City of Conway Mayor Bart Castleberry
State of the City 2017 End of the Year Reports www.cityofconway.org
Administration Department Mayor Bart Castleberry
Conway Regional Airport Josh Zylks, Manager
Community Development Office Kiera Oluokun, Director
Conway Fire Department Mike Winter, Fire Chief
Conway Police Department Jody Spradlin, Chief of Police
District Court of Faulkner County Judge Susan Weaver Judge David Reynolds
Finance Department Tyler Winningham, CFO
Human Resources Lisa Mabry Williams, Director
Information Technology Department Aaron Knight, CTO
Parks & Recreation Steve Ibbotson, Director
Permits/Inspections & Code Enforcement Kenny McCullum, Director
Physical Plant Tony Harrington, Director
Planning & Development Bryan Patrick, Director
Sanitation Department Joseph Hopper, Director
Street & Engineer Department Finley Vinson, Street Engineer
City of Conway Municipal Airport
Cantrell Field Josh Zylks Airport Manager
2017 Annual Report
2017 represented the third full calendar year of operations at the new Cantrell Field. Throughout 2017 the City experienced full occupancy off all City-owned hangars; in addition the City has a lengthy waiting list for individual T-hangars. The total based aircraft count is approximately 65 aircraft, encompassing aircraft stored in both City- owned and privately owned hangars.
In 2017, with all major construction work complete, the City did complete and close out some smaller projects. This includes construction work and the grant for the Remote Transmitter/Receiver, which was accepted and commissioned by the FAA in February 2017. This critical piece of communication infrastructure allows aircraft on the ground and in the vicinity of the airport to communicate directly with Air Traffic Control in Little Rock. In addition, toward the end of 2017, the airport received permission from the FAA to upgrade the Automated Weather Observation System to add ceiling and cloud-height reporting capability. This project should take place in Spring 2018.
In 2017, the airport employed 5 full time staff (City employees) as well as approximately fifteen full time professional/corporate pilots and flight instructors. Three flying clubs are now established at the airport, bringing with them access to private, instrument, commercial, and multi-engine flight instruction in approximately ten different aircraft. In addition, the airport hosted multiple events open to the public including the May 2017 edition of the Tour de Toad bike ride (associated with Toad Suck Daze), an Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) Young Eagles flying event, and the EAA B-17 Flying Fortress ‘Aluminum Overcast’. Additionally, Sparrow Flying Club held several training events in conjunction with the FAA FAAST Team to provide increased safety training to local pilots.
At the end of 2017, the airport is now home to 65 aircraft, with 2017 fuel sales showing a 17% increase in Jet fuel sales and an approximately 4% increase in Aviation gasoline fuel sales over 2016 annualized numbers.
At the end of 2017, statistics on airport construction include:
• Completion of all FAA AIP projects and awaiting one closeout • Completion and commissioning of the Remote Transmitter/Receiver • Bidding process begins to upgrade AWOS system
Other Airport highlights from 2017 include:
• Airport staff consists of 5 full time employees • 167,274 gallons of Jet A and 61,325 gallons of 100LL AvGas were sold in 2017 • 65 based aircraft including 48 single engine, 8 mult-engine, 8 jets, and 1 gyrocopter. • All hangars at Cantrell Field are full, with a waiting list of 18 future tenants once space becomes available • During the EAA/Young Eagle even, approximately 36 young people were given their first airplane ride though the help of about a dozen volunteers, 3 aircraft, and 3 pilots. See attached press release. • During the EAA B-17 event, 140 tickets totaling 14 flights were sold on the B-17, several hundred people took static ground tours of the aircraft, and approximately 300 people attended a Veteran’s Day Celebration held in conjunction with the aircraft’s time in Conway.
See the attached press release for more information and pictures regarding the Young Eagle Event:
YOUNG EAGLES FLIGHT RALLY HELD AT CONWAY AIRPORT (CANTRELL FIELD)
Conway, AR 10-07-2017 36 area young people took to the skies on Saturday, October 7th as Experimental Aviation Association (EAA) Chapter 1590 of Conway hosted a Young Eagles flight rally at Cantrell Field in Conway.
The rally is part of the EAA Young Eagles Program, created to interest young people in aviation. Since the national program launched in 1992, volunteer pilots have flown more than 1.7 million young people.
Free airplane rides are just part of the Flight Rally, said John Ferguson, spokesman for the event. “We hope to create, in these boys and girls, an interest in aviation that will last their lifetime”.
Volunteers at the event explained more about aviation allowing the young people to discover how airplanes work and how pilots ensure safety is the prime concern before every flight.
Following the flight, each young person received a log book making them an official Young Eagle. Their name will then be entered into the “World’s Largest Logbook, which is on permanent display at the EAA Air Venture
Museum in Oshkosh WI. The logbook is also accessible on the internet at www.youngeagles.org. With the logbook comes an access code for a complete free online Flight Training Course.
Along with flight rallies, EAA members also fly Young Eagles on an individual basis. Each pilot volunteers their time and aircraft so the flights can be provided free of charge for interested young people.
Pilots Dan Davis, Joe Fisher, and Paul Mettlen generously donated their time and their airplanes so that these youth could have the opportunity to experience a flight. The City of Conway and airport manager, Josh Zylks, made the airport facilities available to the EAA organization.
Additional information about EAA and the Young Eagles program is available on the internet. Access to EAA’s home page is available at www.eaa.org.
2017 Community Development Department Year-End Report
Kiera Oluokun, Director
The 2017 CDBG allocation was$395,110. The following projects were funded from that allocation:
Public Services (15%)-$59,266 Total Allocated Total Spent in 2017 Bethlehem House Transportation $7,000.00 $0 Boys and Girls Club Transportation $10,000.00 $6,205.57 FC Council on Aging Transportation $17,500.00 $0 Milestones (previously FC Day School) transportation $7,000.00 $0 Independent Living Services Transportation $15,000.00 $0 Y.E.S Transportation $2,766.00 $0 Public Services Total $59,266.00
Bethlehem House is a transitional homeless shelter in the city of Conway. Transitional homelessness refers to populations who were once housed, but lost housing, and who can be housed again with the assistance. BH offers case management, employment assistance, life skills training, advocacy, vocational counseling, transportation, guidance, love, and necessary support for this population. Bethlehem House provides transportation o residents and their children. In 2016, they provided transportation to 110 adults. BH also assists the Women’s Shelter of Central Arkansas as needed after hours. The proposed funds from CDBG will be used for gas costs and maintenance for 2 Bethlehem House vans. BH was granted $10,000 which is approx. 19% of their estimated project cost of $53,040.
Boys and Girls Club of Faulkner County the mission of the Boys and Girls Club of Faulkner County is to enable all young people to reach their full potential as productive, caring, and responsible citizen. Boys and Girls Club of Faulkner county is requesting funding for transportation for their average of 189 youth being transported daily during the school year from 15 different school. They serve 300 unduplicated youth annually under the transportation program. This is an ongoing service that the Boys and Girls Club provides and they wish to continue with their transportation services. BGC was granted $10,000 which is approximately 8% of their total transportation budget of $124,050.00.
Faulkner County Council on Aging Providing 2,880 one way trips at the cost of $6.25 per trip within the city of Conway to senior citizens of Conway to and from the Sr. Wellness and Activity Center for the purpose of receiving hot, nutritious meals. Those who can generally make a small donation of approx. $10 per round trip (50 cents each way) but many are unable to contribute anything. Approx. 22 individuals will be served w/in the year. This is an existing on-going service that FCCA is trying to maintain. FCCA was granted requesting $17,500 which is 40% of estimated project cost of $43,665.
Milestones (previously Faulkner County Day School) Approx. 124 children with developmental delays throughout the years will receive services from Milestones. About half of those will need transportation to get to and from the center. Of those, about 50 live inside the city limits of Conway. Another approx. 15 adults with developmental disabilities will access transportation to work throughout Conway, becoming an integral part of our city without the boundaries of city placement. FCD is asking that CDBG maintains their ongoing services of for transportation. CDBG funding will be able to provide more direct services of the children and their families in Conway. Milestones was granted $7,000 which is approximately less than 2% of their estimated project cost of $506,225
Independent Living Services-ILS provides transportation services to the citizens of Conway, AR ages 18 and older who have a disability or who are economically disadvantaged. ILS has 3 vehicles including one wheelchair accessible van and 5 staff are dedicated to the provision of its transportation services. People benefitted will be a minimum of 200 unduplicated consumers with a minimum of 4,000 miles for passenger pickups. This is an existing project and the agency has been providing transportation is the city of Conway for years. ILS was granted $15,000 which is approximately 19% of their estimated project cost of $77,770.
Young Empowered Sister (Y.E.S)-The main focus on Y.E.S. is to reach, teach, empower, and encourage the girls to give them hope and direction. There are over 70 girls participating in the program. The Y.E.S women and mentors hold monthly group activity sessions with the mentees. The mentors meet weekly with their respective mentees, and take the girls on the educational and cultural outings. The program is open to all girls ages 12-18 who live in Faulkner County. The vast majority of the Y.E.S girls (85%) began their participation as a result of juvenile court order. Y.E.S was granted $2,766 which is approximately 55% of their estimated project cost of $5000
Administration (20%) - $79,022 Base Salary $53,400.00 Benefits (Taxes, Insurance, Pension) $6,933.00 Additional Expenses: (Travel, Dues, $15,689.00 Telephone, Office Supplies, etc) Administration Total $76,022 Projects (65%) - $256,800 Cost of Service Pine Street Revitalization Finish out drainage & sidewalk - Agape Sidewalk improvements in front of the Improvements Agape Church on Siebenmorgen $186,7000 Additional funding for Pine Street Drainage and Sidewalks Revitalization $70,1000 Project Total $256,800
Pine Street Update: CDBG will fund approx. $256,800 towards the improvement of the Agape church sidewalk in the Pine Street neighborhood and funding will also go towards additional sidewalk and drainage improvements in that area. This project would complete a major pedestrian connection between Ingram Street and Harkrider Street, improving pedestrian safety and providing better handicapped access in the area. The project would further finish out drainage improvements to Siebenmorgen road, to include drainage connections from Lincoln Street which currently is experiencing flooding due to elevation issues with the street.
In addition to the drainage and sidewalk improvements, CDBG is still working towards starting as completing the Spruce Street Cottage project. Currently we are also working with Creason Development out of Missouri to add more affordable housing to the area. Originally, there were only 12 cottage homes to be constructed in the Pine Street neighborhood. However, with the addition of Creason Development, 44 additional units will be constructed in that area. All Creason units will be rental, with the option to purchase your home after 15 years. We are still working with Lawrence Finn and Statler Strange to begin construction of the cottage homes.
Hopefully we will see construction start to take place in the next few months. Since CDBG has spent many of its years and resources in the Pine Street Neighborhood, after 2017 grant year is complete, we plan to move in a different direction as it relates to project funding.
Conway Fire Department Report
2017 End of Year
Conway Fire Department
End of Year Report 2017
I am pleased to present to you the 2017 End of Year report for the Conway Fire Department (CFD). Conway’s Bravest is comprised of 107 uniformed personnel serving out of 7 stations with 10 front line apparatus. The CFD houses three divisions: Operations, Training, and Fire Prevention Public Education. Each division is responsible for all personnel to provide the best quality and professional service to the City of Conway and its citizens.
We hold as our core values Excellence, Honor, Safety, and Serving. The values are exemplified through our mission statement to “Exceed our own expectations through the delivery of excellence in emergency response, life safety, and community support”. We serve proudly as a cornerstone of Conway.
The following pages highlight the activities of the CFD throughout 2017. It also serves as an insight to this department as we close out the year with over 16,682 calls for service with an average emergency response time of 3:18.
CFD Operations Division
The Operations Division is responsible for the day to day operations. All calls for service, station, and apparatus maintenance are supervised by the Operations Chief, Assistant Chief Bill Keathley. The Operations Division also oversees the Battalion Chiefs, the Special Operations Rescue Team (SORT), and Haz Mat Team.
A Shift Battalion Chiefs:
Assistant Chief Bill Keathley
Bat 5 – Chief Scot Erwin Bat 2 – Chief John Skinner Assistant Chief Bill Keathley B Shift Battalion Chiefs:
Emergency Responses 2017
. Fire Calls – 1,952
. Rescue Calls – 3,604
Bat 5 – Chief Jerry Gipson Bat 2 – Chief Larry Daves
C Shift Battalion Chiefs: Non-Emergency Responses 2017
. 11,126
Bat 5 – Chief Mark Jones Ba 2 – Chief Charles Prou
A Shift B Shift C Shift
Name Rank Name Rank Name Rank
Moix, Kevin Captain Clendenin, Brian Captain Prout, Ed Captain Neumeier, Gene Captain Cooper, Hugh Captain Reed, Damon Captain Starkey, Kenny Captain Crowell, Randy Captain Shock, Danny Captain Merritt, Heath Captain Park, Farris Captain Fulfer, Jason Captain Schreiber, Kent Captain Milholland, Myron Captain Moix, Jeff Captain Cannon, Brian Captain Bailey, Jonathan Captain Burroughs, Jason Captain Sanders, Larry Captain Linn, Darren Captain Johnson, Chad Captain Smith, Clint Captain Ashcraft, Steve Captain Odom, Josh Captain Green, Randel Captain Wilcox, Stewart Captain Arnold, Jonathan Captain Williamson, Luke Captain Cullum, Michael Captain Thorn, Todd Captain Stacks, Jerry Eng./AC Collins, Danny Eng./AC Capps, Tim Eng./AC Atkinson, Richard Eng./AC King, Jimmy Eng./AC Battles, Dale Eng./AC Hill, Jeff Eng./AC Felty, Michael Eng./AC Gregg, Glenn Eng./AC Tilley, Adam Eng./AC Stapleton, Rick Eng./AC Ogle, David Eng./AC Harper, Clint Eng./AC Ramoly, Brinton Eng./AC Lester, Colby Eng./AC Davis, Chad Eng./AC Cowger, Bill Eng./AC Talley, Jonathan Eng./AC Martin, Preston Eng./AC Caldwell, Nathan Eng./AC Craig, Steven Eng./AC Droste, Roy Eng./AC Bates, Charles Eng. Moore, Clayton Eng./AC Ledbetter, Ty Eng./AC Mattox, Jay Eng. Buerer, Evan Eng. Hartness, Clay Eng. Smith, Cody AE / T Keen, Joseph AE / T Martin, Justin Eng. Rogacki, Dion AE / T Silliman, Clint AE / T Gangluff, Jonathon AE / T Rappold, Richard AE / T Henry, Justin AE / T Brents, Blake AE / T Hart, Josh AE Lear, Shane AE / T Howell, Steven AE / T Howard, Doug AE Sullivan, Jeremy AE Berry, Tyler AE / T Rainey, Cody AE Chapman, Adam AE Lewis, Desmond AE / T Harvey, Asa FF Evans, Kyle AE Hartness, Kenny AE / T McGee, Austin FF Hurst, Brandon AE Deckard, Nicholas FF Wolff, Ryan Prob. Elmore, Nathan Prob. DeLoach, Alden FF Govia, Jarrid Prob. Adlong, Justin Prob. Moix, Sawyer Prob. Tufu, Mario Prob. Brannan, Samuel Prob. Herring, Aaryn Prob.
CFD Apparatus Assignment and Year Model
Battalion 2 Battalion 5
Engine 1 2014 Engine 4 2015
Rescue 1 2016 Engine 5 2015
Truck 1 2013 Truck 5 2014
Engine 2 2011 Engine 6 2013
Engine 3 2011 Engine 7 2007
Reserve Apparatus
Engine 9 1998 SORT Rescue 2005
Engine 10 1998 HAZMAT Rescue 1993
Truck 6 1996 Bomb Squad 1 2009
Rescue 3 2004 Bomb Squad 2 2014
Special Operations Rescue Team
The Conway Fire Department Special Operations Rescue Team (SORT) consists of 20 technically trained personnel. SORT personnel maintain specialties in each of the five disciplines; high angle, confined space, heavy rescue-trench collapse, swift water, and dive. Responses for 2017 were as follows:
4 - swift water responses 1 - missing person
2 – boat operations
1 – vehicle recovery
Sixteen members of the Conway SORT team are also members of the Central Arkansas Task Force 1. This team was dispatched to Beaumont, Texas following the devastation caused by Hurricane Harvey. The deployment assignment contained orders pertaining to search and rescue, and evacuation. Eight of Conway’s members were deployed for 5 days to assist in the mission.
CFD Training Division
The Conway Fire Department Training Division oversees every area of training within the CFD, from entry level to officer development to continuing education. This division is headed by Assistant Chief Todd Cardin and includes Captain Ricky Powell and Captain Chad Upton. All training is certified at either the State or National level of compliance and encompasses not only fire and EMS, but all disciplines blanketed by the CFD to included physical fitness, health, and wellbeing of our firefighters. In 2017 the CFD logged more than 50,000 training hours to include, but not limited to:
Diversity Training
Autism Awareness
Football Emergencies Assistant Chief Todd Cardin
Fire College
Teaching CPR to Conway Police Department
EMS
Live burns
Auto Extrication
Chemical Class
Opioid Awareness
Incident Command 300/400
CFD Crawl, Drag & Squirt The Crawl, Drag & Squirt Kids competition starts at the beginning of April and ends with the final event during Toad Suck Daze. The department holds competitions at every elementary school in Conway, and also has a competition at the Central Fire Station. The competition at Central allows the children that did not get a chance at their school to come out and compete. Every year approximately 1,100 children participate in this event.
. 11 Schools – Approximately 80 to 90 children at each school . Central Station Competition – Approximately 75 children . Final Event – Approximately 80 children The Conway Fire Department started this program to help combat childhood obesity, as well as using it an as outreach program to the public. This program is loved by everyone. Not many people in Conway or surrounding areas have not heard about or participated in the program.
CFD Bomb Squad
Assistant Chief Todd Cardin also serves as the commander of the Conway Fire Department Bomb Squad. The Bomb Squad is federally accredited and is 1 of 6 squads in the state. The CFD Bomb Squad has mutual aid to respond state-wide and can be deployed nationally when called upon. The squad is composed of 7 bomb techniques who have been deputized as US Marshals. The CFD Bomb Squad responded to 57 calls for service in 2017. Additional training activities included:
CPD SWAT Training
FCSO SRT Training
UCA football games stand-by
Response to terrorist bombing
Electronic Counter Measure
61st Civil Support Team
Radiological detection
Vehicle Borne Improvised Explosive Device
Training conducted for Arkansas Game and Fish
Training conducted for Conway Police Department
Training conducted for Community Emergency Response Team
LETPA/SHSGP Grant Awarded for $83,825.00
CFD Fire Marshal Division
The Fire Marshal Division is responsible for life and safety codes, enforcement, public education, and probable cause/determination. From Pre-build plan review to issuing the final Certificate of Occupancy (CO), the Marshals ensure that life and safety codes are met. New construction is not the only focus as every public building is planned/inspected yearly. The Fire Marshal is Assistant Chief Kenny Wiedower, and the Deputy Fire Marshals are Captain Phillip Short, Captain Kenny Bartlett, and Engineer Luke Birdsong.
Plan reviews 158
Inspections 640
Pre-plan Inspections 5128
Hydrant Inspections 5090
Assistant Chief Kenny Wiedower
In addition to life and safety codes, the Marshals have the responsibility of public education. Numerous areas of public education are taught by our Fire Marshals from fire extinguisher demonstrations to fire watch, and even crawling low in smoke is taught year around. Every October the Fire Marshals, assisted by other members of the CFD, teach at every elementary school in Conway. Puppet shows, classroom lectures, and the Smokehouse are all avenues through which fire safety is communicated and taught to the children of Conway. In 2017 over 5,000 elementary school children received fire safety education.
Every fire is investigated to determine a cause.
Fire calls 1,952
Total fire loss $2,284,200.00 CFD Combat Challenge Team
The Conway Firefirefighters Combat Challenge Team is made up of 5 Conway Firefighters:
1. Battalion Chief John Skinner
2. Captain Stewart Wilcox
3. Engineer Ty Ledbetter
4. Engineer Jay Mattox
5. Firefighter Kenny Hartness This self funded team represented Conway in Branson, Missouri; Sulpher Springs, Texas; Indianaplois, Indiana; and Louisville, Kentucky in 2017.
This team promotes health and physical fitness while demonstraing the demands placed on firefighters through this competition. ESPN has named this the toughest 2 minutes in sports due to the physical and mental stress placed on the competitors.
The Conway Firefighters Combat Challenge Relay team finished 16th in the world in 2017.
Engineer Jay Mattox finished the season ranked 6th nationally and 28th in the world in the individual competition.
This team proudly represents their profession and the City of Conway. Conway Firefighters Pipes and Drums
The Conway Firefighters Pipes and Drums are known state-wide as a well respected group of firefighters that represent the City of Conway, Conway Fire Department, and the firefighting profession with diginity whenever called upon. This prestigious group of pipers and drummers not only travels across the state, but also out-of state when duty calls. This self-funded group is comprised of:
1. Captain Huge Cooper – Snare Drum
2. Captain Stewart Wilcox - Piper
3. Retired Engineer Shon Randels – Bass Drum
4. Engineer Rick Stapleton - Piper
5. Firefighter Desmon Lewis – Snare Drum
In 2017 the Conway Firefighters Pipes and Drums played for the following events:
North Little Rock Fire Chief funeral
Faulkner County Coroner funeral
Osceola Firefighter funeral
Parades in Little Rock and Hot Springs
Jonesboro Women’s Center
Arkansas Fallen Firefighter Memorial
Arkansas State Firefighters convention
Faulkner County LEO Memorial
Camp Sunshine
Conway Fire Department 9/11 Memorial
Hall of Fame Ceremony Arkansas Military Veterans
New Hires 2017 Last Name First Name Date Elmore Nathan 1/23/17 Wolff Ryan 1/23/17 Adlong Justin 4/24/17 Govia Jarrid 4/24/17 Moix Sawyer 7/31/17 Tufu Mario 7/31/17 Brannan Samuel 8/7/17 Herring Greg 11/16/17
Promotions 2017 Last Name First Name Rank Cardin Todd Assistant Chief of Training Skinner John Battalion Chief: A Shift, B-2 Wilcox Stewart Captain: B Shift, Truck 1 Cullum Michael Captain: B Shift, Rescue 1 Thorn Todd Captain: C Shift, Engine 1 Buerer Evan Engineer: C Shift, Engine 2 Mattox Jay Engineer: B Shift, Rescue 1
Retirements/Resignations 2017 Last Name First Name Rank Moix Brian Assistant Chief Sanders Rodney Captain Rhoades Mike Captain - Staff McEntire Mark Engineer Randles Shon Engineer Kennon Marcus Engineer Hankins Charles Engineer
Conway Police Department Annual Report 2017
Conway, Arkansas
2017 Annual Report 01/05/2018
Conway Police Department – 2017 Annual Report
This document is a report of not only crime statistics but activities and services conducted by the police department in the protection and service to the citizens of this community. While this is a comprehensive report of services required, it does not include the many incidents of police personnel assisting members of the community that did not result in a report filed or arrest made. This report is encouraging considering the ever increasing demand on police services by a growing community and the high turnover rate experienced in the Communications Center and Patrol Division. In 2017, we experienced an 8% turnover rate in sworn officers and a 32% turnover rate in the Conway Emergency Operations Center.
Special Operations worked twenty five (25) special events resulting in 1,348 total man-hours. This is one additional event compared to 2016 records but a 16% decrease in man hours required to work those events. While the number of events are similar, Soaring Wings decreased the length of their event to a half marathon, accounting for a majority of the decrease in man hours. SWAT reported being utilized twenty six (26) times in 2017 for incidents ranging from narcotics search warrants to barricaded suspects. The Investigations Division worked a total of 2,282 cases, a 6.7% decrease from 2016. Department wide, there were 4,760 adult arrests and 251 juvenile arrests made in 2017. This is a 1.2% increase in adult arrests and a 17.7% decrease in Juvenile arrests when compared to the previous year. Conway Emergency Operations Center reported 68,064 calls for service, which is a 1.8% decrease from 2016. There were 28,975 Emergency 911 calls received, which is a 15.5% decrease compared to the previous year. Animal Welfare Unit reported a total intake of 1,629 animals, a total of 751 adoptions and rescues, and 3,033 licenses issued. There was a 2% decrease in euthanized animals in 2017 and 1,936 citations and warnings were issued. There was a total of 25,930 hours of training for officers in 2017; these hours included Basic Police Academy Training, K9, SWAT, and Field Training. Program highlights include the continuation of the Text-A-Tip program, Underage Drinking Alcohol Compliance Check, and the Drug Take Back Program.
The members of the Conway Police Department are dedicated professionals proud to serve and protect our community.
Chief Jody Spradlin
2017 Annual Report 01/05/2018
Violent Crimes, overall, experienced a 10% decrease from 2016 to 2017. There were 253 violent crimes reported in 2017 versus 280 violent crimes reported in 2016. The violent crimes in Conway for 2017 are broken down as follows:
• There was an 80% decrease in Murders with one reported in 2017 and 5 reported in 2016. • There was a 29% decrease in Rapes with 25 in 2017 and 35 reported in 2016. • There was a 29% decrease in Robberies with 63 in 2017 and 89 reported in 2016. • There was a 9% increase in Aggravated Assaults with 164 in 2017 and 151 reported in 2016.
Property Crimes, overall, experienced a 22% decrease from 2016 to 2017 with 2,260 property crimes reported in 2017 versus 2,909 property crimes reported in 2016. The Property Crimes in Conway for 2017 are broken down as follows:
• There was an 8% decrease in Burglaries with 315 in 2017 and 343 reported in 2016. • There was a 24% decrease in Thefts with 1,797 in 2017 and 2,379 reported in 2016. • There was a 23% decrease in Motor Vehicle Thefts with 144 in 2017 and 186 reported in 2016. • There was a 300% increase in Arsons with 4 in 2017 and 1 reported in 2016.
The below table depicts reported incidents over the past eight years. This reflects that while the population in Conway has risen significantly, there has been no significant rise in crime.
Crime Statistic’s Comparison for 2010 through 2017
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017
Murder 4 3 3 1 1 2 5 1 Rape 19 20 20 23 26 26 35 25 Robbery 48 82 82 51 62 85 89 63
Burglary 446 397 397 371 395 394 343 315 Theft 2,012 2,108 2,108 2,242 2,311 2,482 2,379 1,797 Motor Vehicle Theft 95 105 105 102 141 149 186 144
Estimated Population 59,881 60,881 62,430 63,500 64,500 64,980 65,300 65,800
2017 Annual Report 01/05/2018
ADMINISTRATION DIVISION
The Administration Division consists of 3 sworn officers and 30 non-sworn who are assigned to the following sections: Office of Professional Responsibilities, Conway Emergency Operations Center, and the Animal Welfare Unit. The following Administration Division statistics were reported for 2017:
• The Conway Emergency Operations Center received a total of 68,064 calls for service during 2017. This averages out to 186 phone calls daily. This is a 1.8% decrease in calls for service when compared to 2016. There were 28,975 911 calls made, which averages out to be 79 emergency 911 calls per day, which is a 15 % decrease compared to 2016. • Animal Welfare impounded 1,629 animals in 2017 as compared to 1,707 in 2016. Dogs/Cats adopted or placed at a rescue center during 2017 were 751, a 13% decrease over 2016’s 864. Conway residents purchased 3,033 dog and cat licenses during 2017, an increase of 1.9% from 2,976 licenses the year before. These licenses along with half of the adoptions fees brought in $41,837 in 2017 as compared to $44,172 in 2016. These funds allow for the spay/neuter account to continue with healthcare needs of shelter animals. (There is different licensing fee based on altered or unaltered animals.) The euthanasia rate for dogs/cats brought into the Conway AWU was 31% in 2017, compared to the 2016 euthanasia rate of 33%. This percentage rate is well below the national rate of 65%. The adoption/release to rescue rate for dogs/cats brought into the AWU in 2017 was 46% as compared to 51% in 2016. The national adoption rate is 20%. AWU officers issued 1,936 warnings and citations in 2017, an increase of 21% from 2016. Calls for Service increased by 1% in 2017, with 3,319 compared to 3,286 in 2016.
PATROL DIVISION
The Patrol Division consists of 85 sworn officers and 2 non-sworn. The following statistics were reported for 2017: • Patrol Division has 15 pillars of training that each officer must complete. As of the end of 2016, the Patrol Division has maintained an 89% completion ratio for the 15 training courses. With the addition of 1 new pillar (CPR) and 9 new officers, the Patrol Division still had a 2% increase in completion from 2016. The pillar training includes courses such as Basic Crime Scene Processing, Emergency Vehicle Operations, Standardized Field Sobriety, and Diffusion/De-escalation. • Patrol Officers worked approximately 48 hours of speed enforcement initiatives, 467 hours of seatbelt enforcement initiatives, and 51 hours of DWI enforcement initiatives. This resulted in 255 citations for speeding, 709 citations issued for no seatbelt, and three (3) arrests for DWI. • There were 4,760 adult arrests made in 2017 in comparison to 4,704 in 2016. There were 251 juvenile arrests in 2017 in comparison to 305 juvenile arrests in 2016. This represents no significant change in total arrests department wide. • Patrol reported 24 police pursuits, down from 32 in 2016, which constitutes a 25% decrease; 3,586 accidents were worked, which is a 5% decrease compared to the 3,774 accidents worked in 2016. 160 DWI/DUI arrests were made, a 15% decrease compared to 2016; 832 “no seatbelt” citations were issued, a 17% decrease compared to 2016; and 50 “no child restraint” citations were issued, a 39% increase compared to 2016. 2017 Annual Report 01/05/2018
Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT)
SWAT reported being utilized twenty six (26) times in 2017 for incidents ranging from narcotics search warrants, CID search warrants, and barricaded suspects. Each SWAT officer completed, on average, 312 hours of training throughout the year. Specialized training consisted of two (2) officers attending Sniper Instructor Development Course, two (2) officers attending Basic Precision Rifle School, and five (5) officers attending Basic SWAT School. SWAT also received funds from the Homeland Security Law Enforcement Terrorism Prevention Grant in the amount of $103,042.60.
INVESTIGATIONS DIVISION
The Conway Police Department Criminal Investigation Division consists of 23 sworn officers and 7 non-sworn who are assigned to Investigations, Narcotics, K9’s, Property and Evidence, Records, and COMPSTAT. The following CID statistics were reported for 2017:
• Criminal Investigations worked a total of 2,282 cases, a 6.7% decrease from 2016. Narcotics reported 613 cases opened, a 6.8% increase compared to 2016; $1,668,074 worth of illegal drugs seized, a 4.8% decrease compared to 2016; and 87 search warrants served, a 14.7% decrease compared to 2016. • The K9 Unit was utilized 252 times throughout the year for vehicle searches, building searches, and narcotic searches. The Unit seized a street value of $1,730,470 in illegal narcotics in 2017, a 26.8% decrease from 2016. They also performed 41 public demonstrations throughout the year for schools, civic groups, and other community events, a 10.8% increase from 2016. • Evidence and Property received 3,866 items in 2017, of which 1,783 were transported to the Arkansas State Crime Laboratory for processing. 2,509 items were destroyed per court order and 304 items were processed and released to the owner. 599 pounds of prescription drugs were taken in for disposal. In January and September of 2017, 1,106 pounds of illegal drugs and drug paraphernalia were taken to the Clean Harbor Incineration Facility to be incinerated. • The Records Section processed 11,621 incident reports, 2,597 collision reports, 6,332 citations, and 10,426 warnings for 2017. Records Section also entered 372 citations issued by the UCA Police Department.
Program Highlights Text A Tip Due to the enormous popularity of text messaging, the Conway Police Department continued to utilize state of the art technology to receive crime tips via text message and through WebTips. This service is 100% anonymous. The technology routes messages through a server that encrypts cell phone numbers before they get to police. The technology also allows investigators to securely reply back to the cell phone without compromising the tipster's identity. Some of the advantages of text messaging includes being able to communicate in real time with texters. It also allows people to notify police when calling may not be feasible or safe. Texting a tip is easy. We received approximately 285 tips in 2017 regarding drug activity, suspect identification and numerous other items of interest to our department. The system has been a success. Our tips increased 20.8% in 2017 from 2016.
2017 Annual Report 01/05/2018
Restaurant Alcohol Compliance Checks The Narcotics Section of the Conway Police Department conducted 121 alcohol compliance checks in 2017. This operation is to ensure that restaurants are properly checking identification of its patrons and are not selling to underage customers. Of the 121 checks that were made, 103 checks passed while 18 failed for a success rate of 85.12%. Drug Take Back Program
Conway Police Department maintains a permanent drop box for citizens to dispose of their unused prescription drugs. In 2017, 681 lbs. of prescription medications were collected and disposed of safely through this program. This is a 7.8% increase compared to 2016.
SUPPORT DIVISION
The Support Division consists of 12 sworn officers and 4 non-sworn who are assigned to the following sections: Fleet Maintenance, Training, School Resource Officers, Warrants, and Information Technology. The following Support Division statistics were reported for 2017:
• Fleet Maintenance received eight (8) new Ford Explorer police vehicles. One Ford Expedition and one Dodge Charger were purchased for administrative vehicles. In addition, Fleet Maintenance removed from service 10 various make and model vehicles that were no longer serviceable due to excess mileage or use. • The Training Division reported a total of 25,930 hours of training in 2017, a 23% decrease from 2016. These hours included Basic Police Academy training, K-9, SWAT, and Field Officer Training. The decrease in hours for 2017 is largely due to the department not hosting sessions of the Central Arkansas Police Academy. The training division started Glock inspections and created a new Armorer’s inspection form. They also created a training page on Facebook for the department to notify officers from around the state regarding training that is offered at our department. • Warrant Officers reported a total of 2,281 warrants served in 2017. This is a 29% increase over the previous year. They also spent 895.5 hours conducting prisoner transports throughout the state. Warrant Officers spent 83 hours acting as Conway District Court bailiffs, conducted 181 applicant fingerprints, and processed 1,788 recalled warrants. Total number of warrants served by officers in the Conway Police Department was 3,689 warrants. Total number of warrants issued in 2017 was 3,997. • In 2017, one Information Technology Network Systems Administrator was added to the Conway Police Department. Information Technology reported the setup, configuration, and installation of 26 new desktop computers and 24 new laptop computers for various users within the PD. They also installed and configured six (6) new wireless access points at PD, CEOC, and Animal Welfare locations. IT migrated Netmotion to a new Microsoft 2016 Server, upgraded Netmotion server software to version 11.x, and upgraded the PD mobile units to the new Netmotion client software version 11.x. All thin client devices and virtual desktops were replaced with appropriate equipment to phase out the virtual desktop usage by the Conway Police Department. This completed the migration away from the Virtual Desktop platform. This year the department began utilizing the KACE Systems Management Appliance for 3rd party application patching. This includes software such as Java, iTunes, Flash Player, Mozilla Firefox, ExacqVision, and VLC Media Player.
In addition, IT completed and resolved 658 Helpdesk requests. These requests ranged from basic software installation and configuration to laptop hardware replacement.
2017 Annual Report 01/05/2018
Conway Police Department Sworn Turnover Rate 2012-2017
Auth. Sworn Officer Officer Year Officers Departures Turnover Rate 2012 114 8 7%
2013 114 5 4%
2014 117 9 8%
2015 117 13 12%
2016 127 11 9% 2017 127 10 8%
Conway Communications Center Turnover Rate 2012-2017
Auth. Sworn Dispatch Year Dispatchers Departures Turnover Rate 2012 22 10 46% 2013 22 3 14% 2014 22 3 14% 2015 22 4 19% 2016 22 11 50% 2017 22 7 32%
2017 Annual Report 01/05/2018
SWORN MANPOWER DISTRIBUTION BY RACE-GENDER-RANK
Chief Major Lieutenant Sergeant Officer Total Percentage WM 1 3 10 11 74 99 77.95% WF 1 2 13 16 12.59% BM 1 9 10 7.87% BF NAM NAF HM 1 1 .78% HF Vacant 1 .78% TOTAL 1 4 10 14 97 127 100%
NON-SWORN MANPOWER DISTRIBUTION POLICE, ANIMAL WELFARE, CEOC
FT PT Total Percentage WM 6 1 7 15% WF 26 0 26 57% BM 0 0 0 0% BF 7 0 7 15% NAM 0 0 0 0% NAF 0 0 0 0% HM 0 0 0 0% HF 1 0 1 2% Vacant 5 0 5 11% TOTAL 45 1 46 100%
2017 Annual Report 01/05/2018
PERSONNEL STRENGTH CHART Effective 12/31/2017
PART I--SWORN-FT
Authorized Sworn 127
On Hand (authorized minus vacancies) 126
Physically Available for Duty @ CPD (authorized minus vacancies and activated officers)……1 Vacancy 126
PART II--NON SWORN-FT
Authorized Non-Sworn 45 (CPD-15, AWU-8, CEOC-22)
On Hand 40 ( Vacancies- AWU-1 CEOC-4)
PART III--Non-Sworn-PT
Authorized Non-Sworn-PT (AWU & Fleet) 1
On Hand 1
PART IV--TOTAL STAFF-ALL(F/T & P/T) CATEGORIES
Authorized 172
On Hand 166
PART V--CURRENT VACANCIES
Sworn positions 1
Non-Sworn positions 5
PART VI--ACTIVATED OFFICERS 1
2017 Annual Report 01/05/2018
District Court 2017 Year End Report
2017 was another productive year for Faulkner County District Court. We continue to have a court docket five days a week with first appearances for misdemeanor and felony offenses three days a week and on holidays. In August of 2014, we initiated a new court scanning program to streamline collection and processing of case information. We continued to keep paper files as well through the end of 2015. This was our second year of paperless filling and we are now focused on scanning in older files for easier access and to free up storage. This project has not only saved money on office supplies, but any clerk can pull up any document from their desk, without having to waste time going to find the paper file. We were the second court in the state to implement e-citations which allow real time transmittal of citations to the court for approval. E-citations are now our primary form of ticket entry. This new innovative technology is a faster and more efficient way of generating reports and citations in the patrol vehicle as well as transmitting that data to the court system for processing. We continue to incorporate changes creating a more efficient system for the Faulkner County District Court employees and patrons. We have completed our second full year of Sobriety Court and have seen six participants successfully graduate this year. We had a very special visitor at our September graduation. The National Center for DWI Courts sent their project director, Cliff Jacobs to speak to our participants and help us celebrate our graduates.
Every effort is being made to update District Court procedures in efficiency, technology and programming. We strive to be at the forefront for District Court Models in the state. Our office continues to host a number of courts interested in emulating these new changes and our ability to utilize CONTEXTE (the state case management system). We have also been working closely with the Administrative office of the Courts in an effort to move toward e-filing. We were the first court in Arkansas to contract with Matterhorn, a company that helps courts facilitate online adjudication. We are ready to implement Matterhorn as soon as the integration with our case management system is complete. We are hoping for a February launch date. We expect to see to see a significant decrease in traffic as a result. We look forward to continuing this progress in the coming year and setting the standard for other district courts to follow. We were the first court in Arkansas to contract with Matterhorn, a company that helps courts facilitate online adjudication. We are ready to implement Matterhorn as soon as the integration with our case management system is complete. We are hoping for a February launch date. We expect to see to see a significant decrease in traffic as a result. District Court 2017 Stats
Criminal and Traffic Caseload Stats:
Authority Criminal %LY Traffic %LY Total %LY City 5418 -8% 6333 103% 11751 -2% County/State 3818 187% 1833 -45% 5651 104% Total 9236 116% 8166 -13% 17402 100.1%
Criminal and traffic offenses adjudicated receipted $2,484,991.33, a decrease of 3% to last year.
Civil/ Small Claims Stats:
Department Cases Filed %LY Civil 1348 159% Small Claims 223 105% Total 1571 149%
Civil and Small Claims receipted $141,458.53, an increase of 40% to last year.
Warrants Stats:
Authority Produced %LY Served %LY Outstanding %LY City 2155 -11% 1843 -9% 2509 -26% County 941 100.5% 681 -19% 1345 137% Total 3096 -8% 2524 -9% 3854 130%
The outstanding warrants are from 2012 thru 2017.
Circuit Court First Appearance Stats:
Felony Cases %LY Total 1978 110% *
Finance Department City of Conway, Arkansas
FY 2017 End of Year Report
Financing Activity and Highlights
• The City is in compliance with all bond requirements and is current on all debt service obligations. We issued bonds in November to refinance the 2007 A&P Bonds, and realize approximately $1,000,000 in interest savings over the remaining ten years left until final maturity. We also took out a five year loan for $2,800,000 to finish the Expo Center. The closing of the sale of the old airport in December allowed the payoff of the loan taken out in 2013 to construct the buildings at the new airport.
• During 2017, sales tax revenue provided approximately $3,500,000 for pay as you go activities. The activities funded were 12 vehicles and equipment for the Police Department, major street projects such as work on the South Interchange of the Western Loop and finishing of the improvements on 6th Street by the old airport and completion of the 6th Street Overpass.
• General Fund Sales tax collections for the year were up 5.6% over 2016, as of the November receipt.
Financial Volume – Citywide
• Vendor disbursements totaled $48,220,913 during 2017. The city has a vendor database of over 6,000 different vendors, and it generated over 7,000 check disbursements during the year for the purchase of goods and services.
• Total payroll expense for 2017 was $34,771,237. Benefits paid through payroll totaled $9,015,996.
Annual Financial Report and Budget Activity
• The CPA firm BKD, LLP issued the audit for fiscal year 2016 on September 29, 2017. The audit for fiscal year 2017 is expected to begin in mid April of this year, with a goal of issuing the report by June 30, 2018. • The FY 2018 Budget was approved by Council on December 12, 2017.
Finance Staff
• Tyler Winningham, Chief Financial Officer • Perry Faulkner, Finance Manager • Wesley Reynolds, Accounting Manager • Mandy Gottsponer, Accounts Payable Accountant
Prepared by: Tyler Winningham, CFO 1/5/18
City of Conway
Human Resources Department
2017 Year End Report
Mission Statement
The City of Conway Human Resources department mission is to treat our fellow employees and members of the public as valued customers. We support and partner with City departments to enable the City to deliver exceptional services to City of Conway residents and visitors. We are committed to providing quality assistance, professional expertise and consulting services to employees, managers, supervisors, and job applicants in all facets of human resource administration. Further, we strive to ensure that the City has fair and equitable policies and practices, a diverse workforce, and that our interactions exhibit the highest levels of professionalism, integrity, confidentiality and sensitivity to the needs of the customers we serve.
Staff
Lisa Mabry-Williams, Human Resources Director
Valerie Seay, Human Resources Assistant
Human Resources Department Activities
During 2017 the Human Resources Department provided day to day support to the various city departments and employees in all areas of human resources including but not limited to insuring that City polices and procedures are consistently applied throughout all city departments. Listed below are a few of the projects the HR department accomplished in 2017:
Assisted in the update of job descriptions and reevaluation of an outside market salary review for newly created Engineering and Street department positions. Assisted in the creation of job descriptions for newly created Administration department positions.
Conduced the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Self Evaluation Audit of City facilities as required under Title VI. Over 60 City facilities/buildings were audited. Notified and provided recommendations for compliance to the respective departments in instances where a possible deficiency was found.
Updated the City of Conway Health and Safety Plan.
Completion and delivery of the 1095-C Forms, the required IRS forms for employer provided health insurance coverage, as required under the Affordable Health Care Act for the reporting year of 2016 due on March 31, 2017. The data on these forms included the months each employee and dependent were eligible or not eligible for medical coverage, the months they were offered medical coverage, the months they accepted or declined coverage, and verification of social security numbers.
Completed and submitted the Arkansas New Hire Reports as required by the state.
• Hired, processed paperwork, conducted orientation for 86 full time and 61 part time/seasonal employees
• 107 voluntary and involuntary terminations processed, 87 voluntary, 20 involuntary, and 12 retirees.
• Assisted the families of one (1) deceased retiree with benefit information and completion of paperwork as required.
• Completed and processed paperwork for 29 non-unformed pension refunds.
Continued to serve as the City’s staff support for the City of Conway Civil Service Commission; including the administration of the promotional and entry level examinations for the Fire and Police Departments. Administered the following examinations during 2017:
• Entry level police officer examination • Entry level firefighter examination • Fire Engineer promotional examination • Fire Captain promotional examination • Fire Battalion Chief promotional examination
Served on the newly created Insurance Committee. The committee met with representatives from BlueCross/BlueShield – Health Advantage and the Arkansas Municipal League’s Health Benefit Fund during two separate meetings. The committee also reviewed the Medical Benefits and Fitness Center Facility proposals and made recommendations on the same.
Requested proposals for the City’s medical benefit plan and the Fitness Center Facility. Presented the results to the Mayor and City Council along with the Insurance Committee’s recommendations.
• Negotiated competitive life and dental benefits rates for 2018 • Negotiated competitive voluntary benefits for 2018. • Enrollment of employees and retirees into the Arkansas Municipal League Health Benefit Fund for 2018 and Arkansas BlueCross BlueShield dental plan for 2018. • Encouraged increased participation in the voluntary supplemental flexible spending account through departmental meeting with our broker, Benefit Partners/Flex-Co and through information distributed via email prior to the meetings.
Management of all City of Conway Workers Compensation Claims and the subsequent administration of the Workers Compensation/Safety Department. Processed and managed ninety-nine (99) claims in 2017 from the following city departments:
• 44 – Police • 18 – Fire • 18 – Sanitation (1 removed after review) • 4 – Animal Welfare • 9 – Physical Plant • 2 – Street • 1 – Parks & Recreation • 1 – CEOC • 1 – Permits & Code Enforcement • 1 – Administration • 0 - Airport • 0 – District Court
Worked with and provided documentation to attorneys with the Arkansas Municipal League as needed for their representation of the City of Conway on various issues. Including meeting with AML staff attorneys, attending and providing depositions, etc.
Responded to numerous FOIA requests.
Attended quarterly Arkansas Public Employers Human Resources Association (APEHRA) meetings. Attended the AML June Convention.
Responded to numerous Arkansas Department of Workforce Services claims for unemployment benefits. Appealed the decisions of the ADWS when necessary.
Administered the DOT and non-DOT drug random drug/alcohol testing program.
Administration of retiree benefits and requests for non-unformed pension refunds. This includes the record keeping and communication with over fifty-five (55) City of Conway retirees and setting up new LOPFI retirees with monthly LOPFI benefit deductions, monthly benefit deduction reports to LOPFI, calculation of monthly pension amounts for non-uniformed employees, set up of monthly benefit deductions for non-uniformed employees in Springbrook and submitting requests for non-uniformed pension refunds to the pension board each month. Continue to assist the two District Court Judges with employee related issues as they implement personnel, policy and procedural changes at District Court.
Assisted in the development and adoption of the 2017 revisions of the City of Conway Employee Handbook:
Nominated and re-appointed to serve as the District #2 board member of the Arkansas Municipal League Workers Compensation Trust.
2017 ANNUAL REPORT Message From the Director
I am pleased to submit for your review the annual report for the Department of Information Systems & Technology.
In the last year, our department has focused on three key goals: revamp, simplify, and secure our technology infrastructure; improve the user experience; and move towards an operational expense model and away from a capital expense model. The following report outlines the steps taken toward these goals.
I would be remiss if I didn’t take the opportunity to praise our outstanding staff. Each of them has embraced a culture of constant improvement and a spirit of customer service. I am tremendously proud to work with them each day to help make Conway a stronger, smarter city.
Regards,
Aaron Knight Director DEPARTMENT OF INFORMATION SYSTEMS & TECHNOLOGY 2017 ANNUAL REPORT
Mission
The Department of Information Systems & Technology advances Conway as a smarter city by simplifying IT infrastructure, investing in innovative solutions, and providing exceptional support.
Strategic Objectives
• Revamp, simplify, and secure our technology infrastructure • Improve the user experience • Move towards an operational expense model and away from a capital expense model
Executive Overview
2017 was a year of transition, evaluation, and change for the Department of Information Systems & Technology. Aaron Knight was named director on January 2, 2017. Rebecca Butler and Harold Pizzolato were hired in February as Administrative Assistant and Computer Support Specialist, respectively, and Brandon McCrory was hired as Computer Support Specialist in March.
Changes in personnel present an opportunity to put fresh eyes on a situation. The staff of the Department of Information Systems & Technology embraced that task in 2017. As technology has become increasingly ubiquitous and is the engine for business, the quality of the technology provided can either be a strength or a weakness of the organization.
Significant steps were taken to improve the overall state of the technology landscape, starting with a top-to-bottom review of the departmental budget. Careful analysis of nearly every process and system was given to determine if it was adequate, fitting with the strategic goals set forth, and for the efficiency of both financial and human resources. Changes were identified, prioritized, and developed into a program of work. Strategic investments were made in critical areas and new and innovative technologies, filtered through the lens of gaining operational efficiency and right-sizing the department's budget.
While the process of improvement isn’t static, rather it is constant, significant strides were made, including a few highlights below:
• Customer service became a pillar of the work performed by the department. Computer Support Specialists began“rounds,” visiting each department on a monthly basis to offer support and address issues proactively. Too often, small items would be ignored by a user,
!3 DEPARTMENT OF INFORMATION SYSTEMS & TECHNOLOGY 2017 ANNUAL REPORT
causing frustration, but wouldn’t be reported until becoming a more significant issue. Countless hours of diminished productivity have been avoided through this initiative.
• Restructured virtual environment to a true primary and secondary configuration. By design, the current environment was intended to run in an active-active state, with replication taking place between the two data centers. Sometime in late 2016, that replication stopped, without apparent explanation, and each site operated as an orphan site with limited backups taking place. The entire environment has been revamped with the Emergency Operations Center serving as the primary data center site, and the police department serving as the secondary site.
• Made critical changes and investment in backup and disaster recovery. Upgraded backup and replication software to Veeam. Changed backup location target to secondary datacenter site, providing space to back up the entire virtual environment adequately. Previously, only selected VMs were backed-up on an aging array, two generations removed from production. Increased backup retention times to 14 days.
• Upgraded wireless infrastructure city-wide to new Ubiquity high-density access points, away from aging HPE/Aruba and Meraki brand equipment. Realized annual cost savings by eliminating recurring licensing associated with the Meraki equipment.
• Completed the implementation of the Harris P25 Radio Systems, with the initial cutover taking place in February. Developed, tested, and programmed personalities of over 500 radios for Police, Fire, UCA PD, Conway Public Schools, Street & Engineering Department, Sanitation Department, Parks & Recreation Department, Airport, and numerous various county entities including the Faulkner County Sheriff’s Office.
Additional Selected Accomplishments
• Resolved nearly 1,400 support requests • Worked with ConwayCorp to gain fiber connectivity to Don Owen Sports Complex and Conway Expo & Events Center • Revamped network topology, relocating core switch and firewall to ConwayCorp Data Center • Began transition from a flat layer 2 network to a layer 3 routed network • Transitioned from on-premised hosted Sophos endpoint protection to cloud hosted • Deprecated costly, underutilized virtualized desktop infrastructure, replacing with full user systems or Intel Compute Sticks depending on use case • Conducted proof-of-concept on new video management and access control software
!4 DEPARTMENT OF INFORMATION SYSTEMS & TECHNOLOGY 2017 ANNUAL REPORT
• At request of the Police Department, conducted an security assessment and began implementation of recommended changes • Installed bi-directional amplifier at Police Department to enhance in-building radio coverage • Installed new antennas, base station radios, and paging equipment at all seven fire stations • Transitioned Fire Department phones to VoIP, realizing an annual savings of nearly $1,200 • Outdoor Warning Siren 11 relocated and replaced • Launched website design refresh
!5
2017 Annual Report
It is the mission of the Conway Parks and Recreation Department to provide leisure and recreational opportunities for the benefit of health, happiness, and well-being of our citizens. This mission is achieved by providing quality parks and recreational facilities as well as creating tourism opportunities which benefit both our citizens and our local businesses.
Steve Ibbotson Director
www.conwayparks.com Steve Ibbotson Parks Director
We start 2018 by remembering the accomplishments of 2017. The department completed the construction of the Conway Event Center and started construction of the Conway Tennis Center. Once again, the City of Conway continued to be a destination for a variety of sports tournaments, while our staff continued to maintain the parks and run programs for our citizens to enjoy.
While the Conway Event Center and Conway Tennis Center may have taken center stage of the department’s projects, they were not the only projects. Design work on the Dave Ward Pedestrian Bridge is 90% complete and the rehabilitation and placement of the Springfield Bridge at Lake Beaverfork was completed. We also secured sponsorships to replace all the scoreboards at Conway Station Park and completed the renovations of the Beaverfork house.
The McGee Center and the Sports Center had over 200,000 visits throughout the year. They also hosted 36 events and tournaments, along with providing space for our home school programs as well as our local league play. Though there was a slight decrease in our local youth league play, due to more kids playing on tournament teams, we did however see an increase in our local adult leagues.
Lake Beaverfork hosted 12 tournaments and events, and we saw an increase in permits sold.
The Conway Expo and Event Center hosted 54 events this past year. With the opening of the Event Center we look forward to even greater use of the facility.
Conway Station Park hosted 17 tournaments as well as being the venue for our local baseball league. City of Colleges Park hosted 13 tournaments while being the home field for Central Baptist College Softball, St. Joseph Softball, and Homeschool Softball. City of Colleges Park is also the venue for our local girls fast pitch softball league. Curtis Walker Park hosted 10 tournaments while being the home venue for the Braves Baseball League, Optimist Youth Football, Conway Dodgers and Vilonia American Legion. Don Owen Complex hosted 22 tournaments and is the venue for our Adult Softball, Adult Kickball and T‐Ball Leagues.
While the department provides local activities for our citizens, we also facilitate thousands of visitors coming to our great city to attend an event or to participate in a tournament. This benefits both our local residents and businesses. We saw another 3% increase in A&P funding which allows the city to provide additional facilities, as well as renovating some of our existing facilities for our local residents.
We have dedicated employees that serve the citizens of Conway and we look forward to the upcoming year and the opportunities that await our great city.
Conway Sports Center Sports Center Attendance
The Conway Sports Center is located 2017 2016 at 10 Lower Ridge Road. It is a 44,000 sq. ft. facility that houses the 18,000 administrative offices of the Conway Parks Department. 16,000
It is equipped with three basketball 14,000 courts, one 1/8 mile walking track, two racquetball courts and one 12,000 wallyball court. The racquetball / wallyball courts can be reserved and 10,000 cost $2 per hour. Rackets, goggles and balls can be rented for $2 per 8,000 racket. Everything else is free to the public. Hours of operation are Sunday 6,000 1:00pm – 6:00pm and Monday – Saturday 6:00am – 10:00pm. 4,000
In 2017 the Sports Center was used 2,000 for the following significant events‐ - Conway Junior Volleyball (6) JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC Delta Regional Volleyball (2) Elite Basketball Tournament (3) Fatchmo Volleyball Association (6) Game Changer Sports (5) Adult Volleyball Tournament (2) Attendance records come from daily sign in sheets at the facility. USSSA Basketball Tournament (2) Youth Basketball Tournament‐ These attendance sheets are not out during tournaments or league Independent play so they do not reflect the people that are in the facility on CYBL‐USA Basketball Tournament those days. Slammin Buckets Nation Basketball Tournament Note‐ The Sports Center was closed to the public in September for All Star Week Conway Parks Adult Basketball our annual building maintenance League Conway Parks Adult Volleyball League 2017 2016 Special Olympics Volleyball Tournament Homeschool Volleyball Jan 11,520 12,413 Homeschool Basketball Feb 9,729 13,383 2017 Elections Mar 10,169 15,465 Apr 6,527 8,172 May 9,357 9,817
Jun 8,364 12,456 Jul 10,264 11,532 Aug 7,318 6,035 Sep 3,617 2,302 Oct 6,070 9,153 Nov 7,060 8,149
Dec 6,124 5,651
96,119 114,528
McGee Center McGee Center Attendance
The McGee Center is located at 3800 2017 2016 College Avenue. The 46,600 sq. ft. facility sits on 11 acres and has a 14,000 large meeting room which can hold up to 150 people and one small meeting room which can hold up to 12,000 25 people. The meeting rooms are free to the public for non‐profit 10,000 groups and must be reserved.
It is equipped with three basketball 8,000 courts, one 1/8 mile walking track, three racquetball courts and one 6,000 wallyball court. The racquetball / wallyball courts can be reserved and cost $2 per hour. Rackets, goggles 4,000 and balls can be rented for $2 per racket. Everything else is free to the public. Hours of operation are 2,000 Sunday 1:00pm – 6:00pm and Monday – Friday 6:00am – 10:00pm - and Saturday 7:00am – 10:00pm. JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC
It is also home to the Conway Skate Park and Community Garden.
In 2017 the McGee Center was used for the following significant events‐ Attendance records come from daily sign in sheets at the facility. These attendance sheets are not out during tournaments or league Conway Junior Volleyball (1) play so they do not reflect the people that are in the facility on Elite Basketball Tournament (3) those days. Fatchmo Volleyball Association (5) CYBL‐USA Basketball Tournament Slammin Buckets Nation Basketball Note‐ The McGee Center was closed to the public in May for annual Tournament building maintenance. Boys and Girls Club Basketball Homeschool Basketball Homeschool Volleyball 2017 2016 2017 Elections
The McGee Center also provided a Jan 10,651 11,433 free meeting space for 70 non‐profit Feb 11,329 10,214 groups and held over 350 meetings in Mar 10,393 11,410 2017. Apr 8,036 7,814 May 6,074 5,361 Jun 7,228 8,654 Jul 11,391 10,363 Aug 7,748 9,298
Sep 5,881 9,983 Oct 5,355 6,493 Nov 6,047 6,674 Dec 6,673 8,324
96,806 106,021
Beaverfork Lake Beaverfork Lake Issued Permits
Beaverfork Lake is located off of Highway 25 in North Conway. 2017 2016
2,500 Beaverfork Lake has areas for swimming, boating and fishing. It also has slips for annual rent. 2,000 The park has several picnic tables with grills, one large pavilion that can be reserved and one small pavilion near 1,500 the fishing pier. There is a large handicap accessible fishing dock and two boat docks. 1,000 The park also includes two sanded volleyball courts, two large bathrooms, one office / bathroom 500 facility, one lighted baseball field, a large area that is used for radio control airplanes, three large parking 0 areas and an 18 hole disc golf course. Daily Yearly Golden Age Arm Gate
In 2017 Beaverfork Lake was used for the following significant events‐
Westrock Company Fishing Our 2017 total revenue was $39,649. Tournaments (3) Fishing for a Mission Benefit Fishing Tournament Kimberly Clark Fishing 2017 2016 Tournaments (3) Freedom Fest Fireworks Show Daily 902 860 Annual Toad Suck Tri‐Fest Yearly 174 176 Dragon Boat Races Golden Age 204 205 Conway High School Cross Country Arm Gate 2,134 2,112 UCA Cross Country
3,414 3,353
Programs Adult Participation by Participants 2017 2016 The Conway Parks and Recreation 900 Department oversees programming 800 for both youth and adult programs. 700 Adult Programs are held at the 600 Conway Sports Center and Don Owen 500 Softball Complex. 400 Adult Programs offered are‐ 300 200 Basketball 100 Summer Basketball Summer Softball 0 Basketball Summer Summer Kickball Fall Softball Volleyball Kickball Basketball Softball Fall Softball Volleyball 2017 2016
Basketball 374 418 Summer Basketball 83 0 Summer Softball 800 780 Kickball 382 478
Fall Softball 704 523 Volleyball 360 494
Total Participants 2,703 2,693
Adult Participation by Teams 2017 2016 60
50
40
30
20
10
0 Basketball Summer Summer Kickball Fall Softball Volleyball Basketball Softball
2017 2016
Basketball 30 36 Summer Basketball 8 0
Summer Softball 50 48 Kickball 17 21 Fall Softball 44 32 Volleyball 31 36
Total Teams 180 173
Youth Participation by Participants Programs 2017 2016 700 Youth Programs are held at Conway Station Park, City of Colleges Park, 600 Curtis Walker Park, Braves Field, Centennial Soccer Park and the Don 500 Owen Complex T‐Ball Fields. 400
300 Youth Programs offered are‐ 200 Summer Baseball Summer Softball 100 T‐ Ball 0 Braves Baseball Summer Summer T‐Ball Braves Flag Fall Fall Flag Football Baseball Softball Football Baseball Softball Fall Baseball Fall Softball 2017 2016
Summer Baseball 612 636 Summer Softball 246 261 T‐Ball 326 355 Braves Baseball 65 61 Flag Football 150 180 Fall Baseball 385 435 Fall Softball 172 170
Total Participants 1,956 2,098
Youth Participation by Teams
2017 2016 60
50
40
30
20
10
0 Summer Summer T‐Ball Braves Flag Fall Fall
Baseball Softball Baseball Football Baseball Softball
2017 2016
Summer Baseball 51 53 Summer Softball 23 22 T‐Ball 26 30 Braves Baseball 6 6 Flag Football 15 18 Fall Baseball 35 38 Fall Softball 17 14
Total Teams 173 181 January
Conway Expo and G & S Gun Show Event Center Antique Alley Arkansas Jurassic Quest Emerge The Conway Expo Center and February Fairgrounds is located off of Highway Beast Feast 64 and opened in 2010. It is 40,780 Conway Bridal Show usable sq. ft. and can hold a capacity Conway FCCLA Star Events of 2,719 people. The building is Rhea Lana’s March heated and cooled. There are 5 Grits Roller Derby overhead doors with 12’ clearance, ACA Conference restrooms and ticket booth. Alcohol G & S Gun Show is not allowed in the building. Tacos For Life Mobile Pack April The outdoor Pavilion is 55,000 usable An Affair of the Heart sq. ft. and has power and water. Cheer Force Arkansas Grits Roller Derby Farm Round‐Up The RV Park has power and water for Antique Alley Arkansas 46 sites and a dump station available. Relay for Life May The Conway Event Center opened in VW Showtime July 2017 and adds approximately Land Commissioner Sale 6,000 square feet of meeting room Master Gardener Plant Sale space equipped with full audio and Circus Pages video capabilities. It also has a full Bumper to Bumper Car Show Hippy Fun Day catering kitchen. This space Final Drive Genetics Pig Sale combined with the Expo Center is George Family Reunion perfect for events from small business June meetings to large trade shows and G & S Gun Show everything in between. We look Renewal Ranch Rally for Recovery forward to the opportunities that it MAW Outlet Clothing Sale will bring to the Conway citizens in ONSHORE QCS Dinner July 2018 and beyond. Livestock Jackpot (Pavilion) Grits Roller Derby The Conway Expo Center and Bella Rustina Fairgrounds also plays host to the American Grappling Federation Tournament Faulkner County Fair each year. Fortier INC Toad Suck Car Show Rhea Lana August Social Security Seminar
RK Survival Shows
The Great Escape September Grits Roller Derby Life Choices October Business Expo / Taste of Conway All Star Martial Arts and Karate A Day of Mischief Senior Olympics American Grappling Federation Tournament G & S Gun Show November ComiCon‐way Antique Alley Dazzle Daze December G & S Gun Show Funky Junk Road Show Mahomes Family Reception City of Colleges Park City of Conway Parks and is the home field for St. Joseph, Conway Homeschool, and Central Baptist College softball teams. Sports Complexes
Conway Parks and Recreation In 2017 City of Colleges Park was used for the following significant tournaments maintains 600 acres of park land and and Conway Parks and Recreation Sport Leagues‐ 1000 acres of water at Beaverfork Central Arkansas Sports Management Baseball Tournament (4) Lake. Southeast Sports Productions (7) Highland Dairy Youth Classic For information on any of our parks Jerrad Hardin Fastpitch Camp you can go to our website at Central Baptist College Meltdown Tournament www.conwayparks.com Central Baptist College Softball St. Joe Softball Airport Park Homeschool Softball Bainbridge Park Conway Parks Youth Softball League Beaverfork Lake Cadron Settlement Park Centennial Soccer Park Conway Station Park City of Colleges Park Conway Station Park In 2017 Conway Station Park was used for the following significant Curtis Walker Park tournaments and the Conway Parks and Recreation Sport Leagues‐ Don Owen Sports Complex Central Arkansas Sports Management Baseball Tournament (17) Fifth Avenue Park Conway Parks Youth Baseball League Gatlin Park George W. Sammons Park Laurel Park Curtis Walker Park Pine Street is the home field for St. Joseph Baseball, American Legion Baseball, the Optimist Pompe Park Pee Wee Football Program, and the Braves Handicap Accessible Field and Simon Park Playground. Tucker Creek Walking / Bike Trail In 2017 Curtis Walker Park was used for the following significant tournaments‐ Pavilion rental is available at several Central Arkansas Sports Management Baseball Tournament (10) of our parks for $25. To check Braves Baseball League availability of a pavilion at Laurel Conway Parks Youth Baseball League Park, 5th Avenue Park, Beaverfork Conway Noon Optimist Youth Football Park or Cadron Settlement Park you Vilonia American Legion can call the Conway Sports Center.
Don Owen Softball Complex
In 2017 Don Owen Softball Complex was used for the following significant tournaments and the Conway Parks and Recreation Sport Leagues‐ Central Arkansas Sports Management Baseball Tournament (16) Southeast Sports Productions (3) Adult Softball Tournaments (3) Conway Parks Adult Softball League Conway Parks Adult Kickball League Conway Parks T‐Ball League
Building Permits & Code Enforcement Department 2017 Year End Report
STAFF
Director – Kenny McCollum Assistant Director & Mechanical Inspector – Cecil Corning Building Inspector – Ken Eckert Electrical Inspector – Zach Castleberry Plumbing Inspector – Paul Jones Building Permits Administrative Assistant – Missy Lovelady & Charlotte Stewart Code Enforcement Administrative Assistant – Missy Lovelady Code Enforcement Officer – Kim Beard Code Enforcement Officer—Austin Sullivan
Conway Permits & Code Enforcement 2017 Year End Report Building Permits
Single Family Home Permits
2017 = 147 2016 = 202 2015 = 148
Permit Detail 2017 Permits 2016 Permits
461 Building Permits 543 Building Permits 518 Electrical Permits 556 Electric Permits 357 Plumbing Permits 402 Plumbing Permits 553 Mechanical Permits 641 Mechanical Permits 229 Gas Permits 217 Gas Permits 7 Parking Lot Permits 8 Parking Lots Permits 138 Sign Permits 162 Sign Permits 2263 Total Permits 2471 Total Permits
Notes: Sign permit issuance and recording has moved under Planning and Development as of October 2017.
Conway Permits & Code Enforcement 2017 Year End Report Building Permit History
Permits 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017
Single Family 314 189 161 224 152 186 147 119 148 202 147 Duplex 45 30 14 29 1 16 7 8 5 9 12 Multi-Family 4 53 60 58 1 9 10 2 2 5 Acc/Res 90 76 56 61 48 77 75 62 64 68 43 Add/Res 46 47 40 45 29 39 54 43 35 48 45 Rem/Res 47 63 43 49 54 53 40 63 61 52 37 Add/Duplex Rem/Duplex 1 1 2 1 2 6 1 2 1 Acc/Multi- 20 6 19 2 4 4 Family Rem/Multi- 1 2 1 1 1 Family Temp. Bldgs. 8 12 9 7 6 9 6 19 10 11 9 Add/Acc 1 2 1 1 4 Rem/Acc 2 2 2 1 1 Commercial 46 27 23 10 12 52 29 41 26 28 28 Acc/Com 4 5 5 4 6 4 12 2 5 6 16 Add/Com 15 2 5 11 14 13 8 10 7 10 13 Rem/Com 63 78 53 83 71 75 68 68 55 83 66 Institutional * 5 5 2 2 Industrial * 15 2 7 3
Rem/Inst. * 12 13 8 3 1 Add/Inst. * 1 2 1 1 2 Add/Indust. * 1 3 7 3 Acc/Inst. * 3 4 2 1 1 Acc/Indust * 1 Demolition ** 41 20 39 47 22 26 24 31 Footing & Foundations 3 ***
Conway Permits & Code Enforcement 2017 Year End Report Construction Cost
Builder estimates for all issued permits
Year Construction Cost 2017 $137,785,220 2016 $158,108,756 2015 $114,411,503 2014 $140,385,501 2013 $105,985,445 2012 $146,985,453 2011 $128,967,240 2010 $169,048,618 2009 $145,004,934 2008 $135,577,432 2007 $119,924,087 2006 $158,592,893
Impact Fees 2007-2017
Permits issued with park and street improvement impact fees
# of 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 Permits Com. 35 68 78 82 12 24 17 25 16 20 30
Res. 345 234 273 241 152 209 162 122 148 205 149
Total 380 302 351 323 164 233 178 147 164 225 179
Conway Permits & Code Enforcement 2017 Year End Report Code Workshops and Conferences
Continuing education is required for maintenance of state inspector licensing and code certifications. The Building Department Staff attended more than 160 training hours of code workshops, conferences and training sessions. Memberships & Licenses
The division of permits and inspections maintains an active jurisdictional membership with the International Code Council and the International Association of Electrical Inspectors. Zach Castleberry – Inspector Plumbing Inspector, State of Arkansas P103234 HVACR Inspector, State of Arkansas # 1250140 Electrical Inspector, State of Arkansas # E1-1130 Electrical Journeyman, State of Arkansas EJ-11297 IAEI Member #21616170 Arkansas Home Inspector HI:1806
Cecil Corning – Inspector Plumbing Inspector, State of Arkansas # P103255 HVAC Inspector, State of Arkansas # 1209360 Electrical Inspector, State of Arkansas # E1-1131 Master Electrical License #M-8624 Class A HVACR License #0134501 EPA Type 1 & 2 A.A.S. Electronic Degree
Ken Eckert – Inspector Plumbing Inspector, State of Arkansas #P103235 HVAC Inspector, State of Arkansas # 1219540
Paul Jones—Inspector Plumbing Inspector, State of Arkansas #P103466 Master Plumber License-MP3908 Assembly Testing Technician-ATT109 Repair Technician-RT0051 HVAC Inspector, State of Arkansas #2927420
Conway Permits & Code Enforcement 2017 Year End Report Code Enforcement Year End
The City of Conway Code Enforcement Department has 2 Code Officers and 1 administrative staff person. We have been equipped to follow up on any and all complaints within 24 hours. The Code Enforcement Department works directly with Vector Disease Control International (VDCI); Conway Corporation; Lisa Stephens CPA, PLC and other City of Conway Departments to enforce municipal, zoning; nuisance ordinances and codes. A recap of all complaints and requests are reflected in the following tables.
CODE ENFORCEMENT Violation Report
Violation Type 2015 2016 2017
Abandoned Vehicles 13 101 88
Appliance/Furniture 39 102 136
Dilapidated Structures 5 16 35
Grass 135 211 228
Drainage-Sewer-Grease Trap 1 2 4
Recreational/Commercial Vehicle 1 4 6
Rubbish, trash, unsanitary matter 73 170 227
Stagnate Water 9 14 13
Sign Ordinance 1 5 3
Raw Sewage 3 2 5
Tire Ordinance 3 13 12
Trailer Ordinance 2 19 10
Trash cans 7 31 26
Sediment on Road 1 0 6
Zoning Ordinance 1 ______8____ 15______
Conway Permits & Code Enforcement 2017 Year End Report CODE ENFORCEMENT Violation Report
Year End Totals 2015 2016 2017
Total Violations written 294 706 814
Total Citations written 30 50
Door Hangers Notices 490 1244 1507
Online Complaints 89 231 252
Online Mosquito Service Request 0 41 360
Total Scheduled City Cleanups 31 30 36
*The numbers listed within report do not include those complaints that were called in and/or emailed OR the people that made personal contact with Code Enforcement prior to issuing a warning/violations.
Conway Permits & Code Enforcement 2017 Year End Report
2017 Year End Report Physical Plant 822 Locust Street Conway, AR 72032 501.450.6124 www.cityofconway.org
Director: Tony Harrington Administrative Assistant: Michelle Collins
Outlined below is a list of projects completed and/or assisted by the Physical Plant.
Projects:
Flowerbeds:
• The Physical Plant maintained flowerbeds and islands throughout the downtown area to include the pruning, watering, de-weeding and removal of trash and debris.
Roundabouts and Sidewalks:
• The Physical Plant maintained roundabouts and various sidewalks throughout the city to include mowing, weed-eating and the removal of trash and other debris. This would also include the railroad tracks from Mill St. to St. Joe.
• Additional areas that the Physical Plant also maintains (mowing) includes the Baker- Wills Bypass, 6th Street Overpass area, and Lewis Shopping Center area off Dave Ward Drive and Amity Road.
Buildings:
• The Physical Plant performed general maintenance, grounds keeping and janitorial services for city buildings. This would include the stripping, waxing and buffing of floors as well as plumbing and electrical that was within our limits.
Other Activities:
• Set up and prepare for the City of Conway Council meetings (twice a month) and Planning Commission meetings (once a month).
• Assisted the Toadsuck Daze Committee and festival by putting out barricades and tape for volunteers to use in blocking off the streets. Transported and setup picnic tables for the food court as well as tables and chairs provided by Virco for the vendors use. Responsible for the continuous trash pickup during the festival as well as assisting the Sanitation Department in
the cleanup effort after the festivities ended Sunday evening. The Physical Plant worked a combined total of 180 hours for this event.
• Assisted the Faulkner County Parade and Christmas Parade committee’s by putting out barricades to blocks streets for the parades. Delivered bleachers for the CHDC’s use as well as organized and managed the cleanup effort of the parade routes after their completion.
• Hung and maintained 400 flower baskets throughout the downtown area as well as maintaining the flower pots placed along with the baskets.
• Year to date total of $18,000 of janitorial supplies were purchased via the bid process and over $19.000 in supplies were distributed amongst the other departments.
• Continued the testing and maintaining of all city owned RPZA backflow devices were tested and maintained; excluding the devices that operated the fire sprinkler system.
• Hung, lit and maintained Christmas lights throughout the downtown area. We also assisted in maintaining debris removal around the tree.
• Provided barricades for various marathons throughout the city as well as provided traffic cones for different events.
• Worked with other departments within the city to help those departments’ complete their special projects when needed.
Code Enforcement:
• The Physical Plant department assisted Code Enforcement by mowing, bush hogging, and debris removal on 32 different properties, resulting in 310 billable hours of work.
2017 CONWAY PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT YEAR END REPORT Table of Contents
Planning and Development Staff 1
Conway Planning Commission 1
Board of Zoning Adjustment 2
Ordinances/Amendments 3
Subdivisions/Replats 3
Reviews/Reports for the Mayor and City Council 3
Development Review 4
Grants 4
Small Area Planning 4
Geographic Information Systems (GIS) 5
Workshops and Conferences 6
Memberships 6
Presentations 6
Conway Historic District Commission 7
Conway Tree Board 7
Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Board 7
Other Activities 7
Personnel and Interns 7
Planning & Development • 2017 Year End Report PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT STAFF
Director - Bryan Patrick, AICP Assistant Director of Planning - Jason Lyon Planner - J. Scott Grummer Planner & GIS Coordinator - Michael Sakinejad Planning Technician - Beth Sketoe
PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES Conway Planning Commission Planning Department staff provided support for the Conway Planning Commission, including the coordination of monthly meetings. Planning Commission activities and reports were coordinated by Director of Planning, Bryan Patrick; Assistant Director of Planning, Jason Lyon; and Planning Technician, Beth Sketoe. Analyses were presented to the Planning Commission concerning: Rezonings 25 rezoning requests were reviewed by the Planning Commission and within the Planning Department. 22 were approved as requested and 3 were denied. Of the 3 which were denied, 2 were appealed to City Council. Bryan Patrick and Jason Lyon completed staff reviews of these rezoning requests.
REZONINGS Month Zone Change Acreage Action A-1 & R-1 to PUD 20.0 Approved January A-1 to R-1 0.78 Approved February A-1 to R-1 12.90 Approved R-2A to PUD 0.54 Denied March R-1 to PUD 3.83 Approved A-1 to R-1 39.65 Approved May R-1/RU-1/MF-1 to MF-3 13.90 Approved June R-2A to PUD 0.74 Approved R-2 to MF-3 1.37 Approved; Denied by City Council July R-2A to O-2 1.0 Approved A-1 to R-2A 6.08 Denied; Appealed to City Council, but Applicant withdrew request prior to appeal hearing A-1 to R-1 55.0 Approved August I-3 to C-3 40.61 Approved A-1 to R-1 0.73 Approved I-3 to C-3 10.03 Approved R-2A to O-2 0.33 Approved September R-2 to MF-1 0.29 Approved A-1 to PUD 30.62 Approved A-1 to R-1 10.83 Approved A-1 to R-1 6.26 Approved October A-1 to R-1 10.4 Approved A-1 to RU-1 2.0 Approved Amend Club Villas PUD 1.02 Denied; Appealed to City Council where item died due to lack of a motion November I-3 to MF-3 19.77 Approved December R-2 to MF-3 1.9 Approved
Planning & Development • 2017 Year End Report 1 Conditional Use Permit Requests 16 conditional use permit requests were reviewed by the Planning Commission and within the Planning Department. Of these, 13 were approved, 1 was not considered by the Planning Commission as the applicant’s circumstances changed, and 2 were denied. Bryan Patrick and Jason Lyon completed staff reviews of these conditional use permit requests.
CONDITIONAL USE PERMITS Month Use Acreage Action January Nursing Home in A-1 Approved March MF-1 in R-2A 0.32 Approved Amend Permit No. 1366 to extend business hours and to 2.0 Approved allow outside activities May Amend Permit No. 1223 to remove limitation to 0.17 Approved applicant and type of business MF-2 in C-2 3.65 Approved July Restricted Retail in O-2 1.00 Denied Religious Activities and Homeless Shelter in R-2A 12.8 Not reviewed1 August Restricted Office in R-2 0.19 Approved Childcare Facility in R-2 0.28 Approved General Retail in O-1 1.43 Approved Transmission Tower in C-3 0.13 Approved October O-3 in R-2A 0.32 Approved Automobile Sales in CMU of the MSN-SP Plan 0.29 Denied, applicant is appealing to the City Council Jan 23, 2018 November Amend Permit No. 1288 to allow up to 24 dwelling units 16.5 Approved per acre Religious Activities in A-1 zoning district 6.08 Approved December MF-1 density in R-2 zoning district 5.2 Approved
1This request was not reviewed as the rezoning request [A-1 to R-2A] for the subject property that preceded it failed, making the conditional use permit request for the homeless shelter unallowable.
Annexation/City Limit Square Mileage The City did not annex any property in 2017.
Board of Zoning Adjustment The Conway Planning Commission acts as the zoning variance review authority, the Board of Zoning Adjustment. Planning Department staff provided support for the Planning Commission/Board of Zoning Adjustment. Board of Zoning Adjustment activities and reports were coordinated by Bryan Patrick, Jason Lyon, and Beth Sketoe. Analyses of 6 zoning variance requests were presented to the Planning Commission/Board of Zoning Adjustment concerning:
Month Request Action January HAVEN request to allowed reduced building setbacks and landscape buffer, 3225 Tyler St Approved April Brett Franks request to allowed reduced building setbacks, 1907 Clifton St Approved May Sketoe request to allow reduced [south] side building setback, 1270 Old Military Rd Approved June St. Joseph School Endowment request to allow reduced front building setback, 1120 Brookfield Dr Approved Paguya request to allow reduced building setbacks, 2307 Stout St Denied2 November Rush-Hal Development request to allow reduced corner lot width, Lots 18, 22, 23, & 27 Cherry Hill Approved Subdivision
Planning & Development • 2017 Year End Report 2 2A portion of this request was approved, to allow the out of compliance [new] structure to be modified to align [on the west side] with the existing, non-compliant original structure.
Ordinance/Resolution Amendments Zoning Ordinance The Conway Zoning Ordinance was amended in July 2017 to decrease the minimum lot square footage [to 6,000sf] and to increase the maximum lot coverage area [to 40%] in the R-1 zoning district. O-17-80.
In August 2017, the Zoning Ordinance definition of office and the allowed zoning districts were amended. The allowed zoning districts for pharmacy and pharmaceutical compounding were also updated. O-17-91.
Subdivisions/Replats Subdivision A total of 50 plats were submitted for review in 2017, 13 of which were major subdivisions requiring Planning Commission review. A total of 25 plats were filed with the Faulkner County Circuit Clerk by the City. Scott Grummer completed staff reviews of these subdivisions. Replat Of the 50 plats submitted for review, 30 represented minor subdivisions or replats that did not require Planning Commission Review. Scott Grummer completed staff reviews of these plats with Bryan Patrick, Director, approving. Expired Subdivision/Replat 2 subdivisions were presented to the Planning Commission for a 1-year extension of time to file. Withdrawn Subdivision/Replat 1 subdivision was withdrawn in 2017 and none were resubmitted in a different configuration. Lot Creation For all subdivisions, replats, and PUDs submitted in 2017, there were 534 residential lots and 35 commercial (including multi-family) lots created. The total number of lots created from plats filed in 2017 (including plats from 2016 reviews) were 131 residential lots and 19 commercial (including multi-family lots).
Year Single-Family Lots Created Commercial Lots Created 2008 80 - 2009 192 - 2010 91 - 2011 41 - 2012 162 - 2013 46 - 2014 97 - 2015 140 - 2016 100 18 2017 131 19
Planning Department Reviews for the Mayor and City Council The Planning Department prepared reports and information for the City Council in 2017, including 1 street right-of- way closing request, 2 alley closing requests, and 5 easement closing requests.
Planning & Development • 2017 Year End Report 3 Development Review The Development Review standards include requirements for additional trees and landscaping, buffering of adjacent properties, cross access, joint access, reduction of curb cuts, architectural materials, etc. 34 development reviews were approved by Jason Lyon, 6 developments reviews are currently active in review; of the 6 projects, 2 appear to be stalled and will be resubmitted in 2018. Please note that, with the implementation of the Accela citizen relationship management (CRM) platform, tracking of development has changed to projects being assigned a record ID upon submittal, rather than approval. With the new tracking there is some overlap of numbering from 2016 to 2017, all numbers presented are for approved projects only. There were 32 development reviews in 2016.
Type Number Acreage Square Footage Fees Institutional 4 25.7 378,802 $8,170.54 Commercial 17 27.2 165,266 $10,988.00 Multi-Family 4 3.06 54,029 $2,166.70
Office 6 4.26 23,929 $2,438.36
Industrial 1 8.7 5,600 $325.00
Parking Lot 2 9.95 48,988 $650.00
TOTAL 34 78.87 676,614 $24,738.60
Development Review - Proposed Changes In mid 2017, Accela citizen relationship management (CRM) platform was implemented. This platform automates and modernizes Planning and Permitting input, processes, transactions, and internal data management. The platform will also make inter-department development review of multi-family, office, and commercial projects more timely and efficient. The public web based interface will become available in the first quarter of 2018. The public interface will allow the general public to conduct planning transactions and apply for building permits online. The public portal will also allow developers to track the development review process as well as surveyors/property owners tracking of the subdivision review process.
Grants Arkansas Historic Preservation Program $2500 in Certified Local Government grant money was awarded to the Conway Historic District Commission, by the Arkansas Historic Preservation Program, for a consultant fee to prepare a National Register of Historic Places nomination for a National Register historic district along part of College Avenue. The nomination was completed in December 2017. The nomination is under review by the National Park Service in Washington, DC.
Small Area Planning Markham Street Neighborhood Specific Plan A continuation of the Jumpstart Markham Street project initiated by a $200,000 grant from HUD, and facilitated by Metroplan in 2013, Procurement for Engineering Services were completed at the first of 2017, awarding Garver Engineering the contract for Markham Street Engineering Design. 50% plans were completed by year end, in coordination with Conway Corp Utility Design, with procurement and construction scheduled for late 2018 after Utility improvements have been made. Public meetings were held with positive feedback, and business/property owners were engaged to plan for modifications to existing access from Markham. Estimated costs for street only improvements were estimated in 2013 to be $3.5 Million, but this appears to limit the scope of the project from Van Ronkle to Mill St. based on current cost estimates. Project costs will be re-evaluated when designs are at the 90% submittal point in early 2018, at which point it will be determined if Phasing of the construction will be needed based on project cost. Funding for this project comes from AHTD with a 20% Match requirement by Conway.
Planning & Development • 2017 Year End Report 4 Pine Street Redevelopment Spruce Cottage Housing, a Pocket Neighborhood development initiated by Scott Grummer in 2013 completed design and pre-development work by the end of 2016. Pre-sale of homes were anticipated to begin in early 2017, but were delayed due to an opportunity to initiate a Phase 2 development which would utilize the remaining city land holdings in the neighborhood, allowing the city to maximize its investment in the neighborhood and outcomes of affordable housing. Following community input and city administration review, the Spruce Cottage public private partnership was put on hold pending approval of designs of the Phase 2 project, which happened by late fall of 2017. The City and developer are currently discussing options to move forward with development of the Spruce Cottages in 2018, pending review of a proposed modification to the developments affordability strategy, in an effort to lower housing costs for the project, in keeping with community feedback.
Old Conway Village, a Row House and Single Family Cottage design, being Phase 2 of the cities Pine Street Redevelopment and another public private partnership, is with a developer out of Missouri to develop forty four (44) housing units utilizing the Federal Low Income Housing Tax Credit Program (LIHTC). The city submitted advertisements for proposals for affordable housing on city owned land in early 2017, with Creason Development being the only firm responding to the request for proposal. A LIHTC application was submitted to the State by Creason Development, and tax credits awarded in August of 2017. Old Conway Village, LLC was formed upon award, designs were presented to the city, and after various stages, final designs were approved by the Conway Historic District Commission in December of 2017. Development review is scheduled for early 2018 with Construction slated for late February 2018.
Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Michael Sakinejad assumed the GIS Coordinator duties in June 2016 as Mr. Lyon transitioned into the Assistant Director of Planning role. In the time he has been with the City, Mr. Sakinejad has developed a new look for the City of Conway web maps. Updates to the city’s interactive web maps have included increased functionality and the deployment of a unified theme across all GIS web assets, making these online resources more intuitive for citizens and city officials. The GIS office maintains upwards of 10 interactive maps that are available to the public through the city’s website. The most popular public facing web application is the City Zoning map (gis.cityofconway.org/zoning). The GIS office also maintains web applications for internal use by city staff, including a common data viewer for all city staff to view GIS data (gis. cityofconway.org/internal). This web application replaces local installations of Google Earth with static KML/KMZ files, ensuring that all users are able to see authoritative data as soon as the GIS office commits changes. The GIS office is committed to customizing web applications for all city departments to improve access to pertinent data, and modernize workflows.
GIS staff have maintained 3D modeling capabilities by acquiring licenses for Esri CityEngine, a GIS/3D modeling software that allows for modeling development scenarios. In addition to improved web applications and 3D capabilities, staff have implemented an open GIS portal, Conway OpenGIS (http://data.conwayargis. opendata.arcgis.com/). This portal is built on the city’s Esri platform and leverages existing software licenses and infrastructure. Conway OpenGIS allows then public to view and download various spatial datasets as needed at no added cost to the city. The Conway OpenGIS portal is the first of its kind in Arkansas.
Mr. Lyon continues to be the Census contact for the City and County providing annual updates for new annexations to assist the Census in population calculations for the City and County. Mr. Lyon remains over the GIS functions for the County and provides updates to the Office of Emergency Management and Road Departments as requested. The agreement also allows the City and County continued collaboration while allowing a single GIS Dataset that may be used for the City and County operations. This cooperation provides the City Planning Department more funds to purchase software upgrades and upgrade equipment. The 2017, $14,000 County Contract with the City was used to continue upgrades to the enterprise system used by the City and County.
Planning & Development • 2017 Year End Report 5 Accela The GIS office maintains the Accela citizen relationship management (CRM) platform. This system is the most advanced CRM platform out of any municipality in Arkansas. Jason Lyon handled implementation and administration of the platform between through early 2017. Mike Sakinejad currently serves as the Accela Administrator. The GIS office has committed hundreds of person-hours to standing the platform up, duplicating and automating planning and permitting workflows, reports, and analysis. The Permits and Inspections, and Planning departments have been operating in Accela since the first quarter of 2017. In 2017, 1,859 records were entered across both departments.
The Accela platform includes the Citizen Access Portal, public web based interface (https://aca3.accela.com/CONWAY/); will become fully functional during the first quarter of 2018. The public interface will allow the public to conduct planning transactions and apply for building permits online. The public portal will also allow developers to track the development review process as well as surveyors/property owners tracking of the subdivision review process.
Workshops and Conferences Bryan Patrick, Jason Lyon, Scott Grummer, and Michael Sakinejad attended the March 2017 Arkansas Chapter of the American Planning Association Conference held in Hot Springs. Mr. Patrick acted as a trainer at Planning Commissioner training workshops held at Hot Springs in March, Little Rock in June, and Bentonville in September. Mr. Patrick attended a May National Alliance of Preservation Commissions Commissioner Assistance and Mentoring Workshop (CAMP) in Conway.
Mr. Grummer attended the Arkansas Community Development Association annual meeting in the spring. He also served as a Board Advisor to the Community Development Institute to UCA, attending four board meetings throughout the year, and volunteered at its Poverty Simulation event in August and December at UCA. He attended the Regional EPA Brownfield Grant workshop in Addison, TX in October.
Mr. Lyon and Mr. Sakinejad attended the 2017 Esri User Conference in San Diego. Both also attended the 2017 National Alliance for Public Safety GIS (NAPSG) meeting in Tuscaloosa, AL. Mr. Sakinejad also attended the ESRI GeoDesign Summit in Redlands, CA focusing on 3D Analysis and Planning by Local Governments.
Memberships Bryan Patrick and Jason Lyon retained membership in the American Planning Association and the Arkansas Chapter of the American Planning Association. Mr. Patrick retained membership in the American Institute of Certified Planners. Mr. Patrick retained membership in the National Trust for Historic Preservation Forum, National Alliance of Preservation Commissions, and the Historic Preservation Alliance of Arkansas. Jason Lyon retained membership in URISA (Urban and Regional Information Systems Association). Scott Grummer retained membership in the Arkansas Community Development Association, the Lake Conway Point Remove Watershed Alliance where he serves as President, and Simmons Bank Community Advisory Committee. Michael Sakinejad retained membership in URISA and the American Association of Geographers (AAG).
Presentations Bryan Patrick spoke with the Conway Morning Optimist in January, led Dr. Hostetter’s UCA honors class on a planning discovery tour of the Salem and Prince Street area in February, led the Faulkner Area Leadership Institute attendees on a Conway planning/development tour in August. Mr. Patrick, along with Jason Lyon, spoke at a joint Conway School Board and City Council planning session in May. Mr. Patrick spoke with the Noon Optimist in October.
Scott Grummer presented on EPA Brownfields at Regional Brownfield trainings in Jonesboro, Arkadelphia, and Addison, TX. He taught the 3rd year class of the University of Central Arkansas -Community Development Institute in August on Affordable Housing. He spoke on Affordable Housing at the Break Through Solutions Conference for U of A Cooperative in June and, along with Jason Lyon, spoke about Planning and Development to the Bigelow High School Senior Class in February. Planning & Development • 2017 Year End Report 6 Conway Historic District Commission The Planning Department acted as City staff for the Conway Historic District Commission (HDC). As HDC staff person, Bryan Patrick and Beth Sketoe created monthly reports for the HDC which included 6 Robinson Historic District reviews and 21 Old Conway Design Overlay District reviews. Mr. Patrick approved 2 minor projects in the Asa P. Robinson Historic District and Old Conway Design Overlay District. These approvals were reported to the HDC.
The 2014 architectural survey, by Sandra Taylor Smith, of an area south of the existing Robinson Historic District was reviewed in 2016 by the Conway HDC and the Arkansas Historic Preservation program. It was determined that 2 possible National Register of Historic Places districts could possibly be created; a 22-structure district along College Avenue and a 2-structure district along Conway Boulevard. In August 2017, the 2-structure Scull National Register Historic District nomination was prepared pro-bono by Aryn Denette. Mrs. Denette presented the nomination to the State Review Board in August. The nomination was approved by the state and subsequently by the National Park Service. The College Avenue National Register Historic District nomination was prepared by Sandra Taylor Smith with an AHPP grant. This nomination was presented to the State in December and is under review by the National Park Service.
Mr. Patrick attended a May National Alliance of Preservation Commissions Commissioner Assistance and Mentoring Workshop (CAMP) in Conway. This event was sponsored by the Arkansas Historic Preservation Program and coordinated by the Conway Historic District Commission and Planning Department. The Conway Historic District Commission supplied a sub-grant to $3500 to the Faulkner County Museum for an engineering drainage study. This study was conducted and completed in July. The sub-grant money originated from a surplus Certified Local Government grant from the Arkansas Historic Preservation Program.
Conway Tree Board The 2017 Arbor Day Celebration, held Saturday, November 4, 2017 at Laurel Park, hosted a crowd estimated at 500 participants. The Conway Tree Board also held its annual Trees in Celebration event during Arbor Day, and had 10 trees donated in memory/honor of a loved one. The trees were planted in the roundabout on Prince Street across from Chick- Fil-A and in the medians along Prince Street. Funds for these trees are donated by families and friends. Each tree is accompanied by a 3”x5” plaque, installed at the base, noting whom the tree honors or memorializes. The Conway Tree Board will maintain these trees for their lifetime. Richard Klerk is the new Extension Office Staff for the Conway Tree Board, as Kami Marsh is over the county 4H program now.
Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Board In 2017, the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Board (BPAB) was comprised of 7 community members and 5 ex-officio members. The BPAB restructured it’s website and hosted or supported multiple community events including Walk To School and Bike To School Days, and EcoFest.
In March 2017 the City implemented the Zagster bike-share program with 5 Internet/GPS enabled bike rental stations located at the Chamber of Commerce, Simon Park, Conway Station Park, the Kinley Trailhead at Salem Road, and the Kinley Trailhead at Gatlin Park. The response to the program has been good.
Other Activities Staff provided materials for Conway Ecofest. Clinton School of Public Service Practicum Program initiated by Scott Grummer in 2016, concluded in the Spring of 2017. The project evaluated the cities court system, provided statistics and made recommendations for reducing the volume of outstanding warrants.
Personnel and Interns Mr. Michael Sakinejad’s position as GIS Coordinator was reclassified to that of City Planner in March 2017. Will Dane served an internship in the Planning Department during 2017.
Planning & Development • 2017 Year End Report 7
2017 ANNUAL REPORT
JOSEPH HOPPER DIRECTOR
4550 Hwy 64 West, Conway, AR 72033 | P.O. Box 915, Conway, AR 72033 | office 501.450.6155 | fax 501.450.6157 | conwaysanitation.org
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Message from the Director
As I approach the midpoint of my third year with the City of Conway, I continue to be proud to serve our community as part of such a resilient and hard-working group of individuals. Since 1967, the Conway Department of Sanitation has been tasked with protecting public health and the environment through effective solid waste collection, disposal, and recycling services.
Returning to fundamentals with regards to service and keeping employees on the job through safety initiatives were common themes throughout the department in 2017. As a result, the number of customer notifications reduced and service levels increased. Highlights from the year include:
• Workplace injuries were reduced by 7.4%, down 35% in the last two years. • Sick leave was reduced by 1,583 hours or 27% department-wide, down 51% in the last two years. • Industrial collection services increased by 1.8%. • Revenue from the sale of recyclables increased 22.8% during questionable market conditions. • Yard waste crews became and remain current on weekly collection activities for the first time in many years.
Department management and staff are committed to continuous improvements in performance and service. I deeply appreciate the dedication, perseverance, and efforts of the employees and the support of the Mayor, City Council, and the public we serve.
Joseph Hopper Director
P.O. Box 915 | Conway, AR 72033 | office 501.450.6155 | fax 501.450.6157 | conwaysanitation.org
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Table of Contents
Mission Statement ...... 4 Administration ...... 5 Residential Collections ...... 6 Commercial Collections ...... 7 Industrial Collections (Roll-Off) ...... 7 Sanitary Landfill ...... 8 Material Recovery Facility (MRF) ...... 9
Fleet and Grounds Maintenance ...... 11
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Our Mission
It is the mission of the Department of Sanitation to make Conway an environmentally friendly and attractive place to live and work, protect natural resources, provide the highest quality of service, continue to improve the efficiency and effectiveness, and to be the professional department that is expected and deserved by the citizens of Conway.
Our People
The Department of Sanitation is made up of a friendly, hardworking, and knowledgeable group of 93 full-time employees with a commitment to provide quality of life service to the community.
Our Organization
Director
Administrative Assistant Recycling Coordinator II
Secretary (4) Office Clerk (3)
Material Recovery Facility Fleet and Grounds Collections Manager Landfill Manager (MRF) Manager Maintenance Manager
Commercial/Industrial Landfill Supervisor Residential Supervisor MRF Supervisor Fleet Supervisor Supervisor
CDL Driver - Residential CDL Driver - Industrial (4) Equipment Operators (9) Equipment Operators (4) Senior Mechanics (6) (13)
CDL Driver - Commercial Collector - Residential (8) Collectors (13) Mechanics (2) (6)
Collector - Commercial Grounds Foreman (6)
Grounds Keeper
Custodian
Collector (Seasonal)
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Administration
The administration division provides leadership and direction to department personnel. Administrative staff coordinates and manages administrative functions for all department programs to include customer service, clerical support, public education and outreach, dispatch, scale house operations, and reuse center activities. In 2017, office staff processed 1,439 payables and provided customer service to around 75 citizens/customers per day. Scale attendants entered and processed roughly 122 transactions per day.
In 2017, the Department of Sanitation’s public education and outreach program provided on-site tours and public presentations to over 700 community members. These groups were made up of individuals from Faulkner County schools, daycares, churches, before/after school programs, summer programs, conferences, and various other community organizations.
To increase awareness of the services available, the department increased participation through various media outlets. Currently, staff manages two Facebook pages and created a Twitter page in 2017:
• Facebook: Department of Sanitation Conway, Arkansas (@ConwaySanitation) o Increased the number of “likes” by 31.9% (1,098 to 1,448).
• Facebook: ReUse Center of Conway (@ConwayReuseCenter) o Increased the number of “likes” by 5.7% (638 to 674).
• Twitter: Department of Sanitation Conway, Arkansas (@CwyARSanitation) o Implemented in February, followers increased to 61 by year-end.
The department website was closely evaluated and modifications continue as necessary. Revisions included updating content information, updating pictures of the facility, adding media release notifications for holiday collections, and much more. The website was viewed a total of 30,745 times during the year. The Department of Sanitation also partnered with Conway Corporation to develop an add-on to their existing smartphone app, which allows landfill visitors to access services without the need to provide a Conway Corporation bill as required by ordinance.
The Department developed and distributed the “Residential Guide to Single Stream Recycling” fliers. Customer feedback was very positive. Three additional fliers were developed for the outreach program as educational materials were expanded:
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Residential Collections
The residential collections program is responsible for providing efficient, unmatched collection of trash, recyclables, and yard waste for the residents of Conway and to ensure customer service levels are maintained.
In 2017, residential collection crews collected 13,657.5 tons (1.9% increase) of trash/garbage and 3006.3 tons (1.2% increase) of recyclable material from over 26,904 households in Conway.
• Glass Collection Participation in the glass recycling program decreased by 14% in 2017. Department personnel collected 119.9 tons of glass during the year. Currently, we collect glass 4 days per week utilizing a full-time employee, a pickup truck, and a trailer. We have approximately 3,522 glass bins distributed throughout the city. Gross revenue from the collection of glass is estimated at $145.00.
• Yard Waste Collection Yard waste collection increased by 12.1% in 2017. Rear load, chipper, and roll- off crews collected 4,046 tons of yard waste. Yard waste volumes have trended upward the last 4 years.
Staff currently provides daily curbside collection of yard waste citywide utilizing both rear load and chipper crews. Employing both rear load and chipper methods of collection for yard waste is highly inefficient. We plan to replace the chipper collection with knuckle boom collection in 2018.
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• Citywide Cleanup The Department of Sanitation hosted the first ever Citywide Cleanup in conjunction with the Countywide Cleanup on April 21 and 22, 2017. Cleanups are provided in an effort to enhance the beauty of the community by allowing residents an opportunity to dispose of household items such as furniture, appliances, carpet, toys, and other household debris that often clutters garages, yards, and neighborhoods. Expectations were high but, considering this was the first time this service was offered, only 9.8 tons of material was captured. Hopefully, the 2018 cleanup will yield better results.
• Flood Debris Management The Department of Sanitation provided public assistance to residents and businesses that experienced damages to their building structures during the flood event in April of 2017. This included collection and disposal of water soaked debris such as furniture, flooring, and clothing. Disposal fees for residents that hauled their own debris were waived. Total tonnage from the event totaled 37.9 tons. The total cost to provide the service was approximately $2,317.
Commercial Collections
The commercial collections program is responsible for the efficient and timely collection of commercial refuse and recyclables from the businesses of Conway. Commercial garbage is collected 6 days per week utilizing three (3) front load and two (2) rear load trucks. The front load trucks are operated solely by a driver while the rear loads require a driver and two (2) collectors to operate efficiently. Commercial collection crews collected 19,676.1 tons (0.8% increase) of trash/garbage and 1,289.8 tons (9% increase) of source separated corrugated cardboard in 2017.
Industrial Collections (Roll-Off)
The industrial collections division is responsible for the collection of large volumes of solid waste and recyclables from industrial complexes, businesses, and construction sites throughout Conway.
There were 15 permanent roll-off containers dedicated to cardboard collections in 2017. Industrial collections
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hauled 514.9 tons of cardboard. “Permanent” roll-off containers were utilized for garbage collection at 104 businesses and 406 “temporary” containers were set at construction sites accounting for 11,906.8 tons of the total solid waste stream. This is 11% increase over 2016. The industrial collections division hauled and sold 259.2 tons of scrap metal to local markets.
Sanitary Landfill
The sanitary landfill division is responsible for the operation of a 93 acre, state permitted, Class 1 sanitary landfill. The landfill division also operates a yard waste processing site and customer convenience center better known as “The Wall”. The landfill processed a total of 60,234 tons of solid waste in 2017, an increase of 9.7% over 2016. Around 75% of this total was collected by the residential, commercial, and industrial collections divisions. The remainder of the waste was delivered to the landfill by citizens of the city of Conway and Faulkner County.
Equipment operators within the landfill division hauled 1,911 loads of dirt used to cover the landfill working face in 2017. Operators also excavated and hauled 460 loads of rock and shale to build and maintain roads within the permitted landfill site to provide access to the working face. Approximately 702,400 gallons of water and 990 tons of gravel were applied to access roads in order to provide “all weather” access to the landfill and to assist with dust control as required by state regulations.
The Department of Sanitation received 5,970.5 tons of yard waste in 2017, up 3.5% from 2016. This material was ground or mulched, and used as alternate daily cover on the landfill working face. Soil deficits at landfill sites are a common problem nationwide. We were able to use less dirt and save valuable landfill airspace by utilizing the processed yard waste and/or state approved plastic film. This practice also helped reduce operational costs for excavation and hauling of soil.
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Two significant equipment purchases were made during 2017. A new Bomag 772 landfill compactor and a used, 2004 Freightliner M2 water truck were put into service in 2017. Upgrades to leachate control systems were also made to improve pump life. Upgrades include hardware to ensure pump alternation, surge protection, and phase protection.
Material Recovery Facility (MRF)
The material recovery facility (MRF – pronounced “murf”) is responsible for the efficient operation of the City’s 35,000 square foot recyclables processing facility. The MRF receives, separates, and prepares recyclable materials for sale as raw materials to end users such as paper, cardboard, steel, aluminum, and plastic manufacturers.
Recycling markets have been fairly unstable since 2013 due, in part, to China’s “Operation Green Fence”, which was an effort to improve the quality of the recyclables exported to their country. In early 2017, China released a second initiative, “National Sword 2017”, which imposed further constraints on the import of cardboard (OCC), mixed paper, and mixed plastics into their country. This has caused the domestic markets to be flooded with those materials, which has impacted the revenue generated from the sale of OCC and mixed paper for the fourth quarter. Fortunately, mixed paper and cardboard (OCC) markets were strong for the first three quarters of 2017 resulting. Strong markets and a 6.7% increase in volume helped the department achieve a 22.8% increase in revenue from the sale of recyclables.
As of the end of 2017, National Sword hasn’t had a significant impact on the City’s recycling program. However, adjustments to the current list of acceptable recyclables are anticipated for 2018 due to disruptions in the plastic and paper markets.
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Total Projected Revenue from the Sale of Recyclables
Type of Material Sold 2016 2017 Net Inc/(Dec) Mixed Paper $ 240,891 $ 208,400 $ (32,491) Old Corrugated Cardboard (OCC) 234,898 381,500 146,602 Steel 19,937 28,900 8,964 Glass 220 145 (75) Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET, #1) 27,389 34,325 6,936 High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE, #2) 47,471 33,760 (13,711) Plastic Film 11,903 12,040 137 Mixed Plastics (#3-#7) 841 1,990 1,149 Aluminum 24,198 53,702 29,504 Batteries 605.28 231 (374) Reuse Center 19,995 16,745 (3,250) Totals $ 628,348 $ 771,738 $ 143,390
Total Recyclables Sold by Weight (in tons)
Type of Material Sold 2016 2017 Net Inc/(Dec) Mixed Paper 2,424 2,525 101 Old Corrugated Cardboard (OCC) 1,763 1,990 226 Steel 285 357 72 Glass 171 145 (26) Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET, #1) 148 126 (22) High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE, #2) 130 88 (43) Plastic Film 44 45 1 Mixed Plastics (#3-#7) 21 44 23 Aluminum 33 41 7 Reuse Center 10 13 4 Batteries 2 1 (1) Totals 5,033 5,375 342
Diverted Materials By Source and Weight (in tons)
Source of Recyclables 2016 2017 Net Inc/(Dec) MRF/Reuse/Wall Recyclables 5,033 5,375 342 Yard Waste/Mulch 5,758 5,971 213 Electronic Waste (E-waste) 50 53 3 Totals 10,840 11,398 558
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Fleet and Grounds Maintenance
The fleet and grounds maintenance program is responsible for maintenance and repairs of all of the Department of Sanitation vehicles and equipment, as well as, the maintenance and repairs of vehicles utilized by other City departments (e.g. Police, Fire, Information Technology, etc.) throughout 2017. Services to other City departments will be discontinued in 2018. Fleet and grounds maintenance also provide lawn care, litter control, and building maintenance in and around the campus.
In 2017, staff mechanics performed 959 jobs, 167 of which were for preventive maintenance, for sanitation vehicles/equipment. They also performed 457 jobs, 148 preventive, on smaller fleet vehicles (e.g. pickup trucks, cars, etc.).
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City of Conway Street & Engineering Department
ANNUAL REPORT FY 2017
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Contents
General Description ______2 Street Fund ______4 Major Project Funding ______5 Construction Projects ______7 Maintenance Activities ______8 Engineering Services ______11 Contact Information ______15
GENERAL DESCRIPTION
General Description
MISSION STATEMENT To provide professional, courteous service to the citizens of Conway, and bring value, efficiency and quality to municipal operations through precision, discernment, and dedication.
VSION STATEMENT To provide the safest, most efficient transportation and storm water infrastructure systems in the state to every resident and visitor of Conway.
PRIMARY FUNCTIONS The City of Conway Street & Engineering Department is solely responsible for maintaining the city’s approximately 365 miles of local roadways and approximately 60 traffic signals. In addition, the department provides engineering and construction inspection services for the City of Conway.
STAFF Forty-eight positions (forty-four full-time, three part-time, and one contract labor) were authorized for the Street & Engineering Department by the City Council for 2017. Due to our high turnover rate and difficulty in finding qualified personnel, approximately thirty-six of these positions were filled at year end. These staff were categorized into the following sections:
DEPARTMENTAL DIVISIONS
DIVISION # OF EMPLOYEES Administration 3 Engineering 3 Traffic 4 Construction 16 Maintenance 10
Page 2 GENERAL DESCRIPTION
MAJOR PROJECTS The following major projects were either designed or constructed in 2017:
Smith Street/Spencer Street Improvement – Front to Markham/Smith to Van Ronkle Parkway Street & Parking Lot Improvement – Main to Prairie • Bean Street Improvement – S Center to S German • Bean Street Parking Lot – Conway Station Park • Safe Routes to School – Salem Rd, Bob Courtway, Carl Stuart • Bruce Street/6th Street Improvements – Harkrider to Interstate 40 • 6th Street Overpass/Elsinger Roundabout – I-40 • Oak Street Interchange – I-40 • South Interchange – I-40 • College & Salem – Roundabout • Donaghey & Robinson – Traffic Signal • Zagster Bike Share Program – Salem, Tyler, Conway Station, Simon, Chamber • Eve Lane – 1 to 18 • Dave Ward Drive Adaptive Signal Control System – Hogan to I-40 • Dave Ward Drive Pedestrian Overpass – Stone Dam Creek Trail • Pavement Marking Program – Ward 1 • College & Country Club – Roundabout •
•
Page 3 STREET FUND
Street Fund
REVENUE Below is a summary of revenue as of January 3, 2018. An accounting of actual street fund revenue will be completed in early 2018. For more information, please contact the Finance Department.
2017 REVENUES
SOURCE BUDGETED ACTUAL Ad Valorem Tax $1,500,000.00 $1,190,939.23 Sales Tax $250,000.00 $197,187.83 State Tax Turnback – Gasoline $2,683,474.00 $2,190,887.63 State Tax Turnback – Sales 1,100,000.00 1,052,587.62 Severance Tax $75,000.00 $152,475.68 Payments in Lieu of Tax $15,000.00 $0.00 Sign Permits $500.00 $270.00 Engineering Fees $5,000.00 $18,925.00 Interest Income $20,000.00 $44,192.07 Insurance Proceeds $3,054.00 3134.98 Fund Balance Appropriation $1,334,002.58 $0.00 Miscellaneous Revenues $1,505.00 $53,592.97 TOTAL $6,987,535.58 $4,904,193.01
EXPENSES The summary below reflects all expenditures processed for the 2017 fiscal year as of January 3, 2018.
2017 APPROXIMATE EXPENDITURES
CATEGORY BUDGETED ACTUAL Personnel $2,260,204.58 $2,054,728.86 Professional Services $79,250.00 $93,200.03 Maintenance & Construction $2,393,611.00 $1,591,074.57 Traffic Signal Maintenance $356,575.00 $237,590.17 Alternative Transportation $252,000.00 $187,608.38
Page 4 STREET FUND
Fuel & Supplies $295,100.00 $145,112.78 Miscellaneous Expenses $135,500.00 $43,865.81 Capital Improvement Projects $1,167,577.00 $901,826.98 Capital Equipment $480,000.00 $80,838.40 TOTAL $7,419,817.58 $5,335,845.98
As of January 3, 2018, the street fund was under budget by approximately 28% for 2017. Much of this surplus will be rolled into the 2018 budget to cover the cost of ongoing 2017 projects. Some of this surplus, however can also be attributed to cost savings from low bid prices and value engineering.
Page 5 MAJOR PROJECT FUNDING
Major Project Funding
PAY AS YOU GO SALES TAX The summary below reflects all expenditures processed for the 2017 fiscal year as of January 3, 2018.
2017 SUMMARY
REVENUE EXPENDITURES BALANCE $3,494,562 $1,631,918.34 $3,721,132.00
The majority of expenditures from the pay as you go sales tax fund in 2017 were paid to A&B Dirt Movers for the completion of the Bruce & 6th Street Improvements. Approximately $1,000,000 in funds will be required in 2018 to complete this project.
IMPACT FEE The summary below reflects all expenditures processed for the 2017 fiscal year as of January 3, 2018.
2017 SUMMARY
REVENUE EXPENDITURES BALANCE $332,855.73 $0.00 $1,033,077.00
Impact fee revenue was saved in 2017 in anticipation of the construction of the College & Country Club roundabout. The balance of the impact fee account should be sufficient to complete this project in 2018. An accurate accounting of major project fund revenue will be completed at the end of January 2017. For more information, please contact the Finance Department.
Page 6 CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS
Construction Projects
STREET CREW PROJECTS Smith Street/Spencer Street Improvement – Front to Markham/Smith to Van Ronkle – Reconstruction and streetscaping for this downtown redevelopment project was completed in 2017 • Parkway Street & Parking Lot Improvement – Main to Prairie – Streetscaping and reconstruction and of the parking lot was completed in 2017 • Bean Street Improvement – S Center to S German – Reconstruction began in 2017 and is expected to conclude in early 2018 •
PRIVATE CONTRACTOR PROJECTS Bruce Street/6th Street Improvements – Harkrider to Interstate 40 – A&B Dirt movers completed the improvement of 6th Street in 2017. Bruce Street improvements are scheduled to be completed in • 2018. 6th Street Overpass/Elsinger Roundabout – I-40 – Manhattan Road and Bridge is completed the new interstate overpass in 2017. • Oak Street Interchange – I-40 – Moby Contractors completed the interchange expansion, which includes the northern half of Central Landing Boulevard in 2017. • South Interchange Base & Paving – I-40 – The AHTD completed their portion of this project, allowing it to open in 2017. • Safe Routes to School – Salem Rd, Bob Courtway, Carl Stuart – Construction of a pedestrian hybrid beacon on the Tucker Creek Trail at Salem Road as well as several sections of sidewalk near Carl Stuart • Middle School, Bob Courtway Middle School, and Marguerite Vann Elementary were completed in 2017. College & Salem – Roundabout – JCI Construction completed the majority of this project and opened the roundabout to traffic in 2017 thanks to funding by Faulkner County. • Donaghey & Robinson – Traffic Signal – Desoto County Electric completed the rebuilding of this traffic signal in 2017, ensuring clearance from fire trucks. • Zagster Bike Share Program – Salem, Tyler, Conway Station, Simon, Chamber – Arkansas’ first bike- share program was launched in 2017 with five stations, and sponsor contracts were signed to more • than double the size of the program in 2018. Pavement Marking Program – Ward 1 – A major pavement marking effort, including one quarter of the city, was completed by Arkansas Fence & Guardrail in 2017 •
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Maintenance Activities
STREET AND DRAINAGE MAINTENANCE In an effort to complete all the improvement projects assigned to Street Department work crews by the City Council in 2017, very few personnel and equipment were available for routine street maintenance. Only asphalt patching, mowing of street right of way and sweeping activities were performed on a daily basis. All other equipment and personnel were engaged full time on the designated street reconstruction projects listed in the previous section of this report. Operating with a lean staff often creates situations wherein repair and maintenance needs cannot be addressed immediately. Typically, work requests are handled on a first come, first serve basis. However, some requests take priority over others due to severity. The duties and responsibilities of this department could easily justify several additional positions and additional equipment. However, it has been our practice to keep staffing levels to a minimum and reserve the maximum possible funding to address street reconstruction and street paving. Presently we have only the basic staff to address each of the key components of our responsibility, as listed in the remainder of this section.
ASPHALT OVERLAYS Asphalt overlay is an effective method of prolonging the life of a roadway. The preparation of streets for asphalt paving required milling of the existing pavement by city forces (for edge milling) or private contractors (for full width milling). An annual asphalt milling and paving contract was secured with Rogers Group, and the work was supervised by the Street Superintendent. The following streets were milled and overlaid with asphalt: Adamsbrooke Dr. – bridge to Farris S. Donaghey Ave. – Moix to Favre Clifton St. – Fleming to Tyler Favre Ln. – Greenwood to S. German • • Bob Courtway Dr. – Siebenmorgan to bridge College Ave. – Padgett to Paddington • • Springwood Dr. – S. Donaghey to Country Club Rd. – Tyler to Prince • • Autumnwood Sturgis Rd. – Railroad to Stanley Russ • • Enderling Dr. – Amos to Woodland Springs Mayor Ln. – Dave Ward to end • Evening Dr. – Hallous to Wigwam Thomas G. Wilson Dr. – Dave Ward to end • • • • ASPHALT REPAIR A three-man asphalt patching crew worked full time, removing and replacing pavement failures and filling pot holes. In addition, considerable time was devoted to the repair of street cuts made by the Conway Corporation.
Page 8 MAINTENANCE ACTIVITIES
GENEERAL STREET RIGHT OF WAY MAINTENANCE Street department personnel address maintenance issues within the street right of way on an as- needed basis as time allows. Common maintenance issues include tree trimming, repair of broken sidewalks and curbs, debris removal, and minor drainage issues. Trees are trimmed by department personnel to ensure proper lines of sight with signs and other vehicles if possible. If a dead tree within the street right of way poses a safety risk, a contract is secured with a tree cutting service for removal.
EMERGENCY RESPONSE Utilizing three snow plows, two sand spreaders, and a motograder, the street department personnel responded to emergency call out duties when a winter weather event created hazardous driving conditions on City Streets. The snow plows were utilized to remove the snow and slush from arterials and collectors to speed the clearing of the material from the roadway. The sand spreaders distributed sand on steep hills and major intersections to enhance traction. Street department personnel also respond when severe weather causes tree limbs or other debris to fall in the roadway. Generally, the debris is cut into manageable pieces using chainsaws, stacked on the side of the road, and retrieved the following day.
TRAFFIC SIGNS AND PAVEMENT MARKINGS The traffic division utilized sign making equipment to make street marker signs in new subdivisions and replacement signs as they are stolen or destroyed. Speed Limit, No Parking and other warning and regulatory signs are installed and maintained by the street department personnel. In addition, a contract was managed by the street department for lane markings. All other necessary markings, such as bike lane symbols and sharrow symbols etc., were placed by the traffic and pavement marking crew.
MOWING STREET RIGHT OF WAY While much of the street right of way within the city is maintained by adjacent landowners, there are still many miles of undeveloped land in town that must be mowed by the city in order to prevent accumulation and maintain adequate lines of sight. The majority of mowing performed by the street department is on open ditch roadways in rural or undeveloped areas. Two men operating bush hogs dedicated themselves full time to mowing these areas.
STREET SWEEPING For the majority of the year two street sweepers were operating full time. One sweeper was primarily dedicated to keeping bike lanes free of debris, while the other one focused on the rest of the city. Sweepers were run overtime from September until December to aid in the removal of accumulated leaves and grass from roadway gutters.
Page 9 MAINTENANCE ACTIVITIES
The department maintains two different types of street sweepers, and a mechanical broom model, and a regenerative air model. The first excels at removing large debris, while the second cleans smaller and lighter debris with less mess. Ideally, these two sweepers would operate in tandem. However, they normally operate independently due to the size of our city. Increasing the department’s fleet of sweepers would significantly increase the rate and efficiency of cleaning.
DRAINAGE MAINTENANCE Cleaning and repairing drainage ditches is essential to preventing blockages and upstream flooding problems. The most common request received from Conway’s residents is for additional drainage maintenance. Unfortunately, there are several factors that prevent the department from adequately responding to these requests. First, personnel were only intermittently available for this type of maintenance when weather or other factors prevented them from working on construction projects. Additionally, much of this work is along narrow concrete or earthen channels between back yards, which significantly slows progress. Furthermore, many of the drainage ditches that require the most maintenance reside in drainage easements that are not part of the road right of way. As a result, maintenance of these easements are not a legitimate street fund expense according to state law. An alternate funding source, such as a drainage utility, is desperately needed to provide the necessary personnel and equipment necessary to adequately maintain the city’s drainage easements.
Page 10 ENGINEERING SERVICES
Engineering Services
PROJECT DESIGN & MANAGEMENT Design and construction engineering for city street, drainage and sidewalk construction projects were provided for the following projects: College & Salem – Roundabout – Engineering design, agency coordination, contract management, and construction engineering were provided in 2017 for this partnering project with Faulkner County, • which opened in 2017. Landscape Architecture services were provided by Crafton, Tull, & Associates. Parkway Street & Parking Lot Improvement – Main to Prairie – Engineering design, utility coordination, and project management were provided for this project in 2017 • Bean Street Improvement – S Center to S German – Engineering design, utility coordination, and project management were provided for this project in 2017 •
CONTRACT MANAGEMENT & COORDINATION Contract administration and agency coordination was provided to secure plans and specifications and/or construction engineering for the following projects: 6th Street Overpass/Elsinger Roundabout – I-40 – Contract administration and coordination was provided with Garver Engineers to complete this project in 2017 • Dave Ward Drive Pedestrian Bridge – I-40 – Contract administration and coordination was provided with Garver Engineers, Conway Corporation, and Metroplan for the design of this project. Construction • is scheduled to begin in 2018 Markham Street Improvements – Spruce to Van Ronkle – Contract administration and coordination was provided with Garver Engineers, Conway Corporation, and Metroplan for the design of this project. • Construction is scheduled to begin in 2018 Stone Dam Creek Trail – I-40 – Contract administration and coordination was provided with Halff & Associates in preparation for a grant application to extend the trail to S. German Ln. • Pavement Management Program– Citywide – Contract administration and coordination was provided with Greenberg Farrow to perform a citywide update to the pavement management program. •
DEVELOPMENT REVIEW SERVICES Engineering services were provided to the planning department for the review of all preliminary plats, final plats, and development plans to ensure compliance with federal, state, and local requirements as well as sound engineering design. Design review was initiated for the following projects in 2017: Winterbrook Phase 2 South Sterling PUD Edgewood Phase 1 North View Estates • • Covington Commercial Phase 2 Campbell Cove • • Village Commons Phase 2 Willow Oak Manor • • • •
Page 11 ENGINEERING SERVICES
Robynmar Subdivision Phase 1 Boedeker Office Charleston Place Sketoe Office • • Cherry Hill Sonshine Parking Addition • • Salem Oaks Arabella Assisted Living Facility • • Carmichael Place Remax Site • • Wills Mink Storage Honda World Expansion • • Safely Tucked Away Mini Storage Quality Design Construction Office • • New Primecare Clinic Bruce St. Apartments • • St. Joe Multi-Purpose Building Robinson & Center Parking Lot • • Mt. Carmel Assisted Living Facility Covington Front St. • • Hampton Inn David's Burger • • Life Choices Andy's on Oak • • Freddy's Frozen Custard Take 5 Oil Change • • Fellowship Bible Oliver St. Closure • • Arkansas Box Office Addition Pelican Point Apartments • • DaVita Dialysis Hambuchen Warehouse • • Fason Plaza Langford Commercial Development • • T-Mobile Lewis Ranch Commercial Building • • Carwash USA Pizza Ranch • • Red Robin Hanks Fine Furniture Addition • • Upon completion, all improvements were or will be inspected by the engineering department to ensure • • compliance with the approved plans and specifications.
CONSTRUCTION INSPECTION Construction management and quality control were provided by the Engineering Department for all street and drainage improvement projects constructed by the Street Department work crews in order to ensure compliance with plans and specifications. Services for onsite construction observation and inspection of all roadways constructed by private contractors were provided by a contract employee, Mike Jetton, P.E., to ensure that all required improvements were completed in accordance with plans and specifications as approved by the engineering department. This includes the inspection of all contracted projects listed in the “Construction Activities” section of this report as well as all roadway construction initiated by privately funded commercial and residential development. In addition, the engineering department computed project quantities and verified completion and accuracy of pay estimates for payments to contractors.
Page 2 ENGINEERING SERVICES
STORM WATER POLLUTION PREVENTION Engineering services as required by the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality’s NDPES Small MS4 General Permit No ARR040000 were provided by the engineering department. This permit authorizes the city to discharge storm water into approved receiving waters of the state. Requirements of this permit include: Annual Reporting Construction site inspection to monitor storm water runoff • Maintain pollution prevention best practices for municipal operations • In addition, Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plans were developed and submitted to ADEQ for major • construction projects within the City.
FLOODPLAIN MANAGEMENT The engineering staff provides Floodplain Management services as required by the city’s Floodplain Development Ordinance and FEMA. These services included consideration of floodplain development permits and responding to public inquiries regarding information provided on floodplain maps. In addition, engineering staff monitors development in an effort to prevent unpermitted development within the floodplain.
TRAFFIC SERVICES Inspection and maintenance of the approximately 60 signalized intersections in Conway was provided by four full-time employees with oversight from the city engineer. This effort involves the repair or replacement of electrical components as required as well as routine updating of signal timing parameters. In addition, these employees provided routine maintenance of all signage and pavement marking within the city. A contract was secured and managed with Arkansas Line Marking to provide pavement marking of long sections of roadway, while short sections and intersections were marked by city crews.
TRAFFIC CALMING Upon the request of the Mayor’s office, traffic counting equipment was placed and reports were produced indicating traffic volume and speed at locations where traffic calming was being considered. At locations approved by the City Council, contracts were secured for the installation of traffic calming structures, signage and pavement marking.
AGENCY COORDINATION Approximately 25 miles of state highways are located within Conway’s city limits. As a result, coordination with the Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department are necessary regarding any updates to the state highway system. In addition, City Engineer represents the city on Metroplan’s Technical Coordinating Committee. Coordination with Metroplan, Central Arkansas’ metropolitan planning
Page 13 ENGINEERING SERVICES
organization is essential regarding any projects receiving federal funds. The following federally funded projects have required significant coordination with one or both of these agencies this year: Safe Routes to School Dave Ward Drive Adaptive Signal Control • Dave Ward Drive Pedestrian Overpass • • ALTERNATIVE TRANSPORTATION Providing or encouraging alternate forms of transportation is an important goal for both the City of Conway and this department. To this end, the city engineer serves as an ex officio member on the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Board, which serves to advise the city on ways to remain an official bicycle- friendly, become an official walk-friendly community, and seek to achieve the federal and state goals of the safe routes to school program.
Page 14 CONTACT INFORMATION
Contact Information
City of Conway Street & Engineering Department http:/www.cityofconway.org/pages/street-department 501-450-5165
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