HSV Walkers violating tape and barricades to walk trails

Dangerous situation with walkers climbing over
taped-off and barricaded tornado-affected areas

Superintendent David Harper said at the April 1, 2024, Common Property, Forestry, and Wildlife Committee Meeting, “The trails from Cortez Road to Minorca are blocked, and people are still climbing over the tape and barricades.” This creates a dangerous situation for the workers and walkers. The crews are forced to stop working to let the walkers by. “That has happened a couple of times this past week. The only other thing I can do is call the police.” Harper asks residents to avoid the trails and wooded areas where the tornado hit. “If you don’t live in the tornado-affected areas or have family there, you have no business being there.” Trees are still falling every day.

Board Director and Committee Liaison Bruce Caverly said that concerning the tornado that went through Little Rock a year ago, the roofs are still tarped, and the area remains a mess.

Please don’t call or email unless it is necessary

Harper said he receives 50 to 70 emails daily, seven days a week. Please have patience and “don’t call the POA if you don’t like the looks of a tree.” It is going to take some time to clean things up. “This is not an overnight success story,” stated Harper.

Who attended the meeting?

The committee members attending were John Boykin (Chair), Scott McCord (Vice-chair), Anne Shears (Secretary), Max Billingsley, Barton Langford, James Galarza, and James Lagrone.

Board Members present at the meeting were Committee Liaison Bruce Caverly; and Mark Quinton.

Committee Liaison David Harper, Superintendent of Lakes, Dams, Common Property, Forests, and Wildlife, was also present.

Visitors included possible recruitees:

• Art Smith, a retired agronomist
• Jeff Olson is a retired soil scientist from the Natural Resources Conservation Service and Forest Service. More recently, he spent over a year in Mississippi monitoring the effects of high-volume, short-term timber harvesting of pine beetle-infested timber on soil compaction and erosion. He is also a talented trumpet player.
• Linda Cobbs, Master Gardener

Chairman Report: John Boykin – committee kicked into high gear

The committee has requested a charter change to allow two more committee members. Currently, the committee is one person short of filling their membership quota of seven.

The committee approved a motion to form a think tank (advisory council) called the Natural Resource Council. Its purpose is:

(a) Identify what should be done immediately following the initial clean-up to protect the easements, roads, and rights-of-way; make recommendations

(b) Identify areas subject to erosion and make recommendations on ways to treat these areas in the short term to prevent erosion from impacting roads, easements, rights-of-way lakes, and golf courses;

(c) and long-range planning to protect the health of the forest.

Boykin said they have already started recruiting new committee members and members for an advisory group (the guests listed above were possible recruits). Although absent, another possible recruit is Beth Barons. She graduated from the University of Arkansas at Monticello with a forestry degree. The committee would also like to find someone with a background in wildlife biology. Caverly said they need Board approval to add committee members but do not need Board approval to add advisers. Click here to read the recruitment article.

Billingsley agreed that bringing in more qualified people is important to assist the committee.

Staff Liaison Report: David Harper – State of the Village after tornado

• Harper said the spotlight deer surveys were completed. Click here to read about this. Spotlight deer surveys are used as a deer population management tool. Harper sends the information collected to the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission.

• Three crews are removing downed trees from the tornado, with a fourth crew coming soon. “We are getting everything we can reach from the roads and right-of-ways…Common property and POA lots are on hold until we can get to them.”

• Contractors will be coming next week to pick up tree top limbs and stumps.

• The Department of Corrections assisted after the tornado. Thirty-seven inmates helped with the post-tornado operation on Friday, March 15, and 34 helped the subsequent day. Harper said they were good workers and glad to be out and working. One inmate was scheduled to be released from jail on Friday. He worked Friday and asked his commanders if he could work on Saturday. They postponed his release (with his agreement) until Sunday so he could continue to help.

• Caverly said they are concentrating on clearing the right-of-ways.

• Harper said they are not issuing firewood permits for the tornado-affected areas because it is still dangerous.

• Free Dirt Friday starts on April 12 and will continue for four consecutive Fridays. Harper said the soil is material dredged from lakes which may have rocks and golf balls. Look for more information soon. Click here to read about 2023 Free Dirt Fridays.

Secretary’s Report: Anne Shears – Interdepartmental Cooperation

Shears said the Permitting and Inspections Department is currently inundated with permit requests. She recommended suspending Class 1 and 2 Common Property permit applications for approximately eight weeks. The committee approved the motion to make this recommendation to Public Services.

Bart Langford – Foresters Field Report

Langford reminded the committee that pine beetle activity will ramp up this time of year. Tree thinning (forestry management) helps to prevent insect infestation. Without a thinning program, the trees become crowded and stressed.

Scott McCord on Geese Egg Addling and the Deer Count

The number of deer harvested is still being calculated by Arkansas Game and Fish. One hundred fifteen deer were donated to Hunters Feeding the Hungry. We are the largest supplier of meat for the program in Arkansas.

Geese egg addling is in motion. Click here to read about the 2023 addling efforts.

By Cheryl Dowden