Rison Mayor Charles Roberts told the city council Tuesday night that he plans to have volunteers with the Rison Fire Department help conduct door-to-door surveys to get a more accurate idea of the percentage of low-to-moderate income (LMI) households in the city.
Roberts said current census figures have it at 47.9 percent, which makes the city ineligible for certain grants connected to LMI. Cities with LMI of 50 percent or more are eligible for grants that could help the city buy a new fire truck.
Also during the meeting, the council decided to pass on offer to clear about 10 acres of land on the city’s industrial development site along Hwy. 79, citing the time and cost of having to maintain the property once it was cleared. There was also discussion of letting the timber mature there.