By DAVID NICHOL
T-H Staff Writer
The Forrest City City Council on Tuesday adopted an ordinance tightening restrictions on itinerant vendors, and also heard first reading of an ordinance to create a facilities board for a local mental health organization.
The itinerant vendor ordinance had been discussed in previous meetings, and none of the council members said they had received any negative comments about the proposed law.
In an earlier meeting, City Clerk Marie Todd, who handles permits for itinerant vendors and also collects occupational license fees, said the most complaints she has gotten on any subject had to do with itinerant vendors. The complaints came from established local commercial enterprises, which said their businesses were being hurt by vendors who could come into town, pay a small fee -- often smaller than the occupational license fees established businesses have to pay -- and set up indefinitely.
The new law amends the old itinerant vendor ordinance in two main ways. First, the fee is raised from $25 to $50 for one day, with an additional $25 for each additional day, up to a maximum of seven days. Secondly, itinerant vendors may purchase permits only twice a year.
Itinerant vendors are also required to have an Arkansas Sales Tax Certificate.
Farm-produced items are excluded from the law.
The ordinance creating the Forrest City Health Public Facilities Board was prepared at the request of Counseling Services of Eastern Arkansas. CSEA, part of Jonesboro-based Mid-South Health Systems, is seeking assistance in financing the acquisition, construction and equipping of a mental health facility.
If the ordinance passes, the board will be authorized to issue revenue bonds, without obligating the city.
The only discussion centered around one of the board appointees, Ed Chauvin.
Steve Johnson, assistant executive director of Mid-South Health Systems, questioned the appointment of Chauvin, who was a board member of Behavioral Health Services Inc. of Arkansas -- the agency which was replaced by CSEA. Behavioral Health Services lost its state contract in 1998.
Johnson said he only brought the subject up because he felt he needed to do it.
"I would never tell you who to appoint to what, and I'll do whatever you want me to do," said Johnson. "I'm a little bit concerned about one appointment, because that person (Chauvin) was a member of the former board of directors for Behavioral Health Services. When Behavioral Health Services went defunct, and the state asked us to come in and begin to manage that program, there were a lot of feelings...I'm a little bit concerned about it, and if I didn't go ahead and voice that concern, I'd have to go back to my company and say I didn't speak up.
"I've known Ed for years and Ed's a good man, but he was a member of that other board, and there was an antagonistic relationship when all of that happened," Johnson continued. "And a lot of that was directed at Mid South Health Systems, when we really didn't come in in a hostile takeover. The state sort of brought us in.
"I don't know if it will make any difference or not on the Health Care Facilities Board. It may not. I just feel like I need to voice a concern with that one appointment. And then I'll do exactly what you tell me to do...The last thing I want to do is to offend anyone in this community. I don't want to offend this body, I don't want to offend Ed, I don't want to offend anyone."
Mayor Larry Bryant said Chauvin was picked because of his experience.
"We didn't know there was any animosity. This is just a funnel to oversee the funds, not the operation in any manner or fashion. We don't want a conflict. I don't see it being a conflict."
Chauvin could not be reached for comment before press time.
Other board appointees are as follows: Alderman Roy Hancock from Ward 1; Eddie Mosby from Ward 2; Alderman A.L. Harris from Ward 3; and Alderman John Gadberry from Ward 4.
In other action, the council agreed that Bryant should move forward in applying for a 50-50 grant which would enable the city to buy more land at the baseball complex.
Also, at the recommendation of Alderman Mary Jeffers, the council approved the appointment of Sarah Jones to the City Beautification committee. She will replace Robert Williams.
Bryant also asked council members to inform their constituents that the city does have a law against trespassing. He said he has heard a lot of complaints about trespassing.
He also said there has been a lot of complaints about people running stop signs.
"It's a total disrespect for the law," Bryant said. "If you all hear something about some overtime in the police department, we've got to do something to catch some of these people so we can get the message out that we won't tolerate people running red lights or running stop signs."
By KENDALL OWENS
T-H Staff Writer
Early voting has begun for the June 11 runoff election in two races.
St. Francis County voters will go to the polls and vote in a runoff between Robert Smith and Billy Gene Ray for the post of Madison Township constable and in the statewide runoff for land commissioner between Mark Wilcox and George French.
According to Bettye Proctor, election commissioner, ballots are in for the election and voting will take place in five precincts next Tuesday.
Proctor said the polling places will be in Palestine, which will include the boxes surrounding Palestine, including Wheatley and Goodwin; the Forrest City Civic Center, which will encompass all of the Forrest City area boxes; Hughes, taking in the Blackfish and Shell Lake area; Madison which will take in the Widener and Round Pond area and Colt which will handle its surrounding area.
"This is the first time that we've tried to consolidate the voting this way and it's simply because we only have two races on the ballot. We're going to try it and see how it works out and we're hoping everything is successful, Proctor said.
Early voting is taking place in the Election Commission Office at the St. Francis County Courthouse from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Early voting will close on Monday, June 10, at 4:30 p.m.
By KENDALL OWENS
T-H Staff Writer
After one week at home, many Forrest City children may be on the verge of going stir crazy and driving their parents to that point also, but starting this week, those same children can enjoy the benefits of the city's annual City Pride program taking place at the J.H. King Center, the Community Voices Center and at Workforce Alliance Inc.
Forrest City Mayor Larry Bryant said the programs, which began on Monday, offer area children an opportunity to spend time in a learning environment all day instead of just in the mornings, as the program had worked in the past.
"This year, we've gotten Community Voices and Workforce Inc., involved so that we can make this program something that kids can do all day instead of just in the mornings. Everything starts at the J.H. King Center at 8 a.m., and we will serve breakfast and all of that. There will be different activities so that all of the children have something that they enjoy," Bryant said. "At 1 p.m. we're going to be asking parents to take their children to the Community Voices Center so that they can continue in programs which will range from some 4-H programs to the S.W.A.T. program fighting against tobacco use. We're also going to be working with Workforce for computer training.
"Our plans are to get teenagers over there so they can become more familiar with operating, and even repairing, computers so that we can get them better prepared for, and maybe get them more involved with, technology. They will be taught a variety of things, from setting up webpages and e-mail accounts to basic computer repair. We're trying to make this a learning experience for the kids and not just a place for them to go and play," Bryant added.
Children involved with City Pride will also get the opportunity to swim, free of charge, two days a week, at Southside Swimming Pool. According to Bryant, recent repairs to the pool have made it another asset for the city.
"We've put a lot of resources into the pool, and it is in really great shape right now. What we're going to do is have a couple of programs that will teach children how to swim and will also teach them safety around the pool. We're going to make this a safe and fun experience for everyone," said Bryant.
Bryant also noted that area churches interested in renting the pool for morning activities should contact city hall.
The town of Wheatley is getting over $11,000 for its volunteer fire department, according to a press release from U.S. Representative Marion Berry's office.
According to the press release, an $11,250 grant for the Wheatley volunteer fire department was recently awarded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture from the Rural Development fund. The grant will be used to purchase updated firefighting equipment for the department.
Last month, Berry helped get funding for the purchase of bulletproof vests for 30 law enforcement agencies in the First Congressional District under legislation he co-sponsored.