Community garden coming to Marion

Community garden coming to Marion

City preparing vacant lots for planting in 2018

news@theeveningtimes.com

A Marion resident is interested in turning a few cityowned vacant lots into a community garden.

James Hudson, who grows greens in his home garden, asked the city council if they knew of any land that would be available in Marion to grow produce for residents on.

Hudson said there was a piece of property at 7th street and Broadway on the corner in West Memphis that was used for a similar garden.

“They used to put greens and everything out there and let the community come and take part of them,” Hudson said. “Is there any such property like that here in Marion?”

Mayor Frank Fogleman said he likes the idea and noted that the city owns some land behind the police station. “We have several lots there that are vacant,” Fogleman said. “Unless someone can think of a reason why we can’t use those vacant lots, I think it’s a good idea.”

Hudson said he grows greens and gives them away to anybody who wants them.

He’s even thought about putting up a sign in his subdivision to advertise free produce from his garden, but wanted to check with the city to see if there was any land to grow some on.” “I haven’t talked with the neighbors yet,” Hudson said. “But I thought it would be good if people could go to a place like we just mentioned.”

Hudson added that he could till the land himself using his own tractor.

Fogleman said he is convinced that the city owns at least two and possibly three lots that could be used for a community garden.

“We don’t own all those lots,” Fogleman said. “But we can point out the ones we do own. I’m sure we have two that are close together with a 40 foot street byway that could probably make a 160 by 160 (lot).

This could be a next year project.”

Street Department manager

Gordon Floyd said the

lots are behind Brunetti Field.

“If you give me a call I will take you over there,” Floyd said.

In other business:

• Floyd told the council that the road crew will be paving Bill’s Grill Road this week then shut down paving for the season.

• Building Inspector Jerry Kelley reported that the city had three new home permits in November, zero commercial, and 29 miscellaneous permits. Year-todate the city has had 35 new home permits, five commercial, and 215 miscellaneous

permits.

Kelley said it looks as though the city will not reach its goal of 40 new home permits this year.

“I’m still optimistic,” Kelley said. “Maybe we will make 38. We’ve been doing about three a month.”

“I wish you well,” Fogleman

said. “I wish we could

make 40.”

• The council renewed its workmen’s compensation insurance with Arkansas Municipal League, but declined to buy an accidental death and dismemberment policy.

• The council authorized Fogleman to enter into a contract with Memphis based F& F Construction and UrbanARCH for $48,000 for design work on the renovation of Fire Station No. 2 and $47,250 for a 2,000 square foot addition to the police station for an evidence room.

“That will do much of the preliminary work to get us to a point where we can get proposals for bids,” Fogleman said.

• Purchased a new flush machine for the Water Department for $57,582. The old flush machine will be given to the Street Department.

• Authorized Fogleman to enter into an agreement for $200,114 to build a 25 foot by 50 foot addition to the east side of the Woolfolk Library using voter approved bond funds.

• City Treasurer David Rikard reported that October sales tax collections were 5.4 percent ahead of budget projections and 7.8 percent ahead of budget projections for the year.

Year-to-date general revenues were worse than budget by $3,000 and expenses were worse than budget by about $90,000.

By Mark Randall