By DAVID NICHOL
T-H Staff Writer
Representatives of the Federal Emergency Management Agency met with local officials Wednesday afternoon at the St. Francis County courthouse, to discuss help which can be received through the FEMA Public Assistance Program.
City, county and non-profit group officials are seeking monetary assistance to clean up and repair things that were damaged during the December ice storm.
The Public Assistance Program provides supplemental federal disaster grant assistance for the repair, replacement or restoration of certain types of property. This includes publicly owned facilities and certain private, non profit organizations.
(Private property owners and commercial property owners have other routes -- a number they can call for assistance. The number is 1-800-462-9029.)
Wednesday's meeting was conducted by Charlie Dees with FEMA.
"In our FEMA application process, we have what we call a kick-off meeting, which we're doing today for the applicants," said Dees. "We explain the program to them and get started on recovery costs. We're going to meet with each applicant individually, write up the project work sheet, get them in the system and get the money back to them."
The representatives were told the damage had to have occurred between Dec. 12, 2000 and Jan. 8, 2001. They were told that between now and Feb. 27, local governments can receive 90 percent of the cost of debris cleanup. After Feb. 27, the amount will fall to 75 percent.
Plus, "It has to be something that happened as a result of the ice storm," said Dees.
Along with debris removal, emergency protective measures performed to eliminate or reduce immediate threats to the public are eligible for assistance. This could include search and rescue, warning of hazards and demolition of unsafe structures.
Permanent work, to restore a damaged facility to its pre-disaster design, is eligible. This could include roads, bridges, shoulders, ditches, culverts, lighting and signs. On that matter, Forrest City Mayor Larry Bryant commented that a traffic survey is currently being made on whether to replace the traffic light on Buford Street which was destroyed by the ice storm.
Permanent work could also include such things as drainage channels, pumping facilities, emergency repair of levees, buildings and contents and public parks.
After a general discussion, the meeting broke up into smaller groups. Government officials huddled with FEMA representatives to talk about their individual problems.
By DAVID NICHOL
T-H Staff Writer
Mayor Larry Bryant gave his State of the City report Tuesday night, during which he said Forrest City is in good shape and challenged city council members to cooperate on his planned expenditures in the coming year.
"(The year) 2000 was a great, fantastic year for the City of Forrest City," said Bryant. "But 2001 will be even better as the mayor and city council work toward 'one Forrest City,' a city were all the people are served with quality service, a top-notch police department working to protect and serve our citizens, a number-one fire department ready and able to protect our valuable assets, a public works department fully equipped to meet the needs of our citizens...and that came to our citizens' aid and rescue during the adverse weather."
Bryant said that in 2000, there had been $170,000 in sidewalk construction and more than $300,000 in street repairs and overlays.
He also said 2000 had seen the start of work on the western bypass and funding for the third phase of the Federal Correctional Institution, as well as funding for a new Senior Citizens Center. He also noted that participation had increased in the city's youth recreation programs.
Bryant said his proposed expenditures were important.
"We will truly be one Forrest City when this city council follows through on the mayor's 2001 capital improvements program," he said.
These include $100,000 for business and housing development, $50,000 for park and recreation improvements and $1.5 million for a new multi-purpose gymnasium facility. He also mentioned a fire substation on the bypass. According to Bryant, the proposals could all be achieved without a tax increase.
"The capital improvement program, if approved by the city council, will be paid for out of new reserves, reserve funds accumulated in the last two years by the mayor and city council," Bryant said. "This means the city of Forrest City can improve the quality of life of its citizens without raising axes, and it also means we will still have about $4 million left to take care of emergency needs."
Bryant said the capital projects would cost about $2 million total.
"Please use your collective energies and wisdom to move us forward as one Forrest City, a city that lives up to its motto of 'Jewel of the Delta,' the hub of business and commerce for Eastern Arkansas," he said. "May the Lord continue to bless our city. We came through the ice, the snow, and a power outage without loss of life. We have much to be proud of."
By KENDALL OWENS
T-H Staff Writer
A policy regarding sewer services provided by the Forrest City Water Department will be amended with city council approval.
Members of the Forrest City Water Commission this week agreed to amend the utility's policy regarding how it would determine which areas outside the city limits could receive city sewer service.
The policy decision was made following a presentation by Eddie Brawley with Brawley Consulting Engineers Inc., of West Memphis and St. Francis County Justice of the Peace Sam Armstrong.
Brawley and Armstrong discussed a grant the county is seeking to provide sewer services to some areas near Forrest City. The county cannot seek the grant without water department officials agreeing to allow the sewer service be attached to city lines.
The original policy stated that no areas outside the city limits would be allowed sewer access. The amended policy now allows city sewer hookups for residents in areas that may be annexed, provided the costs of the hookups are paid by the resident.
The grant could offset the costs incurred by residents having to pay for sewer hookups. Until the grant is funded, residents will have to pay to extend the sewer line from the city cutoff point to their property, and all work must be done to city specifications.
Currently, four locations are being studied for sewer access, and two of those will likely be annexed into the city, according to FCWD Manager Jim Beazley. Two of the locations are on Highway 70 West, one is near Prosperity Church in Beck Spur and the fourth is on Turner Road.
"In the past we've always said that we only extended sewer to areas that were inside the city limits. We won't put sewer on anyone's property because we can't increase the value of someone's private property. The Patillo Acres area may be annexed due to the bypass construction, and the other area on Highway 70 could be annexed in the future. The other two aren't likely to be affected by the bypass," said Beazley.
The commission agreed to formulate a new policy which would open the door for areas that are practical for annexation to be allowed to connect, but areas that were impractical for annexation be taken on a case by case basis.
The commission was also updated on the cross connection program. "We've started mailing out letters to business owners informing them of the need to update. We've already had a few businesses update and inform us so the program is working," said Beazley.
By CRYSTAL HOLLIS
T-H Staff Writer
The Wheatley City Council is being petitioned to once again remove two council members from office, based on claims that neither lives in the ward from which they were elected.
Mayor Larry Nash presented two letters and petitions to the city council at a recent meeting regarding the positions held by Arvern Burnett and Geraldine Watson.
One petition asks that Timothy Sparks, who was defeated in his race for position five on the council by Burnett, be sworn in instead of Burnett because, the letter claims, Burnett does not live in the city limits.
The other petition asks that Watson not be appointed to the city's planning commission because, the letter claims, she lives in Monroe County.
Wheatley Attorney Bill Snowden said he had reviewed the statutes regarding the election of people who may live outside a city's city limits, and that state law requires an alderman to live in the ward that he or she represents.
"The $64 question is what constitutes having a residence in the ward," Snowden said.
"The only way I know to remedy that is to take that alderman to court and try to prove that he or she does not live at that residence. There are no recent rulings that spell out what constitutes a residence," Snowden added. "The circuit judge is the only one who can rule on that issue, not the city council.
"Until this matter goes to court and a circuit judge tells me that someone doesn't live where they are supposed to live, I'm going to believe them," Snowden said.
Nash agreed, "We can't tell Arvern that he can't legally be on this council. I just can't understand what the problem is. These people have lived in this town all of their life."
In other business, the council adopted the 2001 budget with expenses projected at $228,500 for the year and income at $228,600.
Councilmen also accepted a bid of $60,000 to have limbs from last month's winter storm hauled away.
Nash told councilmen that FEMA is expected to pay up to 90 percent of the costs of the clean-up effort, and the state would pay the remaining 10 percent. "It will not cost us anything to have all these limbs cleaned up, but like many other city officials in Arkansas, I don't know when we will receive the money," Nash said.
A suspect has been arrested in the November rape of a Forrest City teenager.
Bennie Hilliard Jr., 44, was arrested Wednesday in connection with the alleged rape of a 16-year-old Forrest City teen.
Hilliard was arrested as the result of an investigation conducted by the Forrest City Police Department and the Arkansas State Police Family Protection Unit.
Hilliard is scheduled to be arraigned in Forrest City Municipal Court Friday morning.