July 10, 2020

July 6 – 10, 2020

C O V I D -19

City of Hot Springs / Garland County

'Pretty amazing' turnout for
COVID-19 testing event

Swabs were collected for a total of 305
individuals on Wednesday, July 8, at the
free COVID-19 testing drive-thru event at
Forest Lakes.

Healthy Connections administered the
tests, and the event was hosted by District
5 Director Karen Garcia. "It was pretty
amazing yesterday in Hot Springs," said
Jeffrey Slaton, of Healthy Connections.
According to Slaton, test results are back in
about a week, "though sometimes it varies
because of the lab." Healthy Connections
calls patients to let them know of the
positive or negative results.

Those who are tested are encouraged to
isolate themselves. Slaton said, too, that
the test is "a snapshot of what your status
was at the time of the test," meaning "once
you leave there you could be potentially
exposed anywhere before your test result
comes back.

For all the testing sites in Garland County,
visit https://bit.ly/HSGC-testing-sites.

Hot Springs/Garland County COVID-19 Task Force: positivity rate cut in half from previous week

There were 48 new COVID-19 cases reported in Garland surrounding counties and from the southwest region of
County from June 28 – July 5, but because of a record the state. NPMC reported seeing sicker COVID-19 patients
number of tests performed, the positivity rate decreased compared to those from earlier in the pandemic, primarily
from the previous week's 5.8% to 2.7%. in patients who are elderly and with co-morbidities.
CHI representatives concurred, and said those with co-
Also, thanks to the number of recoveries in Garland morbidities are sick for a long time.
County from June 28 – July 5, the number of active cases
at the time of the Hot Springs/Garland County COVID-19 City Manager Bill Burrough discussed the governor’s recent
Task Force virtual meeting on July 6 was 75, only six more executive order that provides local governments across
than the previous week’s total of 69. Garland County the state the choice to enact a draft ordinance, written in
Health Officer Dr. Gene Shelby said the total number the conjunction with the Arkansas Municipal League, requiring
Arkansas Department of Health (ADH) was monitoring – the use of face masks as directed by ADH or by individual
both active cases and possible contacts – was at 98. businesses. The City of Hot Springs Board of Directors
voted to enact this ordinance, replacing the resolution they
The 1,945 test results processed in the past week more than had on their agenda that would have encouraged the use
doubles any previous week’s total. of face masks. There is no penalty or citation as a part of
the ordinance; rather than focus on the criminalization
CHI St. Vincent (CHI) and National Park Medical of refusing to wear a mask, the ordinance promotes the
Center (NPMC) both reported their numbers are still up, use of education and encouragement to ensure the use of
consistent with the previous week, but ample hospital face masks. This ordinance also allows for the use of law
beds and ventilators are still available. They are seeing enforcement to support local businesses that encounter
cases from long-term care facilities and the Ouachita individuals who refuse to wear a mask.
River Unit prison near Malvern, as well as patients from

COVID-19 continued... Weekly Snapshot Page 2

There has been an increase in call volumes to the Hot For more information on the ordinance relating to face masks,
Springs/Garland County COVID-19 Call Center (501-760- visit www.cityhs.net/mask-QA.
4307). Many callers, including people from out of town,
ask about where they can get tested for the virus and what Applicants can choose for assistance in several categories,
facilities offer free testing. Testing at the Garland County including food, rent, utility bills, medical/prescription costs
Health Unit, 1425 Malvern Avenue, is one of the local and costs for gas or public transportation. To donate to the
locations that offers free testing. The complete list of area COVID-19 Relief Fund, visit www.bit.ly/UWO-COVID, call
testing sites is available at https://bit.ly/HSGC-testing-sites. 501-623-2505 or send a check by mail at 233 Hobson Avenue,
Hot Springs, AR 71913.
For those who wish to report an establishment not following
the guidelines set forth by the governor and ADH, either the
Garland County Health Unit can be contacted weekdays at
501-624-3394, or ADH can be called at 501-661-2171. Once a
complaint is filed, an investigator at the local health unit is
assigned to follow up.

The United Way of the Ouachitas application for individuals
and families who have suffered loss of employment
as a result of COVID-19 is online at https://www.
unitedwayouachitas.org/covid-19-application.

P L A N N I N KGath&y SelDlmanE, DVireEctoLr O P M E N T

CDBG helps restore two local historic structures

First, the John Lee Webb House was recognized on social media
by the National Conference of Historic Preservation Officers.
The City of Hot Springs Community Development Block Grant
(CDBG) program has been assisting non-profit P.H.O.E.B.E. in
the historic preservation of the home since 2016 with window
restoration ($50,973), porch and porte cochère reconstruction
($62,000), structural/foundation stabilization ($14,000) and
polycarbonate securing of the interior ($9,179). A 2020 CDBG
award for brick masonry ($60,000) is pending.

From the National Conference of Historic Preservation Officers: (ABOVE) The John Lee Webb House before preservation efforts began in
2016. (BELOW) This aerial image shows progress on the Webb House.
"The ongoing effort to restore the former home of John Lee
Webb, the first president of the National Baptist laymen
and an icon of Hot Springs, Arkansas' Black history,
received a $78,251 grant from the Arkansas Historic
Preservation Program. Webb first visited Hot Springs just
before the fire of 1913, which left a significant section of the
city in ashes. Webb's contacts at Tuskegee University and
his impeccable reputation for honesty made it possible for
him to acquire much property and finances. He saw Hot
Springs as a cosmopolitan town where African Americans
like himself could build and live without harm. The house
is a contributing property in the Pleasant Street Historic
District, which encompasses the historic African-American
community of Hot Springs. A centerpiece of the historic
district is the Woodmen of the Union Building, which
Webb built in 1923-24. The Arkansas Historic Preservation
Program and other National Conference of State Historic
Preservation Officer members help preserve historic
African-American communities throughout America."

Weekly Snapshot Page 3

Planning & Development continued...

Second, the CDBG-assisted roof replacement project at Ouachita
Children's Center has been completed. The aged roof was in
dire need of replacement, and with guidance from Ouachita
Children's Center architect Anthony Taylor and contractor
Reliant Roof Pros, the new roof will not only protect the
unaccompanied youth shelter for many years, it has also
returned historic characteristics of roofing materials, color and
reconstructed decorative dormers to this building listed on the
National Register of Historic Places.

The new roof at the Ouachita Children's Center.

Court case for the week VIOLATION RESULT JUDGE
4 Housing Violations No contest plea; $125 in fines Tapp
ADDRESS
814 7th

Public input sought on 'Forward Hot Springs'

Following a nine-month process to create an update to
the City of Hot Springs’ comprehensive plan, Forward
Hot Springs, feedback from the public is being sought as
the plan’s seven themes is being introduced starting on
July 6 at www.cityhs.net/forward.

Design Workshop was selected by the City of Hot
Springs to work with Planning & Development and other City staff, leaders and residents to create Forward Hot
Springs. Envision Hot Springs was the process of creating the comprehensive plan update, and it involved robust civic
engagement through several community workshops, presentations and polls.

E NGaryGCaIrnNahaEn, CEityREnIgNineeGr

Diamond Construction workers excavated for the 8-inch water main that will serve the Belvedere Nursing and Rehab and the path through the woods at right in which
the new 12-inch water main has been constructed.

Relocation of utilities for ARDOT's Highway 7 North widening project

Diamond Construction of North Little Rock is relocating Diamond Construction has completed the gravity sewer
water and sewer utilities as the first step to the Arkansas portion of the project, and is nearing the finish of the water
Department of Transportation (ARDOT) widening project. main relocation. The sewer force main from Fountain Lake
ARDOT project 061547 is widening the two-lane highway School to Belvedere Nursing and Rehab is scheduled to
to two lanes of traffic, a center turn lane, bike lanes, curb/ be started by the beginning of August. The City’s utilities
gutter and sidewalks from Fox Pass Cutoff to the junction of will all be relocated by October 5, 2020. ARDOT's paving
highways 5 and 7, where ARDOT is constructing a 200-foot construction is set to bid later this fall.
diameter roundabout.

Weekly Snapshot Page 4

PUBLIC WORKS

Denny McPhate, Director

Additional trees planted at David Watkins Memorial Park

(LEFT) The memorial tree at David Watkins Memorial Park, a Shumard oak, was planted this week. It can
get up to 50-feet tall, and in the fall, its leaves will become orange and red. (ABOVE) Five multi-trunk
river birch trees were also planted this week in some of the planters. They turn yellow in the fall and have
exfoliating bark, according to Urban Forester Allen Bates.

Weekly Snapshot highlights some of the recent projects from the various City of Hot Springs departments
and is part of the City’s efforts to broaden its communications with the public.

[email protected] • City of Hot Springs Public Information Department • 501-321-6806
www.cityhs.net