City approves funds, signs memorandum for Rock Island Greenway

News-Times
News-Times

The El Dorado City Council took several votes Thursday to advance efforts that would create the first regional greenway in south Arkansas and connect the area to Louisiana.

Aldermen unanimously approved $5,000 from the El Dorado Works tax to cover the city’s portion of the cost of a feasibility study for the Rock Island Greenway, a proposed multipurpose recreational trail that would link El Dorado to Ruston, Louisiana.

The total cost of the study — which would be conducted by Crafton Tull, a civil engineering, surveying, architecture, landscape architecture and planning firm — is $32,000.

The amount will be split between the city of El Dorado ($5,000); Union County ($5,000); $6,000 in local, private donations; and the city of Ruston ($16,000).

The council took additional votes authorizing Mayor Frank Hash to enter into a contract with Crafton Tull and to sign a Memorandum of Understanding between the city, county and parish entities that are involved in the project.

Robert Reynolds, chairman of the El Dorado Works Board — which administers the city’s one-cent sales tax for economic development and quality of life —, presented the $5,000 funding request to the city.

Reynolds said concerns surrounding the project had been hashed out, including a question about the legality of the city funding a project in which a portion would fall outside city limits.

Last month, Reynolds said he had spoken with City Attorney Henry Kinslow about the matter, and Kinslow pointed to interlocal agreements into which the city has previously entered, including two with Union County: the countywide, one-cent solid waste sales tax and operation and maintenance of the El Dorado-Union County Recreation Complex, which is outside city limits on Champagnolle Road.

Reynolds also noted Thursday that other cities and counties in the state have entered into similar partnerships for the development of greenways in Northwest Arkansas, Central Arkansas and the Delta region — which, like the Rock Island Greenway, are mostly rail-to-trail initiatives.

The Rock Island Greenway will follow the old Rock Island Railroad right-of-way.

Reynolds also said local officials had worked to clear up a misunderstanding with the Union County Quorum Court, who initially agreed to kick in $5,000, later rescinded the offer and then reinstated it.

After considerable discussion during a meeting last week, quorum court members voted in favor of the $5,000 funding request, with the majority agreeing that supporting the effort would bode well for future efforts to seek funding, such as grants.

“There’s a lot of enthusiasm about this project. It’s going to take a long time, but it’s like anything else, you’ll never get there without taking the first step,” Hash said Thursday.

Reynolds reminded the group that Ruston city officials approached El Dorado about the idea “out of the clear blue sky.”

At the time, Reynolds said, Ruston city officials did not know that part of the walking/running trail that encircles Lions Club Municipal Golf Course and the Union County Fairgrounds ties into the old Rock Island ROW.

Reynolds and Blann said city, council and parish representatives from Arkansas and Louisiana have attended steering committee meetings in recent months to discuss the project.

Included in the Memorandum of Understanding are El Dorado, Union County, Junction City (Arkansas and Louisiana); the Louisiana cities of Ruston, Bernice, Dubach and Vienna; and Union and Lincoln parishes.

Reynold said the MOA does not bind the partners to any financial or legal obligations, and it allows for other interested partners to join in the future, per a vote by existing members of the group.

Blann said Crafton Tull — which has worked on the city’s master plans for a multi-purpose trail system in El Dorado and for the development of the U.S. 82 B/Hillsboro expansion and improvements — separated the service contract to cover the Arkansas and Louisiana portions of the feasibility study, respectively.

Tia Lyons may be contacted at 870-862-6611 or by email at tlyons@ eldoradonews.com.

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