Happy New Year! PUBLIC FORUMS ON 1/14 & 2/9

Friends & Citizens:

It has been an exciting and prosperous year in Gravette! I plan to offer a review of 2015 at the first Council Meeting in the New Year. That meeting will be at 6pm on Thursday, January 14 at the Civic Center. In the meantime I would like to bring your attention to a critically important item of discussion.

Currently, the City of Gravette Collects a 2.00% Sales Tax:

1.00% General Fund, Perpetual

0.25% Capital Improvement Fund, Perpetual

0.75% Repay 2013 Bonds, Expires no later than June 1

2.00% TOTAL

A March 1 election has been called that could revise the 0.75% sales tax to the following on July 1, 2016:

1.00% General Fund, Perpetual

0.25% Capital Improvement Fund, Perpetual

0.75% New 2016 Bonds, payable over approximately 25 years

2.00% TOTAL

The Gravette City Council has called for a vote on March 1, 2016 concerning 4 Capital Improvement measures. This vote will allow Gravette citizens an opportunity to renew the 0.75% portion of our city sales tax. Without renewal it will expire no later than June 1. This tax is currently being collected and used to pay $3 million in bonds issued in 2013 that funded mandatory upgrades to our sewer system. Due to better than expected tax revenues, these bonds are being paid off almost 10 years early.

The City Council has called for a vote to renew this tax for the purpose of issuing 4 new bonds and completing several capital improvement projects. All 4 ballot measures would fund projects totaling $5.42 million, an amount that will be paid back by continuing the 0.75% portion of the city sales tax. Although the ballot states this is a new tax, voting YES for any or all of these measures will not raise taxes from their current level.

Capital Improvement projects identified broadly include the areas of parks & recreation, streets, sidewalks (including Main Street rejuvenation), and continued sewer repairs. The City has enlisted the help of BiLD Architects, a Fayetteville based Design & Architectural firm, to help conceptualize many of these projects. Two public forums are scheduled at which we will invite you to help prioritize these projects. We will also address any general questions about the sales tax vote.

Public Forum 1 – Thursday, January 14 @ 6p, Gravette Civic Center

Public Forum 2 – Tuesday, February 9 @ 6p, Gravette Civic Center

One other way to provide your feedback during this process is via BiLD Architects’ online comment page.

That page can be found at http://www.bild-architects.com/projects/gravette-master-plan.

For up to the minute information, visit www.GravetteAR.com or call City Hall at 479-787-5757.

It is an honor to serve as your Mayor at this exciting time. I will continue working hard to ensure your local government spends tax dollars wisely and responsibly. I hope to see you at the public forums!

Sincerely,

Mayor Kurt Maddox

**Actual copy of the Ballot for March 1 Election**