By TAMARA JOHNSON
Managing Editor
The millage rate in the Forrest City School District will have to be raised in order for the district to comply with a supreme court ruling. The question right now is exactly how much of a hike will be needed.
Jack Truemper of Stephens Inc., met with board members Tuesday night to discuss the recent Supreme Court ruling stating that school districts cannot use excess debt service revenue to make up the 25 mills required for maintenance and operation.
Currently, the FCSD's total millage is 29.7, with 18 mills dedicated to M&O and 11.7 mills dedicated to debt service. Forrest City is one of 240 school districts in the state affected by the ruling on the millage rate, and those districts have until Jan. 1 to comply with the minimum millage requirement.
"All school districts are looking at millage increases," Truemper said. "It's just a matter of how much," adding that 1.5 mills is a "good conservative number that would work."
According to Truemper, the FCSD's maintenance and operation millage is short by 7 mills; however, Truemper said that by refinancing bond issues the district currently has, the FCSD could ask voters to approve a 1.5 mill increase instead of 7 mills.
The school district must decide whether to present the millage increase to voters in a special election or wait until the annual school election in September. Should the school district's proposal of 1.5 mills not be approved by voters, the St. Francis County Quorum Court would be mandated to raise the 18 mills to 25, in essence, increasing the millage by 7 mills instead of the FCSD's proposal of 1.5.
"I do not feel this is a panic situation," Truemper said. "Watch what the Legislature does in the next 30 to 60 days and make sure the district understands its options."
Board members agreed to retain Stephens as the district's fiscal agent and to continue looking at the millage to make an exact determination as to what increase might be requested.
Superintendent Lee Vent also discussed the current legislative session with board members and urged them to contact their representative or senator to discuss the issues affecting school districts. "The Legislature has an awesome responsibility. Let them know how you feel about certain issues," Vent said.
"It's important for everyone to understand that the court declared not only the funding formula unconstitutional, but the entire education system as well," Vent added. "I feel the Forrest City School District is safe as long as we meet the educational standards. I am not a proponent of consolidation. In most cities, when they lose their school district, they lose their largest industry."
In other business, the board voted to change the dual junior high athletic program back to a single team system. The two-team system has been in place for the past three years.
FCSD Athletic Director Mike Bender visited with the board about the dual program and offered pros and cons to each system, based on visits he had had with the district's 17 coaches.
Although the dual system may offer more children an opportunity to participate and get more parents involved, Bender said the costs for the dual program are outweighing the benefits.
"The game attendance is so low that we don't make enough basically to pay for the lights and the officials," Bender said. "It doesn't take a brain surgeon to figure out it is not working like we want it to."
Board member Ronald Williams voiced opposition to the change, charging that the FCSD has not had a dual system long enough to know if it is beneficial.
Other school districts, such as Blytheville, North Little Rock and Jacksonville, had also changed to the two-team concept at the junior high level, but recently switched back to the one-team concept.
Bender said the only instances where the two-team system really works is in school districts with more than one junior high facility.
"The time when you lose athletes is when they move from seventh to eighth grade and from ninth to 10th grade," Bender said. "We have to do a better job with our eighth and 10th grade teams in getting them involved. Right now, we're not challenging them. They need to learn to compete."
Williams claimed that in districts where there is a dual system, "Only one team is going to win anyway," and challenged Bender to "go out and check."
"If we're going to do that, don't expect to win," Bender said. "From what I see, if we want to stay mediocre, we can stay right where we have been the last four years. If we want mediocrity, that's just what we're getting. I came here to try to make this a better program."
Williams was the only board member to vote against the measure which passed 5-1. The one-team system will begin this fall.
Construction on the new junior high school is nearing 70 percent completion.
Architect Bob Beavers told board members that the remodeled wings should be completed in the next few weeks and would be available to use for storage of new furniture and equipment for the facility.
The board approved a variety of change orders, totaling $16,782, for the facility. Those included adding aisle lights to the auditorium, a wider door for the band room, draining for the auditorium and the moving of sinks for the art department.
According to Beavers, the project right now is about $22,000 over the original bid price now of $6.7 million.
In other business, the board agreed to offer CPR training to district personnel over a three-year period. The goal is to have at least 25 percent of the staff and all bus drivers trained in CPR during inservice meetings. The course will be taught by certified CPR instructors currently on staff in the district.
Board members agreed to hire Alvin Coleman Jr., as a music teacher at Stewart Elementary and accepted the resignations of Jessica Jackson, a music aide at Stewart and Barbara Jumper, a Central cafeteria employee.
The board also voted unanimously to extend Vent's contract for an additional year, through the 2005-2006 school year.
By KENDALL OWENS
T-H Staff Writer
St. Francis County Justices decided unanimously Tuesday night to cancel the garbage contract with B&B Disposal after several service related complaints from county residents.
The vote was to revoke the contract with B&B effective, March 1. According to St. Francis County Judge Carl Cisco, the move was necessary after increased complaints, following the start of the new year.
"It has really been out of hand since the start of the new year. I had J.D. (J.D. Sharpe, manager at NEARCO) log all of the calls that we have received since the start of the year, and there have been 107 complaints to his office since then. That's not counting any prior to Jan. 2, or any that went directly to B&B," Cisco said.
Although the vote was unanimous, there were some questions from Justice Evan Seawood on whether a new company could guarantee better service.
"I understand why we're doing this, but there's still no guarantee that the service will get any better. Who's to say that a new company is going to handle this job any better than the one that we have?" Seawood asked.
"There isn't a guarantee that it'll be any better, but with the service we've been getting, it can't get any worse. I met with the county attorney and the people from B&B last year to get this fixed, and they said they would, and the problems have actually gotten worse. We're canceling the contract with B&B, and if the next company doesn't handle the job any better, then we'll have to handle it the same way," Cisco answered.
At a meeting this morning, Seawood, budget committee chairman Henry Wilkinson and Justices Leodis Williams and Regan Hill viewed bids from two area companies wanting the job. EMS Disposal of Wynne and King Disposal of Palestine both submitted bids which were within 2-cents of each other. EMS issued the low bid of $13.38 per pickup for the 4,000-plus residential bins in St. Francis County, and King Disposal bid $13.40 per bin. Justices chose the high bid from King Disposal after Sharpe, who was asked for his preference by Hill, commented on the feasibility of using a local collector.
"I would really rather use someone who is local because that means you have a better chance of getting in contact with them if you have a problem. I've spoken with the city (Forrest City) and they said that they haven't had many problems with King, but when they have needed to contact them, the problem was handled promptly," Sharpe said.
Sharpe also preferred using King because EMS would have subcontracted the bin pickup to another company, while they would have handled the three roll-off bins in the county.
In other business, justices agreed to allow St. Francis County Sheriff Dave Parkman and Cisco to negotiate the purchase of four used and outfitted police cars for the Sheriff's Department. According to Chief Deputy H.N. Green, the vehicles which will be in the $15,000 price range for each, are all 2001 models with fewer than 30,000 miles on each. The 2003 budget called for the purchase of two new department vehicles which would have been bought later this year.
The idea of a regional airport servicing St. Francis and Cross counties was given the backing of the quorum court last night when justices approved a resolution allowing the two counties to cooperatively seek FAA funding. The resolution called for a joint agreement from the cities of Wynne and Forrest City as well as the two counties and their transportation committees.
The resolution has been approved by all of the parties except the city of Forrest City. FC Councilmen tabled the matter at a meeting Tuesday night. Seawood, the lone dissenting vote on the resolution, commented that he couldn't vote in favor of the measure until the city agreed to it.
"Most of my district is inside of Forrest City, and I represent the city of Forrest City. From reading the newspaper, Mayor Bryant still has some questions about this. If the mayor frowns on this, then I have to frown on it. Once the mayor and the council vote in favor of this, then I will endorse it, if not, I can't get on board," Seawood said.
Williams disagreed with Seawood. "From what I can see, this regional airport idea can't do anything but help Forrest City and St. Francis County, so I think we need to pass this resolution."
The measure was approved by a 10-1 margin.
Also by a 10-1 margin, justices agreed to the 2003 holiday schedule for county employees, passing a plan which will keep the number of scheduled days the same giving the employees an extra day after Christmas, which falls on a Thursday, but taking the Columbus Day holiday off the list.
By DAVID NICHOL
T-H Staff Writer
The Forrest City City Council on Tuesday decided to table a joint resolution endorsing a regional airport between Forrest City and Wynne, at least until the local airport commission finds out what effect such an endorsement would have on the Forrest City airport's current plans.
Those being asked to sign off on the resolution (after a vote of their respective governing bodies), besides the mayor of Forrest City are the mayor of Wynne, the county judges of St. Francis and Cross counties and the chairmen of the Cross and St. Francis county transportation commissions.
Bill Hays, chairman of the Forrest City Airport Commission, spoke on behalf of the commission. Commission members Vester Wroten and Dr. Thomas Beasley were also present.
"We have very little information to work with...We try to be good stewards of the airport," said Hays. "We're interested in Forrest City and we're interested in eastern Arkansas, too."
He said there is a current plan -- scaled back because of protests from nearby property owners -- before the Federal Aviation Administration. The plan calls for an additional 800 feet of runway, to 3,800 feet. It also calls for widening the runway from 50 to 75 feet, and increasing its load-bearing capabilities.
Hays said he is trying to get a representative of the FAA to come speak to a meeting of the Forrest City Airport Commission, or at least to get something in writing, saying that the improvement plans at the airport will not be affected.
"This plan has not been finally approved by the FFA," Hays said, adding, "We're not adverse to the concept of a regional airport. Somewhere down the road, it's probably going to need to be. But we need to work, in my opinion, with our present airport. We need to make it as safe as possible."
He said there is no guarantee for funding for the work to be done under the current master plan, and said a regional airport, even if built, will not be in place for many years.
"Let me share this with you...even if you started today, you're looking, probably, without reservation at 15 years down the road," he said.
Hays said his only reservation was that the FAA has not given assurances that the improvements at the airport will still be funded if the regional airport gets the go-ahead.
Eventually, if a regional airport is built, both the Wynne and Forrest City airports would be sold.
Alderman Cecil Twillie said he understood the commission's caution.
"Don't get rid of what you've got unless you know what you're going to get," he said.
The council also heard first reading of an ordinance to accept a gift of property from the Bridgforth family. The property runs north and south, and extends Ophelia Street, from Christ Church to Martin Luther King Drive.
If the ordinance passes, the city agrees to survey the property and provide a legal description. The city will also agree to "improve and maintain" the property.
The property was brought up before, and at the time Bryant had expressed reservations, saying that accepting unimproved property might set a precedent of accepting unimproved property from developers. Others said they thought this was a different kind of case than a subdivision development.
In other business, the council gave permission to advertise for bids on a street sweeper, and to purchase vehicles on a state contract, as provided for in the 2003 budget.
The council also gave permission to purchase a new computer system for the Police Department. Lt. Dwight Duch explained that the purchase would be done with grant money and would not cost the city. He also said older computers that are still usable will be used throughout the city. However, the current computers cannot handle the new programming the city is getting.
The council also gave permission for seeking a new copy machine for the Police Department.
The council also addressed a couple of questions brought up by appointments made by Bryant at the first January meeting. Two positions -- mayor pro tem of the city council and member of the Advertising and Promotions Commission, needed to be voted on by the council, it turned out, because they are voting members (the mayor pro tem can vote to break a tie).
The council voted to appoint Twillie as mayor pro tem, and also agreed to continue his membership on the A&P Commission. Steve Hollowell was also approved as a member of the A&P Commission.
By DAVID NICHOL
T-H Staff Writer
Forrest City Mayor Larry Bryant gave his State of the City address Tuesday night, in which he said his reelection was a mandate from the people and called on the city council to help him move the city forward.
"The people spoke on Nov. 26 and agreed with the Bryant Administration leading the city...the city is in the best financial position ever in the history of the city," Bryant said. "The city is at a crossroads. The question is, are we ready to be one Forrest City? Or will we continue being divided, working for self interest instead of the interests of the city as a whole."
He continued, "I would hope that the Chamber of Commerce and the Forrest City Industrial Development Corporation will become inclusive, and be a tool to help promote our city, with the mayor as a partner or team member helping to sell our city."
Bryant stated, "Forrest City has tremendous resources -- great financial institutions, higher education, and a proven economic developer at the Chamber of Commerce. I pray that the Arkansas Community of Excellence, better known as the ACE Program, will bring our city together, so our city can achieve economic and social success."
He said it was important that the city council members participate in the ACE process, "Because you represent more than 3,200 members in your respective wards. Council members, you have the legislative and budgetary powers to move our city to the next level, if you think outside of the box."
He reiterated his statement that the city is in good financial shape.
"The city has money in the bank, thus giving the city council the opportunity to move Forrest City forward, and better prepare the city for new citizens, for new industry, and a better quality of life for our city, the Jewel of the Delta, and the hub of business and commerce for eastern Arkansas."
He said blacks and whites should work together.
"I don't want a city where everything is based on white power or black power," Bryant said. "I want a city where everyone is working toward the people of Forrest City -- all the people, the rich, the poor, the educated, the undereducated, blacks, whites and everyone. Because we are one Forrest City, and we all win together."
In closing, he asked the council to work with his office, "as I try to promote our city to the outside world, as well as to the nay-sayers in our city. Yes, we have improved all our departments, including street department, police and fire departments. And yes, we can move forward with a multi-purpose center for our recreation department. Think positive, think Forrest City, and then we'll all win. We'll win with a better quality of life for all the citizens of Forrest City, without raising taxes.
"The government is for the people, and the people spoke on Nov. 26. They want a progressive, unified city."