El Dorado city officials are scheduled to meet at noon Tuesday to continue efforts to resolve a $2.2 million request in additional funds from the Murphy Arts District as it pertains to a purchase-lease agreement with the city.
The El Dorado Works Board, which administers the city’s one-cent sales tax for economic development, has already OK’d the request, which requires a final vote from the El Dorado City Council.
Also awaiting the council’s approval are two other projects that, like the MAD request, will also draw from the El Dorado Works tax.
One is a $1.9 million funding request to relocate a water line in preparation of an upcoming project by the Arkansas Department of Transportation to widen U.S. 82.
The project will cover the entire state, and in El Dorado and Union County, the work will focus on the area between Airport Drive (South Arkansas Regional Airport at Goodwin Field) and Wrights Lane, just west of Stars Cinema.
Robert Edmonds, director of public works, said the existing 6-inch water pipe will be replaced with a 10-inch water line.
The larger line would improve water pressure for houses, businesses and industries in the area, add fire protection and accommodate the ongoing westward expansion of the city, Edmonds said.
He said the existing water line must be moved from the state’s right of way.
On Oct. 14, Edmonds and Robert Reynolds, chair of the El Dorado Works Board, said the existing line was installed approximately five decades ago.
“They (the state) let us put it there, and since we put in the existing state right of way, we have to move it,” Edmonds said.
Added Reynolds, “The deal was if they expand, we’d have to move it.”
Edmonds said the city is using ARDoT’s right of way at no cost.
“If we had our own, it would cost. (The new line) will be just inside the new proposed right of way. In another 50 years, is it possible that it will have to be moved again? Yes,” he said.
The $1.9 million engineering estimate includes $1.1 million for pipe installation, $488,000 for boring fees and $248,000 in consultant’s fees.
Greg Downum, EWB member, asked if the estimate included a contingency, and Edmonds said yes.
EWB members noted that 32 percent of El Dorado Works tax revenues are dedicated to municipal/public works projects.
Alison Abson, EWB treasurer, reported that $1 million remains in the category budget for 2018, adding that $1.5 million was budgeted for the year.
Edmonds said the project likely won’t begin until April or May 2019, so the funding would not be expended until then.
“It’ll still take 60 days to bid. Then in January, February and March, it’s still not good construction weather,” he said. “There may be some small draws for administration fees, but we won’t need the bulk of it until 2019.”
New pavilion
EWB members have also given Mayor Frank Hash the go-ahead to obtain bids for a pavilion to be placed in the area of Fifth Street and Arkansas Avenue near Memorial Stadium.
Hash said the pavilion would be L-shaped and would be built on the southeast corner of the TAC House property.
He said the pavilion could be used for tailgating for athletic events that are held in the stadium, including El Dorado School District teams and the Murphy USA Classic, the annual college football which is set for Saturday.
“People (who) are already tailgating gather underneath the oak trees on that parking lot,” the mayor said, adding that the pavilion would provide cover in the event of inclement weather.
The pavilion would complement other improvements — both completed and planned — for the stadium.
“I don’t want to quote a price tonight, but it’s affordable. It’ll go out for bid, and I’ll come back with what I think the money aspect of it will be,” Hash said.
During a city council meeting last week, Hash suggested that all three EWB requests be addressed simultaneously.
Tia Lyons may be contacted at 870-862-6611 or by email at tlyons@ eldoradonews.com.