GRIDLOCK GURU : Talk cheaper than driving, assessor says
Posted on Friday, November 14, 2008
The smart people have figured out how to consolidate their trips into one bigger trip to save gas.
They don’t drive to the bank in the morning and swing over to Wal-Mart Supercenter in the afternoon. They do both in one swoop.
It would be better, however, if trips didn’t have to occur at all, and Washington County Assessor Lee Ann Kizzar sets out today to eliminate a trip for county residents. The Guru reluctantly helps her.
Afterward, Nancy Langbein of Fayetteville asks when her trips to Fayetteville High School are going to get easier.
Question: “Boy, is the courthouse parking situation, along with the city’s beautification work, a story for the Gridlock Guru,” Kizzar writes. “I am wanting to get the word out that most personal property assessment does not require a personal appearance at the courthouse. A simple phone call will do the job.”
Answer: Girl, are you aiming to put The Guru out of work ? His abundant skills coupled with people’s unnecessary driving to clog up roads are the centerpieces of his job security.
Nevertheless, The Guru will tell his readers they can call the assessor rather than drive when it comes to personal property assessment (boats, recreational vehicles, cars, motorcycles ).
There is a caveat: Callers must give their last name, first name, address, a daytime telephone number, and tell the assessor whether they still own the same vehicles.
There’s always a catch.
People with new vehicles or people who are new to the county do need to go to the courthouse. Calling the office before driving just to be certain would be smart, though.
Kizzar estimates half of the people who come to the assessor’s office regarding personal property could have assessed by telephone. The telephone number is (479 ) 444-1520. There’s a special number for Lincoln residents, and that’s (479 ) 824-4280.
Parking near the Washington County Courthouse is a bear these days. The county closed the 23-year-old parking deck after a 9-foot chunk collapsed last month. The deck will be replaced, but it’ll take at least 18 months to get the work done.
Q: “Could you check on the status of the Sixth Street light by the Fayetteville High School ?” Langbein writes. “As a parent of a student, I would like to know when we can expect it to happen.”
A: The city asked the Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department to determine whether a traffic signal was needed at Sixth Street and Garland Avenue in October last year. The state in March let the city know it’s needed, said Joe Shipman, the Highway Department’s district engineer.
Now, Fayetteville’s goal is to have a traffic signal operating at the intersection by early March, City Engineer Ron Petrie said.
That’s contingent on gaining a traffic signal device permit from the Highway Department to install the traffic light on Sixth Street, which is also a state highway (Arkansas 180 ).
It’ll take about 12 weeks to get signal poles manufactured, Petrie said. The poles should arrive by Feb. 1. Robert J. Smith, aka The Guru, writes on traffic issues in Northwest Arkansas each Friday. He may be reached at gridlockguru@arkans asonline. com or www. nwanews. com / gridlockguru.
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