Category: Mayor’s News

Big Spring Park Upgrades

In the last several months, the City of Cotter has made some upgrades in Big Spring Park. We made repairs to the Gazebo by replacing rotten facia and damage metal facia. We added a Hammock Station Area (hold up to 10 hammocks) just between the Cotter Bridge and the RR Bridge along the walk path before you get to the River Walk. Bring you own hammock and enjoy the White River.

New Teller Window

Cotter City hall now has a walk up Teller Window to take care of any city business, pay your water bill, court payments. We are excited to see our citizens again! Payments can still be made thourgh the Drop Box or online.

Cotter Mayor: “Continue a 1% Sales Tax or Increase Sewer Rates, needed for Water and Sewer Improvements?”

At the Cotter City Councl meeting in December 2020, three ordinances were placed on its first reading regarding the sales tax initiative to pay for Water and Sewer Improvements. Mayor McGeorge “Mac” Caradine tells KTLO, Classic Hits and The Boot news, the initiative is an effort to continue an existing sale tax. Currently, the City of Cotter has a 1% sales tax that pays for a Bond/Loan that the residents approved for the Sewer Plant Expansion in 2003. We will pay this Loan off early which should be paid off by June, 2021.

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Mayor Caradine says, the Ordinances moved to its second and third readings and passed at the council meeting on January 28, 2021. There are three ordinances required to place the 1% sales tax on the ballot for Special Election scheduled for May 11, 2021. Residents need to vote “FOR” on May 11, 2021 on both items on the ballot (1) to approve the 1% Sales tax for Water and Sewer Projects and (2) Revenue Bond to fund the Phase II Sewer Line Rehabilitation Project to pay for the Loan from USDA.

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Caradine says there are a number of steps required for the extension of the sales and use tax. The current Bond (loan) on the sewer plant will have to be paid off before executing a new loan from USDA. Once the current loan is paid off, the current 1% sales tax expires, thus the reason for placing a new 1% sales tax on the ballot for Special Election in May. This new 1% sales tax will pay for the Phase II Rehabilitation Project to replace sewer line along the river walking trail and other Water and Sewer Projects in the future.

Phase II Sewer DrawingDownload


The City would need approval by the Residents by a Special Election to continue the 1% Sales Tax to pay for the Phase II Sewer Line Rehabilitation Project shared with the City of Gassville.

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Caradine says the sales tax is being considered instead of a sewer rate increase. The City Council has only two options to pay for the Phase II sewer rehabilitation improvements, (1) Double the Sewer Rates on the Water Bill or (2) Continue a 1% Sales and Use Tax. Mayor Caradine recommended last year to council to continue the sales tax in lieu of a rate increase to pay for future water and sewer project.

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The Cotter Mayor says a public information meeting for residents to ask questions is planned for April 26, 2021 at the Firehouse at 6:00 pm. The Special Election will be on May 11, 2021 located at Wesley United Methodist Church on Highway 62/412 in Cotter. Early Voting will be from May 4th to May 10th at the Baxter Country Office Building. The residents should vote “FOR” on both ballot items to pass and to avoid increasing sewer rates in the near future.

OFFICIAL BALLOT For Special Election in City of Cotter, Arkansas on May 11, 2021

Ballot Item 1:

1% SALES AND USE TAX

Adoption of a new 1% local sales and use tax within the City of Cotter, the net collections of which remaining after deduction of the administrative charges of the State of Arkansas and required rebates will be used for one or more of the following: (a) to pay and secure the repayment of bonds approved by the voters and issued by the City from time to time to finance capital improvements and (b) for water and sewer purposes.  The levy of the sales and use tax is not dependent on any bonds being approved or issued.  If approved, the levy of the sales and use tax will commence on January 1, 2022.

FOR …………………………………………………………………………..__X___

AGAINST ………………………………………………………………….._____

Ballot Item 2:

SEWER IMPROVEMENT BONDS

Bonds of the City of Cotter in the maximum principal amount of $1,551,000 for the purpose of financing a portion of the costs of acquiring, constructing and equipping betterments and improvements to the City’s sewer system, and, in order to pay the bonds, the pledge of (a) a new 1% local sales and use tax levied within the City by Ordinance No. 2020-06 (the “Tax”), if the Tax is approved by the voters, and (b) revenues of the City’s water and sewer system.  Any collections of the Tax not used for payment of the bonds will be used by the City for other lawful purposes.  If the bonds are approved, the City may, prior to the issuance of the bonds, obtain interim financing as permitted by Arkansas law.

FOR …………………………………………………………………………__X___

AGAINST …………………………………………………………………_____

Cotter’s New City Council and Recorder/Treasurer

On January 2, 2021, Mayor Caradine sworn in the new City Council for 2021-2022, Carolyn Gill (Ward 1 Position 1), Mark Johnson (Ward 1 Position 2), Chuck Sugg (Ward 2 Position 1), Linda McCarthy (Ward 2, Position 2), Mertice Kray (Ward 3 Position 1), Cameron Ross (Ward 3 Position 2) and Recorder/ Treasurer Andrea Kray for 2021-2024.

The City of Cotter and myself extend our appreciation and thanks to Kerry Ann White (2019-2020) and John Bell (2011-2012, 2017-2020) for their past service to this community as council members.

Happenings Around Cotter

Stone Family Children’s Park on Combs Avenue gets a facelift. The fence was pressure washed and stained; the swing and horses re-painted; and the sign clean and re-painted. Thanks to the Stone Family for their donations to help the city keep the childern’s park looking nice and clean.

Christmas in Cotter House Decorating Contest. Don’t forget to decorate your house for Christmas Contest. Judging will be on December 17th by Representative Jack Fortner and Mayor Jeff Braim. Awards will be given out for 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th on December 19th at the Cotter Christmas in Cotter Event at Big Spring Park.

Tree Board Members planting a Blue Spruce donated to Cotter by the Arkansas Department of Forestry. Thanks to Pat McCarthy and Chuck Sugg for planting the tree and thanks to the Cotter Tree Advisory Board. The blue spruce will grow up to 40 feet tall. (Our future Cotter Christmas Tree.)

Paving project in front of the North Arkansas Youth Center and Alley Aprons on 5th and 4th Street. Pavement needed to prevent the washing of gravel into the streets. Thank Terry and Brady Madden.

Dressing up and expanding the parking area just past the park Restrooms. Adding new gravel and car bumpers on each side of the drive. Thank You Madden Paving Co.

Christmas in Cotter December 19th.

CHRISTMAS IN COTTER


Welcome to Cotter’s 2nd Annual Christmas in Cotter Festivities! Christmas lights in Cotter’s Big Spring Park will be illuminated the entire month of December. And we invite you to tour the Cotter Resident’s Holiday Tour of Lights and decorations too. Cotter’s FM 106.9 transmitter will play Christmas Music December 1, through December 31. The 2nd Annual Christmas in Cotter Free event is Saturday, December 19, 5 pm to 9 pm in Cotter’s Big Spring Park. Please bring the children, your cameras and walking shoes, as you visit: Santa and Mrs. Claus in the Gazebo, the Polar Express Conductor at the Railway Cabooses, be on the lookout for Holiday elves, while enjoying Hot Chocolate, Smores and Refreshments; Sing along to Christmas music and carols; And gather at the Park Pavilion as the best decorated house winners will be announced. Cotter’s month long activities are sponsored by City of Cotter. Cotter Volunteer Fire Department and Auxiliary Cotter Gassville Chamber of Commerce Saturday Club of Cotter and many area volunteers!

On behalf of the City of Cotter, Merry Christmas to all!

Cotter is a participant and on the Arkansa Trail of Holiday Lights. See link below and click the picture to see photos from last year.

https://www.arkansas.com/cotter/attractions-culture/cotter-trail-holiday-lights

Christmas In Cotter Health Department Action PlanDownload

Arkansas Ballot Issue 1

Arkansas Ballot Issue 1, Transportation Sales Tax is very important for the City of Cotter as well as every city and county in Arkansas.  Vote YES, to continue the current 0.5% sales tax permanently which is due to expire in 2023.  If Issue 1 fails, then revenues the cities receive from the State will reduce our budgets to make repairs and paving roads in the City of Cotter. 

Mayor Mac Caradine

Absentee Ballot Application

The following link below, is an Absentee Ballot Application to request and receive an Absentee Election Ballot to vote in the upcoming November 3, 2020 Elections. Application to request a ballot can be email, faxed or delivered to Baxter County Clerk’s Office.

Your election ballot must be received on or before October 27, 2020 by the Baxter County & Court Clerk’s office. Call Canda Reese, 870-425-3475 or canda.reese@baxtercounty.org for more information.

Early Voting begins October 19th until November 2, 2020 at 5:00 pm.
Hours will be from 8 until 6 Monday through Friday and 10 until 4 on Saturdays.

First United Methodist Church, located at 605 West Sixth Street, will replace the courthouse as one of the three sites for early voting.
In addition to the First United Methodist Church, Twin Lakes Plaza, located at 769 Business Highway 62, and the Baxter County Election Commission office, located at 213 East Fifth Street, will serve as early voting locations.

Clink Link Below:

http://www.baxtercounty.org/Absentee%20Ballot%20Application%20online.pdf

It’s Not Too Late – Census 2020

It is not too late to respond to the Census on-line or by phone. Only 59% of Cotter Housholds have responded to the 2020 Census. We need everyone counted.

If you have a PO Box in Cotter, you will not received any information in the mail to fill our your census. If you rent a home or apartment, you need to be counted and fill out the census. Go to my2020census.gov or call 1-844-330-2020 to complete your census on-line.

Due to the COVID 19, census takers have been delayed.

There are only nine questions on the 2020 census. They ask very basic demographic questions: who lives in the household; how they are related; their age, sex, and race; whether they own or rent their house; and their phone number.

Coffee with the Mayor


Coffee with the Mayor (Third Friday of Every Month) will be this Friday on June 19, 2020, from 8:00 am-9:00 am. Come to Cotter City Hall to have coffee and pastries with Mayor Mac Caradine. Meet other Cotter residents. Hear updates about City Business.  Social Distance will be maintained.

COTTER HAS NEW EMERGENCY SIREN

With a matching Grant from USDA, the City of Cotter purchased a new Emergency Siren replacing the old one in downtown. The new storm siren is located at NAYC at the corner of Powell and 5th Street went live today.  It will be controlled by 911 to issue emergency warnings and alerts.  The siren will come on every day at noon for a test.

When testing the siren today, the emergency sound was heard at Big Springs Park Boat Ramp, Cotter Firehouse, City Hall, Railway Yard Bldg, Cotter Sewer Plant, and Houses across the river on the Bluff. (The other existing emergency siren is located at the Cotter School Playground which provides coverage for the rest of the city)

New Siren Located at NAYC, Cotter

Cotter Large Item Pickup

On Monday April 27, 2020, Cotter will have its annual LARGE ITEM PICK-UP by Waste Connection. All residents are encouraged to clean up their yards, porches and homes to make cotter look beautiful. Please set your large items out by 7:00 a.m. on the street near your trash container or in the dumpster if you live in an apartment complex without individual service. No paints, flammable liquids or tires are allowed. Also, there will be dumpster located at City Hall and the Fire House.

ITEMS NOT ACCEPTED: Liquid waster – Motor Oil, Flowing Liquids & Paint in liquid form, Etc; Red Bag Mecial Waster; Tires; Auto Type Batteries; Dead Animals; Freon Filled Componets; Construction Materials; Yard Waste – Trees, Limbs, Leaves, etc.

2020 CENSUS – Its Time

Only 45.3% of Cotter Residents have responded to the 2020 Census. We need everyone counted. The Census will be mailing the paper form for those residence who did not fill out their Census on-line. Please fill out the Census and return by mail when it arrived this Month. Or go to my2020census.gov or call 1-844-330-2020 to complete your census on-line. If you have not receive any information in the mail to fill our your census, you will be contacted in person by a census worker in May-June.

There are only nine questions on the 2020 census. They ask very basic demographic questions: who lives in the household; how they are related; their age, sex, and race; whether they own or rent their house; and their phone number.

Cotter Census 2020

Only 20.1% of Cotter Residents have responded to the 2020 Census. We need everyone counted. Go to my2020census.gov or call 1-844-330-2020 to complete your census. If you do not have your Census ID, you will still be able to fill out your census on-line or by telephone.

There are only nine questions on the 2020 census. They ask very basic demographic questions: who lives in the household; how they are related; their age, sex, and race; whether they own or rent their house; and their phone number.

Coffee with the Mayor

Coffee with the Mayor (Third Friday of Every Month) will be this Friday on February 21, 2019, from 8:00 am-9:00 am. Come to Cotter City Hall to have coffee and pastries with Mayor Mac Caradine. Meet other Cotter residents. Hear updates about City Business. 

Friday Coffee with the Mayor

Coffee with the Cotter Mayor (Third Friday of Every Month) will be this Friday on January 17, 2020 from 8:00 am-9:00 am. Come to Cotter City Hall to have coffee and pastries with Mayor Mac Caradine. Meet other Cotter residents. Hear City Business for 2020. Everyone Welcome.

Coffee with Cotter Mayor

Coffee with the Mayor (Third Friday of Every Month) will be this Friday on December 20, 2019 from 8:00 am-9:00 am. Come to Cotter City Hall to have coffee and pastries with Mayor Mac Caradine. Meet other Cotter residents. Hear updates about City Business. 

Santa Claus Coming to Cotter

Cotter City Hall would like to announce “Christmas In Cotter” on Dec. 21st at Big Spring Park at 5PM!  Contest is Cotter wide and awards will be given on Dec. 21st at the event along with Pictures with Santa and Mrs. Claus, Hot Chocolate, and a Bonfire with S’mores!
TOUR THE LIGHTS IN COTTER’S BIG SPRING PARK AND HOMES IN COTTER

Coffee with Cotter Mayor

Coffee with the Mayor (Third Friday of Every Month) will be this Friday on November 15, 2019 from 8:00 am-9:00 am. Come to Cotter City Hall to have coffee and pastries with Mayor Mac Caradine. Meet other Cotter residents. Hear updates about City Business. 

“Christmas in Cotter” – Event

Cotter City Hall would like to announce “Christmas In Cotter” on Dec. 21st at Big Spring Park at 5PM!  We would also like to invite you to join our “Decoration Contest” Start decorating your home and yards now! Contest is Cotter wide and awards will be given on Dec. 21st at the event along with Pictures with Santa and Mrs. Claus, Hot Chocolate, and a Bonfire with S’mores! Also, Tour the “Lights In Cotter” and Big Spring Park starting Dec 1- Jan 2!! Please share this post for all of Cotter to see! Thank you!


Great Cotter Revival

Due to tonight’s weather forecast, The Interdenominational Revival scheduled for tonight at Cotter’s Big Spring Park Pavilion has been moved to the Cotter Baptist Church at the corner of 5th and Dalton in Cotter. Please pass the word along. Pastor Jimmie Snow with Wesley United Methodist Church will be preaching tonight.

The Revival scheduled for Wednesday the 16th and Thursday the 17th will be held at the Pavilion in Big Springs Park. Wednesday night Pastor Cameron Ross of First Baptist Church of Cotter will be preaching and on Thursday night Pastor Kyle Tardiffe, Calvary Temple Assembly will be preaching.

Cotter Fire Department Auxiliary

The Cotter Fire Department Auxiliary is looking for new members.  The Auxiliary is a non-profit 501-(c)(3) organization dedicated to supporting our volunteer firefighters.  If you want to join the team or want to know more about the Auxiliary, contact Linda McCarthy at (870) 656-8547 (call or text). 

MISSION STATEMENT

The mission of the Cotter Fire Department Auxiliary is to support the firefighters of the Cotter Volunteer Fire Department (CVFD) in their pursuit of Life Safety, Incident Stabilization and Property Preservation of the citizens they serve and their respective Membership.

The member of the Auxiliary will pursue their mission though activities supporting the fiscal, public service and response support needs of the CVFD firefighters.

Planning Meeting for Cotter’s Community Block Park

Good Morning all,

We are having a planning meeting for our yearly community block party. Chief Hopson and I are inviting any residents to the meeting who would like to volunteer to hold the Community Block Party in their neighborhood . The planning meeting will be this Wednesday, 8/28/19 at 5 PM. Meeting is at Cotter City Hall