By KENDALL OWENS
T-H Staff Writer
After some posturing, the St. Francis County Election Commission voted this morning to accept the budget for the May primary.
In a meeting Wednesday, Commissioner Steve Hollowell voiced some opposition to submitting the budget, saying that he had not seen a copy of the proposed budget until just prior to yesterday's meeting.
"I don't know if I'm not being contacted or what's going on. I just know that a copy of the budget was given to Carl (St. Francis County Judge Carl Cisco) at the budget committee, and I hadn't even seen a copy of it. I can't sign my name to something if I'm not even involved in putting it together. I don't know if I have any problems with the budget that's been put together or not but I know that I've only just seen it," said Hollowell.
Commission Member Bettye Proctor told Hollowell that Cisco had received the proposal so that he could submit it to the budget committee, but that there were no plans to send the proposal off until it had been agreed upon by the commission.
In a meeting this morning, Hollowell agreed to the budget of $16,080.47, which was submitted to commissioners this morning. The budget was broken down into several categories, including, $6,018.75 for paying election officials; $1,666.52 for part-time employees; $750 for election commissioners pay; $210 for polling place supplies; $3,000 for set up and programming of election equipment; $3,600 for ballot printing; $200 for legal advertising; $185 for milage and $450 for other expenses.
According to Commission Chairman Joe Young, although the state will pay half of what they approve up front, the county will still have to pay some for employees used during the election.
"We can't just get any person off the street to come in here and run the machines on election night. We have to go out and get experienced people to do that, and those people aren't going to take $5.25 per hour. We're also going to be asking people to spend a lot of time up here with early voting and absentee voting, and we have to compensate them for their time," Young said.
Cisco told commissioners that the county would pay its part, but he also asked commissioners to try to keep excess spending down.
"The county will pay for what it has to, but we just want to make sure that the excess is kept down. We recognize that there are certain things that we're responsible for, but in our financial bind, we just want to make sure of what we're paying for," Cisco said.
In an attempt to help with any overspending, commissioners agreed to donate their pay for the election to any over-budget election costs.
Questions were also raised to commissioners over possible illegal meetings. Following Wednesday's meeting, Hollowell went to Proctor's office for what he said was an information-gathering trip.
"It wasn't really a meeting because I was just asking for information that I needed on some commission matters. We didn't discuss anything. I was just asking for the information so that I could study the budget," Hollowell said.
The St. Francis County Community Foundation is accepting applications for grants through May 15. Grants will be awarded in amounts up to $1,000 for local charitable causes.
Foundation Chairman Pat Flanagin said, "Grants will be made to organizations with well-planned approaches to public problems, issues and causes. We are particularly looking for projects through which small amounts of grant money will result in significant outcomes.
"Applicants must be tax exempt under the Internal Revenue Service Code. It is not the foundation's policy to fund religious activities, political campaigns, normal operating budgets, debt elimination or taxpayer responsibilities," Flanagin said.
Flanagin commented on the vision of the St. Francis County Community Foundation. "We are a new organization, and this is our first year to make grants. This year, with support of the Walton Foundation, we have raised endowment funds totaling over $100,000, and will have given $10,000 in grants to local charities. Next year, those amounts will double, and in five years we intend to have $1 million in assets and be providing grants of $50,000 each year," Flanagin said.
Those interested in applying for grants this year may attend one of two application seminars which will be held at 11 a.m. and at 4 p.m. on Monday, April 15, in the Forrest City School District's Administration Office at 845 N. Rosser. Pat Flanagin or Executive Director Joye Hughes may be reached at 633-1485 for questions or to sign up for an application seminar.
It's spring, and it's time to get the family car spruced up after the long winter, and get ready for the rigors of the coming vacation season.
Today's Times-Herald features a special section on car care, made possible by the following sponsors:
AAA Title Pawn, Caldwell Fina, Crowley's Ridge Technical Institute, Dearing Body Shop, Dearl & Harold Auto Electric Service, Diamond D Wrecker, Dub Taylor & Sons Body Shop, Forrest City Bank,
Gray's Service Center, Hicks Body Shop, Hill's Exxon, Jackson Used Cars, Lackey Radiator, Albert Lewis Used Cars, Machen Ford & Chrysler, Mathes Auto Repair,
Howard Miller Insurance, NAPA Auto Parts, Randle & Sons Car Wash, Rowlett Machine Shop, Sonic, Taylor Glass, Transmissions & More, Western Auto and White Motor Co.
A Forrest City man was arrested on drug charges Wednesday after a brief foot chase with police.
John Lee Williams, 31, 820 Oakland St., fled from officers with the Forrest City Police Department after they attempted to capture him on a warrant issued by the Arkansas Department of Community Punishment for a parole violation. After catching him, officers discovered .7 grams of crack cocaine in his possession, according to the police report.
Williams was arrested on charges of possession of a controlled substance, crack cocaine, with intent to deliver near certain facilities, Lake Street City Park.
The charge carries a penalty of 10 to 40 years to life in prison and an additional 10 years for being within 1,000 feet of a certain facility. He is being held in the St. Francis County Jail.