BENTONVILLE -- City employees will get a little extra cash via the American Rescue Plan.
The City Council voted 7-0 Tuesday night to use federal money for one-time premium payments of $2,000 to eligible full-time city employees and $1,000 to eligible part-time employees. The estimated cost is $1.4 million.
The city will receive $6.94 million in rescue plan money -- $3.47 million this year and next.
The plan provides $350 billion in federal money for eligible state, local, territorial and tribal governments nationwide.
City officials will host an American Rescue Plan public meeting next Tuesday night. The meeting will be from 6:30 to 8 p.m. in the City Council Chambers at City Hall, 305 S.W. A St.
The meeting will allow the public and elected officials to hear from city staff about the American Rescue Plan. The meeting will also provide a forum to hear from residents on the use of the remaining money, according to a news release.
Residents may attend in person or can register at https://bit.ly/3aZn5Oc for an online option.
The Benton County Quorum Court last month also voted to use money from the American Rescue Plan to pay premium payments to county employees.
The county will receive a combined $54 million -- $27 million over the next two years.
Justices of the peace unanimously approved premium payments of $2,000 for full-time employees and $1,000 for part-time employees. The cost is $1.5 million, according to county documents.
The City Council also unanimously approved a $3.82 million bid award to ARCO Excavation and Paving for Main Street improvements between Southwest Second and Eighth streets. The project will be funded by the 2017 street bond funds, according to city documents.
ARCO also was unanimously approved for a bid ward of $220,571.85 to do sidewalk improvements on Cub Circle. The project will be funded by the street and engineering sidewalk accounts, according to city documents.
Also approved was an interim lease/permit application and negotiation policy for the Municipal Airport. This is an update to the minimum requirements for aeronautical operations or activity at the airport. The vote was 5-2.
In other airport business, the council unanimously approved a $10,000 change order for additional drainage work to the detention pond as part of the southeast taxiway B project.
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Other action
The Bentonville City Council on Tuesday night also approved:
• A bid waiver to allow payment to Benton County covering materials cost for the overlay of Phillips Cemetery Road.
• A bid award to Scott Equipment Company through participation in the Sourcewell Cooperative contract to purchase a Volvo wheeled excavator for $224,494. This is a budgeted item for this year.
• A real-estate transaction with Michael and Kensley Walden for $4,800 for approximately .2 acres of property immediately adjacent to their residence at 11 Ridgeview Lane.
Source: Bentonville