City council clears off wish list Aldermen vote to provide water to Perry, issue warning to developers

The Conway City Council showed some holiday spirit Tuesday, granting most of the municipal wishes asked of it - but cautioned that developers coming to the city hoping for special treatment should expect switches rather than variance approvals if their projects aren't handled with code-appropriate care.

In the true spirit of the season, the council signed off on emergency assistance for Perry, across the river in Perry County, where the municipal water source is down to about a two-week supply due to a lack of rain.

As explained by Conway Corp. CEO Richie Arnold, water from city-owned Lake Brewer will be channeled via the Conway Regional Water Distribution Water District and the city of Perryville to Perry.

The requested relief, 60,000 gallons per day, is hardly a drop in the bucket, compared to Conway's use of 8 million gallons per day, Arnold noted, assuring the council the local water supply would not be drained. Perry will be required to pay "a reasonable rate" for the water.

"This is a solution that can be worked out and really get them out of a bad situation," Arnold said.

The council in turn granted Conway Corp. formal approval of a new power coordination and interchange agreement, the network integration transmission service agreement and the network operating agreement with Entergy, as recommended by the Conway Corp. board.

Conway Development Corp. also was among those who got what they wanted this week, with the council granting $27,398 for membership charges in the Metro Little Rock Alliance, a regional industrial development association. Brad Lacy, economic development director for CDC, explained the organization had paid the fee in previous years, but more costly involvement in local industrial efforts prompted the request.

In response to Ward 4 Alderman Theodore Jones Jr.'s asking if the request would become an annual one, Lacy said CDC would pursue partnerships with private business interests to defray the expense.

Though participation had landed no projects for Conway in 2005, Lacy pointed out that CDC President Bill Hegeman will be chairman of the Metro Little Rock Alliance in 2006.

And with an eye to reassuring shoppers in the coming weeks, the council approved $11,475 for Conway Police Department overtime costs associated with "Operation Shop Secure," a holiday special running through New Year's Eve at several shopping venues in town.

Not everyone was so warmly received Tuesday, however.

A series of variance requests on projects that had been before the council on several recent occasions brought out some Scrooge-worthy comments.

In response to sign variance requests by developers of Advance Auto at Fendley Drive and Harkrider Street, Alderman David Grimes of Ward 1 admitted to being "perturbed" that, just a meeting removed from a negotiated tradeoff of greenspace for signage, the franchise headquarters wanted the matter reconsidered.

The council unanimously denied the request.

Likewise, some changes to a planned pharmacy at College and Augusta avenues prompted Grimes to declare he was "getting tired of seeing these variances," while Alderman Andy Hawkins, also of Ward 1, instructed Planning Director Bryan Patrick to let developers know "in advance" that he would not support such requests in the future.

The council did approve the pharmacy parking changes, however, 6-2, over Grimes' and Hawkins' objections.

The council split the difference with American Management Corp., granting repair reimbursement for half of a requested $4,700, for damage done by fire trucks to right of way asphalt surrounding the Caldwell Street Apartments.

And folks who have been naughty enough to receive a District Court fine and not pay up should expect a little extra attention: The city will be spending $2,600 to publish the list of unpaid city fines, the first step in a plan to collect on more than 1,800 such overdue charges, according to court clerk Donna Clifton.

In other business Tuesday, the council:

Approved a new half-ton pickup, in the $14,000 range, for the Animal Welfare Unit.

Approved the nomination of Harvell Howard to the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board.

Appropriated $400 in donated funds for an event recognizing Hurricane Katrina relief volunteers.

Approved a parking lot variance for a planned Hilton Garden Inn at Amity and Halter roads.

Approved speed humps on Bruce Street at Timberpeg Court, and on Wicket Drive near Dickens Circle.

Granted a 60-day extension to complete a sidewalk at the new Social Security office on Nutters Chapel Road.

(Staff Writer J.K. Jones can be reached by e-mail at kevin.jones@thecabin.net or by phone at 505-1236.)