GENTRY — Gentry will use $1.79 million in sales and use tax revenue bonds to fund extensive improvements to the city’s parks and recreational facilities.
Projects include construction of a multi-use recreational facility, athletic courts, a splash pad, walking tracks and bicycle trails. The work also will involve necessary infrastructure upgrades, such as street and drainage improvements, utility relocations and lighting.
The City Council approved issuing the bond and a multimillion dollar park contract April 6. It also approved formalizing its part in a partnership for a regional trail system connecting to Siloam Springs.
The bonds will be paid for with net collections from 0.5% of the city’s 0.875% sales and use tax. The bonds’ final maturity date is set for Dec. 1, 2049.
Once the bonds are retired, the tax revenue will be redirected to the city’s Operation and Maintenance Fund to support general operations and facility upkeep, according to the ordinance approving the bonds.
The ordinance also authorizes the mayor to work with Stephens Inc., the project’s underwriter, and Mitchell, Williams, Selig, Gates & Woodyard, serving as bond counsel.
Council members noted that the projected 30-year useful life of the new recreational improvements exceeds the repayment term of the bonds.
The council awarded a major construction contract for the Main Street Sports Park to Legacy Construction Management Inc. of Springdale. Legacy was the lowest of five bidders with a base bid of $1.69 million.
Bid details show the project involves extensive earthwork, asphalt paving and the installation of specialized recreation facilities, including a pickleball court, a basketball court and a tuj lub court. Tuj lub is a traditional Hmong sport.
The council also signaled the city’s commitment to regional active transportation by approving a memorandum of understanding for the Pioneer Panther Trail Feasibility Study. This 8.2-mile, shared-use trail is envisioned to link downtown Gentry with downtown Siloam Springs and continue on to the WOKA Whitewater Park.
Benton County is spearheading the grant applications for the $400,000 study. Gentry’s financial obligation for the 20% local match is approximately $26,667, payable only if federal grant funding is secured.
Complementing this effort, the council officially adopted the Gentry Trails and Connectivity Master Plan — Phase 1 to serve as a framework for future sidewalk and active transportation improvements.
The council also established the plan as the official guide for active transportation. The plan is designed to increase safety and access for residents “walking, biking, and rolling” to key destinations such as schools, grocery stores and the downtown area.
Under the plan, infrastructure tasks are to be prioritized based on health, safety and cost-to-benefit considerations. The plan identifies high-priority areas for new crossings and pedestrian facility upgrades.
The Planning Commission and city staff are directed to use the plan when evaluating new subdivision and development proposals.
While the plan sets a vision, it does not mandate specific engineering standards or automatically amend zoning ordinances without further legislative action.
