By TAMARA JOHNSON
Managing Editor
Teachers in the Forrest City School District are asking for a raise.
Members of the district's school board on Monday night were asked to consider a $1,500 salary increase for certified personnel.
Nevada Banks, chairperson of the district's personnel policy committee, presented board members with documents comparing the salaries of teachers in the FCSD to the salaries for teachers in other districts. According to these documents, the average salary for teachers in the FCSD is $33,775, a ranking of 57th highest out of 310 school districts in the state.
Teachers voting on the measure were asked to choose a $1,500 salary increase or a $900 salary increase with a $600 increase for insurance. The teachers voted 184 to 56 in favor of the $1,500 increase which was requested to the board.
In an attempt to rationalize the request, Banks said the money is needed by teachers to "defray the increasing costs of insurance, and to offset medical and medicine costs and other inflationary expenses." Banks also said the increase would make the base salary more attractive for the district when recruiting new teachers.
Although the board room was packed with teachers representing a variety of campuses throughout the district, the board agreed to accept the proposal, but deferred action on the matter until board members could study the proposal.
In other business, the board learned that weather problems have caused construction on some portions of the new junior high school to fall behind schedule, but general contractor Gary Kennedy said construction will not delay the opening of the new facility for the 2002-2003 school year.
Architect Bob Beavers said the project is about 60 percent complete, and currently about $5,000 over the original budget due to several change orders approved by board members.
Kennedy said the target date for completion was originally May 31, 2003. "Right now, we're about six weeks out further on our project schedule that we wanted to be. Aug. 1 is the projected completion date now," Kennedy said.
However, Kennedy was quick to stress that the district will not have to wait until the entire project is completed before taking possession of the buildings. "There are things you can do so that you don't have to wait until Aug. 1 to take over each building," Kennedy said.
For example, Kennedy said the remodeling work on the north classroom wing and the gymnasium is nearing completion, as is the new classroom wing near the front of the complex. He also speculated that the minor remodeling at the cafeteria would also be completed in a short time frame.
"In January, or early February, we'll start turning things over to the school and let you start getting ready. By spring, we hope to turn over all classrooms to the school, and not far after that, we'll have the administration wing ready. The auditorium and band hall are last on the list," Kennedy said. "Even if we don't get that 100 percent completed by the time school starts, it will not stop you from having school in the new buildings. You will be in the necessary parts of the buildings."
The board also approved a change order of just over $11,000 for the Lincoln Middle School roofing project. That project should be completed in the next few weeks.
By KENDALL OWENS
T-H Staff Writer
Members of the Madison City Council did an about-face Monday night when they voted to approve the demolition of a building located east of city hall.
By a 4-0 vote, with council member Annie Winfrey abstaining, aldermen voted to allow the building, which is currently serving as a city shop, to be torn down.
Last week, Madison Mayor James Brooks, who was absent from Monday's called meeting, approached council members with the idea of removing the building to allow for parking at the city's new community center. Brooks faced staunch opposition to his proposal from Winfrey and other council members. However, aldermen voted, inadvertently, to kill a motion which would have kept the building standing. Winfrey said at that time Brooks should have informed the council of their mistake so that it could have been rectified last week.
"If we, as council members, can't get together along with the mayor and have him be honest, then we will never accomplish anything. I couldn't care less about that barn being over there or being torn down. I just want the mayor to be honest with us and not do things behind our backs. This council should be told about everything that goes on in this city. This isn't all about that building. It's about the mayor's attempts to deceive us," Winfrey said.
Council member Gail Graham, who abstained from last Monday's vote, spoke in favor of tearing the building down, stating that the city could risk losing the community center if the building isn't removed.
"I understood what the motion was on last week, and I abstained because I knew that you all didn't understand it. I can't see why we're going to run the risk of losing money for a community center in our town because someone doesn't agree with how the mayor got the center. We've got the grant and everything is ready to go, with the exception of that building, and I don't think that a shop that no one uses is more important for our city than a community center," Graham said.
Alderman Oscar Brown, who was against removing the building last week, also spoke in favor of its demolition last night.
"I understand that the building may be in good shape, and I don't necessarily agree with the way things were handled, but we've got to do what's best for the citizens, and if that's tearing that building down to get a community center, then that's what we need to do. I can't see sending grant money back just because we're upset with the mayor," Brown said.
Troop D of the Arkansas State Police, headquartered in Forrest City, will get a new commander Dec. 1, according to a press release.
Lt. Nathaniel Jackson, presently commander of the ASP Special Investigations Unit based at Little Rock, has been approved for promotion to captain and will assume command of Troop D on Dec. 1, following the retirement of Capt. Steve Gray.
Jackson, 54, of Jacksonville, is a 23-year veteran of the State Police and was formerly assistant troop commander at Troop G in Hope.
Jackson was one of two men selected for promotion to captain. The other was Lt. Les Braunns. Braunns, 47, of Harrison, has been assistant troop commander of Troop 1 in Harrison. Braunns will immediately assume the assistant troop commander position of Highway Patrol Troop L at Springdale. Following the retirement of the Troop L. commander, Capt. Bill Carver on June 30 of next year, Braunns will take the rank of captain and become troop commander. Braunns is a 23-year veteran of the State Police.
By ALAN SMITH
T-H Staff Writer
Guidelines for a new children's computer room at the Forrest City Public Library were discussed during the library board's regular meeting Monday at the library.
Sara Jumper, with the library, told the board, "It has been trial and error coming up with rules for the room," she said. "We've been trying to see how it goes for right now. We've tried to look up other libraries that have similar programs, but we haven't had any luck. None of the ones we found have computers solely devoted to the use of children."
Board member Jim McInturff added, "Other than rules about time limits, being accompanied by an adult, age limits and abuse of equipment, I don't feel much else is needed."
The issue was tabled until the next meeting.
McInturff, a 10-year board member and current chairman, is resigning. "I'm not leaving because of any problems or animosity," said McInturff. "I've been on the board since 1993, when the city took over the library, and I've served two five-year terms. I've enjoyed working with the board and wish them the best."
McInturff will serve as a member until a suitable replacement can be found. Concerning this, board member Brad Beavers suggested that the board submit a list of potential replacements at the next meeting.
We can suggest to the mayor who we want on the board," commented Beavers. "The mayor makes the decision and then offers the selection to the city council for approval." The board will then elect its own chair, according to Beavers.
The board discussed operation hours for the upcoming holiday season. The agreed that the library will be closed from Thursday, Nov. 28, through Saturday, Nov. 30, for Thanksgiving. The Christmas hours will be 9:30 a.m. until 12 noon on Tuesday, Dec. 24, and the facility will be closed until 11 a.m. on Friday, Dec. 27.
Russellville's Jay Lieblong survived a four-way tie-breaker to win last week's Professor Pigskin Contest.
Lieblong found himself in a tie with Mary Burnett and Steve Burnett of Forrest City, and Terry Gaskin of Wynne, after each missed just two of the 23 selected high school and college games played Friday and Saturday.
Lieblong, in the tie-breaker, was closest to the final score of the Arkansas-Louisiana Lafayette game, coming within 20 points of the final 24-17 score, edging out Gaskin, whose prediction was 21 points off the final.
There are three more Pigskin weeks remaining. This week's selection of games can be found inside today's Times-Herald.
The ballots are in for early voting in a handful of runoffs in St. Francis County. The ballots, which were expected to arrive last Monday, arrived early today.
One of the three races being decided will be the Forrest City Mayor's race between incumbent Larry Bryant and challenger Bill Baxter. Two council positions in Hughes will also be decided.
Early voting will be held from 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. each day through Monday, Nov. 25. The election is scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 26.
The Arkansas School for Mathematics and Sciences will present a meeting to all interested students and parents on Thursday, Nov. 21, from 6:30 until 8 p.m. at the East Arkansas Community College Learning Resource Center in room B-129.
The ASMS is a public, residential high school for academically advanced juniors and seniors. Students apply to attend ASMS during their sophomore year in high school.
Last year, the over 90 students who graduated from ASMS received $6 million in college scholarships and grants. For more information, call 501-622-5116 or visit their website at www.asmsweb.com.