By DAVID NICHOL
T-H Staff Writer
The Forrest City City Council on Tuesday heard first reading on an ordinance to redraw ward lines, based on the findings of the 2000 Census.
The ordinance, presented during a special council meeting, does not count prisoners at the Federal Correctional Institution-Forrest City.
Mayor Larry Bryant had predicted on Monday that although there still have been no official guidelines given, Forrest City would probably go without counting the prisoners.
Last week, Bryant told city council members that he was asking for an attorney general's opinion on the matter. On Monday, he said he still had not gotten a formal reply. However, he said he has been told verbally that the city did not have to count the prison population in figuring wards. St. Francis County did not count the prisoners when redrawing district lines for quorum court justices.
"They haven't made a commitment one way or the other," said Bryant, referring to the state. "What they have said is that the prison population should not be counted in small political subdivisions."
Bryant said he was simply trying to make sure the city is covered.
"We don't plan on suing anybody. We just wanted something in writing, so if we get sued sometime in the future, we'd have something to fall back on. Those kinds of things do come up."
State Rep. Danny Ferguson also said recently he has not been able to get a firm answer.
"What I've been told is that since there is no case law defining when you use the prison population and when you don't use it, it's left up to the political jurisdiction," said Ferguson.
Political subdivisions, particularly in small towns where a prison is located, want to use prison population in their census figures, in order to get more turnback. However, there is concern that counting them in drawing wards could skew the wards, especially since prisoners cannot vote.
Ferguson, gave an example, using a fictitious district.
"If you're talking about 2,000 inmates in a 76,000 population senate district, it doesn't make a lot of difference," he said. "If you're talking about 2,000 inmates being counted in a city ward with 3,300 population, you are significantly altering the makeup of that ward."
He said that is especially true since prisoners cannot vote, meaning a smaller number of voters would be electing representatives from that ward than from the others, hurting the idea of equal representation.
"In cases where counting prison inmates would make up a very large portion of a political jurisdiction, it's best to say that the jurisdiction has the right to use good judgment," Ferguson said.
The proposed ordinance gives a description of each ward's boundaries. Bryant said that once the ordinance is adopted, maps showing the new ward lines will be made available.
By DAVID NICHOL
T-H Staff Writer
A proposed budget for 2002 was presented to Forrest City aldermen during a special meeting Tuesday by Mayor Larry Bryant, calling for expenditures of $7,970,970.
The budget includes a 3 percent raise for most city employees.
There was not much debate over the budget. One item which was discussed was a proposed $29,000 salary for an administrative assistant. Alderman A.L. Harris said he didn't have a problem with the amount, but said he would rather it be tied to incentives, such as how many successful grants are written by the person holding the position.
"I'm a little bit uncomfortable not using an incentive," Harris said.
Alderman Cecil Twillie said it would be difficult to figure a budget on incentives.
"If you want to change the figures or change something we can change it and read it (the ordinance) three times," said Bryant.
"I have no problem with the $29,000," Harris reiterated. "I just have a problem with the way you're calculating it. You're guaranteeing it. Whether she writes a grant or not, she's going to get it. I just think the incentive should be there to arrive at that number...You know as well as I do, that if something is guaranteed at the end of the tunnel, you don't run down that tunnel near as fast as you do if it's going to get you an extra incentive at the end of it."
Bryant said the position entails more than simply writing grants, such as maintaining the paperwork on grants which have been received.
There was no action taken on the position's salary. The council will meet again in regular session Tuesday, Jan. 15.
Some of the expenditures in the proposed budget include the following: $578,639 for administration; $263,494 for municipal court; $848.911 for the fire department; $2,530,291 for the police department; $419,023 for parks and recreation; $29,000 for the airport; $68,679 for animal control; $1,048,635 for solid waste; $1,012.914 for the street department; and $156,600 for the Forrest City Public Library.
By CRYSTAL HOLLIS
T-H Staff Writer
Despite Internet rumors, the Palestine Police Chief said the city is not a speed trap.
Police Chief Stanley Barnes told city council members during the group's regular meeting Tuesday night that the city collected $134,132 in traffic fines last year. "That is the most the city has ever collected," said Barnes." "But we are not a speed trap, no matter what the Internet says."
Barnes said he had been told that Palestine was listed as a speed trap on the Internet, but could not provide the website address to support that allegation.
Barnes also said his department does not seek out speeding motorists. "Those people who received tickets from us earned those tickets," he said. "We do not sit and wait for them as some have suspected."
In addition to Barnes, several councilmen said they were also pleased with the traffic fine collection figure. "The police department has collected more than enough money to pay for itself," one councilman commented.
In other business, Mayor Willetta Carroll said the city will seek other sources of revenue resources for repairing Old River Road after alleging that St. Francis County Judge Carl Cisco had failed to help the city secure certain funds for the project.
"I am fed up with him (Cisco), and I don't trust him," said Carroll. "The county was supposed to get an 80 percent grant from the state, along with 18 percent from the federal government. Then, we were supposed to pay the county back only two percent to repair and pave that road. But, he (Cisco) has not gotten on the ball with it, and he turned down an 18 percent federal grant. We are tired of waiting on this."
According to Carroll, the city will proceed with the project by borrowing money from other sources. "We can get 80 percent from the federal government, and Rural Development could loan us the other 20 percent," Carroll said. "We will be paying back more than what was anticipated, but that is what we will have to do to get this road taken care of."
Cisco, who is out of the office until Monday, could not be reached for comment regarding Carroll's allegation.
The council also agreed to continue searching for ways to repair the city's pumping station. Carroll said the city's insurance carrier had said it will not support the cost of the repairs because the damage was caused by a mechanical failure. "That means we will have to borrow more money than expected for a new pumping station," she said.
Before adjourning, the council also approved a 2002 budget and tabled discussion on the water department budget, until Derrick Wayne, supervisor of the water department can redo his figures to include a new fulltime employee. The council approved a motion to offer the position at $8 an hour.