Council to look at sales tax increase

Jacksonville residents may be asked to double their sales tax in a vote in mid-November to fund three major projects, plus help support city government.

Jacksonville has a one-cent sales tax that generates about $2.8 million a year.

The mayor and council will look at adding another cent to the tax at Thursday’s city council meeting, which will also discuss the controversial Graham Road closing.

If a tax increase is approved, it will have to go before city voters. “The earliest it could probably go to the voters,” Mayor Tommy Swaim said, “would be mid-November.”

The tax would help fund the construction of a joint education facility ($10 million price tag), an aquatics park ($2.1 million), a police and fire department training facility (at least $1.1 million), and any extra funds would shore up city operations.

“We need to start on the aquatic park as soon as possible,” the mayor explained, “or we will lose a $200,000 matching grant.”

He also said work on the joint education facility outside the air base is set to open in 2006, and work on the police and fire training facility will be done as funds become available.

“This tax is not one proposed by the mayor or the council, but comes from various meetings with the citizens of Jacksonville,” the mayor said.

The aquatic park is designed to replace the city 30-year-old pool outside the Martin Street Recreation Center that the state has ordered closed.

The oft-patched pool has been not only a money drain for the city in repairs, but has also caught the eye of the state health department.

The city was under orders to replace it by next year, but got a one-year extension, because the city had not been able to work out the funding for a new facility.

Rather than just replace the outdoor pool with another pool, the city’s Parks and Recreation Commission voted to build a $2.1 million aquatic park (a miniature Wild River Country, so to speak).

The new facility will have three pools: a 2,500-square-foot pool, a 3,200-square-foot pool and a 1,200-square-foot plunge pool with a slide.

It will be built in Pleasure Park in the area currently occupied by the tennis court and ballfield on Martin Street.

The new pool facility is expected to have a life expectancy of 20 to 30 years.

The new aquatic center will include bathhouses, concession area, equipment room and other necessary support facilities.

“The new facility will be far more than a rectangular cement pond. It will include a zero-depth entry, spray toys, a slide, new dressing rooms, a party area and a concession area, plus office-staff space. This will make it more versatile for serving larger age ranges and abilities. I wish we had one like it when we were kids. It’s just so exciting,” said Marcia Dornblaser, who has chaired the pool committee when the plans were developed.

If work is not started soon, Jacksonville could lose $231,050 in matching federal grants it received last year to help build the water park.

The joint education facility has been bandied about for the past few years. It will be operated by area colleges and the Air Force. The need for such a facility became very apparent after the base literally closed its gate to civilian traffic after the Sept. 11, 2001 terroristic attacks. This prevented a number of students from attending local university classes that were held on the base.

The $10 million education facility would, in effect, unite several educational institutions already offering various education and degree programs on Little Rock Air Force Base, under one umbrella on base property but outside the gate, thus opening the doors to many more local students.

The city is expected to chip in about $ 5 million, with the rest of the funds coming from federal and other sources

For Jacksonville, a 50,000-square-foot education center located just outside the Little Rock Air Force Base could create an educated work force, while leading the city in more profitable directions.

Although, the proposed center is unique, it would create all the benefits of a college town, according to proponents for the center.

The new center, which could accommodate up to 2,500 students, would be comprised of two parts, one located on base primarily for training of C-130 crews, and the second, outside the base’s main gate would replace the military’s existing on-base facility.

The city wouldn’t pay for the on-base site, but the military construc-tion program would pay half the cost of the off-base educational facility. The project has been declared eligible for federal funding but is in competition for funds with many other military bases and with some projects at Little Rock Air Force Base.

There are seven schools currently represented on base. These include Arkansas State University-Beebe, Park and Webster universities, Pikes Peak Community College, Southern Illinois and Embry Riddle Aeronautical universities, and the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville.

According to the joint education center proposal, colleges, universities and vocational institutions would be responsible for staffing and operations from individual budgets.

No price tag has been suggested for the proposed 15-acre regional police and fire training facility, but the mayor said it would take at least $1 million to revamp the infrastructure on the 70-acre Vertac site to allow the facility or any other project to be built.

The training facility would be built, as funds became available, on acreage, located at 1301 Marshall Road, is part of a larger former EPA superfund site that has been cleaned and cleared for development.

The 70-acre Vertac site is zoned M-2 for heavy industrial use, but that won’t restrict the city from listening to any ideas. “If an idea fits the zoning, it would be easier, but it’s not necessary,” said Murice Green, the city’s administration director.

The fire and police department pitched their idea for a training facility at a city council meeting earlier this summer. The joint regional training city on the site would use up to 15 acres of the land and would include classroom, a driving course, a burn area and a pistol range.

Fire Battalion Chief Kendell Snyder told the council and others that there isn’t a joint or central place for training in the city. “If this could house a training center it would make life truly wonderful.” He said it could become a joint facility used by other fire departments. Police Captain Robert Baker agreed. He said the site was a great location for a regional facility and that the facility would be good for Jacksonville.




	The Leader Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2003 Council to look at sales tax increase

			By rick kron, Leader staff writer

			Jacksonville residents may be asked to double their sales tax in a vote in mid-November to fund three major projects, plus help support city government. Jacksonville has a one-cent sales tax that generates about $2.8 million a year. The mayor and council will look at adding another cent to the tax at Thursday’s city council meeting, which will also discuss the controversial Graham Road closing. If a tax increase is approved, it will have to go before city voters. “The earliest it could probably go to the voters,” Mayor Tommy Swaim said, “would be mid-November.” The tax would help fund the construction of a joint education facility ($10 million price tag), an aquatics park ($2.1 million), a police and fire department training facility (at least $1.1 million), and any extra funds would shore up city operations. “We need to start on the aquatic park as soon as possible,” the mayor explained, “or we will lose a $200,000 matching grant.” He also said work on the joint education facility outside the air base is set to open in 2006, and work on the police and fire training facility will be done as funds become available. “This tax is not one proposed by the mayor or the council, but comes from various meetings with the citizens of Jacksonville,” the mayor said. The aquatic park is designed to replace the city 30-year-old pool outside the Martin Street Recreation Center that the state has ordered closed. The oft-patched pool has been not only a money drain for the city in repairs, but has also caught the eye of the state health department. The city was under orders to replace it by next year, but got a one-year extension, because the city had not been able to work out the funding for a new facility. Rather than just replace the outdoor pool with another pool, the city’s Parks and Recreation Commission voted to build a $2.1 million aquatic park (a miniature Wild River Country, so to speak). The new facility will have three pools: a 2,500-square-foot pool, a 3,200-square-foot pool and a 1,200-square-foot plunge pool with a slide. It will be built in Pleasure Park in the area currently occupied by the tennis court and ballfield on Martin Street. The new pool facility is expected to have a life expectancy of 20 to 30 years. The new aquatic center will include bathhouses, concession area, equipment room and other necessary support facilities. “The new facility will be far more than a rectangular cement pond. It will include a zero-depth entry, spray toys, a slide, new dressing rooms, a party area and a concession area, plus office-staff space. This will make it more versatile for serving larger age ranges and abilities. I wish we had one like it when we were kids. It’s just so exciting,” said Marcia Dornblaser, who has chaired the pool committee when the plans were developed. If work is not started soon, Jacksonville could lose $231,050 in matching federal grants it received last year to help build the water park. The joint education facility has been bandied about for the past few years. It will be operated by area colleges and the Air Force. The need for such a facility became very apparent after the base literally closed its gate to civilian traffic after the Sept. 11, 2001 terroristic attacks. This prevented a number of students from attending local university classes that were held on the base. The $10 million education facility would, in effect, unite several educational institutions already offering various education and degree programs on Little Rock Air Force Base, under one umbrella on base property but outside the gate, thus opening the doors to many more local students. The city is expected to chip in about $ 5 million, with the rest of the funds coming from federal and other sources For Jacksonville, a 50,000-square-foot education center located just outside the Little Rock Air Force Base could create an educated work force, while leading the city in more profitable directions. Although, the proposed center is unique, it would create all the benefits of a college town, according to proponents for the center. The new center, which could accommodate up to 2,500 students, would be comprised of two parts, one located on base primarily for training of C-130 crews, and the second, outside the base’s main gate would replace the military’s existing on-base facility. The city wouldn’t pay for the on-base site, but the military construc-tion program would pay half the cost of the off-base educational facility. The project has been declared eligible for federal funding but is in competition for funds with many other military bases and with some projects at Little Rock Air Force Base. There are seven schools currently represented on base. These include Arkansas State University-Beebe, Park and Webster universities, Pikes Peak Community College, Southern Illinois and Embry Riddle Aeronautical universities, and the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville. According to the joint education center proposal, colleges, universities and vocational institutions would be responsible for staffing and operations from individual budgets. No price tag has been suggested for the proposed 15-acre regional police and fire training facility, but the mayor said it would take at least $1 million to revamp the infrastructure on the 70-acre Vertac site to allow the facility or any other project to be built. The training facility would be built, as funds became available, on acreage, located at 1301 Marshall Road, is part of a larger former EPA superfund site that has been cleaned and cleared for development. The 70-acre Vertac site is zoned M-2 for heavy industrial use, but that won’t restrict the city from listening to any ideas. “If an idea fits the zoning, it would be easier, but it’s not necessary,” said Murice Green, the city’s administration director. The fire and police department pitched their idea for a training facility at a city council meeting earlier this summer. The joint regional training city on the site would use up to 15 acres of the land and would include classroom, a driving course, a burn area and a pistol range. Fire Battalion Chief Kendell Snyder told the council and others that there isn’t a joint or central place for training in the city. “If this could house a training center it would make life truly wonderful.” He said it could become a joint facility used by other fire departments. Police Captain Robert Baker agreed. He said the site was a great location for a regional facility and that the facility would be good for Jacksonville.