By DAVID NICHOL
T-H Staff Writer
The Forrest City Airport Commission is being asked to meet and reconsider a vote it made Monday to refuse payment of part of its entitlement money to the Delta Regional Airport Authority.
That went against a desire on one council member's part to force the airport commission to give up the money.
On Monday, commission members had learned that the Federal Aviation Administration was asking for $115,000 as Forrest City's share of the continued studies being made on the concept of a regional airport between Wynne and Forrest City.
Council member Roger Breeding told the council that he had attended the airport commission meeting in which the decision was made to refuse payment.
"As you know, we passed an ordinance to pursue the concept of a regional airport last year," said Breeding. He said the city of Wynne had already allocated its funds, and he said that according to the Federal Aviation Administration, Forrest City's share of the money must be allocated by May 1.
"We all decided a year ago that we wanted to pursue a regional airport," Breeding said. "And the Forrest City Airport Commission...basically told me and this community and this city council that it didn't matter what the city council voted on a year ago, they weren't going to approve the funding to the Delta Regional Airport Authority. I think it matters what this city council, elected by the citizens of this community, not appointed by anyone, decides to do."
Breeding had asked City Attorney Alan Cline to prepare a resolution, directing the airport commission to allocate the funds.
After the resolution was read, Bill Hays, the chairman of the airport commission, was asked if he wanted to speak. He said he had learned on April 6, the day after the April 5 regular commission meeting, what the specific amount of the FAA request would be. It was reported Tuesday that Lana Logan, program manager for Arkansas airports with the FAA, said Hays knew in March. The specific date was not mentioned in the April 19 called meeting.
Later in the meeting, Hays Ssaid, "I wonder sometimes if we're getting the same letters they are sending or hearing the same things on the telephone that they're saying. Things are not real crystal clear between here and there.
Hays had prepared a letter to fax to the FAA, in which the airport commission would agree to allocating the $115,000. He did not send it after the commission voted not to pay it.
Council member Cecil Twillie asked if the council could indeed override the airport commission's vote. Cline said as he understood the situation, the council could.
"As I understand it, the money is sitting with the FAA at this point, waiting to be allocated to somebody," said Cline. "That being the case, it is not yet the property of the airport commission. It's in the city council's court."
Twillie commented, "I'm a little surprised that they voted the way they voted. One thing I say is, did we have more information than they had?"
After some more discussion, Mayor Larry Bryant said he would like to re-word the resolution, to say that the city council's consensus was that the money should be paid.
"We can belabor this and we can discuss this," said Bryant. "I don't like taking power from commissions that we have empowered, that have been in place longer than I've been in place...These funds were solicited to try and make the Forrest City Airport as safe as possible...If you all want to make a statement to the Airport Commission -- because that's all a resolution is -- you will have no problem from me whatsoever. And then I would ask that the airport commission have a meeting prior to May 1, and ratify the resolution that the council has passed. Then everybody will be on the same page and the same course."
On a vote on an amended resolution, council members Twillie, Breeding, Steve Hollowell, Louise Fields, Mary Jeffers, Brent Ponder and John Gadberry voted yes. Roy Hancock voted no.
Hays said he would call a meeting of the commission, but wasn't sure when he would do that yet.
On another matter, Hays told the council that the FAA was requiring that the city advertise for qualifications for engineers to work with the Forrest City Airport on improvement projects. The council gave permission on a 6-2 vote, with Hollowell, Twillie, Fields, Jeffers, Hancock and Gadberry voting yes. Breeding and Ponder voted no.
After the vote, Breeding said he wanted to explain why he voted against seeking an engineering firm.
"I don't believe we should continue to spend money on
taxiways and runways that are safe, to increase size," he
said. "It's not a safety issue, as much as it is to tie up
federal aviation dollars that would be spent for the pursuit of
a regional airport. If we have a regional airport in place six
years from now (a best-case scenario he mentioned earlier in the
meeting), the moneys that are being spent right now are not going
to assist the crop dusting firm that is ultimately buying that
airport. I just don't understand continuing to spend the taxpayers'
dollars on something that is going to wind up being a crop duster
strip."
By DAVID NICHOL
T-H Staff Writer
The Forrest City City Council on Tuesday voted 7-1 to override Mayor Larry Bryant's veto of an amended 2004 budget.
The budget has a 3 percent across-the-board raise for all employees. There are also greater raises for some, as recommended by a special committee which studied the salary schedule. The raises are retroactive to Jan. 1 of this year. Bryant vetoed the budget last week.
On the vote to override, Roy Hancock voted no. Steve Hollowell, Roger Breeding, Brent Ponder, Louise Fields, Mary Jeffers, Cecil Twillie and John Gadberry voted yes. A two-thirds majority vote is required to override a veto.
In other business, the council heard first reading of an ordinance to authorize construction of a shelter for the Forrest City Area Humane Society, on two acres of land outside the city limits on Mallory Road. The Humane Society will own the land and the city will own the building. The Humane Society will pay $1 a year for a 20-year lease, which can be renewed for three more 20-year periods.
Attorney Chris Morledge spoke on behalf of the Humane Society. He showed photos of the property, and said he had been in contact with the Attorney General's office to make sure everything is legal. He said the city may enter into such a contract, as long as there is no conflict of interest.
The city has set aside $100,000 for the building of the shelter. The ordinance will be read twice more.
On another matter, the council heard from Cornelius Tucker, who was complaining that the baseball team he coaches was not allowed to practice at the city's Municipal Sports Complex. He said the reason he was given was that his team is a traveling team, and not part of the city program. He said that had not been a problem before.
Tucker claimed that police had been called to remove his team of 11-year-olds from the field. He brought many of his team members with him to the meeting.
After some discussion, it was the consensus of the council
that a uniform policy should be worked out to allow teams to practice,
with teams in the city league being given priority. The days in
question are Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday.
By DAVID NICHOL
T-H Staff Writer
The contract of the caterer at the Forrest City Civic Center will not be extended, it was decided by a split vote of the city council on Tuesday, which had to be decided by the mayor.
Jim Hitchcock, the caterer, whose contract expires at the end of May, requested in March that his contract be extended until Dec. 31 of this year. He was back for Tuesday's meeting, requesting a decision.
"You all need to have a contract on the table by the time this one expires, to give people ample time to look at it, maybe award it in September, for someone to take over in January, so we can have a smooth transition," he said.
He said people are calling to book the civic center, wanting to know who the caterer will be.
Council member Roger Breeding made a motion to extend the contract and Steve Hollowell seconded it.
During discussion, Earnestine Weaver was invited to speak. She said Hitchcock had acted in a rude manner toward her during a Democratic Central Committee event at the civic center.
Council member Cecil Twillie said he believes the civic center already has a system for people to book a room.
Mayor Larry Bryant said he was not against extending the contract, but he said he believed the end of the year was too long.
"I would think that September would be a more logical time frame," said Bryant. "And the council can always extend it if nothing is done by September.
Breeding said he believed the December 31 date was more reasonable. He said deciding on a contract, advertising for caterers would take time.
"It's going to take a while to get everything done, deciding who it's going to be or if it's going to be multiple...And people are calling...And they want to know right now who's going to cater their event."
Twillie said extending the contract the shorter time -- to September -- it might be putting enough pressure on the city council to get things done.
Council member Roy Hancock said, "We should have took care of this back three years ago, when the Civic Center Commission was complaining about the service they were getting from Mr. Hitchcock."
Hitchcock asked to speak again.
"Number one, Mr. Hancock, three years ago, no one came to me and said, 'Look, can we make some differences in the operation of the civic center?' That wasn't done," said Hitchcock. "They came and attacked me personally, my business, my ethics, and then the war was on. I did not bring it to them, it was brought to me...There are a lot of things you need to look at...It won't happen in two or three months. It hasn't happened in seven years. I really don't appreciate being attacked personally. It wasn't about me. It was about somebody else, wanting my job. Raise your eyebrows, but that's what it was about, Mr. Hancock."
He said he could not continue on the job if the contract was extended only to September.
"This isn't an ultimatum," he said. "This is my living. I can't just play games three months at a time. I can either make a commitment to stay until the end of the year, or leave May 31."
He said the Civic Center Commission has had plenty of time to come up with a final contract.
Shirley Harvell, a member of the Civic Center Commission, disputed some of the charges made by Hitchcock.
"We have been trying to work with Mr. Hitchcock in every way, shape, form and fashion in trying to obtain information as to what direction we wanted to go," she said. She also said Hitchcock has never been cooperative. She said Hitchcock has refused to show his records.
"We did come back to this council asking for assistance in trying to get some point across to Mr. Hitchcock that he has some obligation under the existing contract. We even went line by line. We have tried to come to an agreement."
She said that at the commission's last meeting the commission voted not to have an on-site caterer. "We would instead open the kitchen up...Having a caterer in the kitchen has no bearing on the renting of the rooms at the civic center. People have rented the rooms at the civic center and not used Mr. Hitchcock."
She said the commission has presented something which can go into effect soon. This would be to allow people to have their caterer of their own choice, "without having to have their food stacked up on the floor, water come in tubs, ice in tubs and things of that nature. That is what the Civic Center Commission recommended to the council. We think it is fair, we feel that it is open, and equal to ever citizen of this city, that no one person monopolize something that the citizens tax money purchased."
Harvell continued, "He (Hitchcock) should, knowing that his contract is up, should have already been making exit moves. But he will not give us an inventory of what is his, or basically what is ours. So we have been trying to work. And we have come up with a contract. We have, as a commission, made a recommendation to this council. So I feel it is very unfair for this council or persons thereof, to state that this Civic Center Commission has not done its job. We did. And we have continued to work for the betterment of the civic center and the citizens of Forrest City."
Council member Louise Fields said that if Hitchcock has booked some events, there shouldn't be a problem with him catering for those events. "But I see no reason why we should extend his contract."
When the vote was taken to extend the contract, the vote was
4-4. Breeding, Hollowell, Brent Ponder and John Gadberry voted
yes. Roy Hancock, Cecil Twillie, Mary Jeffers and Fields voted
no. With the vote in a tie, Bryant voted no to defeat the motion
By KENDALL OWENS
T-H Staff Writer
Quorum Court members approved a measure Tuesday to give voters an opportunity to decide if over $100,000 in sales tax money can be rerouted to economic development.
Forrest City Area Chamber of Commerce President Randy Pearson asked justices to approve an ordinance which will call for a special election in June on whether $125,000 in sales tax money for Forrest City can be reassigned from solid waste disposal to economic development over the next four years. According to Pearson, the need for the funding is in part due to an opening in the executive director's position at the Chamber.
"The funds that we are seeking would go directly to our efforts to recruit new firms to the area and to get an executive director for the Chamber," said Pearson. "If we can get this funding, then we can show a potential executive director a level of commitment over the next few years. Since the funding will be voted on by the people, if this passes, it shows industrial firms looking at this area that the people are supportive of efforts to recruit industry. In the past few years, all of the cities in this area that have had new industry had some type of election where the people voted for economic development. Everything I'm hearing tells me something big is going to happen for this area soon," he added.
According to the ordinance, the funds would be allocated annually beginning this year and ending in 2007. St. Francis County Attorney Fletcher Long told justices that the change in the tax would have to be voted on by county residents in order for the funding to be changed.
"Since the people are the ones who voted to implement this tax, they're the only ones who can change the tax. It just needs to be understood that this is not a new tax, it's only going to be moving money from one place to another," Long said.
Justices voted unanimously to approve a special election which will take place on Tuesday, June 8, the date also designated for runoffs from the May 18 Primary. Justices also voted to amend an ordinance permitting the city of Forrest City to spend $125,000 of its sales tax revenues for solid waste disposal for industrial development. The county will have to pay for the special election.
In other business, justices approved a pair of measures which will appropriate funds to the St. Francis County Sheriff's Department. Justices unanimously adopted an ordinance which establishes a drug enforcement fund for direct expenses associated with the investigation of the criminal drug laws. The initial funding for the account is $1,000, and those funds can be used for the purchase of equipment, payment of informants, relocation and/or security of witnesses, emergency supply purchases and emergency travel expense.
The second ordinance establishes a travel account for the Sheriff's Office. According to Chief Deputy H.N. Green, the creation of the account, which had $2,000 appropriated to it, was necessary to come into compliance with a recent audit.
"The auditors said that we have to have a separate account for any transport of prisoners and that we couldn't use cash for that. That's why we need this account created," Green said.
Justices also passed an ordinance which will allow Chancery
Court Judge Ben Story to hire a part-time employee.
By ALAN SMITH
T-H Staff Writer
The restructuring of a water and sewer revenue refunding bond was approved by the Forrest City Water Utility Board on Tuesday.
Jim Beazley, manager of the FCWU, told commissioners of the possibility of restructuring the bond to save money and to fund future projects that he said would improve the water and sewer system in the city.
"The bond company (Stephens Public Finance of Little Rock) has come up with a restructuring plan for one of our bonds," began Beazley. "According to the figures they have drawn up, we would save $155,392.91 over the next eight years on the bond.
"Another thing that they were talking about is adding more to it," said Beazley. According to Beazley, the finance company gave him two additional plans, one including adding $1 million to the bond and another adding $2 million. Both plans included the restructuring on the original bond of $2,070,000.
"That would give us more money to complete some jobs that we have been wanting to do. We have been wanting to replace the sewer line in the cut (an area near north side of the railroad from Forrest to just south of Margaret streets) and place a new supply line that will run from Forrest Street to behind Byrd's Grocery."
Another project Beazley said was on the department's list is a new water line between Highway 70 West and the south end of Williams Street. He stated that while there is nothing in concrete, a plan is in the talking stage of a new housing development on Martin Luther King Drive, and there is a proposal to split the cost of this line.
"I spoke to the developer, and we talked about splitting the cost of laying a new line in the area," said Beazley. "It would cost about $60,000 to lay the line and to bore it under the railroad. If the development goes in, it (the line) would benefit both the department and the developers."
The board unanimously voted to approve the cost of the Highway 70 to Williams Street line up to $30,000, if the development goes through and the developers agreed to split the cost.
On the topic of the bond restructuring, commissioners agreed
to the restructuring of the original bond amount. But they did
not add any additional funds to the amount citing that there was
not enough time before the June 1 deadline set by Stephens for
engineers to make plans for the new additions to the system.
Several people, including one who was already incarcerated, were arrested on drug charges Tuesday during separate incidents reported by local police.
Sherita Hamilton, 27, of Colt, an inmate in the St. Francis County Jail, was arrested about 4 p.m. after cellmates told jailers Hamilton had marijuana in the cell.
According to a report at the St. Francis County Sheriff's Department, Hamilton was committed to the jail on April 15 for failure to pay back fines and other charges, and was assigned as a trusty in the kitchen. Following a search of the cell, jailers found two marijuana cigarettes.
Hamilton now faces an additional charge of furnishing prohibited articles, marijuana, and was scheduled to appear in St. Francis County District Court this afternoon.
The Forrest City Police Department executed search warrants at two homes, and arrested three subjects on various charges Tuesday.
On Tuesday afternoon, police searched a residence at 1106 Center St., and arrested two subjects who are currently on parole, Fitzpatrick Williams, 29, and Clayton Douglas Johnson, 23.
According to the police report, police found 1.6 grams of crack cocaine in Williams' pocket, and inside the home found a 9mm pistol, clips and ammunition.
The home is located within 50 feet of the Southside Park and swimming pool which are designated at "certain facilities" in the criminal code, according to police.
Williams is charged with possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver near certain facility, first-degree assault, from a 2002 case, and a parole violation. Johnson is charged with felon in possession of a firearm and a parole violation.
The two were processed at the FCPD and transported to the county jail. Both were scheduled to be arraigned this afternoon in District Court.
About 8 p.m., FCPD officers searched the home of Larry Glen Dearing II, 35, at 247 Laney Drive, as part of an illegal narcotics investigation. During the search, officers seized 3.3 grams of marijuana.
Dearing is charged with possession of a controlled substance, marijuana. Another occupant in the house was not charged. Dearing is scheduled to appear in court on June 10.
In a separate incident, police were notified that a subject on Grant Street was allegedly attempting to sell drugs. Two officers walked to the location and spoke with Michael Vincent Holley, 23, 145 Bray St., and asked for consent to search him for drugs. After reportedly agreeing to the search, Holley removed his shoes where police noticed a plastic bag containing .09 grams of crack cocaine.
Holley, who is currently serving a five-year suspended imposition of sentence, was charged with possession of controlled substance with intent to deliver. He was scheduled to appear in District Court this afternoon.