ROGERS -- A city department has City Council approval to add two positions, in part because of the increased workload of reviewing projects related to the nearly $300 million bond voters approved in August.
The council on Tuesday approved the Community Development Department to hire a planner and a project engineer. The department is also looking to fill a planning engineer position because Derec Bass recently resigned, said John McCurdy, community development director.
Council action
Rogers’ City Council met Tuesday and approved:
• The Parks and Recreation Departmen spending $99,500 on landscaping such as replacing mulch with rocks. The amount includes $31,000 for mowing.
• The Finance Department spending $6,000 on server upgrades.
• Scheduling a hearing concerning vacating a portion of Valley West Drive.
• Amending the budget to recognize $11,388 from Southwestern Electric Power Company’s Arkansas Energy Efficiency Program.
Source: Staff Report
"When our planning engineer resigned, it really revealed our lack of bench strength," he said.
The vacant position leaves two engineers -- Lance Jobe, city engineer, and Dylan Cobb, assistant city engineer -- on staff.
While the city is without a planning engineer, it will contract with Crafton Tull & Associates and CEI Engineering Associates. The council approved a contract of up to $72,000 for consulting services.
McCurdy said hiring consultants to review development plans is a not a good long-term plan, but the department would need to do so until it can find a replacement for Bass. The department was already struggling to keep up with its workload before the engineer's resignation, hence the two new positions.
"It's gotten to where just reviewing bond project submittals from our consultants is taking a lot longer than it should take, and it's causing a problem," McCurdy said.
The bond included $180 million worth of street projects, such as widening Walnut Street and extending Garrett Road, for example.
The entry level planner position is needed because smaller projects are being put on the back burner as planners are mandated by city code to address plans for subdivisions and other larger projects quickly, he said.
The department has two planners, Beth Johnson and Ethan Hunter.
The new planner position will pay about $16 to $18 per hour, and the project engineer position will pay about $70,000 to $79,000 per year, according to the city's website.
The city council gave the department permission to spend up to $71,939 on salaries for the two new positions for the remainder of this year.
The council also agreed to rezone 7.7 acres at the northeast corner of Bellview Road and Hampton Place from highway commercial and residential office to the neighborhood commercial zoning district to allow a retirement facility, Pinnacle Springs, to be built there.
Plans for Pinnacle Springs Retirement Community show the development will have 130 residential units. Pinnacle Springs would be a part of Resort Lifestyle Communities, which has similar facilities in 23 states, according to its website.
Bob Lewis, a representative for the project, said the company has 29 facilities open and is working on another 30 to 40. Residents pay a monthly rent that includes three meals a day, housekeeping, transportation, gym access, theater access and other amenities.
"A typical resident has lost a spouse or the ability to drive," Lewis told the council Tuesday.
Another representative for the project, Dwight Kiser, said residents must be at least 55, but the average age is about 80-82.
All items passed unanimously with council member Jerry Carmichael absent.
NW News on 06/26/2019