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By DAVID NICHOL
T-H Staff Writer
Last month, the East Arkansas Community College Board of Trustees voted to grant a 25 percent tuition waiver to members of the National Guard and Reserves, a move which effectively gave them the same free tuition as full-time service members.
This month, the National Guard said thank you.
Major Gen. Don C. Morrow, Adjutant General of Arkansas with the Arkansas National Guard, visited the EACC campus to formally thank the school. It was part of a series of similar visits to about 17 schools around the state.
"We've traveled around to the schools that have agreed to participate in this program, and hopefully we're still going to get more schools," said Morrow.
He said the National Guard and Reserve have many Arkansas members who are on duty at this time.
"For the past decade or so, they've served a great deal," Morrow said. "Certainly, everybody tends to think that it all happened and all started with 9-11. But the Guard was very busy before 9-11 and got even more busy after that period of time. Right now, as a matter of fact, almost 40 percent of the Arkansas Army Guard is deployed."
Before a luncheon attended by Morrow, other National Guard representatives, EACC board members and members of the EACC administration, there was a brief ceremony. Dr. Coy Grace, president of EACC, presented Morrow with a copy of the resolution passed by the Board of Trustees which granted the tuition waiver.
Morrow then presented Grace with a replica of the Minuteman statue which stands in Concord, Mass.
Morrow said the Minutemen were actually an early form of National Guard, and said the history goes back even further.
"The Guard goes back and takes its heritage from the first muster in 1636," he said. "And the Guard, the militia at that time, were made up of what came to be called Minutemen. They were called Minutemen because they were required to drop whatever they were doing at a moment's notice and come to the defense of the colony."
He pointed out that in the statue, the Minuteman has one hand on the plow and one on a musket.
"His role was to drop that plow and assemble," he said. "And I would say to you that our soldiers right here in Forrest City, put down the plow and picked up the musket, just as these brave patriots did, and have gone to defend their country. They're doing what their country has called them to do."
He continued, "Some of them may have literally put down the plow, but I suspect they also put down the computer mouse, they put down school teaching jobs, they put down bus driving jobs, they put down plumbing jobs -- whatever they were doing. But they picked up the musket and have gone on to defend the country. So we're very proud of this symbol."
After the presentations, Grace and Morrow formally signed agreements on the tuition waivers.
By DAVID NICHOL
T-H Staff Writer
The city council on Tuesday heard first reading of an ordinance requested by the Forrest City Water Utility, for an increase in water and sewer rates.
The Water Utility has said it is operating at a deficit, and will need extra money for anticipated extra expenses in the coming years, including new wells, repairs and a possible new water plant.
Some citizens and council members have expressed concern over the steep increase of the base charge, which would double for residential customers.
The basic charge is currently $5 for residential customers of the Forrest City utility, both inside and outside the city, and $7 for commercial customers. That would increase to $10 for all. (That charge for commercial customers is for the smallest commercial users. The base charge would increase along with the size of the meter for larger commercial customers).
Also, the charge per hundred gallons of use would increase from $1 to $1.10 for residents inside the city, from $1.25 to $1.35 for residents outside the city who are Forrest City customers, and from $1 to $1.10 for commercial users.
Sewer charges would increase as follows: For Forrest City residential, from $1 to $1.25 per hundred cubic feet; for Forrest City customers outside the city, from $1.25 to $1.50 per hundred cubic feet; and for commercial, from $1.00 to either $1.10 or $1.25 or per cubic feet, depending on the amount of usage.
Jim Beazley, the Water Utility manager, was questioned by some of the council members. Alderman Roger Breeding had a letter from a constituent, which he had copied and given to all the council members and the media. It asked why the base charge had to be increased so much, and recommended that most of the increase be in the usage charge.
Beazley said because so few residential customers use more than the minimum amount, an increase in the rate figured on volume would not raise enough money. He said many expenses are in the future.
There was also some discussion on the deposit which would be required of new customers if the ordinance is passed as-is. It would require an increase from $35 to $100.
Beazley said that would enable the utility to recoup its losses when people "skip" out on their bills. He said that people with good records of payment from other towns would be able to get discounts on the deposit price.
The council also heard first reading on a second ordinance, to increase the charge to water districts which get their water from Forrest City.
Beazley said if the rates are approved, they would be reevaluated on a three-year basis.
On another matter, the council passed a resolution to seek bids for the demolition of condemned structures at 121 W. Poplar and 341 W. Oak. The council also voted to give the same Christmas employee bonuses as last year. Those are $750 for full-time and $350 for part-time. For those who have been employed less than one full year, the bonus will consist of one-twelfth of the appropriate (full or part time) bonus for each month of employment.
By DAVID NICHOL
T-H Staff Writer
The building of a multipurpose facility at the Forrest City Municipal Sports Complex took a step backwards Tuesday, when the city council learned that bids had come in higher than expected.
Ron Bené Woods, of Woods Caradine Architects, reported to the council that five bids had been received, ranging from a high of almost $2.6 million to a low of $2,229,000. The low bid was from Kenco Construction of Forrest City.
The problem was that the council had appropriated only $1.8 million for the project.
Woods explained that in the time since the money had been appropriated, the cost of steel had risen sharply. He said some changes had been made to bring the cost down, but the cost could not be brought down all the way.
"In light of the cost of steel going up," that (the Kenco bid) is a really good cost," said Woods. "It's going to be hard to beat."
That left a bid of some $429,000 more than had been appropriated.
A motion was made to accept the bid (meaning the rest of the money would have to be appropriated). On the vote, Aldermen Louise Fields, John Gadberry, Roy Hancock, Mary Jeffers and Cecil Twillie voted yes. Alderman Roger Breeding, Steve Hollowell and Brent Ponder voted no.
The 5-3 vote did not give a large enough margin for an appropriation, which requires a two-thirds vote to pass.
When asked why he voted no, Hollowell said he felt that since it was close to budget time, the council should look at it.
"This is a substantial increase over the original plan," Hollowell said. "I'm not to sure about the operation cost. I think we can just wait a little bit."
Mayor Larry Bryant said the city has over $8 million in a fund that can be used.
"When I started in this office we had $3.5 million," said Bryant. "Now we have $8.2 million. It's just a matter of do we do it or not do it."
He suggested that the architect and Kenco get together and see if they can bring the cost down more.
"There won't be anything built any time soon, because of weather. But (Kenco) needs to be able to lock in its prices," he said.
Breeding said he was concerned about accepting a bid that didn't have enough money appropriated.
He also brought up an old argument.
"The people voted this down once before, and I'm not comfortable voting for something that a majority of the people voted down," he said.
Bryant answered with the other side of the old argument, that the people voted against a sales tax, not against the multi-purpose center.
Breeding also said he wanted some estimates on what the utility costs would be at the facility.
After some more discussion, a budget meeting was called for next Tuesday, Dec. 14, at 6 p.m. Money for the multi-purpose facility will be one of the subjects.
By DAVID NICHOL
T-H Staff Writer
Preliminary plat approval for a proposed subdivision at Dr. Martin Luther King and Ophelia streets, which was tabled by the city council, remained tabled Tuesday when neither proponents or opponents could get a second on their motions.
At the Nov. 16 meeting, there was some discussion over whether the city would be inviting a lawsuit by refusing to approve the plat for the Meadowbrook Park subdivision. A number of residents of Ward 1, and some from Ward 4, have said they are opposed to the development, saying there is already enough subsidized housing in the area.
Alderman Cecil Twillie said he believed that the city would not be liable for refusing to approve the plat, since there was opposition from the community.
City Attorney Alan Cline answered. "The city council can make these subdivision rules and regulations, which you have done," he said. "And when somebody meets those rules and regulations, it is the city council's job to approve that plat."
Twillie said that he and the residents of the community do not believe the subdivision would follow the regulation which calls for such a development to "promote the health, safety, morals and general welfare of the residents of the City of Forrest City...And Ward 1 has been complaining to me and to us that they don't see this doing that. And if they don't see this doing that, then we have authority and jurisdiction over that."
Cline said that the rules also state that once someone has met the requirements, "they're entitled to have their plat approved. If you don't like the way they've done it, you change the procedures. You don't pick and choose which ones you like and don't like."
He also told Twillie that it was up to him to vote as he sees fit.
After some more discussion, Alderman Roy Hancock moved to approve the preliminary plat. The motion died for lack of a second.
Twillie then moved that the council vote not to approve the preliminary plat. That motion also died for lack of a second.
Alderman Roger Breeding said he wanted to talk to a state attorney before he voted one way or another.
Mayor Larry Bryant said, "It's going to be laid back on the table again," and requested that the council "give me some guidance."
Best TV and Satellite has served the Forrest City area for over 15 years, and owner Eddie Best said moving his business to a new location will not affect that service.
Best recently moved to 1012 North Washington from his North Division location.
"We provide TV repair of course," said Best, "and we install Direct TV and Dish Network satellite systems."
"I want to invite everyone to come out and check out our new location," added Best. "The store hours are from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, and from 8:30 a.m. to 12 noon on Saturday."
A fight during the noon hour Tuesday at the Forrest City Junior High School resulted in the arrest of two students after several faculty members were called on to break up the altercation.
The incident occurred about 12:20 p.m. when the two girls, ages 14 and 15, began arguing and had to be separated. According to a report on file at the Forrest City Police Department, nothing physical transpired between the students because they were separated as they were running toward one another. School officials told police both girls were using profanity toward one another and faculty members as they continued trying to fight.
Police reported, the 14-year-old was "so out of control that she began to fight with one of the teachers before he was assisted by another teacher to help control her." The teacher, Barry Hodges, suffered cuts and scratches to his arms and hands.
The 14-year-old is charged with disorderly conduct and third-degree battery on a school official. The 15-year-old is charged with disorderly conduct.
An alleged accomplice to an aggravated robbery last month was charged Tuesday.
Chrishun Saxton Anderson, 28, 212 N. Water St., Forrest City, was arrested at her home yesterday morning by St. Francis County deputies on warrants for two counts of violation of the Arkansas Hot Check Law.
The charges of aggravated robbery and failure to comply for non-payment of fines were later levied by investigators with the Forrest City Police Department.
Police said Anderson and her husband, Charles Anderson, 31, robbed Deondra D. Henderson, 26, 333 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Dr., Forrest City, of about $90 on Nov. 14. Henderson told police he was walking along South Rosser Street toward a store to buy computer parts when a vehicle occupied by a female subject he recognized from school stopped and offered him a ride. Anderson was a passenger in the vehicle.