City council to discuss permanent Toad Dome

Street improvement projects and a more permanent home for the yearly Toad Races will be on the agenda at tonight's Conway City Council meeting, scheduled for 6:30 p.m. in the District Court building at 810 Parkway Ave.

The portable aluminum-and-fabric Toad Dome "finally gave up the ghost" last year, according to Mayor Tab Townsell. The council will consider plans for a more permanent structure described by Townsell as fabric "roof" sections supported by concrete columns to be built at the District Court building parking lot which has been the traditional venue for amphibian racing (except frogs) within the city. When not being used for high-octane toad racing, the structure would provide shade for cars parked beneath.

Townsell said no preliminary design has yet been drafted, but he doesn't expect to lose many parking spots, if any, with the construction of the structure.

The new Toad Dome would be built with funds from the Toad Suck Committee of the Conway Chamber of Commerce, according to Townsell.

The council will also consider using $330,500 in special revenue street impact fee funds to complete an extension of South Salem Road to service the Greens at Nutter's Chapel apartment complex/golf course. Impact fees from the Greens are providing the bulk of the funding for this project, with $722,754 collected in pre-paid impact fees from the developer.

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The council will also consider the city's offer to Tiffany Industries to purchase about 2 acres of right-of-way related to the planned Salem Road overpass over the Union Pacific railroad.

The council will also consider accepting a agreement from Stanley Russ that would give the city 3.85 acres of street easement to build a north access road to The Meadows Corporate Center (the site of the Hewlett-Packard facility) for $150,000. This cost would likely be paid through remaining city industrial infrastructure bonds.

Adopting state fire prevention codes as standard city building codes will also be considered, and public hearings to discuss annexing unincorporated land south of Prince Street that has become surrounded by city lands, annexing territory at Cresthaven Subdivision Phase II into the Municipal Water Improvement District and re-naming Trey Lane from the 1200-block onwards.

In other business, the council will consider:

A resolution certifying local government endorsement of Southwestern Energy to participate in the tax back program;

Recommendations for appointments to the City of Conway Building Code Board of Appeals and Conway Board of Zoning Adjustment;

Approval of a boat dock at 30 Lakefront Drive;

Bids from Matson Construction for renovation to Conway Fire Department Station Six;

An ordinance waiving bids for the purchase of thermal imaging equipment for CFD;

An ordinance accepting a utility trailer acquired through Circuit Court proceedings for Conway Police Department use;

And an ordinance to adopt the city's employee handbook and personnel policy.

(Staff writer Joe Lamb can be reached by phone at 505-1238 or by e-mail at joe.lamb@thecabin.net. Send us your news at www.thecabin.net/submit.)