By DAVID NICHOL
T-H Staff Writer
Actual demolition of the old Forrest City Junior High building could begin any day, the school board learned Monday night.
The board also agreed to study the possibility of reducing the size of the school district's cafeteria staff.
The board was informed that work on removing the asbestos in the building had been completed. In addition, Biggs Wrecking Co. of Memphis submitted a low bid of $145,000 to tear down the building. Workers for Biggs were putting up a safety fence around the school on Monday.
Architect Bob Beavers told the board that the demolition is supposed to take a maximum of 40 days. "We hope he'll be through before that," said Beavers.
Beavers said he hoped contracts could be awarded for construction so that the building of the new school could begin soon after the demolition of the old building.
Pat Flanagin, fiscal officer for the district, was asked if anything had been salvaged from the old building. He said air conditioning, light fixtures, ceiling tiles, desks, the intercom system and some metal doors were saved and can be re-used.
After some discussion, a decision was made to have lockers in the new building. The possibility of not having lockers was discussed, but it was decided that it would be better for the students to have lockers.
On another matter, Evelyn Rayford, head of the Child Nutrition Program, and Flanagin gave a report on the losses being incurred by the cafeterias in the school districts.
Flanagin said last year, the total loss was about $161,000. This year, if projections are correct, the loss could be $255,000. Next year, the loss could be over $300,000, he said. It was also commented that the cafeteria program is overstaffed.
According to Flanagin, there are three possible actions to take. One is to raise meal prices. Another is to offer more "a la carte" items with the money going to the cafeterias. Another is to reduce the full-time staff by about 20. A committee, headed by Rayford, will study all three.
On another matter, Ward Transportation Services of Conway was awarded a contract for four buses at $46,050 per bus. It was also decided to ask for quotes on air conditioning two of the buses.
The board also elected new officers for the coming year, electing to keep the same officers, including Dr. Wayne Jones as president, Gordon McCoy as vice president and Aubrey Jayroe as secretary.
The board accepted two resignations, including Charlotte Wilcoxson as junior high counselor and Willie Gibbs as an in-school suspension aide. Also, two hirings were approved, including Delma Mills for video production for Mustang 17 and distance learning, and Darrell Hodges as a suspension school aide.
In other business, the board agreed to move the November meeting to Tuesday, Nov. 27.
Before the meeting, Superintendent Lee Vent, board president Wayne Jones and board secretary Aubrey Jayroe met with Jack Truemper, vice president with Stephens Inc., to sign documents having to do with the sale of bonds to pay for the new junior high.
By KENDALL OWENS
T-H Staff Writer
The Palestine-Wheatley School Board approved a new vacation and leave policy for annual employees during its regular monthly meeting Monday.
The new policy, which was also approved by the district's personnel policy committee, will limit when vacations can be taken by employees.
PWSD Superintendent Jimmy Allen said the policy is designed to eliminate the use of leave during the school year except for such instances as catastrophic injury or illness. Allen said that the new policy will also set a time frame for new employees for using vacations.
"We've never really had a vacation policy, and we felt like it was time for one to be implemented. In the past we've had guys who wanted to take time off during hunting season and so forth and that really puts us in a bind," Allen said.
The superintendent now has to approve all vacations, and they have to be used primarily during the summer months. "We, of course, understand that people may get sick or injured and there won't be a problem in those instances," Allen said.
In other business, the board accepted the resignations of Maria Hughes, a teacher's aide and Sandra Nicks, Palestine-Wheatley Elementary principal.
"Sandra did a wonderful job working with the faculty, students and community. This is a loss for the district, but we understand that she is seeking new endeavors in her life and we're happy for her. We'll definitely miss her and we wish her the best," Allen said of Nicks.
The board also hired a pair of new employees, Robert Rice, who will work with the technology department, and Maria Wynne, who will serve as a teacher's aide.
Changes were also made to the district's attendance policy. According to Allen, parents will now receive a letter from the district after a student has missed three days informing them of the child's absence. After seven to 10 days of absence, a certified letter will be mailed to parents informing them of the school's absentee policy.
Employees who travel for the PWSD will now see a two-cent increase in travel pay. The board voted unanimously last night to approve the increase in district travel to 28 cents per mile inside the district and 30 cents per mile out of district.
A Forrest City woman was stabbed several times in the head with a pair of scissors during a disturbance at her home Monday night.
Luvenia Bell, 24, told officers with the Forrest City Police Department she was attacked by two female suspects at her home. According to police, the alleged attack stems from an incident involving a brother of one of the suspects.
Bell and Khalilah Hollis, 24, both of 1840 Lindauer Rd., Apt. 7, told police James Frost, 26, who also shares their apartment, held them captive inside that residence for two days. The two told police they were able to leave the home after Frost went to work on Monday. During the course of the events, Frost is accused of threatening the two women with a 9mm pistol.
Frost was arrested Monday afternoon on a charge of possession of a firearm by a certain person. He has not been charged for allegedly holding the women against their will.
About 10 last night, Bell told police she and some friends arrived at her home where they found Laquatta Lasha Moon, 19, of Brinkley, and Latasha Marie McMillian, 24, of West Memphis. The two allegedly forced their way into Bell's home, chased her into a bathroom and began stabbing her in the head with scissors.
Bell was treated and released at Baptist Memorial Hospital-Forrest City.
Moon and McMillian are each charged with third-degree battery.
For the second week in a row, the Professor Pigskin Football Contest went to the tie-breaker game in an effort to determine the winner.
When last week's ballots had been counted, Gene Pryor and Martha Gaines, both from Forrest City, ended in a tie. Both had missed four of the selected games.
Chalk one up for the ladies. Martha will pocket this week's $50 prize since her score of Forrest City 14, Blytheville 6 was closer than Gene's 20-7 Forrest City pick. The Mustangs defeated Blytheville 13-3.
This week's Pigskin Picks can be found inside today's Times-Herald.
Three meetings are scheduled for tonight in Forrest City.
The Forrest City City Council will meet at 7 p.m. at city hall.
The St. Francis County Quorum Court will hold its monthly meeting at 7 tonight at the courthouse.
The St. Francis County Museum Board will meet at 5 p.m. at the Museum on Front Street.
All meetings are open to the public.