rose has made an effort to keep traffic out.
After the meeting, he said he will give negotiations a shot. But the fact is, it can sometimes be difficult or impossible to get people to follow rules, he said.
Rose also said she was open to negotiation.
“It’s not a no,” she said of the council’s decision. “It’s much better than a no.”