By KENDALL OWENS
T-H Staff Writer
Forrest City Water Utility Manager Jim Beazley this week agreed to a change in the policy used by the department to determine the hiring of contract labor under $5,000.
Water Commissioners discussed last month the use of Larry McNair for contract services on a variety of jobs with the utility. According to Beazley, the utility has been using a city ordinance which mandates that all contracts in excess of $5,000 be bid but left contracts under $5,000 to the discretion of the mayor or the person designated to make such decisions.
"Generally, $5,000 has been the limit before you had to bid work. I guess I need some guidance about what we're going to do about that small stuff," Beazley said.
Commission chairman Jimmy King told board members that his only problem with the contracting of McNair for the services deals with the method of paying McNair on an hourly basis, instead of on a flat scale per job.
"When you're paying a man by the hour he can work on whatever pace he wants too. You can go out here and get a price to build a building that one man may tell you he will do for $3,000 and another will tell you he can do for $2,500. But, if you pay him by the hour it may cost us $4,000 to $5,000. I'm not saying not to use him. I'm just saying we shouldn't be paying him by the hour for contract work," King said.
Commissioner Ricky Benson also commented on the matter. "I don't know this man, I don't know what he looks like, and it doesn't make a difference to me. I'm just saying give me something in writing on the work, and you have the authority to contract him. I'm not saying don't use him. I haven't found anything wrong with his work, but $18 per hour gets me. We're saying, 'Well he uses his own tools,' but it's a bad carpenter who doesn't use his own tools. If you're a professional, then you're supposed to use your own stuff. He knows what he charges per hour so he could just figure that into his bid," Benson said.
Beazley agreed not to continue to pay McNair by the hour for contracting work and also agreed that he would seek two additional area contractors to compare prices for jobs done for the utility.
In other business, Ronald Williams approached board members regarding a possible extension of sewer services to property located on West Broadway near the city limits. Williams spoke to board members requesting the extension which would bring services closer to property owned by himself and two other family members. Board members agreed to submit a letter to Williams explaining options to extend the services, but were in agreement that the utility could not cross private property to offer the services.
Beazley also told board members of a bid opening on two projects to help secure the city water facilities.
According to Beazley, he accepted bids on a project which will surround the city water plant and pumping stations with six foot fences with barbed wire and a project which will place expandable metal in the windows and doors of water facilities. Both measures, according to Beazley, were taken following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and recent anthrax scares as preventative measures.
King questioned Beazley regarding the opening of bids and accepting of bids without the commission being present and voting on them. Beazley said he made his decision based on what he felt was an emergency need for measures to be taken in light of recent events.
By CRYSTAL HOLLIS
T-H Staff Writer
The Inner-Tribal Native American Pow-Wow, a three-day event formerly hosted in Marianna, will be moving to Forrest City this year, according to St. Francis County Museum Director Laura Mazzanti who anticipates the event could bring as many as 5,000 visitors to the county.
Mazzanti told the museum board members this week that she had met with Native-American directors Frank and Cinda Brent earlier this week to discuss the event.
"The pow-wow has attracted up to 5,000 visitors and participants, representing 19 tribes, in the past, and will take place in March of 2002," she said. "This is a really big event. It was reported that $1,000 was spent in motels in Forrest City by those attending the pow-wow last year, and the pow-wow wasn't even held here then," she said.
Mazzanti, who admitted final arrangements had not been completed, said the groups may set up at the fairgrounds.
Mazzanti also said the museum, in conjunction with the county, will sponsor the pow-wow, but noted that it will not cost the county or the museum any money to sponsor the event. "We will mainly be the main information center for the event, and we do have a lot of Native-American artifacts here which were collected by Dr. Rush when he was still alive. The Brents were very impressed with the collection and said they would encourage those attending the event to visit the museum."
She also said those participating in the pow-wow will be bringing their own concessions and crafts.
Mazzanti said St. Francis County Judge Carl Cisco started talking to the Brents earlier this year when he visited the pow-wow, and said he felt St. Francis County could do more to promote the event.
In other business, Mazzanti said the Christmas season will be a very busy one at the museum because of several programs that will be getting under way soon. "We have the Junior Auxiliary's Angel Tree starting Monday, Nov. 26, and we will be a drop-off station for Toys for Tots again this year.
"We will also keep the Angel Tree up after the program for the Junior Auxiliary is over, and we plan to decorate the tree in red, white and blue Christmas decorations. We will then allow those with friends and relatives serving in the armed forces to bring a small picture of the service person and place it on the tree. Or, if they don't have a picture, we can still write their name on an ornament," she said.
The museum will also allow those with older toys or dolls to bring them to be put on display at the museum for the Toys of the Past program. "People can start bringing the toys for display next week, and we hope to have the displays and all of the decorations through with later next week," said Mazzanti.
She also said the museum will be open this Friday and Saturday, Nov. 24 and 25, to allow those visiting for the Rumble on the Ridge Basketball Tournament to visit the facility. The museum will also be open on the two Saturdays prior to Christmas. Saturday hours at the museum are 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The museum will be closed from Saturday, Dec. 22, through Jan.
2, 2002.
The Forrest City School Board is scheduled to meet at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 27, in the administration building.
Board members will consider bids for the construction of a new junior high school and hear other reports related to the facility's construction.
Committees appointed to study the child nutrition and roofs in the district will make reports to the board.
Under new business, board members will review ASBA insurance, grants by the Forrest City Education Foundation and a grant for the Lincoln Middle School. The board will also hear from the St. Francis County Saddle Club and discuss pay for the after-school tutoring and homework hotline programs.
A lawsuit has been filed on behalf of 13 students who were riding in a Forrest City school bus when an accident occurred last year.
Named as defendants are the Forrest City School District and Paul Wright, who was driving the bus.
The suit claims that on Oct. 19, 2000, Wright was driving a school bus which was involved in a collision. The suit claims that Wright was negligent.
The suit seeks payment for medical expenses for the 13 students from Traylor Chiropractic Clinic, Baptist Memorial Hospital-Forrest City and Haymer Chiropractic Center. The suit also seeks "all other just and proper relief."