By KENDALL OWENS
T-H Staff Writer
St. Francis County officials have decided they no longer have any interest in purchasing an incomplete building on South Washington Street which was originally built to house a regional division of the Arkansas Child Support Enforcement Unit.
According to St. Francis County Judge Carl Cisco, the decision was made based on legal issues involving the property and the condition of the building after county officials inspected the facility.
"As of now, the county is officially out of the running for the building. There are some legal matters that concern the building that we weren't comfortable with, and after inspecting the building, we decided that it just wouldn't be feasible for the county to go after it," Cisco said.
Earlier this month, officials with Arkansas State Building Services canceled a contract with the executors of the Herman Young Estate, which was granted a bid to construct the building in October of 2001. State officials canceled the contract after granting a number of extensions to the estate, and executors Johnnie Nell and Scott Carroll.
According to Ann Laidlaw, administrator of Real Estate Services with SBS, state inspectors, earlier this year, determined that the building would need a lot of improvements before it would be acceptable to state standards.
"We had some concerns about the facility and realized that it would take a lot of work to get it up to standards before we could take possession. To my knowledge, state inspectors haven't been inside the building in a while, so we couldn't know what type of deterioration the building has undergone since work stopped. We discussed those concerns with the county, and after they toured the facility, Judge Cisco notified us that it wouldn't be in the county's best interest to pursue the matter," Laidlaw said.
According to Laidlaw, no decisions on further construction can be made until January. Laidlaw said that although the state has a second bidder for the project, Dan McDonald, director of ACSEU would have to be included in any decisions regarding the building.
"Before we can go any further with a new location, we'll have to discuss the matter with Dan McDonald and see if he approves us using the second bidder. Once we've done that, then we can move forward with the project," Laidlaw said.
McDonald was unavailable for comments.
By DAVID NICHOL
T-H Staff Writer
Not everything may have happened the way he wanted, but Forrest City Mayor Larry Bryant said 2002 has still been a good year.
"I try not to deal with any negatives," said Bryant. "I think we've come a long way, and 2002 has been a very productive year for all our departments. The Fire Department has improved its training program. We probably have some of the best trained firefighters in the area. The Police Department is one of the best, and one of the best equipped also. Our Street Department -- I'll put it up against any city in the Delta and most of Arkansas. They get the job done. They have a motto, 'Just Do It.' From leaves to limbs to overlaying streets and repairing sidewalks."
He said there is now a team which can build sidewalks.
"We're very happy with it. It saves the city a lot of money (on sidewalks) because it means we don't have to pay someone else to do it," he said. "It's always good to be able to do things in-house."
He said he believed the tornado warning system has proved it can be effective. It was turned on for the first time in a real-life situation last week during some severe storms.
"I'm glad we didn't have any destruction. But, our system did work. We got a lot of compliments on it. It's not all it can be, but it's the best we could get at the present time. I hope that one day we'll be able to improve on what we have," he said.
Regarding the Civic Center, Bryant said the only negative thing he can think about is that the boiler went out. On Monday, the council authorized Bryant to have a new boiler installed without going though the bidding process.
"That was an emergency, especially with the weatherman saying the temperature is going to drop considerably," he said. "The Civic Center is one of our best attractions here in Forrest City. It is used a lot."
One thing Bryant had been optimistic about -- the project to improve South Side Pool -- has been put on hold because of possible funding cutbacks.
"At first they told us they would give us the okay on the 19th as to whether or not we passed all the criteria. Now it has been pushed back and is on the governor's desk," he said. "And with the money crunch, we don't know what might happen. So we'll just think positive and hope the money will still be available."
He said the city's sports programs in soccer, flag football and baseball/softball, are all doing well.
"Overall, we can give ourselves an A-plus in our recreation department," he said. "We've purchased land at the sports complex, and hopefully we'll be able to partner with some others so it will be used to its fullest."
One of the things he is proudest of is the Senior Citizen Center, built at the Sports Complex. "It won't get a chance to be open this year. They're about three-quarters finished there...That will give our senior citizens a place to go. It's somewhat secluded in the daytime, they won't be out there at night. It's the best of all worlds. Because one day, you and I will be seniors."
A number of businesses have opened, he said and some others are due to open soon.
"And most important is the school (new junior high)," he said, "which is a plus for the city to help in its economic development. There's nothing like having a new school building for people to see."
A lot of sidewalks were built in the past year, including by Stewart School.
"The school system cut out some bus routes and some kids were having to walk in the streets in the mud," he said. "We made it easier for people there. The goal is to have sidewalks all the way down Dawson Road. People can use them for sidewalks or even for jogging, making a full loop around Wal-Mart and tie it in to Central School."
Bryant said he has some hopes for the coming year.
"I hope the council will look at everything with an open mind, and also look out to see how their decisions are going to affect the quality of life in Forrest City," he said. "We'll have four new council members. That's probably the most drastic change the council has had in 30 or 40 years."
A new fire truck is on order and should soon arrive, with its price tag of $148,000.
"And," he added, "a street sweeper that is up more than it's broke."
Sometime in the middle of January there will be a public meeting for the ACE (Arkansas Communities of Excellence) program.
"That should help us draw out a road map for the future on what we need to do, look at our pros and cons, and I hope we can get full participation from the community," he said. "And once we do that, I think we can move forward even faster, because everybody will be on the same page."
He said he hopes the bypass will be open next year, and he said he hopes some businesses will open along the bypass, "because this city lives and dies with the sales tax."
Bryant said he hopes that the council and citizens will be ready to go ahead with the multipurpose center. He said it has been scaled down since the original plan. A sales tax to build it was defeated several years ago, but he said the building could be built now without a sales tax.
"Since the time we proposed that tax, if the tax had passed, the facility would have been built by now, and we would have a state-of-the-art building, with a swimming pool which our schools could have used. We would have had a handball court. We would have had aerobics and even a miniature golf course was in the original design. Most of that has been cut out. What we have planned now would have a walking track, aerobics, an exercise room, dressing rooms with whirlpools for men and women, offices, gym, a meeting room, a concession area and seating for up to 500."
In November, Bryant was reelected, "Which was positive for me, and I think it will be a positive for the city. We will continue moving forward with some of my goals and ideas to improve quality of life. And I hate to sound like a broken record, but that's what everything is about from the mayor's office, the quality of life."
Garbage pickup in Forrest City and St. Francis County will see delays this week due to Wednesday's Christmas holiday.
According to officials with Forrest City trash collector, King Disposal, the holiday schedule will force trucks to run a day late with workers doubling their efforts on Friday. Officials were unsure whether Saturday pickup would be available. County residents will see Saturday pickup as B&B, the county carrier, will run their schedule one day late.
The local board of the Emergency Food and Shelter program will meet Tuesday, Dec. 31, at 1:30 p.m. in the quorum courtroom of the St. Francis County Courthouse.
Over $19,000 in funds will be dispersed at the meeting for area services that help with food and shelter for families in St. Francis County. Members of the board include representatives from the St. Francis County Judge's Office, the Mayor's Office, area churches, organizations, agencies and citizens.
St. Francis County deputies seized approximately six grams of methamphetamine and arrested two people in a bust at 1484 SFC 311 Friday.
According to a report from the St. Francis County Sheriff's Office, deputies arrested Lelia Hacker, 41, and James H. Warren, 43, both of 1484 SFC 311, on charges of possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver and possession of drug paraphernalia after authorities found the narcotics during a search of the residence.
According to the report, officers noticed a strong odor of marijuana after the suspects opened the door to the home. Deputies were granted consent to search the dwelling by Hacker and found the methamphetamine in the bedroom of the residence and also found paraphernalia used to injest the narcotic.