A resolution to apply for a $55,000 state grant received the approval of the Texarkana, Ark., Board of Directors at its regular meeting Monday.
The city will apply to the state Outdoor Recreation Grants Program for the funding, which, if awarded, would match $55,000 in General Improvement Funds administered by Southwest Arkansas Planning and Development District that the city already has received.
The resulting $110,000 would be used to pay for a new parking lot at the Lakeside Pavilion in Bobby Ferguson Park.
The planned lot will have 32 spaces, and the project will be allocated in the city's 2017 budget, Assistant Public Works Director Tracie Lee said.
The board also heard a second reading of an ordinance that would authorize waiving competitive bidding and entering into contracts with two local garbage collection services.
The ordinance comes in response to Waste Management Inc.'s recent decision to no longer provide residential trash collection on the Arkansas side without a rate increase.
It would allow the board to contract with Richardson Waste II Inc. and Edmondson's Trash Service to take over Waste Management's collection routes without any delays that might interrupt garbage service.
Directors also heard a second reading of an ordinance that would rezone the property at 522 E. Fourth St.
James Lavender and George Lavender, the owners of the property, intend to transfer it to St. Edward's Catholic Church and want to match the zoning of the church for accessory activities to be held there, according to meeting agenda materials.
Third readings of both ordinances are scheduled for the board's next meeting.
In other business, the board rejected a resolution proposed by Ward 2 Director Laney Harris that would direct the city manager "to make a collaborative effort to develop a formal partnership with area homeless service providers to help families, or individuals to escape homelessness."
Harris moved to vote on adopting the resolution, but no one on the board seconded the motion.
The board's next meeting is scheduled for Aug. 1.
