By KENDALL OWENS
T-H Staff Writer
Officials with several county offices met recently in Wynne to discuss the effects of new legislation on county government.
St. Francis County Judge Carl Cisco said representatives from each of the county's six elected officials offices met with county officials from across northeast Arkansas at a meeting of the Arkansas County Elected Officials Association.
"All in all, it was a good meeting for everyone who attended. We had representatives from all of our offices and everyone was able to get information on changes that the legislature made during their last session. We learned how those changes might affect each office," said Cisco.
St. Francis County Treasurer Ann Harbin said that although the meeting did not cover much in regards to her office, it was informative.
"There are only nine articles of legislation that really affected my office and with the exception of one, none of them are really major changes. But, the meeting served its purpose by giving us updated information on how legislative changes could affect our offices," said Harbin.
Elizabeth Smith, County Clerk, also said that the meeting was helpful considering the information that was provided.
"They did cover some interesting changes, such as the restructuring of the equalization boards, but there weren't many sweeping legislative changes during the last session," Smith said. "I'll get more information during our annual clerks' meeting in June, but this gives me more information to work with until then."
Chief Deputy Collector Emily Holley, with the county's sheriff and collector's office, said a pair of items were covered during the portion of the program that centered around the collector's office.
"They gave us information on the law that increased the fees that sheriff's offices can charge to issue subpoenas and so forth. They also updated us on the $300 tax credit and that information was also helpful. As a whole, the meeting was very informative," said Holley.
By DAVID NICHOL
T-H Staff Writer
It isn't known yet what effect a judge's decision that the state does not adequately fund public schools will have on the Forrest City School District.
However, it has been going on for a long time.
Pat Flanagin, financial director for the school district and a former state representative, said this morning it was one of his first memories as a legislator.
"When I went to the legislation in 1977, one of the big issues we were wrestling with was court-mandated changes in the method of funding public schools in Arkansas," Flanagin said. "It's kind of like, 'I believe this is where I came in.'"
He said one problem was the high number of school districts in a state with a small population.
"Of course there are a lot of inequities," he said. "When you've got that many school districts, you're going to have a lot of diversity in resources and in student counts."
It has been suggested that any solution to the ruling could require an amendment to the state's constitution. Flanagin agreed that something needs to be done.
"What I said in 1977 is true today -- the more time we spend arguing about it in court, the more money we divert from children to lawyers," he said. "I hope the legislature can come up with a funding formula that meets the constitutional test, and we can all be at peace for a while."
Flanagin said it could cost a lot of money, "and it comes right at a time when the legislature, in just the past few years, has passed a lot of measures that reduced revenue, and then the economy itself is slowing down, also reducing revenue.
"It's a big challenge before the governor and the legislature to figure out what to do about their end of funding public schools -- the maintenance and operation."
Construction costs are handled at the local level.
The ruling was made Friday by Pulaski County Chancellor Collins Kilgore. Government leaders are putting together a panel to evaluate the public education system.
Kilgore said legislative negotiations in 1995 left too many Arkansas Children unprepared to succeed in life.
The panels members are to be appointed by Gov. Mike Huckabee, Senate President Pro-tem Mike Beebe of Searcy and House Speaker Shane Broadway of Bryant. Also making appointments are Sen. David Malone of Fayetteville, the Senate Education Committee chairman; and Rep. Olin Cook of Russellville, who is chairman of the House education panel.
A meeting is planned for Thursday, May 31, to help parents learn more about the Naval Junior ROTC program offered at Forrest City High School.
The meeting will begin at 6:30 p.m. in the NJROTC room located in Room 130 at the high school. Those attending will be allowed to tour the current NJROTC facilities and review the new site for the NJROTC program.
Parents will also be allowed to name the new officers for a NJROTC booster club, review the activities planned for cadets in the 2001-2002 school year, and consider proposed field trips for next year to Pine Mountain, Ga., Charleston, S.C., Norfolk, Va., and Washington, D.C.
For more information on the meeting, or the NJROTC program, contact Lt. Nick Hutchins at 261-1894.