Editors note: The Herald-Leader is publishing a series about the goals that city board members decided to pursue during a May 14 workshop at the Siloam Springs Public Library with City Administrator Phillip Patterson and Mayor John Mark Turner.
The board informally chose 12 out of 58 proposed goals to focus on over the next two years.
The 2021-2022 goals were approved by the city board during the meeting on Tuesday.
This week the Herald-Leader will look at the fourth and fifth goal.
The goals will be centered around the environment and will examine possible improvements to Sager Creek and better recycling practices.
Sager Creek improvements
The three portions of the fourth goal are improving the quality of Sager Creek; recognizing Sager Creek for its economic and quality of life potential and continuing to develop it for future economic growth and safety, plus recognizing the grass roots movement to develop a long-term solution to Sager Creek and form a committee; and walls along Sager Creek should be matched to original look not patched with cement.
"Sager Creek is one of the most unique assets that Siloam Springs has for their downtown area," said Director Carol Smiley. "We need to keep it and make sure that we continue to develop it for the future."
Director Brad Burns said the city did a study on Sager Creek back in 2001 and formed an action plan for Sager Creek in 2009.
"We spent big money on this and never went anywhere with this," Burns said. "There is a huge opportunity here (for) grants."
Burns cited the flood in the 1800s that damaged several buildings along that area and the flood in the mid-1970s which flooded downtown. He urged the city board to look at regional cities across the United States and what they are doing with the creeks that run through their towns.
Siloam Springs is the only city in its region that has the natural setting of a creek running through town and through it the city has the potential to fund master plans to enhance the sidewalks and side paths from five to 10 years as well as offsetting and possibly sun-setting some taxes that are coming up, Burns said.
"Let them go and increase our tax rate in a long term," Burns said. "It may take 10-20 years, I think we are missing out on a massive million. It is a gold mine of tourism."
Burns said tourism is a $7 billion industry in the state. He also said during the coronavirus pandemic people were going to City Lake. Sager Creek is a good place to come, read, study and hang out, Burns said.
City Administrator Phillip Patterson said there is a discussion about trying to redevelop Sager Creek into more of a creek with a flowing stream like it may have been in the past.
Burns thinks the city should officially appoint a committee to see about developing a long-term solution to Sager Creek. He also said the majority of the project is not in his ward, but he is just passionate about Sager Creek in general.
"I could go on, but it's pointless because it's the right thing to do and it creates the revenue we are missing that we are going to need," Burns said.
The board conducted an informal vote and added Sager Creek improvements to the list of goals to be worked on.
Better recycling practices
The fifth goal was initially part of the environmental category along with Sager Creek improvements but was split into its own separate goal. Director Marla Sappington said she had the idea for better recycling practices while visiting her cousin in Seattle and watching his wife separate their trash before it went anywhere.
"I believe we are causing a lot of extra work for the people who do the recycling for us," Sappington said. "We need to educate people on how those (items) are accepted and take some of that burden off the employees."
Sappington recommended sending out a flyer or postcard reminding citizens to break down their recyclables. Everybody's stuff is just thrown into recycle bins haphazardly and there is no organization, Sappington said. She said if the city could organize recycling better, it would be better all the way.
Smiley said they do have a video about proper recycling although it was poorly promoted. Director Mindy Hunt had the idea of giving out a flyer when customers pick up their recycle bins. Director Reid Carroll was not sure if this is something the board needs to address or if it is best left to the people who handle recyclables.
Patterson said it is a question of what the board wants to do. If the board wants staff to collectively try to do a program to educate people on how to do proper recycling then the board needs to just say so.
"I think we have to embrace something to make it work," Sappington said. "If we don't embrace it it's not going to work."
Burns suggested conducting a program within the school system to educate children who will then educate their parents.
"Where we made the biggest impact on smoke detectors, smoke alarms and that sort of thing was in the Boys and Girls Club, (and) in the school system," Burns said.