By ALAN SMITH
T-H Staff Writer
For the fourth consecutive year, the Community Bell Tree is working to provide clothes and toys to needy children who attend classes at the Palestine-Wheatley Elementary School.
According to Nellie Higgins, chairperson of the Christmas Bell Committee, the program was started to help make Christmas brighter for children in the community.
"I was on the Palestine Advertising and Promotions Commission when we started the program," said Higgins. " We saw some need in the community, and it kind of went from there. Then we had to figure out what we could do (for the children) and how to do it. The A and P started it, but now we have different people doing it each year."
Higgins said those who were originally involved developed a plan that is still followed. "We talk to teachers at the elementary school (grades pre-kindergarten through fourth grade) and they turn in the names of the children for the bell tree. The first year we did this, we had 30 children. This year we have 28 children on the tree. They (the teachers) see the children each day and they look for children in their classes who might need help. After we get the names of the students, we contact their parents and ask if they would like to participate in the program.
"The parents who participate send us the clothing sizes of the children and a toy they might like. All of that information is put on the bells and placed on the tree."
Higgins also added that the bells have very little other information about the children. "The bells say whether you are buying for a boy or girl. That is on there to avoid confusion. But other than that there is nothing else but a code. Everything is confidential. The names of the children are not given to the people who take the bells, and the parents of the children receiving the gifts don't know who bought them."
Higgins thanked those who have participated in the program. "We have the actual tree each year in the First National Bank of Eastern Arkansas Branch in Palestine. They have been partners with us since the beginning, and have been a big help. Everyone has been so good to us, and each year more and more people participate. People in Wheatley and other areas in the county have picked up bells in the past and the local churches and individuals have really come out and supported the program. God has really blessed us with donations each year."
To take part in the program, stop by the Palestine branch of the FNBEA, located at 101 North Main, until Friday, Dec. 5. All gifts must be wrapped and bells placed on the packages so that they can be matched up with the right child. Gifts are to be dropped off at the bank by Wednesday, Dec. 17. Families receiving the gifts will need to pick them up by no later than 3 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 18.
For more information about the Community Bell Tree, contact
Higgins at 870-581-2500.
By DAVID NICHOL
T-H Staff Writer
Budget discussions continued Tuesday night with the Forrest City City Council, and a committee was formed to look into equalizing some of the salaries.
The budget does not have to be formally adopted before February. At a recent budget meeting, preliminary figures showed possible expenditures of just over $9 million, with revenue projections at around $8.9 million.
The equalization of salaries took up much of the discussion. At one point, Alderman Roger Breeding said that besides equalization of pay, there needs to be a concentration on keeping the pay scale on a par with other cities the size of Forrest City. He said having the pay scale too low would make Forrest City a "training facility" for other cities.
Bryant responded that Forrest City, once incentives for education and longevity are factored in, actually does better than some cities.
In the budget proposal, Bryant had suggested a 3 percent across-the-board raise for employees, plus extra raises for a few employees -- specifically, supervisors in Streets and Public Works -- that he said were not being paid their worth. Cecil Twillie said it might be a good idea to study all the salaries and bring them into line.
Bryant responded that he knows which city workers deserve better pay.
"I know who can and who can't, who will and who won't," he said. "I've been very employee friendly since I've been mayor...I do go out and ride around and see what's what."
He expressed resentment that some employees go to aldermen requesting large salary increases.
Breeding responded that in some cases, the city might be a victim of its own success in that regard.
"You can't fault an employee, who reads in the paper that we're saving a million a year, for wanting a raise," he said.
Pay for a new hire in the City Clerk's office came up. City Clerk Marie Todd wanted the person to start at $7.50 an hour rather than at $6.50. Under the budget proposal, all non-uniformed workers start at $6.50 and then increase to $7.50 after a 90-day probation period. Todd said she didn't like the idea of a new employee being on probation and being an at-will (meaning that person can be fired at any time) employee at the same time. She said she believed she could get better employees by starting them at $7.50 an hour.
She was answered that starting one non-uniformed employee at a higher rate than everyone else would breed resentment. Todd withdrew her request.
At another part of the meeting, during discussion of increasing the payments made to umpires in the city's different summer leagues, Breeding suggested that umpires be required to know how to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).
Twillie responded that he believes that isn't an umpires job.
"If somebody gets hurt, you step away from it and let the people handle it who know how to handle it," he said. Twillie said he feared possible liability.
Several fire department members were also at the meeting -- with the permission of Fire Chief Dan Curtner and Bryant -- to request of the full council an increase to bring firefighter's salaries into parity with the police department salaries. Captain Henry Peacock said a lieutenant at the police department makes more than a captain at the fire department.
Bryant said he had met with the firefighters, and said he did not think that raise would be possible.
When reminded of the earlier discussion about saving a million dollars a year, Bryant responded that "Reserve funds are to be used for projects, not for salaries." He argued that going into reserve funds for salaries rather than for one-time expenditures would eventually hurt the city budget.
The discussion left the budget at one point and got into policy, when Breeding suggested that all requests for salaries or items be submitted in writing not only to department heads and the mayor but to council members as well. He said while that might cause a lot of paperwork, it would also create a paper trail and documentation.
Bryant didn't like the idea.
"That's why you all have me to make those decision," said Bryant. "That takes me out of the loop to a degree."
Breeding responded, "I don't see that it takes you out of the loop as much as it puts us into the loop."
After the discussion went on and on, Alderman Roy Hancock recommended that a committee of council members be formed to study the pay scales. Serving on the committee will be Twillie, John Gadberry, Louise Fields and Brent Ponder.
There will be another budget meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 9, at
5 p.m. The special committee will call a meeting at some time.
By DAVID NICHOL
T-H Staff Writer
The city council on Tuesday voted to give city employees Christmas bonuses of $750 for full time, $375 for part time, and prorated amounts for those who have worked less than a year.
The ratio was the same as last year's bonuses, which were $500 and $250.
During the discussion, it was mentioned that county employees had been given $1,000. However, Mayor Larry Bryant said he would oppose any bonus higher than $750. Aldermen were also reminded that county employees haven't gotten a raise for three years. The vote on the bonuses was unanimous.
On another matter, the council gave Bryant authority to seek bids for an air conditioner for the civic center.
By TAMARA JOHNSON
Managing Editor
Authorities are investigating a carjacking Tuesday night that left a mother and daughter stranded and their vehicle burned a short distance from where it was stolen.
The St. Francis County Sheriff's Department reported the incident occurred about 9 p.m. on County Road 206.
Mary Dawson, 35, 1858 SFC 206, Forrest City, told deputies she and her daughter had just left their home and were traveling west on SFC 206 in their 1994 Jeep Laredo when they met a vehicle flashing its lights on and off at them. Dawson told deputies she stopped to see who it was, and two black males exited the vehicle.
According to the police report, the suspects were armed with pistols, and one told her to get out of the car. Dawson said as she exited her vehicle, she threw her purse into a nearby ditch. The second suspect allegedly walked to the passenger side of Dawson's vehicle where her daughter, age unavailable, was seated, and told her to get out of the vehicle. Dawson told police when her daughter did not respond to the request, the suspect allegedly pulled her from the vehicle, and while doing so, pulled off her shirt, but she was able to grab her coat.
Dawson told police one suspect drove her Jeep, while the other followed in the suspects' blue Ford car. Dawson said she and her daughter started walking to find a phone when a passerby picked them up, helped them notify authorities and waited for police to arrive.
Deputies found Dawson's Jeep, on which obscene graffiti had been spraypainted, on fire a short distance from where it had been stolen.
According to the report, Dawson had a cell phone with her at the time of the incident.
The investigation is continuing.
The annual Forrest City Christmas Parade will begin at 7 p.m. Friday at the junior high school in Forrest City. The theme for this year's event is "The Joy of Christmas." The Grand Marshals are members of the Toys for Tots Committee.
The lineup for this year's parade is as follows:
1. Color guard.
2. Forrest City Junior High Cheerleaders, "Merry Christmas" letters.
3. Grand marshals, Toys for Tots Committee.
4. TBA
5. St. Francis County Judge Carl Cisco.
6. St. Francis County Sheriff Dave Parkman.
7. St. Francis County Treasurer Ann Harbin.
8. St. Francis County Clerk Elizabeth Smith.
9. St. Francis County Circuit Court Clerk Bette Green.
10. TBA
11. Mayor of Forrest City Larry Bryant.
12. Forrest City Chief of Police Clarence McNeary.
13. Forrest City Fire Chief Dan Curtner.
14. Little Rock Hall High Marching Band.
15. First National Bank of Wynne float.
16. Manley Printing float.
17. Cross County Hippy float.
18. Spring Grove 306 Order of the Eastern Star float.
19. Landmark Baptist Church float.
20. Cub Scout Pack 224.
21. Spring Grove 305 Masonic Lodge float.
22. St. Francis County UAPB Alumni Association float.
23. Forrest Masonic Lodge #198 float.
24. Girl Scout Troop #289 float.
25. Caldwell Fire Department.
26. Miss St. Francis County Hannah Cohn.
27. Senior Miss St. Francis County Madeline Lawrence.
28. Tiny Miss St. Francis County Faith Jumper.
29. Wee Miss St. Francis County Jules Fletcher.
30. Cover Miss USA Most Beautiful Presley Doyle and Kayley Doyle.
31. Miss St. Francis County Rice Amanda Ramsey.
32. St. Francis County Fair second-place Shiesha Rucker.
33. Miss Bonanza.
34. Calvary Christian Beauty Pageant winners.
35. Gold Medal winner, International Special Olympics Randy Clarkson.
36. State Farm Insurance, bear.
37. Forrest City Police Department Mobile Command Unit.
38. Miss Forrest City High School Paige Poteat.
39. Classic Car, Sammy Leake.
40. Classic Car, William Tinzie.
41. Classic Car, Donald Blankenship.
42. Classic Car, John Stipe.
43. Classic Car, Chelch Reagan.
44. Classic Car, J.R. Colvin.
45. Classic Car, Stephen Chism.
46. Classic Car, Bobby Goodwin.
47. Classic Car and Antique Tractor, Gerald Burns.
48. Two Antique Tractors, Bret Hartman.
49. Antique Tractor, Bennie Hollowell.
50. Delta Motor Patrol, Shriners.
51. Forrest City Junior High School Band.
52. Essence Elite Club.
53. Classic Car, Bobby Goodwin.
54. Rhonda's Twirlers.
55. Brownie Troop #364.
56. Civil Air Patrol Marching Group.
57. Calvary Christian High School Cheerleaders, float.
58. Palestine-Wheatley Cheerleaders.
59. Greater Mt. Olive Outreach Marching Group.
60. Hometown Health Improvement Marching Group.
61. Lord's Tabernacle Holiness Church Marching Group.
62. Forrest City High School Band.
63. Boars Head Provisional Tractor Trailer.
64. Dragster, Billy Kennedy.
65. TBA.
66. South Forty Riders.
67. Crowley's Ridge Technical Institute, Santa Claus.