Vehicle crashes into WM utility truck

Driver flees the scene after wreck

By DON WILBURN

donaldfwilburn@gmail.com

The West Memphis Utilities Commission met this past week on Feb. 9 and reported that on Saturday Jan. 14, a city utility vehicle parked at an employee’s residence in order to be on-call during the severe weather weekend was damaged when a vehicle lost traction and smashed into two vehicles at the residence, one being a white Silverado utility vehicle and the other a personal vehicle of the resident.

The car that crashed into the utility vehicle was found idling with the driver having ed the scene of the accident. No insurance was found in the vehicle, the city’s insurance with Arkansas Municipal league declared the utility vehicle a total loss and that the city was in no way at fault. The Commission approved the purchase of a used 2018 Sierra to replace the vehicle. The commission also approved the purchase of two more vehicles that were already budgeted.

In other items:

■ The commission went on to report that they had reviewed winter weather policies in January reminding employees in the case of frozen roads and walkways that travel and work is restricted to only that absolutely necessary and approved by supervisors and

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that this includes city vehicles.

■ ■ The commission also approved a budget of $1.4 million for the installation and maintenance of new electrical and water meters of which several are being tested already. More installations should be seen citywide beginning in March.

■ ■ The commission was also happy to report that they continue injury free with 249 consecutive days without a lost-time injury and 238 days without an injury at all.

West Memphis Utilities is currently hiring with ten position still to be filled. Those areas are in electrical, water, the utility plant and engineering departments.