By DAVID NICHOL
T-H Staff Writer
Marvin Morrison, warden of the Federal Correctional Institution-Forrest City, called on the community Tuesday to join in supporting a new junior high school.
Morrison spoke to the Forrest City Rotary Club Tuesday on the recently-approved third phase of the prison, and also made a tie-in between local prosperity and the need for a new junior high school.
"I think everybody needs to bind together and make things happen. We need to come together as a community, come together as one," he said.
Morrison talked to the Rotarians about what the staff payroll at the third prison phase would probably be, and how much of a boost that could give to the local economy.
"I'm just estimating," he said. "But if we employ an additional 250 people, we're talking about $14 to $15 million, just in payroll for the staff."
Morrison said Forrest City would naturally want to keep as much of that revenue locally as possible, and he told the Rotarians the junior high school is a big key.
"We talked about keeping the staff in the community," he said. "I mentioned that one of the things that has to happen to keep our staff here is the junior high school."
He said it has become a recurring theme.
"What I hear from my staff is, they're coming in for the first time and looking around, and a lot are moving to other areas because they have kids who are junior high age."
He continued, "I don't think housing is the big issue anymore. I think the big issue is that junior high school."
Last September, a 3-mill request to build a new junior high school was voted down by 276 votes. It was the fourth time voters have turned down millage for a new junior high.
The school was constructed in 1931, with additions in 1959 and 1971. The two-story central area of the school would be replaced, according to the plan announced before the last election. The north classroom wing and the cafeteria would remain.
Morrison also talked to the Rotarians about the new prison phase.
In December, Congress approved $95.8 million for the third, medium-security phase of the prison. There is already a low-security prison and a minimum-security camp.
In January, Flintco Inc. of Memphis received the contract for construction of the facility. The Flintco bid was $86,403,035.
Morrison said construction could begin in March or April, and would take about three years to complete.
Sales tax figures for December in St. Francis County have been reported. In addition, the County Treasurer and Forrest City Clerk-Treasurer have reported an increase in revenue between 1999 and 2000.
According to City and Town, the publication of the Arkansas Municipal League, during December, the county's share of the county wide sales tax was $137,737.96. Towns within the county received the following: Hughes, $25,035.08; Forrest City, $186,838.20; Wheatley, $6,263.36; Palestine, $9,940.28; Madison, $17,657.64; Caldwell, $4,669.56; Colt, $4,669.56; Widener, 5,326.64.
In towns with their own sales taxes, the receipts were as follows: Forrest City, $134,143.66; Hughes, $9,896.68; Madison, $1,796.23; Palestine, $4,913.18; Wheatley, $4,623.65.
According to Ann Harbin, county treasurer, during 1999 the county received $726,644.36 from the 1 percent sales tax for the jail bond, increasing to $830,982.01 for 2000. The 1 percent solid waste tax brought in $813,266.90 in 1999. This increased to $866,551.89 in 2000.
Three sales taxes are collected in Forrest City. Marie Todd, Forrest City clerk-treasurer, said there was $1,697,531.25 collected on the city 1 percent sales tax in 1999. This increased to $1,779,580.94 in 2000. Revenue from the county tax revenues in 1999 totaled $1,035,552.53, increasing to $1,111,815.99 in 2000. The city in 1999 received $1,103,176.89 from the county's solid waste tax. This increased to $1,175,456.72 in 2000.
A lawsuit has been filed alleging that the Palestine-Wheatley School District has been allowing residents of Lee County to attend school at Palestine-Wheatley, without having complied with the proper regulations.
The suit was filed Jan. 16 in St. Francis County by Lee County School District No. 1.
Lee County is seeking monetary relief in the suit, based on how many Lee County students have been attending Palestine-Wheatley.
The regulation in question, A.C.A. 6-18-202, (d)(1), covers any school district which knows, or should have known, that a student is a resident of another district, and is not included in any tuition agreement or not officially transferred to the school. Under the code, the offending school district is liable to the resident district of the student. The amount of liability is for an amount of money equal the Minimum Foundation Program Aid table rate, or $750 per year, whichever is greater.
Names and addresses of the students allegedly involved were sealed. It is not known how many students there are, or for how long those students have been attending Palestine-Wheatley.
According to the suit, letters were sent to the Palestine-Wheatley School Superintendent's office on two occasions concerning the matter. Once on Oct. 7, 1999 and again on Aug. 30, 2000.
On both occasions, the letters warned the Palestine-Wheatley of students who were residents of Lee County, who were not attending Palestine-Wheatley by virtue of any tuition agreement or transfer.
Neither Lee County School Superintendent Karen Buchanan nor Palestine-Wheatley School Superintendent Jimmy Allen could be reached for comment.