By JOAN McCOY
Leader staff writer
About 100 of Cabot’s almost 25,000 residents turned out Tuesday night for a town hall meeting called by Mayor Bill Cypert, who said he wanted input from them on major issues in the city, including a $70 million bond issue for improvements.
Claps and cheers from the group told the mayor that they are ready for the change in garbage collection that he says might be necessary if service doesn’t dramatically improve in one month.
But they also clapped to praise how the parks are being run, an indication that at least those present weren’t ready for any major upheavals such as disbanding the parks commission and turning parks over to the mayor to run as they were just a decade ago.
“We think y’all are doing an excellent job and we want y’all to keep it up,” said Rose Easter, president of the softball association.
Matt Moudy—who has been in the news over the last two years for his efforts to open a free clinic in Cabot for uninsured adults in Lonoke County—told the mayor that Cabot parks are falling behind others in the state such as Conway, Benton and Bryant that have a tax to raise money for parks.
Joe Fergus, the program director for Cabot parks, addressing concerns by city council members that activities for seniors are limited, said, “Tell us what you want. We want to be a parks and rec for the entire community.”
Cypert has promised he won’t ask for any new taxes, but he does propose asking voters in 2013 to extend the existing one-cent tax they approved in 2005 for about $40 million in bonds to repair streets, help build the com munity center and build the sewer treatment plant and railroad overpass.
Cypert says that existing sales tax could support about $75 million in bonds for improvements in parks, traffic and other infrastructure.
“A growing city will always have an infrastructure tax,” he says.
The voiced opposition to the mayor’s proposal is that it is too far away. Some members of the city council say traffic needs to be addressed now, not in a year and a half. Moudy said Tuesday night that parks need attention now, not later.
“What’s it going to hurt? Put it to a vote and if they reject it, they reject it,” he said.
Cypert says he wants to keep the bond issues together like they were in 2005, when residents approved each expenditure individually by a 2-1- vote. Furthermore, he needs time to gather information and he doesn’t intend to put his plan to a vote during a presidential election year when the odds of it passing would be slim. He wants a special election in 2013.
Stephen Tipton, chairman of the parks commission, said there is a 10-year-plan for parks that was put together by the staff that is estimated at $20 million, but the commission welcomes input from residents.
A 200-acre plot off Willie Ray Drive that is now home only to a BMX track could be the site of a proposed water park and more ball fields, he said.
Jerrel Maxwell, head of the city’s public-works department, asked residents to mow all the way to the streets instead of stopping at ditches. He also asked them to stop putting signs on utility poles, which is against the law, and to pick up their signs within 24 hours.
Alderman Rick Prentice addressed the fire-protection situation for the area around Magness Creek and Greystone. If it weren’t for a fire truck parked in a makeshift station at Hwy. 5 and Mountain Springs Road, residential insurance rates for the area would skyrocket.
The mayor’s response was that an architect could be chosen this week.
Construction will start in 2012 and the building should be completed, staffed and equipped by 2013.
Cypert said before the meeting that he felt like asking residents to tell him what was on their minds was a bit risky. From his reaction to the size of the crowd and their questions, it was obvious that he was pleased he took the risk.
“We’re going to have one every six months,” he announced at the end.
