By DAVID NICHOL
T-H Staff Writer
The Senate Education Committee ended up not taking a vote Wednesday on the proposed merger of Crowley's Ridge Technical Institute and East Arkansas Community College, because there was still much more testimony to be heard.
"They didn't finish it," said Rep. Danny Ferguson, who sat in on the meeting. "They heard two hours of testimony, and then they had to break the meeting, because the Senate convened. They're going to take it up again at 9:30 Friday morning."
It is doubtful that everyone who wants to speak will get the chance Friday. There will only be about 30 minutes set aside for testimony.
"I'd say, from the number of people that had signed up on the list, I don't think they got halfway through the testimony," said Ferguson.
He said he had been told 20 people, for and against, had signed up to speak.
"The problem is, the committee is running out of time," said Ferguson.
It was originally thought that the committee would make its recommendation after Wednesday's meeting. Ferguson said the committee may make its recommendation after meeting Friday, but he said he couldn't be sure.
"They may go to Monday," he said, although he said he couldn't speak for the committee. "I don't think we're close to the end of people who want to speak for and against."
Dr. Coy Grace, president of EACC, was one of those who spoke Wednesday.
"From my perspective, I think those who spoke for the merger, made the points we intended to make," he said, but would not make a predication.
"I feel good that we're at the point that the Education Committee has almost completed its hearing and the recommendation will be made by them, one way or the other."
Officials at CRTI have opposed the merger. Sen. Alvin Simes sided with CRTI in opposition to the merger.
Simes said local views were not considered when a task force made the recommendation to merge. There is also a concern that some courses would not be kept.
"There is no guarantee that, after a grace period of a year or two, these classes won't be dropped," he was quoted as saying.
There was also disagreement over whether CRTI and EACC would define technical courses in the same way.
This morning, Burl Lieblong, president of CRTI, said he could not predict how the committee might vote.
"At this point, with Arkansas politics, I can't tell which way they'll go," Lieblong said. "I know we've got a lot of community support in the counties we serve, opposing the merger. Sen. (Mike) Everett and Sen. Simes both appeared and let their opposition be known. All we can do is wait or the outcome to see where we stand."
Ferguson said that while the merger is by far the hottest issue locally, there are other legislative actions which may have an effect locally.
Monday the House passed a bill to set up a juvenile court representation fund, to help counties pay the costs of juvenile advocates.
Tuesday, he said, the House passed a bill to remove the asset test for children to be eligible for Medicaid.
"It is expected that 2,500 to 2,000 children will be made eligible by this law," said Ferguson. "Currently, Arkansas is one of the few states that still has limits on assets."
He said for example, if there is a limit of $3,000 on assets, a child would be denied Medicare if their parents owned a car or a house valued at more than $3,000.
On Wednesday, the House passed a bill aimed at recruiting minority teachers and helping with teacher shortages.
"It's a four-year, $2,000 a year scholarship for a teacher to get a masters, and then teach at least three years in an area that has a teacher shortage," he said.
There are penalties included for teachers who do not fulfill their agreement.
There is also a similar bill aimed at bachelor programs, he said.
By KENDALL OWENS
T-H Staff Writer
County finances are tight and will continue to be, but the county is in good shape financially as a whole, elected officials told members of the quorum court's budget committee this morning.
County Judge Carl Cisco, treasurer Ann Harbin and County Clerk Elizabeth Smith discussed finances with committee members O.J. Gandy Jr. and Regan Hill at a meeting this morning in Cisco's office.
As of today, the county's general fund has a $60,000 balance, according to Harbin.
Cisco said this morning's meeting was to discuss way of heading off future problems with the county's general fund. Cisco told those in attendance that due to the tax shortfall, which was over $112,000, and an error in the final tax settlement for 1999, which caused over $71,000 to be paid to the Forrest City School District and other area colleges and cities, the county will be making efforts to tighten things down in the courthouse.
"We want to emphasize that we're not broke. We just want to tighten things up in the courthouse. We will be looking at each option for saving money that we can. If revenues do not increase then we may be looking at some layoffs somewhere in the future. Basically general is where we have our problems but overall, county accounts stand pretty good," said Cisco.
According to Smith, the financial problems facing St. Francis County are not an isolated incident and that counties statewide are facing the same problems.
"This is something that people from the federal level on down are having to deal with right now, and we don't want anyone to think that the county is in trouble. Financially, we're in good shape. We're just trying to head off a problem that may come up down the road," said Smith.
Cisco also told committee members that the county is expecting to receive some revenue from taxes later in the year but there is also money that is owed by the state and money for fines and tax delinquencies that would help county general.
"The state owes us over $135,000 for housing state inmates in the county jail, and there is some money out there in fines and such that we may be able to collect that will help us avoid a crisis," Cisco said.
According to Cisco, lobbyists are currently working with the legislature in Little Rock to try to get the funds for inmates back to the counties.
Harbin said the county may receive some of the quarterly tax payments from utilities but that money will not come in until May. Harbin added that any funds from the 1/2 cent sales tax that was implemented due to the $300 homeowners tax break may not be received until July.
State Sen. Alvin Simes will conduct a forum for anyone in District 22 who wants to comment on current legislative issues, at 3 p.m. Saturday, March 3, at the Holiday Inn in Forrest City.
Simes said he would give an opening statement on the state of legislation at this point, "particularly with teacher salaries and health care issues."
After the opening statement, he said he would answer questions.
One topic that is sure to come up is the proposed merger of East Arkansas Community College and Crowley's Ridge Technical Institute. Simes has sided with CRTI, against the merger.
Simes would not make a prediction, but he said there is a chance the proposal will fail.
"I'm not sure it's going to get out of committee at this point," he said. According to Simes, senators in the past have been reluctant to do something that will affect a fellow Senator's area, if that senator is against it.
"But actually, the (Senate Education) committee is probably split at this moment, and I'm not sure what the swing votes will do."
A Forrest City woman received a minor stab wound early Wednesday morning after a man forced his way into her house.
Ira Jean Duke of 317 Dooley reported a man wanted in the house and she said no. She said he then came into the house and pushed her to the floor and pinned her down. She said the man pulled a knife and struck her in the upper left shoulder, causing a small wound.