Needs outlined for Streets, Fire and Police

Pea Ridge city officials will present information and answer questions at several public input meetings on Fridays over the next month.

City Street Department superintendent Nathan See prepared a power point to present plans for street upgrades throughout the city. He said the money from the bond issue has to be spent within three years.

He has plans for improvement to Hazelton Road, Patton Street, It'll Do Road, Weston Street, Greer Street, McCulloch Street, North Davis Street and Lee Town Road. He said sidewalks are in the plan as are drainage upgrades.

Fire Chief Jack Wassman said he hopes to hire full-time personnel for the fire and ambulance departments.

"It's hard to keep staff," Wassman said, explaining that all the ambulance personnel are full-time employees of other departments who work part-time at Pea Ridge. "We need to find the funding to staff the ambulance full time with people who are full-time employees of the city of Pea Ridge."

He also said there are equipment needs with equipment that is from 10 to 20 years old that needs to be upgraded.

Police Chief Lynn Hahn said the first priority for his department is video cameras for officers for the safety of both officers and members of the public. He said Pea Ridge is the only law enforcement agency in the area without video cams.

Public meetings are scheduled for Fridays for anyone to meet the department heads and ask questions.