Russell Stokes, Cherokee Village Mayor

School has begun and it’s important to be alert to vehicle traffic in the vicinity of all the schools in the Highland School District; especially at the opening of the school day and again at time of dismissal. Remember the rules about the loading and unloading of students on school buses. Do not pass a stopped school bus when students are boarding or exiting the bus.
Labor Day weekend signals the end of summer and the beginning of football season. Many are looking forward to watching and cheering for their favorite teams whether they are high school, college, or professional. Definitely, Fall is on its way and shortly we will enjoy cooler temperatures and colorful foliage. With all the rainfall we have experienced our trees should provide a wide range of hues. Also, I hope you supported the CV Fire Department in their “Fill the Boot” campaign which they hold annually on Labor Day. The funds collected by our firefighters and volunteers go directly to the Muscular Dystrophy Association to help with research in the fight against this neuromuscular disease.
Some good news for the city during the first half of the year has been the increased revenue received from the Sales/Use Tax in 2022 as compared to the same time frame for 2021. If this increase continues at the same rate for the remainder of the year we will meet our budgeted amount in this category and perhaps exceed it. These monies are the result of purchases made locally both in the city and county plus on-line purchases that are delivered to city addresses.
I know residents are still having repair work done due to the Spring hail and wind storm we experienced. As a reminder, obtain references on any contractor you are considering to do the work. You may contact our P&Z office to determine if any complaints have been filed against a contractor. Please do your homework, so you won’t be dissatisfied with the quality of work performed or be stuck with unwarranted costs.
Lastly, I wish to give kudos to our Police Department. Due to their dedication and diligent attention to duty our city was ranked as the 20th safest city in which to live in the state of Arkansas. Number one safest ranked city was Greenbrier. These rankings are determined by Safewise and are based on the amount of property crime and crime against persons recorded in a national crime data base. Additionally, honor our First Responders on Patriot’s Day, Sept 11.