By KENDALL OWENS
T-H Staff Writer
Attorneys for Baptist Memorial Hospital, St. Francis County and the St. Francis County Indigent Care Board are headed back to the drawing board one final time after board members agreed this morning to a series of changes that should clear the way for a $1 million payment from the board to the county.
Members of the board met with St. Francis County Judge Carl Cisco, County Attorney Fletcher Long and BMH Attorney Phil Hickey to finalize the agreement to allow court action to proceed so that the county will receive five $200,000 payments from the board during the next 12 months.
One issue board members agreed upon will insure that a portion of the funding will go towards assisting county citizens with medical costs.
Board member Gwendolyn Williams questioned the attorneys as to whether a percentage of the funding could be set aside for medical assistance. "I would like to see a certain percentage designated to helping with the medical costs or prescription costs for the people in the county. This is the Delta and we have people that need help in those areas. Since this trust was created to assist indigent people, I'd like to see a portion of this money going to help with medical costs," Williams said.
According to Cisco, the decision on what percentage or portion designated for those individuals would have to be made by the quorum court. "The county right now helps people in a lot of different areas from burials to funding that we give to the Food Pantry and the CARE Center, and I'm sure that the court would approve this. I just don't know to what percentage," Cisco said.
"As long as it's in the order that a percentage or a portion is designated for that, then I don't have any issues," Williams said.
Board members also agreed that the trust agreement would be amended to read that the sitting County Judge would nominate future board members who will then be approved by the quorum court. According to Hicky, officials with Baptist were seeking to jointly nominate board members with the county judge, but Cisco informed the board that the issue had been resolved in a recent telephone conversation with a Baptist official.
"I spoke with someone from Baptist yesterday and discussed this with them, and after I explained how it has been working, they agreed to let it continue the way that we've been doing it," he said.
The board also agreed to amend the order after attorney's drew up the first payment to be made on April 1. According to board attorney Brad Beavers, the first payment would have to fall after May 31 because the trust's next treasury bill isn't due until then.
"Our quarters, and everyone else's quarters, don't really coincide and neither do the maturity dates on our T-Bills, so we had to make some adjustments so that everything will work," Beavers said.
Officials agreed last month that the board would pay the county in five $200,000 quarterly payments.
By DAVID NICHOL
T-H Staff Writer
The Forrest City City Council on Tuesday heard the first two readings on an ordinance allowing the city to waive the competitive bid requirement to purchase a "Jaws of Life" apparatus for use by the fire department.
Arkansas law allows a city council to waive the bid requirement in special situations. The particular piece of equipment, a Hurst "Jaws of Life" which the fire department wants, is available only through one company in Arkansas, MDS Matrix. The cost is $35,992.65.
Fire Chief Dan Curtner said the fire department currently has two of the Hurst apparatuses, one of which is almost worn out. He also explained why he thought it was important to go with the Hurst equipment.
"One is about completely gone," he said about one of the "Jaws." "And the reason we're looking at Hurst is that Hurst is what you've had since day one in the City of Forrest City. That's what the men are certified and trained on, so we want to stay with it. That way we don't have to do anymore recertification or retraining. We'll just move ahead with what we have."
Curtner was asked if the other "Jaws of Life" on the market are comparable in price and he said it was.
He also said the different brands will not interchange. "They are two completely different systems. And as far as certification goes, it takes up to 16 hours to get trained and certified on this piece of equipment."
The third reading of the ordinance will take place at the next meeting.
The council also granted permission to bid for imaging equipment for the fire department.
On another matter, Bryant said the city had received a check from Federal Express, for damage done to the Civic Center when it was hit by a truck last July.
"We had to go back and forth with them a little bit, basically they agreed to the estimate we submitted and we received a check in the mail today in the amount of $13,450," said City Attorney Alan Cline.
Cline added that the amount was $10 less than asked.
Bryant joked "If we got all but $10 out of it we're going to be happy about it."
In other action, the council approved several appointments.
Marshal James was appointed to the Forrest City Library Board, replacing Jim McInturff, who is resigning.
Danny Capps and Ken Patterson were reappointed to the city's Planning Commission.
Jimmy King was reappointed to the Water Commission.
Bryant was asked what the requirement for security was at functions at the civic center. He said it was one security person for every 75 people, for a for-profit event. The council may look into its rules to make sure certified officers, and preferably local certified officers, are used.
Bryant also reported that the police department is checking on street lights, and the list of lights needing to be replaced will be turned in to Entergy.
There was a finance committee meeting before the regular meeting. Some of the items discussed included the possibility of covering some open ditches in town, a multi-purpose center, and extending water and sewer to recently-annexed areas. A person in the audience also suggested that the city might try rehabilitating dilapidated houses rather than tearing them down.
A man wanted by California authorities for child abuse was arrested on drug charges Tuesday morning near Forrest City.
Arkansas State Police confiscated 150 pounds of marijuana during the routine traffic stop near the 246 mile marker on Interstate 40.
According to the report, a trooper was sitting in his patrol car on the shoulder of Interstate 40 when he noticed the Chevrolet Suburban, driven by Mario Medina, 41, of Chicago, drive onto the shoulder of the interstate.
The trooper reported that when Medina first passed his car, the driver turned to look at the police officer which caused him to drive onto the shoulder of the interstate. The trooper then began following the Suburban and when the driver swerved again, the trooper stopped the vehicle, according to the report.
Medina told the trooper he swerved because he was tired, and was traveling from Little Rock to Chicago.
The vehicle was inventoried by police after a routine check on the driver revealed the felony warrant for his arrest out of California. Troopers reported the gas tank appeared to have been tampered with, and by using a fiber-optic gas tank scope, police found the 30 bags of marijuana, which has an estimated street value of $150,000. Police also confiscated $700 from Medina.
Medina is being held in the St. Francis County Jail on charges of possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver, driving on a suspended driver's license and improper lane use, in addition to the charge in California.
Two juveniles were arrested Monday after an incident at Forrest City High School in which one allegedly had a gun.
According to the police report, there was an altercation at the high school, during which one 16-year-old juvenile allegedly hit another juvenile with his fist. At that point, a 15-year-old juvenile who is the cousin of the 16-year-old, allegedly pulled a pistol from his coat pocket and shoved it into the neck of the juvenile who had been hit, according to the report.
The two then fled the scene.
The 16-year-old is charged with third-degree battery. The 15-year-old is charged with aggravated assault, and possession of a handgun by a minor on school property.