Monday, December 15, 2008
Amberwood development park to include old farm pond. Please scroll down for more views of Amberwood
Please click on images to Enlarge views of Amberwood.
Amberwood development site: Two tentative versions of three-phase plan
Please click on images of two tentative versions of the Amberwood development site in west Fayetteville southeast of the intersection of Dot Tipton and Double Springs Roads.
The rezoning request for the site was denied by the Fayetteville City Council at a recent meeting but may be reconsidered at the December 16 meeting of the council.
The Jorgensen and Associates architectural firm continues to make adjustments to match the City's 2025 Plan and approval of the plat would have to come up later. A selling point is that a portion of the houses in the subdivision would be in what is considered an affordable price range, something rare in development plans today. Builder Charlie Sloan has made many adjustments in the plan in past months to please owners of adjacent property and has even promised to pave the currently graveled Dot Tipton Road beyond the limits of the property to be developed. The land can be developed with an eye to managing stormwater runoff and utilizing existing terrain without increasing the cost for potential middle-income buyers. Building the lower-cost, relatively small but well-designed houses before the larger ones may offer the city the chance to meet its goal of providing attainable housing sooner than anywhere else in town in coming months.
Please click on images to ENLARGE.
The rezoning request for the site was denied by the Fayetteville City Council at a recent meeting but may be reconsidered at the December 16 meeting of the council.
The Jorgensen and Associates architectural firm continues to make adjustments to match the City's 2025 Plan and approval of the plat would have to come up later. A selling point is that a portion of the houses in the subdivision would be in what is considered an affordable price range, something rare in development plans today. Builder Charlie Sloan has made many adjustments in the plan in past months to please owners of adjacent property and has even promised to pave the currently graveled Dot Tipton Road beyond the limits of the property to be developed. The land can be developed with an eye to managing stormwater runoff and utilizing existing terrain without increasing the cost for potential middle-income buyers. Building the lower-cost, relatively small but well-designed houses before the larger ones may offer the city the chance to meet its goal of providing attainable housing sooner than anywhere else in town in coming months.
Please click on images to ENLARGE.
Coody says Ferrell's idea on retirement vote is about personality not policy
The Morning News
Local News for Northwest Arkansas
Alderman Wants Mayor's Retirement Plans Changed
By Skip Descant
The Morning News
http://www.nwaonline.net/articles/2008/12/14/news/121508fzcouncil.txt
FAYETTEVILLE -- Retirement plans for elected officials became an issue in the recent Fayetteville mayor's race. And it's an issue still lingering.
Bobby Ferrell, an alderman from Ward 3, wants the Arkansas Legislature to consider amending a state law to allow local voters to decide if they want to extend retirement benefits to their retired mayors for the rest of their life.
State law says a mayor in cities of the first class, which includes Fayetteville, can retire after 10 years in office with 50 percent salary for the rest of his or her life. This plan is paid for by the taxpayers of that city.
"To me that's unfunded mandate," Ferrell told the City Council during its agenda session Tuesday.
The issue of mayoral retirement has never actually come up. It's only been since the early 1990s that Fayetteville has had an elected mayor. And none of them have served more than two terms -- a total of eight years.
Lioneld Jordan, Fayetteville's mayor-elect, signed a notarized affidavit that states he would not participate in this retirement program. Jordan already has a retirement plan through the University of Arkansas, where he worked for 26 years.
Outgoing two-term Mayor Dan Coody has said on more than one occasion he does not plan to participate in the state retirement program, and instead has put money into a retirement plan available to nonuniformed city employees. It's similar to a 401(k).
Coody has not gone so far as Jordan with a notarized affidavit. And since he was not re-elected to a third term, the whole issue would appear moot anyway. But mayors may apply time served on the council to the 10 years needed for vesting.
"Up to two years of the minimum 10 years can be credited from City Council service at the rate of one year's credit for each two years served," said Kit Williams, the Fayetteville city attorney. "To get two additional years service toward retirement, a former mayor would need four years of additional service as an alderman."
Ferrell insists his motives to change the state law are policy driven and not political.
"If I had known about this four years ago, I believe I would have to tried to address it then," Ferrell said Wednesday. "This is a policy issue."
Coody's not so sure.
"It seems to me that it's more about personality than policy," Coody said.
"I'm not timid about coming forth with something that's a good deal," Ferrell added.
The resolution to ask the Arkansas State Legislature to amend the state law has been placed on the consent agenda for Tuesday's meeting.
Meeting Information
Fayetteville City Council
When: 6 p.m. Tuesday
Where: Room 219, City Hall, 113 W. Mountain St.
Local News for Northwest Arkansas
Alderman Wants Mayor's Retirement Plans Changed
By Skip Descant
The Morning News
http://www.nwaonline.net/articles/2008/12/14/news/121508fzcouncil.txt
FAYETTEVILLE -- Retirement plans for elected officials became an issue in the recent Fayetteville mayor's race. And it's an issue still lingering.
Bobby Ferrell, an alderman from Ward 3, wants the Arkansas Legislature to consider amending a state law to allow local voters to decide if they want to extend retirement benefits to their retired mayors for the rest of their life.
State law says a mayor in cities of the first class, which includes Fayetteville, can retire after 10 years in office with 50 percent salary for the rest of his or her life. This plan is paid for by the taxpayers of that city.
"To me that's unfunded mandate," Ferrell told the City Council during its agenda session Tuesday.
The issue of mayoral retirement has never actually come up. It's only been since the early 1990s that Fayetteville has had an elected mayor. And none of them have served more than two terms -- a total of eight years.
Lioneld Jordan, Fayetteville's mayor-elect, signed a notarized affidavit that states he would not participate in this retirement program. Jordan already has a retirement plan through the University of Arkansas, where he worked for 26 years.
Outgoing two-term Mayor Dan Coody has said on more than one occasion he does not plan to participate in the state retirement program, and instead has put money into a retirement plan available to nonuniformed city employees. It's similar to a 401(k).
Coody has not gone so far as Jordan with a notarized affidavit. And since he was not re-elected to a third term, the whole issue would appear moot anyway. But mayors may apply time served on the council to the 10 years needed for vesting.
"Up to two years of the minimum 10 years can be credited from City Council service at the rate of one year's credit for each two years served," said Kit Williams, the Fayetteville city attorney. "To get two additional years service toward retirement, a former mayor would need four years of additional service as an alderman."
Ferrell insists his motives to change the state law are policy driven and not political.
"If I had known about this four years ago, I believe I would have to tried to address it then," Ferrell said Wednesday. "This is a policy issue."
Coody's not so sure.
"It seems to me that it's more about personality than policy," Coody said.
"I'm not timid about coming forth with something that's a good deal," Ferrell added.
The resolution to ask the Arkansas State Legislature to amend the state law has been placed on the consent agenda for Tuesday's meeting.
Meeting Information
Fayetteville City Council
When: 6 p.m. Tuesday
Where: Room 219, City Hall, 113 W. Mountain St.
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Cat 18 schedule for the week of December 14 through December 20, 2008
Click on title above or copy and paste link below for schedule.
http://catchannel-aubunique.blogspot.com
http://catchannel-aubunique.blogspot.com
Associated Press reports that President Clinton joins Arkansas governor Beebe to announce partnership to bring energy efficiency to state government
Great news below; but, if Beebe had announced that Clinton had talked him into saying no to all new coal plants starting NOW, it would have been even better news:
The Morning News
http://www.nwaonline.net/articles/2008/12/13/news/121408arclintonglobal.prt
Local News for Northwest Arkansas
Clinton, State Announce Energy Efficiency Plan
By Peggy Harris
The Associated Press
LITTLE ROCK -- Former President Bill Clinton announced a partnership Saturday between his foundation and Arkansas to retrofit state buildings and adopt energy-efficient practices, part of what he said was the country’s “greatest opportunity” to rejuvenate its economy and create a safer, cleaner world.
Clinton joined Gov. Mike Beebe and state Rep. Kathy Webb, co-chair of the Arkansas Governor’s Commission on Global Warming, in announcing the partnership and urging state and business leaders to join them in bigger task of creating “green jobs,” reducing dependence on foreign oil, and stopping the advance of global warming.
Clinton said the foundation’s Clinton Climate Initiative, created in 2006, has been working with 1,100 cities, including New York, where the housing authority is upgrading residences with energy-efficient windows and lighting along with “green roofs” to reduce energy costs. He said a loan for the work will be paid off with money saved in utility costs.
In Pennsylvania, he said, the foundation was helping find ways to sequester carbon emissions from coal-fired power plants. He said the Clinton Climate Initiative provides the technical expertise and the purchasing power for its partners to secure material and environmental technology at discounted cost.
“No one is proposing to do anything in Arkansas that is not good business, that doesn’t make sense, that doesn’t create jobs and save money over the long run,” Clinton told an audience of hundreds at the William J. Clinton Presidential Library and Museum.
He said six countries, including Denmark, the United Kingdom, and Sweden, will be able to meet international goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions because they shifted to “a new energy economy” and realized great energy savings and job creation.
“This is the greatest opportunity we’ve had since we mobilized since World War II to completely redo our economy,” he said. “And, if we do this right, I think you’ll have more growth than we did when I was president, and more jobs.”
Both the former president and Beebe recognized J.D. Lowery of Maumelle, a graduate student at the Clinton School of Public Service, for suggesting a partnership between the foundation and the state after Lowery worked on a Clinton Climate Initiative in Australia.
Beebe said the partnership coincides with strides the state has already made to reduce energy consumption and do less harm to the environment. He said Pennsylvania has been working with the foundation on a limited basis, but Arkansas will be the first state to join forces with the foundation on a larger scale.
The Morning News
http://www.nwaonline.net/articles/2008/12/13/news/121408arclintonglobal.prt
Local News for Northwest Arkansas
Clinton, State Announce Energy Efficiency Plan
By Peggy Harris
The Associated Press
LITTLE ROCK -- Former President Bill Clinton announced a partnership Saturday between his foundation and Arkansas to retrofit state buildings and adopt energy-efficient practices, part of what he said was the country’s “greatest opportunity” to rejuvenate its economy and create a safer, cleaner world.
Clinton joined Gov. Mike Beebe and state Rep. Kathy Webb, co-chair of the Arkansas Governor’s Commission on Global Warming, in announcing the partnership and urging state and business leaders to join them in bigger task of creating “green jobs,” reducing dependence on foreign oil, and stopping the advance of global warming.
Clinton said the foundation’s Clinton Climate Initiative, created in 2006, has been working with 1,100 cities, including New York, where the housing authority is upgrading residences with energy-efficient windows and lighting along with “green roofs” to reduce energy costs. He said a loan for the work will be paid off with money saved in utility costs.
In Pennsylvania, he said, the foundation was helping find ways to sequester carbon emissions from coal-fired power plants. He said the Clinton Climate Initiative provides the technical expertise and the purchasing power for its partners to secure material and environmental technology at discounted cost.
“No one is proposing to do anything in Arkansas that is not good business, that doesn’t make sense, that doesn’t create jobs and save money over the long run,” Clinton told an audience of hundreds at the William J. Clinton Presidential Library and Museum.
He said six countries, including Denmark, the United Kingdom, and Sweden, will be able to meet international goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions because they shifted to “a new energy economy” and realized great energy savings and job creation.
“This is the greatest opportunity we’ve had since we mobilized since World War II to completely redo our economy,” he said. “And, if we do this right, I think you’ll have more growth than we did when I was president, and more jobs.”
Both the former president and Beebe recognized J.D. Lowery of Maumelle, a graduate student at the Clinton School of Public Service, for suggesting a partnership between the foundation and the state after Lowery worked on a Clinton Climate Initiative in Australia.
Beebe said the partnership coincides with strides the state has already made to reduce energy consumption and do less harm to the environment. He said Pennsylvania has been working with the foundation on a limited basis, but Arkansas will be the first state to join forces with the foundation on a larger scale.
Agenda for Sunday's meeting of the Carbon Caps Task Force online
Please scroll down right side of this page to find link to Carbon Caps Task Force blogspot.
Friday, December 12, 2008
Robins appreciate China honeysuckle berries
Please click on image to ENLARGE photos of robin in China honeysuckle bush on December 5, 2008.
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