By DAVID NICHOL
T-H Staff Writer
Forrest City is willing to donate a piece of property for a new Head Start center in the downtown area, if the property can be made to work.
Mayor Larry Bryant told the city council Tuesday night that he had received a letter from the Crowley's Ridge Development Council. The letter stated that the council would build a "state of the art" Head Start facility if the city would donate the land.
Bryant said an architect had visited Forrest City and looked at two possible sites. It was the feeling of the council that some property at Broadway and Rosser would be the best of the two. That property had been considered at one time as a possible location for a new senior citizens' center.
The CRDC wants property 250 feet by 140 feet at least. The Broadway and Rosser property may not come up to those measurements, but there is a chance that the plan could be reconfigured. The Head Start center would include a building, playground, parking space for six vehicles, a car "turnaround" for parents to drop off their kids, and a six-foot safety fence.
In other action, the council voted not to have third reading of an ordinance to allow Bryant to waive bid requirements to purchase a video projection system for the civic center.
Bryant said the city's Advertisement and Promotions Commission had asked him to purchase the system. The cost would be over the amount allowed without a bidding procedure.
Alderman Glenn Ford said he didn't understand why the city could not ask for bids.
"Is it really an emergency, that we can't bid it out?" he asked.
Bryant said the A&P Commission wanted to get the system in place before summer, so it would be there for those who wanted it. He said the civic center recently lost a convention because it didn't have a video projector.
The ordinance was on second reading last night, and Bryant asked the council to waive the rules and read it for the third time so it could be passed. On the vote, Ford voted no and Cecil Twillie abstained. Aldermen A.L.Harris, Roy Hancock, Chris Oswalt, Mary Jeffers and Richard Benson voted yes. John Gadberry was absent. Bryant said that was not a big enough majority to waive the rules.
The ordinance will be up for third reading at the next meeting.
The council then voted to waive the rules on another ordinance -- one to bypass the bidding procedure to purchase a new breathalyzer for the police department. Bryant said the one currently owned by the police department is broken.
It was the general consensus of the council that the need for a breathalyzer constituted an emergency, so all three readings were held and the ordinance was passed unanimously.
On another matter, the council passed a resolution supporting the 2.5 mill increase which the Forrest City School District is requesting in a June 5 election.
The council also gave the code enforcement officer permission to seek bids on demolishing eight condemned structures.
There was also discussion of the partially collapsed building at the corner of Izard and Front streets. The demolition of the building was supposedly stopped because of safety concerns, but some council members expressed feelings that there was too much of a delay. No action was taken.
On another matter, the council discussed money owed to the city by St. Francis County. Bryant said the county owes more than $50,000, from the fourth quarter of 2000 and the first quarter of 2001. The council agreed to have Bryant look into the matter.
By KENDALL OWENS
T-H Staff Writer
Although finances remain tight at the government level, St. Francis County Quorum Court Justices learned during the monthly Quorum Court meeting Tuesday night that the county general fund will be receiving monthly boosts from the state.
During a report to justices, County Treasurer Ann Harbin said county general is currently at $109,267.40, up from $37,906.94 at the beginning of May.
"We've started getting the money from the one-half cent sales tax from the state. On the first, we got $251,780.99, and $32,270.11 went to county general. We received another payment on the 10th for $114,275.84, and $14,646.40 of that went to county general. The first payment we received was for the first three months of the year, and the last payment was for April. Now we will start receiving the tax payments on the 10th of every month," said Harbin.
Harbin also told justices that the first tax settlement from the tax collector's office was received at the beginning of May for a total of $542,288.07. She said over $65,000 of that money was deposited into county general. She reported another partial payment for May was received from the collector's office Monday for $359,747.89, but it wasn't known yet how much of that will be placed in county general.
Justices also approved a pair of ordinances during the meeting.
The first ordinance designates Annie Washington as the county's fine collector clerk. According to St. Francis County Judge Carl Cisco, the ordinance is a necessary appointment which has to be done annually.
The second ordinance justices adopted appropriates $9,272 to the Rural Fire Protection Fund.
In other business, Justice Author Witherspoon gave a brief report on a recent trip to Washington D.C. Witherspoon was part of a contingent representing St. Francis County.
"We spoke to a number of people regarding our attempts to bring a transportation mall to St. Francis County, and the results were good. We were able to speak with Senators (Blanche) Lincoln and (Tim) Hutchinson, Congressman (Marion) Berry and Rodney Slater. They were all supportive of the idea. We also spoke with representatives from the Teamsters Union and the AFL-CIO, and they seemed supportive as well," said Witherspoon.
Forrest City High School has announced its valedictorian and salutatorian for the 2001 senior class.
Leslie Colvin is valedictorian at FCHS. Colvin is the daughter of Ira and Cathy Colvin of Forrest City. She is the granddaughter of Mr. and Mrs. Augustus Colvin of Forrest City, the late Clarence Boles of Heth, and the late Allene Laws and the late Grady Laws of Forrest City.
At FCHS, she has served as drum major and president of the Mustang Band. She has been a member of the All-State Symphonic and Jazz Bands, and has served as a member of the Mustang Jazz Band. She has served as president of the FCHS chapter of the National Beta Club and as reporter for the Principal's Club.
Colvin will attend Delta State University in Missis-sippi, where she plans to double major in pre-medicine and music.
Pratik Patel is salutatorian for the graduating class. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Bhakti Patel of Forrest City. Patel is a member of the Beta Club, Principal's Club and was named to Who's Who Among American High School Students.
Patel will be attending Rhodes College in Memphis, where he plans to pursue a degree in banking and finance.
Colvin, Patel and about 200 other seniors will take part in commencement ceremonies this Friday, May 18, at 7 p.m. in Mustang Arena.
By KENDALL OWENS
T-H Staff Writer
Madison City Council members voted this week to enact a "zero-tolerance" policy against suspected drug offenders.
In a unanimous decision, councilmen voted to increase the police presence in areas of Madison that are suspected of being high drug traffic areas.
"We need to crack down on the users and the dealers. I understand that the police have to follow the law in doing their jobs, but we have to let these people know that they aren't wanted in our neighborhoods," said councilman Oscar Brown.
Madison Police Chief Jerry Donaldson offered his thoughts to councilmen on the zero tolerance idea.
"People need to understand that this doesn't mean that we'll start stopping every car that comes through a certain area. What we will do is become more [visible] in those areas where suspected drug activity is taking place. Those people who are stopped, if we have probable cause to a crime, will be searched. But, just being there will have an impact in the community," Donaldson said.
In other business city council members upheld the termination of two former Madison employees following an executive session.
Former city employees Derian Miller and Rupert Ellis were both fired last month by Madison Mayor James Brooks for insubordination and problems with ethics. Both appeared before the council seeking reinstatement to their positions.
Also at Monday's meeting a resolution supporting the upcoming school millage election was passed. Andre' Stephens with the millage committee spoke briefly, asking councilmen for their support on the issue.
"This is something that this entire community needs. Our children are going to school in a building that is dangerous and dilapidated. It really struck home with me when I was standing outside of my office on Front Street when a 100 year-old building down the street collapsed, not because of an earthquake or because of high winds, but simply because it was old," Stephens said.
St. Francis County Sheriff Dave Parkman also attended the meeting to talk with councilmen about services his office offers.
"My office has had an open door policy since I took office in 1987, and that's the way that it's going to stay. We are here to cooperate with and help the small town police forces in any way that we can, just call on us. We have a serious drug problem in this county with crystal methamphetamine in the white community, and crack in the black community. The only way to fight these problems are through communication and cooperation from everyone in the county from citizens to law enforcement," Parkman said.
Madison council members also agreed to raise the age of individuals from, 14 to 16, that would be considered for summer jobs through the summer youth program being offered through the city.
"If we use 14-year-olds, we can't have them do a lot of the things that we want these positions filled for. Sixteen-year-olds can do all of the jobs that adults can do, and they don't have to have a work permit," said Brooks.
By KENDALL OWENS
T-H Staff Writer
Members of the Forrest City Water Commission voted to seek bids on two separate items during Tuesday's monthly commission meeting.
Commissioners agreed to open the bid process in the purchase of a new tiller which would be used to dig up piping for repair.
"We have seen a pair of tillers that we liked, and we've decided that we like the 'Ditch-Witch' best. They specialize in tillers, and that's what we need," said Marlon Brown, supervisor with the utility.
Commissioners also, on the advice of FCWU manager Jim Beazley, agreed to open the bidding process on two new trucks for the department.
"We didn't buy any trucks last year, and now it's just time to do something to replace a couple of those that we have in service. We aren't going to retire any of our current vehicles, but we would like to rotate their service to different areas," said Beazley.
Board members were also given an update, from Beazley and Brown, on the status of a road used by utility employees to access a pair of test wells that were recently drilled near the Federal Correctional Institution-Forrest City.
"We had to use more gravel last month than we would normally so that we could put a road in out on the property where those test wells were going in. We needed to upgrade the road not only for the contractors that we have out there but for us as well," said Beazley.
According to Brown, the upgraded roads will make it easier for employees to get to the well sites to check the wells when needed.