Fulton council seeks donations to help beautify downtown

The Fulton City Council is looking for local business owners and residents to help make the city's downtown area a little prettier.

The city already has allocated $900 to purchase hanging flower baskets to hang from the street lights, but at $50 per basket, that amount is not enough to put up as many as city officials would like.

"We could easily do 35 or 40 (baskets) depending on how far we want to go," Director of Administration Bill Johnson said, noting he would like to see some baskets on Nichols Street as well as Court Street.

He said he liked the idea of purchasing the baskets because the flowers would already be blooming, adding that the baskets themselves will be reusable.

"The day we hang them they're going to be gorgeous downtown," Johnson said. "They're going to look good for the street fair."

Ward 4 Councilman Steve Moore already has approached several business owners about paying for additional plants, and Johnson said he hope others will agree to help with the beautification project.

After discussing the flowers, the council spent much of its time Tuesday night reviewing a series of city-owned Real Estate to be considered for surplus property.

During the council's monthly work session, Assistant Director of Administration Matt Harline led the council through a list of such properties - most of them small vacant lots.

"Our mowing list is what is driving this," Johnson said, noting maintenance of these sites included costs for manpower and fuel.

To help the tornado-stricken people of Dumas and surroundings, donations can be made to the Delta Area Disaster Relief Fund, care of the Delta Area Community Foundation, P.O. Box 894, Dumas, AR, 71639, or through the Arkansas Community Foundation, 700 S. Rock St., Little Rock, AR, 72202.