By KENDALL OWENS
T-H Staff Writer
The Forrest City Water Commission on Tuesday rejected a series of bids for cleaning and painting the Kittle Road ground water tank.
Commissioners agreed last week to accept a bid of $148,800 from Utility Service Co., of Perry, Ga., based on the approval by Garver Engineers of Little Rock. In a letter to commissioners, however, Garver indicated that they felt that all of the bids for the project were high and suggested postponing the clean-up and painting of the tank. According to FCWU manager Jim Beazley, postponing the painting would be best at this point due to the oncoming winter weather and the price for the project.
"We were looking at getting bids between $90,000 and $100,000 to do this, but the only ones we received were considerably higher than that. If we were to rebid this right now we would run into problems with the weather and there might not be a change in the price because it's at the end of the season for doing this type of work," Beazley said.
"This tank has needed to be cleaned and painted for two or three years now, so a few more months won't really hurt us. When we submitted bids we didn't receive bids from a couple of companies that we were expecting to, but if we let bids in the spring maybe they'll respond," Beazley said.
In other business, commissioners voted to table a decision on the process of seeking and hiring independent contractors to do small jobs for the utility. Currently the FCWU uses Larry McNair for jobs such as painting and small repairs, but commissioner Willard Ryland questioned why those jobs weren't bid.
"It works out good to me. It's like when we carry a backhoe down to Brothers (Brothers Implement) we don't seek bids to do that because we trust Brothers to do the job. I trust Larry to do the work that he does. Any job of any size of course we bid out, but these are little $300, $400, $1,000, $1,500 jobs that we're talking about," said Beazley.
"About a year ago we talked about this and I think that one of my concerns related to policies and whether as a unit of government we are following state, local and federal guidelines. When it falls into a certain amount of money then of course bids are used, but if it's something small, then the board can approve you to spend up to a certain amount of money but that needs to be systematic," said Ryland.
"I can understand where you're coming from when you say that you trust this individual, but we still live in a free enterprise society, and when you have big amounts of money being spent you have to allow everyone the opportunity to profit from that and not keep going back to the same individual," Ryland added.
Commission chairman Jimmy King questioned the process of payment to McNair.
"This is nothing against Larry, but I don't see why we continue to pay him an hourly wage if he isn't an employee of the Water Department," King said.
According to Beazley, McNair is paid $18 per hour for his work, and the FCWU supplies him with materials.
"As a contractor, when I walk in the door I can estimate how much time it will take me to complete a project and how much materials are going to cost me and then give a bottom line figure on what the project will cost. That's what I'm going to hold my customer to because then they know what they're being charged for a job," King said. "If I foresee that I'm going to run into a problem, I let them know that it may cost a little bit more to complete the job, but if I tell you that I'm going to charge you $250 to hang a door, whether it takes me 30 minutes or three days, you're only going to pay $250."
Commissioner Rickey Benson also commented on the hourly pay. "I've never hired a contractor based on his hourly pay. Last year, I had a roof put on my house and my main concern was with what I was going to be paying, not with the hourly fee of the contractor. I have to know before they get started what it's going to cost me, and that's just how I deal with contractors or carpenters or plumbers."
Commissioners agreed to revisit the issue at the November regular meeting.
By DAVID NICHOL
T-H Staff Writer
East Arkansas Community College is hoping to open a satellite education center in Wynne, but there is still a lot to be worked out, according to EACC President Dr. Coy Grace.
A recent report in a Wynne newspaper said EACC and the owners of a downtown building in Wynne were close to finalizing an agreement. The story reported the project was updated by officials of the Cross County Economic Development Corp. during an executive board meeting last week.
The proposed site for the EACC center is the former Handy Dollar Store on East Union Ave., and Wynne officials hope the center will open in January, according to the newspaper report.
Grace said the school definitely wants the satellite center in Wynne, but called the announcement "premature."
"At this point, EACC doesn't have a lease agreement on any property in Cross County," said Grace. "We are in the process of negotiating a lease but nothing has been finalized. At the last EACC board meeting, trustees granted permission for the college to pursue space for a satellite site in the Wynne area.
"At this point in time we are negotiating for space but we have not contracted for any specific location. This is somewhat premature, as we planned to announce the location of the site after a contractual agreement had been signed."
Beth Loeb, communications director for EACC, said, "The college and the Board of Trustees are very excited and optimistic about the possibility of having an EACC off-campus satellite site in Cross County. This will be a wonderful way to bring the college's services to our students. At this point though, we are strictly in the negotiating process."
If established, the center would offer day and night classes in Wynne.
Alf Barnette, director of the Cross County Economic Development Corporation, was quoted in the Wynne newspaper as saying, "The two have an agreement in principle. Now it goes through the red tape channels of state academia."
The story also said EACC would need 100 parking spaces near the site, as well as the parking lot of the old Handy location.
By DAVID NICHOL
T-H Staff Writer
A Forrest City resident will soon be headed to New York City, to provide medical assistance to those working at the site of the World Trade Center disaster, often referred to as "Ground Zero" or "The Pit."
Steve Yarberry is a paramedic and an instructor in the EMT program at Crowley's Ridge Technical Institute. He has his own company that does training, and he works with Metropolitan Emergency Medical Services in Little Rock. He is also a member of the Arkansas Disaster Medical Assistance Team, AR -1 DMAT for short.
"This is a group of physicians, paramedics, nurses, pharmacists and support personnel, who volunteer their time throughout the year," said Yarberry. "They pay for their own equipment and uniforms. And when they are activated, they become federal employees."
He said the Arkansas organization has been on alert since the terrorist attack on Sept. 11. They will be leaving sometime this month.
The Arkansas group will relieve another DMAT team. The mission can range form providing first aid or staffing overworked hospital emergency rooms to setting up emergency rooms at disaster sites.
Yarberry said in this particular case, they will be providing health care for those who are working in The Pit. He said there have been 5,000 "incidents" of injuries of one kind or another, from broken bones to eye injuries.
The AR-1 DMAT is part of the National Disaster Medical System. While on duty, members serve as temporary members of the United State Public Health Service.
The current assignment is beyond any the group has had before, but it is not the first time it has been called into service. According to a press release, the Arkansas DMAT provided assistance during the recent Houston floods, Hurricanes Gorges and Floyd, the Olympic Games in Atlanta and the Northridge Earthquake in California.
The AR-1 DMAT was founded in 1991.
Yarberry said the scope of the job faced by the workers in New York City is mind-boggling.
"I had no idea until they briefed us," he said. "It's 17 acres. It's a 17-acre site. I can't fathom that."
While he said he wasn't supposed to give the exact dates the team would leave or return, he did say the Arkansas group would eventually be relieved by another DMAT, and might possibly rotate back into service again.
According to the press release, the team cannot accept new members until the current mission is over. However, individuals interested in joining the AR-1 MAT can visit the team's website at www.uams.edu/chrp/dmatweb.htm to learn more. Team members are required to purchase their own uniforms, and must be capable of deploying on short notice and working long hours in adverse conditions.
Organizations interested in supporting the AR-1 DMAT can send an e-mail to AR1DMAT@aol.com.
Current immediate needs include EMS style cold weather coats and jackets, rain suits, steel shank leather work boots and leather work gloves.
By DAVID NICHOL
T-H Staff Writer
Many people in Caldwell will soon have a fire extinguisher in their homes, courtesy of the Caldwell Fire Department and the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
Shane Dallas, assistant fire chief, was at Tuesday's meeting of the Caldwell City Council to explain the FEMA grant.
The grant, for $6,930, is a 90-10 grant, with the city contributing 10 percent. Two hundred, five-pound fire extinguishers will be purchased with the money, "to place in homes of citizens," said Dallas. "Our first priority will be senior citizens." Next will be homes with small children.
The fire department will instruct the residents on the use of the dry powder fire extinguishers. Residents in turn will be asked to pay a $7 annual maintenance fee. Also, the extinguishers will remain the property of the fire department, and people who move away are expected to leave them.
He said plans call for the fire extinguishers to be purchased in December, with distribution starting around the first of next year. He said if things work as planned, more extinguishers will be purchased until every home in the Caldwell Fire Department's area will have an extinguisher.
There are about 175 homes inside the Caldwell city limits. However, the fire department's service area is a good bit larger.
Anyone interested in getting a fire extinguisher will be asked to come by city hall and fill out an application.
On another matter, Mayor Gary Hughes reported to the council that discussions are continuing with the Forrest City Water Utility over water pressure at some of the homes on Barrow Hill Road. The best solution, a new water tank, is out of reach at the moment.
"I'll be looking for some kind of funding for a water tank because that is the ultimate solution," said Hughes.
Two partial solutions have been discussed. One is to add a pumping station on Barrow Hill Road, and the other is adding a second pump beside the existing one. Hughes said it was commented to him that most of the complaints come in when the existing pump is down. A second pump might solve the problem.
The merits of both possible solutions were discussed, and Hughes said discussions with the water utility would continue.
Hughes also gave a brief report on the recent Caldwell Cotton Pickin' Festival which he said was successful.
"It did not cost the town any money," said Hughes. And although he said all the figures aren't in, he believes there will be around $2,000 profit to benefit the fire department.
The St. Francis County Farm Bureau Women's Committee will host its annual Rice Tasting Luncheon on Thursday, Oct. 11, from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., at the Graham Memorial Presbyterian Church. The cost is $5 per person.
The luncheon will offer a wide variety of dishes ranging from salads, vegetables, main dishes, desserts and international cuisine.
Tickets may be obtained by calling the Farm Bureau office at 633-4112 or committee members Judy Jayroe at 633-4112 or Denelda Michaelis at 581-2277.
A new Forrest City business, Millennium Wireless, located at 412 Cleveland St., in the Coventry Cove Shopping Center, will celebrate its grand opening on Thursday, Oct. 11.
The grand opening will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and will include refreshments, door prizes and balloons for children.
The Forrest City Area Chamber of Commerce Green Coats will also be on hand for the celebration with a ribbon cutting ceremony planned for 2 p.m.
Millennium Wireless, which has teamed with SunCom, specializes in calling plans and handsets. The store also has a location in Wynne.
Colt City Council members recently heard second reading of an ordinance establishing two wards in the city.
According to the ordinance, of the two wards, one will be on the eastern side of Highway 1, and the other will include the portion of the city located on the western side of the highway. Two council members will be elected from each ward.
In other business, council members voted unanimously to fully equip the city's new fire truck. Colt Mayor Virgil Keeler said the cost of the pump and motor, the building of the tank and a new set of tires for the truck will cost just under $4,000.