By DAVID NICHOL
T-H Staff Writer
The Forrest City City Council agreed Tuesday night to back St. Francis County's attempt to get a grant to install sewer lines in three areas.
The city's support is needed because the lines would have to be hooked to the Forrest City sewer system.
The three areas are Patillo Road, an area called Patillo 2 on Turner Road, and an area known as Redfern.
Author Witherspoon, a member of the quorum court and a resident of that area, told the council that it would not cost the city, and was also badly needed.
"The cost is going to be all on us," he said. "And we need the use of your system, because we have a failing septic tank system. Please help us by allowing us to hook up."
Kevin McCormick, environmental health specialist with the local health department, was also at the meeting to support the sewer project. He handed out a memo which said because of the failure of the septic system, there is raw sewage in ditches.
In the past, it has been the policy of the city that no one could hook up to the city sewers unless they were inside the city limits. The council agreed on Tuesday that a change could be made in this policy, as long as it didn't result in unrestricted growth. The city can insist that any developers adhere to certain standards.
Jim Beazley, manager of the Forrest City Water Utility, said the additional homes would not create a strain on the system. The addition of those areas would take in 112-115 residents.
Mayor Larry Bryant commented that everything is contingent on the grant being awarded, and he said he didn't think it likely the grant would be awarded on the first attempt.
The vote was unanimous.
The council also briefly discussed some proposed annexation. The city is currently working to annex area around the new western bypass, and it has been proposed that Patillo Road be included. There was some concern that annexing Patillo Road could interfere with the grant process by the county for sewers in that area.
It was decided that a public meeting, to which Patillo Road residents would be invited, would be held 30 minutes prior to the next city Council meeting, currently set for May 1.
On another matter, the council passed a resolution stating the city's intent to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Bryant said the city has done a lot of work, but said he could not find where a resolution -- a required formality --had been passed. The resolution also names Glynnis Lewis as the ADA coordinator.
On a different subject, Bryant told the council that he was in the process of getting some prices for funding a web site for Forrest City. He said he has talked to one provider so far. The site could contain things like history of the town, names of aldermen and perhaps pictures, a listing of city services, city council agendas and proposed ordinances. It could be linked to the local Chamber of Commerce and to the state. It would be updated regularly.
Next, on a split vote, the council agreed to add $100 a month to the city's appropriation to the St. Francis County Food Pantry. The city had already appropriated $6,000 to the Pantry.
Alderman Cecil Twillie said if the Food Pantry wanted more money, the request should have been made during budget talks. Glenn Ford moved to add the $100 a month. He said his motion did not include making it retroactive to January, which would have made a total appropriation of $7,200. The extra $100 will be added beginning in May, which will give a total of $6,800 to the Pantry.
The vote was 6-2, with Richard Benson, Roy Hancock, Chris Oswalt, Ford Mary Jeffers and John Gadberry voting yes. A.L. Harris and Twillie voted no.
On another matter, the council voted to reappoint Arthur Bean to the Forrest City Housing Authority. Alderman Roy Hancock recognized Rev. Michael Gray, who spoke against reappointing Bean, and also said the council was "obviously using no scrutiny" in choosing or reappointing board members. He also said, "You have no checks and balances on Mrs. (Janet) Duncan, because you continue appointing people who have no concern" for people living in Housing Authority housing.
The vote was 7-1 to reappoint Bean, with Hancock voting no.
The council also gave Bryant permission to seek bids on a traffic light for the intersection of Buford and Division, which was destroyed by the December ice storm. He said the Federal Emergency Management Administration has agreed to give about $9,000 toward the new light.
The council also gave Bryant permission to seek bids for sidewalks along 334 and a portion of N. Washington.
By TAMARA JOHNSON
Managing Editor
Salaries for county employees are being reviewed to see that each person received a 2.5 percent raise approved last year by the St. Francis County Quorum Court.
Quorum Court Personnel Committee Chairperson Earlene Smith presented justices with a copy of salaries for county employees during the full Quorum Court meeting Tuesday. Justices are expected to review this information and discuss it further at the May personnel committee meeting.
In other business, budget committee chairman O.J. Gandy told justices county finances are about the same as previously reported in a budget meeting. The county has enough money to make payroll this month, but finances are still tight, Gandy said.
County Judge Carl Cisco updated the group on repairs to the courthouse made necessary due to a fire at that facility in March. "We're waiting on structural engineers to get here and look at it. We also suffered water damage from all the rain we had over the weekend. We're a long way from getting all this settled."
Justices also passed two resolutions. One resolution was to declare a vacancy in the Telico Township constable seat, previously held by Jim Clegg, and the second was to appoint Billy Pillow to the position. Both resolutions were unanimously approved.
By CRYSTAL HOLLIS
T-H Staff Writer
The Forrest City Kiwanis Club honored 40 area seniors at the 18th Annual Kiwanis Academic Achievement Banquet held Tuesday night at the Forrest City Civic Center.
The event salutes the top 10 percent of graduating seniors from the Forrest City, Palestine-Wheatley, Hughes and Calvary Christian Schools. Students were presented with gifts and certificates for gifts.
One FCHS student, Krista Coleman, was selected by the Kiwanis Club to receive a $1,000 scholarship to attend East Arkansas Community College for one year.
EACC President Dr. Coy Grace was the guest speaker for the event, and shared his educational experiences with the group. "Look around and ask yourselves, 'why am I here?'" Grace said. "You did not get here by yourselves. Someone influenced you. Someone in your life has touched you to make you want to strive for excellence."
Grace explained his situation in high school. "I would not have been asked to a banquet for the top 10 percent when I graduated," he said.
He also explained to students about how he was influenced to strive for academic excellence later in life.
"I always did well in sports, but academics was not something I wanted to do well in," he explained. "I was influenced by my father. He would not have been in the top 10 percent. He didn't graduate from high school. He didn't even finish the fifth grade. But he worked hard to achieve something, and I saw how hard he worked. I worked with my father in the mornings during the summer, and then I would go swimming. However, my dad had to keep working all day.
"When I graduated from high school, I started working in a factory where my mother worked. It was literally a sweat shop. It was very hot in that place," recalled Grace. "I was taking a break and drinking a pop when I heard an announcement come on the speaker about enrolling in college. I thought it would be a great idea. It had to be cooler in there than where I was."
Grace said he and 11 other friends enrolled in college as a result of the announcement and only he and another friend graduated. "I was not an excellent student, but I learned I could do better," he said.
Grace now has a Ph.D. in Higher Education from East Texas University, and currently serves as the president of a community college president's organization. "It's not always what you learn, but it's the application of the knowledge that will support your future successes."
By CRYSTAL HOLLIS
T-H Staff Writer
A more sophisticated surveillance system is being researched for school buses in the Palestine-Wheatley School District.
Board members this week agreed to allow Superintendent Jimmy Allen look into the possibility of purchasing a new system for the district's transportation program.
Allen told the board many buses are already equipped with surveillance cameras, but he doesn't feel the existing system has worked well for the district.
"We do need this on every bus," said Allen. "More and more schools are putting them even into classrooms. I hope we never get to that, but a lot of schools are, and I do feel we need them on our buses," said Allen.
In other business, board members approved rehiring 53 certified faculty members.
Elementary principal Sandra Nicks and middle school principal Bobbie Fingers joined the board in executive session to recommend the rehiring of teachers on their campuses. Junior high principal Charles McCain and high school principal Jeff Cagle did not attend the meeting, but the teachers on those campuses were recommended for reemployment by Allen.
Board members only questioned one position, that of Terry Farmer.
Allen said farmer will be the senior high football coach for that district and that will "be his position totally. He will not be a faculty member otherwise."
The board also agreed to place $100,000 in certificates of deposits at the Bank of Brinkley for six months. Allen said he didn't want to tie the money up for a full year because of the low rate of interest being paid at the present time.
The board also watched a demonstration by the high school parliamentary procedures/debate team. The team won first in district competition and recently placed second at the state level.