By Ray King
A significant increase in the rate the Pine Bluff Transit Department was paying for insurance had the city looking for an alternative and they were able to find that alternative and save a lot of money.
During a brief meeting Monday, the Pine Bluff City Council approved an ordinance authorizing the Mayor or her designee to enter into an agreement with the Arkansas Municipal League to provide personal injury insurance for transit passengers.
The ordinance was sponsored by Council Member Glen Brown Jr., who talked about it with Deltaplex News.
Previously, First Arkansas insurance was providing the coverage but according to the ordinance, their rate was going to increase to $130,000 annually while the Municipal League rate for the same coverage will be $9,000 annually.
With Council member Lloyd Holcomb Jr., absent, the council adopted resolutions authorizing the city clerk to transfer a large book scanner to the Pine Bluff/Jefferson County Library system, authorize the Mayor to contract with Woods Architectural Group for professional services for the Downtown Cultural District and to contract with Wagner General Contractors to perform construction work on the Harbor Oaks Clubhouse.
Woods Architectural Group will be paid no more than $65,000 while Wagner General Contractors will be paid $374,400. Both companies submitted the lowest bid on the projects.
An ordnance rezoning property in the 1000 block of West 43Avenue as multifamily residential was read for a second time and will be completed when the council meets again Oct. 16.
