By DAVID NICHOL
T-H Staff Writer
The Forrest City City Council heard arguments for and against a requested rezoning, and decided after discussion that the ordinance needed rewriting.
Bennie Crawford is requesting that property at 1455 Dawson be rezoned from R-2 (residential) to C-2 (commercial) so he can build a convenience store there.
He said the store would be open from 6 a.m. until 8 p.m. and would have a privacy fence around the back.
Crawford also said the entire area will probably be going commercial anyway in the near future. He said that some area residents claim that 25 years ago, they were told that area would always be residential, but said, "That was 25 years ago."
Several people spoke to the council, both for or against to move.
Tammy Headley, who lives at 662 Laughrun in Beech Grove, said she lives directly across from the proposed site, and said her property value would go down if a convenience store was built within sight of her house.
Also speaking against the convenience store was Victoria Duff of 826 Victor. Duff reiterated that residents were promised that the area would remain residential. She and Dorothy Rolfe, who also lives on Victor, also said they were worried about increased crime because of the number of convenience stores which are robbed.
Crawford had said during his presentation that he could legally build cheap apartments on the site, which would probably breed even more crime.
Margie Adams, representing apartments in the area, also spoke against the store, saying that some residents had informed her they would move out if a convenience store was located near the apartments.
Some people also spoke in favor of the store. Gussie Lumpkin of 1453 Beth Street said that contrary to causing problems, a convenience store would indeed be a convenience for her.
"It would be helpful to me not to have to go way out to Wal-Mart just to get a few items," Lumpkin said. Also, in response to some complaints about extra lights, she said more lighting was needed in that area, anyway.
Mary Walker of 942 Victor also spoke in favor of the store, saying the location would be convenient for many elderly people in the area.
Cheryl Crawford if 924 Victor said that convenience stores cannot be blamed for crime. "Crime is everywhere," she said.
After everyone had spoken, the council discussed the rezoning ordinance.
Two sticking points came with the wording of the ordinance. In one part, the ordinance stated that at a recent Planning Commission meeting, no one had protested who lived within 200 yards. Alderman Cecil Twillie wondered if those protesting at Tuesday's meeting lived within that 200 yards. People living within 200 yards must, by law, be notified of a zoning change.
Alderman Glenn Ford said 200 yards or not, people still had the right to speak against something.
The biggest sticking point was where the ordinance erroneously stated that the proposed rezoning received the endorsement of the Planning Commission. It did not.
Knox Kinney said he would amend or rewrite the ordinance. It will be brought up at the next meeting, Dec. 18.
On another matter, no bids were received on a traffic signal for Buford Street.
The council also granted a lot size variance to Gwen Edwards and Gladys Hicks so they cold place a manufactured home at 425 W. Franklin. The Planning Commission had given a do-pass recommendation.
On another matter, the council agreed to give Leonard Devazier a conditional use permit to use a manufactured home for an office building, sales lot and auction at 2333 N. Washington. The condition is that the manufactured home be wired in conduit, which is a requirement for commercial buildings. A variance was also granted, from having to pave the parking and storage areas.
In other action, the council passed two ordinances, one to establish a deferred compensation plan for the city, and the other to require developers to install street lights at their expense in new subdivisions.
On another matter, Fire Chief Dan Curtner requested that the fire department be allowed to purchase new air packs without going through the bidding process.
During discussion, Twillie and several other council members said they could not justify calling the situation an emergency, which is required for waiving bids. In the end, Curtner was told to write up specifications for the air packs to be put out for bids.
In a budget meeting before the council meeting, it was agreed to budget $4,000 for exercise equipment for the fire and police departments, to be housed at the fire department.
By CRYSTAL HOLLIS
T-H Staff Writer
Employment at the Federal Correctional Institution-Forrest City is expected to almost double once the new medium-security unit opens in the summer of 2003.
An additional 300 employees have been requested to work at the new unit being built on the prison's property in the southwest portion of Forrest City.
About 330 people are now employed at the low and minimum-security units, FCI-FC Warden Marvin Morrison told members of the Forrest City Rotary Club on Tuesday.
"I have requested an additional 300 employees to work at the medium-security facility, but that request hasn't been approved yet. If we do have the additional 300, then we will have around 630 employees at the prison," Morrison said. "We will be catching up with Boar's Head then because they have 600 to 700 employees at their plant."
According to Morrison, the new facility is ahead of schedule due to the recent mild winter weather. The $86 million facility is expected to be completed by June 2003. The compound will house an estimated 1,156 inmates.
The construction of a new junior high school is also expected to encourage some new prison employees to live in Forrest City instead of the areas to which many current prison workers have established homes. Morrison said many people have not settled in Forrest City because of the poor condition of the former junior high school. However, a millage was approved by voters earlier this year for the construction of the new school. He said fewer housing opportunities here have also forced some people to move to neighboring communities.
"About 30 percent of the current employees live in Memphis, and an additional 20 percent or more live in Wynne, West Memphis or other areas outside of Forrest City. I have hired some new employees who live in Forrest City, Marianna or other areas around here," Morrison said. "I'm not saying Forrest City hasn't done anything. Forrest City has made a lot of improvements.
"I am so glad we will be getting a new junior high school, and I understand there are more houses and subdivisions being built," Morrison added. "Those were the biggest reasons why most people didn't want to live here. They had school-age children and wanted them to go to better schools."
The prison also recently received an additional appropriation for construction with an estimated price tag of $3.5 million. A new warehouse, gun range and freezer section will be built. "We wanted to add on to the warehouse, but with this money, we can build another warehouse," Morrison said. "We have also been using the city's gun range, but now we will have our own."
On a similar matter, Morrison expressed his disappointment that a resolution to seek a grant to build a community center at Southside Park was not addressed last week when Forrest City Council failed to second a motion that would have put the resolution to a vote.
"I would have liked for them to have built the community center or something to make that part of town a little nicer," said Morrison. "We (the prison) are on that side of town, and we have to go all the way to downtown Forrest City just to go to an ATM machine. There is nothing on that part of town, so I would have liked to have seen the community center come in and make it better."
By CRYSTAL HOLLIS
T-H Staff Writer
Forrest City residents are reminded that tags are required for all dogs within the city limits.
Police Chief Clarence McNeary said the ordinance requiring dog licenses still exists and the ordinance will be enforced beginning early next year.
To obtain a dog license, the owner must go to the city clerk's office and show proof the pet has had a rabies shot and pay $3 for the tag.
The dog tags can serve a variety of purposes, but the main reason they are needed is to help animal control officers identify the owners if the dog is found wandering the streets.
"This has been on the books for a long time, and it has pretty much not been enforced. However, with the new animal shelter the city is building, and because some dogs have been euthanized because we couldn't contact the owner, we decided it is time to enforce it. This way we can reunite the dog with its owner," he said.
If a dog is picked up by police, the animal will be sent to the dog pound and a countdown will begin. "The first time a dog is caught, he will be sent to the pound for 10 days. After the 10-day waiting period, the dog will be killed," McNeary said.
During that time frame, dog owners may pay to get the animal out of the pound, but each time the dog is impounded it will cost the owner more money. "The first time a dog is captured and put in the pound, the owner can claim it within the 10 days and it will cost $5 to get it out. The second time it will be $10, and the third time it is captured, and every time after that, it will cost the owner $15 to get the dog back," said McNeary.
The chief said police are not planning to seek out dog owners to see if the animals are licensed, but will look for the animals during normal patrols.
"They will not show up at every dog owner's house and ask to see proof of a dog license. What they will do is check to see if the dog is licensed during the normal course of work and investigations. Now, if they see someone walking a dog on a leash, they will go up to that person and ask if the dog is licensed," McNeary said.
According to McNeary, enforcing the ordinance will improve the quality of life for people in Forrest City. "It is a quality of life issue," he said. "I grew up with dogs, and I know they can be just like a member of your family. People need to be responsible and get their dog's license so if the dog is captured, they can be reunited."