By John Balch
News-Leader staff
The City of Murfreesboro will begin contacting every resident with a water meter as part of its plan to appeal the city’s Low to Moderate Income (LMI) status.
The LMI survey will start in the middle of next week with data to be used to appeal the 2020 US Census figure that shows the city has a 51% status.
Mayor Jim O’Neal said that the percentage is too high and makes Murfreesboro too wealthy to qualify for many grant programs until the next census cycle in 2030.
He said the LMI increase is due to the increase of vacation rental homes in the area that were once used to house low to moderate income residents and families.
The city will use $5,000 in economic development funds for the project.
The plan is to contact every Murfreesboro resident with a water meter either by mail, phone or in person. Mayor O’Neal is asking citizens to be prepared for the survey and urged everyone to participate.
“This is a really important issue,” O’Neal added.
O’Neal said he expects the survey to take up to two months to complete. The data will then be submitted to the proper officials to begin the appeal process. “It may not work, but it’s something we’ve got to do.”
During the council’s February meeting, the council voted to just concentrate on the west side of the sidewalk project.
The project is funded by an Arkansas Department of Transportation 80/20 matching grant with the city’s cost to be an estimated $105,000.
The plan is to continue the new sidewalk to the courthouse square and install lighting the entire length of the west side.
Also at the monthly meeting, the council gave the Murfreesboro Fire & Rescue Department permission to pursue a grant to replace equipment and approved Recorder/Treasurer Penny Lamb’s financial report, which included the following beginning and ending balances for January:
General Fund
$21,778/$34,573
General Operating
$409,004/$368,633
Street Fund
$13,956/$11,330
Street Operating
$368,648/$363,747
Murfreesboro
Advertising
& Tourism Commission
$94,962/$92,589
Park Fund
$12,482/$11,313
Water & Sewer
$522,659/$518,416
