PHOTO: Caddo Valley Mayor Joe Jackson gestures to aldermen ahead of a special-called meeting Thursday, Dec. 5, 2024, in the Clark County Circuit Courtroom. The photo was taken through a glass window of the entrance to the courtroom, where cameras are not allowed. | Joel Phelps photo/arkadelphian.com
By JOEL PHELPS | arkadelphian.com
ARKADELPHIA, Arkansas — In an interesting turn of events, the City of Caddo Valley came to an agreement Thursday morning with the landowners of a Caddo River access over the control of a boat ramp used for river emergencies.
The dispute, which started unfolding last December, was in the process of being heard by a Clark County jury in a two-day civil trial. Proceedings were recessed Wednesday following stipulations over the value of the boat ramp property, which was determined to be $225,000. By Friday morning, the city and the landowners — Justin and Cassie Gonzales — had come to a settlement proposal ahead of the jury’s deliberation.
With court in recess and the jury held in its deliberating chambers, city officials called a special meeting and notified local media, awaiting The Arkadelphian’s arrival prior to calling the meeting to order. The council, which normally convenes at Caddo Valley City Hall, met instead on the front row of the courtroom gallery to conduct its business.
Attorney Philip Montgomery, representing the city, read the agreed-upon terms, which are as follows:
• The Gonzaleses will build a new boat ramp to replace the existing one, built to equivalent specifications to the existing ramp.
• A perpetual easement to the new ramp will be granted to the Caddo Valley Fire Department or any other first responders needing access to the ramp.
• If the ramp is no longer used by emergency services, full ownership will revert back to the landowner.
• The landowner may use the ramp for personal purposes.
• The city will pay the Gonzaleses $21,000.
• The city will handle the permitting process, but both parties will cooperate in obtaining any necessary permits to construct and use the ramp.
• The ramp will not be blocked.
• The case is mutually dismissed.
• The landowner will be responsible for maintaining the property around the ramp, and the city will be responsible for maintenance of the ramp itself.
• Compensation for any damages caused to the ramp or property to it would fall on the responsible party.
• The $225,000 allocated by the highway commission to buy the property will go to the Gonzaleses.
The council, meeting with a bare quorum of three aldermen and Mayor Joe Jackson, gave its approval to the conditions; Mayor Jackson, aldermen Bill Ratliff and Josh Owens were prompt in voicing their approval, while Alderman Stan Roberson appeared hesitant to cast assent.
Court proceedings resumed once the meeting was adjourned, with Circuit Judge Blake Batson giving his own nod to the settlement. The jury was returned to the courtroom, informed of the agreement, and dismissed.
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