By KENDALL OWENS
T-H Staff Writer
Plans for a proposed transportation mall to be located in St. Francis County are moving forward, according to St. Francis County Judge Carl Cisco.
Cisco said he and members of the area's Planning and Development District met with members of the Commerce Department in their regional office in Austin, Texas, last week to discuss a proposal that would allow Arkansas State University to handle studies on the project as well as provide funds that would supply a part-time coordinator for the project.
"The Planning and Development District has submitted a proposal to the Department of Commerce which would allow ASU to do all of the studies that need to be done with possibly the exception of the environmental studies. It would also provide for a coordinator which is needed because we're getting into an area right now where we need someone to compile all of the information and work with the several government agencies that we're working with," said Cisco.
The proposed transportation mall would be a state-of-the-art rest area and travel lodge complete with convenience stores, motels and restaurants. According to Cisco, the mall could bring more than 400 long term jobs to the county.
"Plans show that this would be the largest transportation mall in the country. It would be owned by St. Francis County and would bring a vast amount of tax revenue into the county. The preliminary plans for the facility would be a 200-acre park equipped to handle 1,000 trucks with a separate area for family vehicles. The mall would have an area for gas stations, convenience stores, restaurants and a motel," Cisco said. "We've had one company that has expressed an interest in the project, and that company alone would be looking at over 450 permanent jobs."
According to Cisco, last week's meetings seemed good and may lead to funding from the Commerce Department. He also said that he has received support from others such as Senator Blanche Lambert Lincoln.
"The Commerce Department liked the idea, the numbers on the proposed jobs that would be created in the area and the taxes that would be collected to benefit the county. The Planning and Development District works with a lot of the programs, and once we get the funding, which it looks like we're going to ge,t they can get to work quickly on the surveys and have those done within 90 to 120 days," Cisco said.
By CRYSTAL HOLLIS
T-H Staff Writer
The Forrest City Advertising and Promotions Commission agreed Thursday morning to spend money again this year to advertise in a state brochure.
Commissioners agreed to spend $3,450 for two pages in the Delta Byways travel brochure, but stressed they would like for the pages to have a different look over the way last year's pages appeared in the brochure.
Last year, one of the two pages focused solely on the St. Francis County Museum. This year, commissioners want to include the museum in an ad and have both pages focus on Forrest City.
"We need to mention the museum, but we need to promote our ballparks, the Rumble on the Ridge, and that we hosted the 5-A basketball tournament this year," said Commissioner Mark Turner.
Commission Chairman Kem Merrell said he did not like the pictures in last year's brochure. "I open up this thing and it just doesn't do anything," said Merrell. "I see a lake and the civic center and it just doesn't do anything. I want it to be more outstanding," he said.
Niki Jones, director of community relations with the Forrest City Area Chamber of Commerce told the group that last year the pictures for the brochure were taken in a single day. "They came here and announced themselves, and we had to rustle up people in this block to have their picture taken," said Jones.
Merrell said he would like to see more action photos in this year's brochure.
SFC Museum Director Laura Mazzanti was asked by the commission if there is any other advertising from the Delta Byways Commission. "Not at this time." said Mazzanti. "For right now, this brochure is all there is." She also noted that about 75,000 brochures are distributed nationwide by the Delta Byways.
"The Delta Byways will be putting up signs, and we are an official tourist destination on the Delta Byways, but it will be some time before signage will be available," said Mazzanti.
She also told commissioners the state is two years behind in putting up signs in Arkansas. "Right now, there is nothing on the interstate to indicate there is a museum in Forrest City," said Mazzanti.
In other business, Mazzanti updated commissioners on a possible car show in Forrest City.
"I attended the one in Jonesboro at the Convocation Center, and by talking to people, and looking around, I could see it would be a huge undertaking," said Mazzanti. "You would need to find a local civic group to help with the project, and it would have to be in March, April or May, That is the season for car shows."
Mazzanti told the board 4,000 people attended the two-day auto show in Jonesboro, and each entrant paid a fee of $25. "This thing can make a lot of money for Forrest City," she said.
By DAVID NICHOL
T-H Staff Writer
State Rep. Danny Ferguson , D-Forrest City, on Thursday afternoon voted for an increased tax on beer to help pay for early childhood legislation, because, he said, many local children need the ABC program.
The measure, which originated in the Senate, now returns to the Senate because of some changes made in the House.
The bill, by Sen. John Riggs, D-Little Rock, would raise the excise tax on beer three percentage points. That would be about 12 cents on a $4 six-pack. It contains a "sunset clause" which makes the tax collectable for two years only, said Ferguson.
The tax, if passed, will raise about $9.6 million a year. Eighty percent would go to Arkansas Better Chance, or ABC, a state-run program that helps prepare poor children for a better start in school. The rest would go to the Department of Human Services to cover child care for the working poor.
Even earlier in the day, Ferguson had said he would vote for the tax. And although he said earlier he thought it would be close, the actual vote was decisive, 65-22 in favor.
"It's tough voting a tax," he said, but added that many legislators were unhappy over being put in a position in which they almost had no choice.
"What's got most of the Legislature aggravated is, we started budget hearings on the second Tuesday in October. We had budget hearings in October, November and December. And all of this was under the (Gov. Mike Huckabee) administration's projections of Arkansas Revenue increasing a large amount," said Ferguson.
He said although many legislators thought the projections were too high, they had to work with the projections.
"We went through the whole budget process, including the teacher raises, with promises from the head man there was going to be plenty of revenue growth without any tax increases."
He said that changed drastically.
"So in walks the Department of Finance and Administration, less than two weeks before adjournment, and admits that their growth projects were too high, and revenue is going to be about $153 million short of what they thought it was."
He said suddenly cuts were inevitable in many areas, and it was getting late.
"In last minute scrambling, a lot of the senators and representatives feel bad that we had to put a sales tax on anything this late in the session. But given the cuts of more than $7 million to ABC schools, we felt that we had to vote for it," he said.
"It just did not make sense to add raises for teachers to bolster education, and then turn around and cut the ABC schools out, especially in low income areas."
Ferguson said the legislators are trying to wrap up things.
"We're going at light speed over here now," he said. "We're working 12-hour days, going into session, going into committees, coming back into session."
Opponents of the beer tax bill have said retailers who sell beer would be hurt by the tax, and legislators should stop taxing people to increase government services.
The Forrest City City Council will discuss the possibility of allowing sewers out in the county to be connected to the city's sewer system at the next council meeting, to be held Tuesday, April 17, at 7 p.m. at city hall.
Quorum Court Justice Author Witherspoon is on the agenda to speak on the matter.
A proposed annexation will also be discussed.
There will also be discussion of a resolution for compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and the appointment of an ADA coordinator.
A possible Website for the city will be discussed. Also, the St. Francis County Food Pantry will be requesting an increase of $100 a month.
Some of the other agenda items will include a reappointment to the Forrest City Housing Authority and permission to bid out traffic lights.
The Palestine-Wheatley School Board will meet Monday, April 16, at 6:30 p.m. in the P/W high school cafetorium.
Some items on the agenda are the contracts of certified employees, a presentation by the parliamentary procedure debate team and a discussion of possible surveillance on buses.