Quorum Court looks at infrastructure, facilities

The Faulkner County Quorum Court heard a report from Metroplan on Tuesday night that will help the court's Long Term Planning and Economic Development Committee in planning for the next 15 years.

Justice of the Peace Mark Bailey said the county pays dues to Metroplan, which acts as "the arms and legs to gather data." He said it will take about a year to gather all the needed data and involve all the necessary people. He anticipates it will be May before a plan will be formed.

"Everyone has a stake in the plan," he said, indicating all departments and elected officials will be involved. "It's going good. Necessity is the mother of invention. Fortunately, we had (Metroplan) to help us see our population (growth) is going to affect all these areas. We have to prepare for it let all the department heads act on it. (The plan) will end up being a to do list that's future oriented."

John Hoffpauer of Metroplan presented a preliminary report on the county's infrastructure and facilities.

He addressed the Faulkner County Courthouse Complex buildings. He noted several issues with the courthouse, which was built in 1936 and is on the National Register of Historic Places. Among the concerns he pointed out were the fact that the building has asbestos in the cellar, the roof is prone to leaking, the elevator needs maintenance and the building is energy inefficient. Hoffpauer raised the question, "should concerns be addressed incrementally, or should plans be prepared to renovate, expand, replace and/or build a new facility?"

He said before deciding on what to do about the courthouse, it might be prudent to look at other needs. While the new jail has not yet exceeded capacity, at some point, it will. He said it could do so as early as one year from now, although that is not his prediction.

Hoffpauer addressed parking at county facilities. Parking is limited at the courthouse complex, while parking has been added near the courts building and prosecutor's office. Ample parking is available at other facilities, he said. The question that is raised, he said, is when and where more parking will be needed.

Hoffpauer addressed roads and bridges, saying that, at the rate the county is paving roads, by 2010, all county-maintained roads should have hard surfaces. He provided a map that indicated which bridges will need to be replaced in coming years.

He also discussed the issue of wastewater treatment facilities around the county. He said, "To the extent Faulkner County is involved in wastewater systems, significant funding issues will need to be addressed."

Hoffpauer also raised the question of whether Faulkner County wishes to acquire land for a public park, as the county does not now own a park or nature reserve. He said land will be less expensive now than later.

At the conclusion of the presentation, Hoffpauer explained the process is about seeing what the issues are and trying to prioritize them.

Bailey said the Quorum Court is looking at "everything that happens today trying to get a picture with more people."

(Staff writer Rachel Parker Dickerson can be reached by e-mail at rachel.dickerson@thecabin.net or by phone at 505-1277. Send us your news at www.thecabin.net/submit)