By DAVID NICHOL
T-H Staff Writer
Members of the Forrest City Airport Commission were given a closer look Monday at the improvement projects which will be carried out with a $225,000 grant from the Federal Aviation Administration.
Dan Clinton, with Grimes Consulting Engineers, Inc., talked to the commissioners in depth about the projects, and also asked for their input.
The two-fold object of the projects is to make the airport safer for flying, and more secure.
Safety will be improved by the inclusion of runway end identifier lights (REILS) and precision approach path indicators (PAPI).
The REILS are strobes on either end of the runway, and at night they show pilots exactly where the runway ends, helping the pilot's orientation. PAPI is a system of lights which help a pilot know if the airplane's approach is correct. For instance, if a plane is below the proper flight path, the pilot sees red lights; if the plane is above the approach path, the pilot sees white lights. If the plane is on the proper path, the pilot sees both red and white lights.
A new rotating beacon is also planned for the airport.
Security has been of increased concern to the FAA, even for small airports, since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. For security, the airport's fence will be replaced. Currently, there is a four-foot, barbed wire farm fence around the perimeter. The new fence will be a seven-foot, chain link fence, with a three-strand barbed wire "arm" at an angle on top.
There will also be electronically-operated security gates. Grimes asked the commissioners if they wanted to stay with the seven-foot fencing around the offices and buildings which the public sees. He said a shorter fence might keep the airport "from looking like a prison."
After some discussion, the consensus of the commissioners was to go with the seven-foot fence all around, although they can change their minds later. There was also discussion centering around the need for at least one gate to be large enough to allow large vehicles to enter.
Clinton said bids would be let soon. He said there was a chance that the overall cost of the projects would be higher than the FAA grant. He said if that happened, he would recommend that the REILS and PAPI be installed for safety's sake. Then as much of the security fence could be built as there was funding for. He said more funding could be expected next year to complete the fence.
Clinton also presented the commissioners with an Airport Master Plan, completed in July of this year, by Grimes Consulting Engineers in association with Coffman Associates, Airport Consultants.
The book, consisting of more than 50 pages of text and numerous illustrations, also includes a history of the airport, and plans for further improvements, including runway extension.
A $324,000 grant has been awarded to the Forrest City School District and Mustang 17.
The grant is from the U.S. Department of Education, through its Community Technology Centers program.
Mustang 17 is the school district's cable television station.
According to a press release, FSCD Superintendent Lee Vent said the program will help expand educational services through Mustang 17 to the students in the district.
The program will incorporate a number of technologies, including computer and television based learning activities, to assist in improving academic skills.
Steve Murray, broadcasting teacher at Forrest City High School and manager of Mustang 17, will direct the program.
"Over the years, we've gradually improved the quality of our student-development programs. But we haven't tapped the potential we have in extending educational services to our students and the community. This grant will help us reach the potential that Mustang 17 has," Murray stated in the release.
The grant includes technology hardware and software and some limited personnel assistance to extend various educational activities to areas throughout the school district.
"We are glad that we have been able to reach all the communities in the school district through cable," Murray said. "With this capability, we have been able to extend educational programs, but we will be able to incorporate them with computer and web-based technologies to help our students and citizens have the same learning advantages of students in larger metropolitan areas."
Also included in the grant will be assistance for The Homework Hotline, an already-operational program on Mustang 17.
Equipment will include a mobile television and technologies studio capable of operating in remote locations throughout the district.
By ALAN SMITH
T-H Staff Writer
The pros and cons of a dual 911 system compared to a single system were weighed by members of a 911 Committee during a meeting Tuesday afternoon at the Forrest City City Hall.
David Carter, the Southwestern Bell Area Manager of Emergency 911 Public Safety, spoke to the group about several things members had questioned during their last meeting, including the issue of downsizing either the St. Francis County Sheriff's Department or the Forrest City Police Department's 911 call centers into one center.
"Right now, each center handles its own calls," said Carter. "The county calls come into the sheriff's call center, and the police calls come into the police station. If you eliminate one of the centers, you are actually eliminating two call centers. Both the city and the county have two PSAPs (Public Safety Answering Points). These are the actual phones that are on the 911 system. Elimination of one center doesn't save you much money. Moving all of the equipment to one location or another will only save about $300 to $400 per month in fees for the system. Also, having one center adds another link in the chain. A call comes in and the center then has to route that call to either the county or city."
Lieutenant Eddie Adamson of the Forrest City Police Department said that one center could end up costing more money. "The one system idea is good in theory. If all our 911 operators did was dispatch, it would work. But that's not the case. Our dispatchers do paperwork, answer the station's other phone lines and other general office work. If they went to another building or stayed with us and were only available to answer 911 calls, we would have to hire more people. That means more money."
SFC Quorum Court Justice Regan Hill stated that he was in favor of one system, but had changed his mind. "I was in favor of going to one system two weeks ago, but I'm not now. It could delay response time for emergencies."
Carter then talked about the cost of improving the systems. "There are three types of 911 service. One is the land line, which routes calls from say a house or business. Another is Phase I, which is for wireless phones. It shows the phone number and location of the tower the signal is coming from. Both the city and county have Phase I. The third is Phase II. It gives you the ability to find where the wireless caller is through mapping. It shows you a latitude and longitude on a map to show exactly where they are.
"For Phase II, you will have to have a map done for the system. Maps can be professionally done and if you know someone that does them, it can save you money. Maps are very labor-intensive and can cost some money. To have two full Phase II programs for both the city and county would cost about $35,000," Carter said.
Hill offered his thoughts on the system. "We have $120,000 in the 911 account, and it is a shame that we don't have the best equipment and system for the citizens of Forrest City and St. Francis County. I think we should look into this and see what we can do."
Before adjourning, the group agreed that the county would pay back the $158,000 that was taken from the 911 account and placed into the SFC General Account to compensate dispatchers at the SFC jail. $79,000 will be paid immediately, and then the rest will be given back over time.
Also, Adamson will compile figures on a new recorder for the police department's 911 and phone systems, and present it to the SFC Budget Committee at the group's next meeting.
The St. Francis County Farm Bureau will hold its annual Rice Cook-Off on Friday, Oct. 31, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
According to a press release from the SFCFB, anyone may enter the Harvest Fest Rice Cook-Off with the exception of members of the Farm Bureau Women's Committee. Contestants may enter in as many categories as they wish at an entry fee of $1 per entry. Previous sweepstakes and first place winners may not enter the same category as the previous year.
The categories are: Salads/Vegetables, main dish, desserts, international cuisine/miscellaneous and youth. Each recipe must use rice or a rice product as a primary ingredient. Contestants must bring their prepared rice dish to the First United Methodist Church between 9 a.m. and 10 a.m. on Thursday, Oct. 31. Each contestant must attach two copies of the recipe, printed or typed, on a standard sheet of paper.
Entries will be judged on the basis of flavor, originality and presentation. The overall sweepstakes winner will receive $50, a gift tray and ribbon. The first prize winner in each category will receive $30, and a ribbon; second place finishers will receive $20, and a ribbon; third place will receive $10 and a ribbon and the most unique rice dish will receive a small electric appliance and a ribbon. Each winner will also receive other prizes and the sweepstakes winner will be chosen from the five first place winners.
The word for the weekend was "upset."
And boy, were there plenty of those as the weekend schedule of high school, college and NFL games unfolded.
Many of those "upsets" kept the Professor Pigskin players off-balance before two readers emerged tied with five losses each, which brought the tie-breaker game into effect.
Kirk Billingsley and John Tarbutton each missed just five of the 20 games listed but it was Tarbutton, a previous Pigskin winner, who was closest to the actual score of the Forrest City-Searcy game. Not only did Tarbutton have Searcy picked to win, but he got within 12 points of the final score.
That effort gives Tarbutton the $50 cash prize.
This week's Pigskin schedule of games can be found inside today's Times-Herald.
Members of the Forrest City Public Library Board were updated Monday afternoon on the progress of a new parking lot.
The new parking spaces will be located south of the library on Davis Street.
Board member Brad Beavers told the group that the project is moving along. "We had Paul Gunn do some survey work for us on the new parking lot," said Beavers. "He has placed flags and should be giving the information to the city shop soon. After the shop has the information, they can get started on clearing the land."
In other business, board members also discussed hiring an additional librarian to fill in for one employee who will be taking maternity leave in February. The extra help will be hired in the next few weeks so he or she can be trained before the vacancy occurs.
Building activity was fairly slow in Forrest City during September. Only two commercial projects received permits during the month.
Private home projects totaled more than commercial for the month. The total value of projects during September was $100,900.
Commercial projects included a sign, valued at 42,500 at Mrs. Winters Restaurant at 2306 North Washington, and a canopy, valued at $1,000, to be built by Rose Stewart at 208 N. Grant.
Private home projects included one new house, three repair projects, two remodeling projects, an iron fence, a carport and a storage building.
The Forrest City City Council is scheduled to meet at 7 tonight at city hall. Councilmen will open bids for work on land at the sports complex and hear two resolutions.