By CRYSTAL HOLLIS
T-H Staff Writer
The Forrest City Planning Commission agreed this week to address residential problems in Forrest City before studying requests for subdivision regulations outside the city limits.
Planning Commission Chairman Danny Capps said commissioners have been asked several times to grant plat approval for subdivisions outside of the city limits so those developments can obtain city water and sewer services from Forrest City.
"The way we see it, these people chose to live outside the city limits and then they want city water and sewer service. We still have residents in Forrest City who still don't have city water and sewer. We (the commission) agreed to take care of Forrest City's needs first," said Capps.
In August, commissioners were asked for preliminary plat approval for a proposed development west of Forrest City in the Beck Spur area. The subdivision, known as S.J. Villa, would be five miles outside the city limits.
"City Attorney Knox Kinney wrote me and said the city has jurisdiction within a five mile radius outside of the city limits. We also share jurisdiction of two-and-a-half miles with a bordering incorporated city," Capps said. So, we would have had subdivision regulations but not zoning regulations outside the city limits, meaning we could not have enforced zoning but they could build any way they wanted to," he said.
Capps also said that the commission believes it would be best to annex areas outside the city limits if those developers requested city water and sewer services, but said there would be problems with that as well.
"That's the way it was done in the past, but it's bad to annex things that have failing septic tanks, and we would have to accept their problems," Capps said.
The commission also passed a motion to create a committee to meet with Forrest City Mayor Larry Bryant regarding his request that would prevent property owners of small lots in a southwest portion of the city from having to get variance approvals from the commission each time they want to build structures on their property.
Capps said the area previously housed structures commonly known as shotgun shacks, which do not meet current city codes. "Now, the houses have been torn down and the properties are too narrow for regulation-sized structures," according to Capps.
Commissioners Glenda Ward and Ken Patterson will meet with the mayor to discuss the issue.
By KENDALL OWENS
T-H Staff Writer
East Arkansas Enterprise Community Board Chair Judge Tom Catlett submitted a response to a March audit/limited review from the Arkansas Department of Human Services in April, according to information given this week by EC consultant Dr. Robert Cole.
According to Cole, Rex Jones, ADHS Assistant Director of Administrative Services, told EC board members that a response to the findings in the limited review was unnecessary.
According to the memorandum from Catlett, "The ADHS advised us that it was not necessary to respond to this report. However, he said, the report was slanderous, compiled of many errors, deceptive and in general was totally biased and not fair to this Enterprise Community," the memo said.
"The report, itself, clearly delineates biases in that organizations and towns with white leadership were reported as 'no procedures performed.' Contrasting these comments, other entities -- virtually all minority -- were cited for deficiencies and in many cases, the citations were incorrect and not constructive.
"We maintain that the EC funds have been used consistent with the EC Strategic Plan and approved benchmarks. If the EC determines that an EC constituent failed to deliver services in accordance with their respective proposals, which was used to obtain funds, the EC will take action in accordance with our contract agreement," the report added.
Cole questioned the distribution of the original report at an "informal" meeting held last Thursday of members of the EC board. According to Cole, only five of 18 members of the EC board were on-hand for the meeting and none of the staff from the EC office attended the meeting.
"I informed Judge Catlett that none of my staff would be at the meeting because of plans that were made prior to the meeting being arranged. I also tried to have the meeting scheduled for another date, but Rex wanted it on that date. I told my staff that they didn't need to reschedule plans because the meeting wasn't a must. I question the distribution of that information to board members and the media without the information answering the allegations also being distributed," Cole said.
Cole also responded to over $118,000 in administrative costs in the EC's response to ADHS.
"The Auditor's (Robin Raveendran) statement that 'the EC Coordinator is paid $26,950 per year' is basically correct. I am a private consultant, as a part of a family business, and I am the principal with the contract with the EAEC. The contract is self-explanatory regarding the payments and the services agreed to. The statement that 'This individual is a full time employee at UAPB' is fraudulent, false, incorrect, deceptive and a defamation of my character and profession. I am not, and have never been, a full-time employee at UAPB," Cole said.
"The statement that 'this individual was paid to do yard work at the Enterprise Community site' is correct. Yes, I do own a small tractor with a mower deck. ALFDC (Arkansas Land and Farm Development Corporation), on occasions, asked if I would mow their yard at the site. I agreed and provided services, for less than cost, five to six times, during the past three years. If ALFDC needed my assistance, and I can help, I will. Again, I am a citizen, an individual and a private consultant. What is the relevance?"
Cole's statement also noted that he had refused to provide Ravendraan with documentation on the amount of time he spent at the EC office.
"Not only was the auditor's request refused, he was advised that this request was out of the scope of his business. I have a contract with the EAEC and not with him. Mr. Robin Raveendran advised that he was doing a single-phase audit and asked if I understood what that meant. This whole issue was insulting and basically ended our conversation on Nov. 2, 2000."
Cole also said that an audit of EAEC books is under way and is being handled by Hood, Pagan and Associates. The audit is expected to be completed by Oct. 31.
"It is our understanding that our audit will be complete by the end of the month as scheduled. We have stayed within our government guidelines, and if the audit isn't complete by then, the auditors will file the proper paperwork requesting an extension. We don't foresee that happening, but we are prepared," Cole said.
By DAVID NICHOL
T-H Staff Writer
People wanting to pay late property taxes in person are finding the St. Francis County Collector's office closed, and are going to have to wait until the office reopens.
The office is closed while the understaffed deputy collectors try to balance what has come in, according to Chief Deputy Collector Emily Holley.
"After everything has come in and been posted, it has to be rebalanced," Holley said. "People need to realize we're not open. We can't open."
The simplest way for people to avoid problems is to pay their taxes on time.
She said last year, there were four people working in the collector's office. This year, there are only two.
"With the cuts, we just cannot open," Holley said. "We are hoping that we might be able to open back up by Monday." However, she said opening on Monday is not definite.
According to Holley, collections in real estate property have totaled just over $3.1 million, while current personal property collections are at about $2.1 million, for a total slightly over $5.2 million.
Most of the property tax money goes to schools, according to Holley. However, the county also receives sales tax revenue.
The St. Francis County Branch of the NAACP will host its 24th Annual Freedom Fund Banquet on Friday, Oct. 26, at 6 p.m. at the Forrest City Civic Center.
The theme for this year's event will be "NAACP it's T.I.M.E." Tickets are $15 and may be purchased from any member of the NAACP's executive committee or by calling 633-8270.
Doughboys Pizza opened in Forrest City this morning, becoming the third store bearing that name in Eastern Arkansas.
Jerry Forrester and Paul Moore have Doughboys Pizzas in Wynne and Earle.
Those familiar with the first Doughboys in Wynne will remember videos. Those are gone now.
"We started out in Wynne," said Forrester. "We started as a video store, and put in the pizza to compliment the videos. But the pizza did so well we took the video part out. We used to deliver pizzas and videos, but that got kind of complicated, keeping up with both businesses."
Located at 405 Cleveland, Doughboys Pizza is delivery and carry out only.
Initially, Doughboys will employ three delivery drivers and two cooks.
Sales and use tax receipts in St. Francis County during September were as follows:
St. Francis County government got $151,248.95. Cities in the county received the following prorated amounts: Hughes, $29,976.84; Forrest City, $237.213.58; Wheatley, $5,972.88; Palestine, $11,897.60; Madison, $15,847.42; Caldwell, $7,466.12; Colt, $5,908.66; Widener, $5,378.82.
In cities with their own sales taxes, the following was received: Forrest City, $178,706.07; Hughes, $8,076.32; Madison, $1,854.82; Palestine, $6,011.74; Wheatley, $6,318.35.