By KENDALL OWENS
T-H Staff Writer
Members of the Forrest City Civic Center Commission began the process of setting guidelines for a possible catering contract Monday at their first monthly meeting of the new year.
According to commission chairperson Delores Morelon, the mayor's office provided two examples of possible contracts for the commission to start with. One of the examples was from the Jacksonville Parks and Recreation Department, which allows open use of the kitchen at a rental fee.
The second example was from the Patrick Henry Hays Senior Citizens Center in North Little Rock. That facility offers renters the option of selecting a caterer from a center-approved caterers' list or to use an outside caterer after signing a waiver of liability, freeing the city of any responsibility concerning foods and beverages.
"If we were to use this option, and we don't have an on-site caterer, this will give people an additional means to serve food and drink, if you don't choose to use a caterer from the list. Some people might want to have a potluck and just bring their own food. This gives them that option," said commission member Shirley Harvell.
Commission members also requested rental information in an attempt to decide whether the building requires an on-site caterer.
"Before we move forward with anything else, we need to decide whether or not we need an on-site caterer. We need to see the volume of events that were held in the building, and we need to know which of those events used our on-site caterer and which did not so that we can get all of our information before making a decision," said Harvell.
Commissioners also requested the 2003 sales from current on-site caterer Jim Hitchcock. According to figures provided by Hitchcock, in 2003 he catered 198 events with $83,041.18 in sales. Hitchcock cautioned the commission that a decision on the catering subject needs to be made quickly.
"I understand that you all want to be cautious, but at this rate, it will take you all two years to get something solved. Right now, we've got people who are scheduling events at this building for July, August and September, and we can't tell them how the catering is going to work for their event because the current contract expires in May," Hitchcock said.
"This isn't all about me, but it's about how we're making this building and Forrest City look when we can't tell people their options. Something has to be done because I've got people calling me wanting to know what to do, and I can't tell them anything because I don't know anything. This is making my business look bad, it's making the civic center look bad, and it's making Forrest City look bad," he said.
Hitchcock also commented on what requirements commissioners might want to look at as qualifications for caterers at the building.
"There is no such thing as a certified caterer, but I have to have a foodservice permit for this building in order to serve food here. The current contract also has provisions mandating liability insurance and issues such as workman's comp and a tax identification number. If you're going to operate as a business, then you have to meet the requirements of a business," Hitchcock said.
Commissioners agreed to table the issue until next month.
The board also agreed to request cosmetic improvements at the building in the foyer and the eastern women's restroom. According to Harvell the planters in the foyer need to be improved after years of use.
"The appearance of the flower planters really detract from the building's appearance. I know that it might be expensive, but something needs to be done to spruce that area up. That is the first impression people get when they walk into the building. If all we do is get some filler to go in there it would make it better," Harvell said.
Commission member Willie Ann Ford agreed with Harvell, and said that the bathrooms also need to be upgraded.
"The ladies' rooms really need a woman's touch. The old bathroom still has furniture in it from when I first became a member of this commission. That needs to be remodeled or replaced, and we really need a beautification project for the building," Ford said.
Harvell volunteered to discuss the matter with Forrest City Mayor Larry Bryant.
By DAVID NICHOL
T-H Staff Writer
The Federal Aviation Administration has given its approval to the Forrest City Municipal Airport's latest master plan. All that remains now is for the money to be approved.
"We got our final approval for the master plan from the FAA," engineer Dan Clinton told the Airport Commission Monday night. "You can get action going whenever Congress passes the bill. Congress has not passed the bill authorizing the next round. We hope that will be, like, in the middle of February. And once the President signs it, there will be a period of time before the FAA can process the paperwork."
Clinton reminded them that basically, the airport has an okay for two, short runway extensions -- one on either end, a parallel taxiway system and widening the runways to 75 feet.
"This set of plans tells the FAA everything they want to know about the Forrest City airport," he said.
This does not affect several projects to improve safety and security which have already been funded. These include repairs to the Non-Directional Beacon, Precision Approach Path Indicator (PAPI), Runway End Identifier Light System (REILS), a security fence and electric gate.
The accepted, revised master plan was submitted in July of 2003.
Several years earlier, there was a plan to extend the runways farther -- a plan which also called for seizing some adjacent farmland by eminent domain. At a public meeting concerning the plan, there was a great deal of opposition voiced.
Part of the outgrowth of that opposition was the idea of a regional airport between the cities of Wynne and Forrest City. A feasibility study is currently being done on that. Another part of the outgrowth was the revised master plan for the Forrest City facility, which includes smaller runway expansions, and does not include expanding outside the airport's current boundaries.
The consensus among the Airport Commission members has been that whether or not a regional airport is ever built, in the meantime the current airport must be kept up as well as possible.
Clinton told the commission members that they would have to make decisions on whether to expand the length or width of the runways first, to provide for the shortest down-time. He said that the new REILS and PAPI systems could be moved fairly easily if they were already installed.
On a related matter, Clinton told the commission that the parts for the Non-Directional Beacon had arrived. He said it is only a matter of time before the person who does the installation can work it into his schedule.
On a different matter, commission member Homer Jacobs asked for permission from the commission to pursue an overdue hangar rental fee through legal means. He said it is only for $300, but he said it was the principle of the thing.
A convicted rapist, whose release from a state prison in Arkansas was secured by Gov. Mike Huckabee, has been sentenced to life in a Missouri prison without parole for murder.
Wayne Dumond was sentenced Friday in Liberty, Mo., for the death of Carol Sue Shields, 39. Shields' body was found in a Kansas City apartment on Sept. 20, 2000. She had been bound, suffocated and left nude on a bed.
Dumond was convicted of the murder in November. Prosecutors did not seek the death penalty for Dumond, leaving life in prison without parole as the only sentencing option.
Dumond was paroled after serving 13 years of a sentence for the 1984 rape of Ashley Stevens of Forrest City. He was awaiting trial on that case when he said someone castrated him in 1985 at his home in Forrest City. No one was ever arrested to substantiate Dumond's claim.
He was initially sentenced to life plus 20 years for the rape, but in 1992, then-Gov. Jim Guy Tucker commuted Dumond's sentence to 39 years and six months, making him eligible for parole.
Shortly after taking office in 1996, Huckabee said he intended to reduce Dumond's sentence to time served then about 11 years. He ended up rejecting Dumond's parole request, which would have freed him without conditions. However, Huckabee signed an order just moments after the state parole board granted Dumond a parole on condition that another state take him. After Florida and Texas both rejected parole plans, the parole board agreed to allow him to move in with his mother in DeWitt.
In 1999, Missouri authorities turned down Dumond's request to take over his parole supervision from Arkansas, but approved it the next year. He moved to Missouri on Aug. 1, 2000, after he married a woman who was a Smithville resident and had a job offer to work in construction.
His original parole for the rape conviction was scheduled to end this year.
By KENDALL OWENS
T-H Staff Writer
The Madison City Council opened the door to the demolition of an old elementary school building Monday night when they unanimously approved a resolution condemning the building.
Madison Mayor James Brooks said the condemnation of the building was necessary to protect children who attend Madison Elementary School, which is directly in front of the building.
"The building's owner (the Forrest City School District) decided to take action after a wall collapsed, and they have actually already had people over there taking a look at the building to see what it will take to demolish it," said Brooks.
Brooks also informed council members of a letter from city inspector Larry Knowlton requesting that a second school building in the city be condemned. According to the letter, an inspection of the building was held on Jan. 9. In the letter, Knowlton said that portions of the roof had collapsed, creating a safety hazard and a health hazard. Prior investigation of the building had determined a high asbestos level in the building.
Knowlton recommended that the building be fenced off to prevent entry. Although the recommendation was unanimously approved, council members were hesitant to pass the measure.
According to Annie Winfrey, who has spearheaded efforts to save the building, the historical significance of the building should not be forgotten.
"We have torn down so many old buildings in Madison that we're not leaving anything for future generations. Let's not rush to condemn this. We must try to save some of the old things that we have in this city. We need to remember that before we decide to allow this building to be torn down. I've been working for years to get this building designated as a historical site and we need to do everything possible to try to save this building," said Winfrey.
Brooks told council members that a recommendation to condemn the building didn't necessarily mean that the building would be demolished, but would guarantee that the building be boarded up and a fence be erected to keep vandals out.
"We're not necessarily looking to tear the building down, but we do need to take measures to protect citizens from any health hazards associated with that building. We also have to determine ownership of the building because even though there are those who say that the school district deeded ownership to the city, neither the district nor the city have been able to locate anything proving that," Brooks said.
In other business, council members approved the general and street budgets for 2004 by a five-to-one margin. The new budgets both place the city slightly in the black with the general budget showing $326,172 in revenues against $325,455 in projected expenditures. The street budget projected revenues of $52,189 against $51,891 in projected expenditures.
Council members also agreed to look into possible bonuses for the city's volunteer firefighters. In December, all employees were granted bonuses at the end of the year with the exception of the firefighters. Council member Ocie Williams backed the effort.
"We need to do something to show these guys some appreciation. They're the ones who go out at 3-o'clock in the morning to go into someone's house that's on fire. It's because of them that our insurance rates are going down, and I just feel we need to do something for them," he said.
By TAMARA JOHNSON
Managing Editor
Architects and contractors are spending this month tying up loose ends at the new Forrest City Junior High School in an effort to complete the two-year project.
Architect Bob Beavers and Contractor Gary Kennedy told members of the district's board Monday night that the project is basically 100 percent complete at this point, but they are working on a "punch list" to clear up any remaining problems.
One problem brought to light during last week's brief winter spell was with the heating system. Representatives of the company that installed the system were scheduled to meet with district officials this morning in an effort to "work out those glitches," Beavers said.
"Everything is basically done. We're just trying to make sure everything was done well and is in working condition," Beavers said.
The only remaining work that needs to be completed, according to Beavers, is paving of a small parking area on the south end of the building and the landscaping around the facility.
In other business, the board agreed to advertise for bids for the removal of the old Madison Elementary School, the red-brick building located just behind the current elementary facility. The Madison City Council voted Monday night to condemn that building. FCSD Superintendent Lee Vent said the district has already paid for the asbestos to be removed from the building.
Board members also agreed to allow the district to participate in the Arkansas School Board Association's model policies program. The program, which will cost the district $3,200 annually, will place all district policies on compact disc for easier access. Vent said the district will also receive updates and upgrades relating to state board action and legislative action.
Henry Peacock was welcomed to his first board meeting. Peacock is a temporary replacement for board president Gordon McCoy who has been called to serve with the National Guard in Iraq.
Mary Lou Wilkinson was presented with an appreciation plaque from the district for her work with the Rolling Readers program. She helped establish the program in the school district several years ago. Wilkinson and her husband are moving to Russellville. "We're not leaving Forrest City. We're moving because our children and grandchildren are over there," she said.
Following an executive session, the board approved hiring Sarah Workman as a special education teacher at Lincoln Middle School and Anna Jones as a bus driver.
By ALAN SMITH
T-H Staff Writer
Owners of certain breeds of dogs and dogs that are found to be vicious in Hughes will find themselves facing fines and possible jail time, according to a new ordinance adopted by the Hughes City Council Monday night.
During the December meeting, the council voted to hold a called meeting to review city ordinances involving animals. City Attorney Jerry Roberts said he thought the city had an ordinance on the books regarding vicious animals.
"I thought the city already had passed that," said Roberts. "But we haven't. I drew up an ordinance based on the Little Rock and Lake City ordinances dealing with vicious animals. It stiffens the penalties regarding keeping vicious animals."
The council voted to hear the first reading of the ordinance that states, in part, that owners of animals proven to be vicious can be fined up to $500 and face possible jail time if the animal attacks a person or an animal. It also states that certain breeds of dogs are now banned from the city of Hughes.
The American Pit Bull, Stafford Sire Terrier and Stafford Bull Terrier breeds were all named as illegal in Hughes. "You can't own them period in the city limits," said Roberts.
"If you own a vicious dog, you will have to carry insurance on that dog. The owners can appeal if charges are brought against them to the city judge. The mayor will make the determination if a dog is vicious or not. To do this, we will also need some things done in conjunction with the ordinance so that we will have the means to deal with the dogs."
Mayor Donnie Mooney then spoke about what was needed. "First, we need an animal control officer. The officer in Parkin is interested in working as our officer. We need a vehicle for him to pick up the dogs, we need to provide housing for the dogs and a veterinarian to look at them. We also have to provide a gun for him to shoot tranquilizers and to put them down if they attack him. I think we are looking at between $8,000 and $10,000 to get the things we need to enforce the ordinance."
The council agreed to read ordinance the required three times last night, citing an emergency in the city regarding the dogs. After the third and final reading, councilmen voted unanimously to adopt the ordinance.
In other news, Roberts presented a biased policing policy that he told the council the state is mandating all cities approve. "The policy is against what is commonly called 'racial profiling.' We need to pass the resolution tonight. I was made aware of this after the date the state set for the policy to be approved (Thursday, Jan. 1, 2004)." No discussion was offered, and the policy unanimously passed.
An inmate received several stitches to his head after he was attacked by cellmates in the St. Francis County Jail Monday night.
Isaac Henderson, 32, was allegedly assaulted by two men with whom he shared a cell, according to a St. Francis County Sheriff's Department report. Henderson told deputies he was attacked by the two men who hit him with an unknown object about 7 p.m.
Henderson received six stitches to his right eyebrow as he was treated and released at CrossRidge Hospital in Wynne.
The investigation is continuing, and charges may be pending in the case, according to a SFCSD spokesman.
An informational meeting on Relay for Life, an event held each year in the fight against cancer, will be held Thursday, Jan. 15, at 6:30 p.m. in the parish hall of The Church of the Good Shepherd, Episcopal.
The church is located at 400 Hill Street in Forrest City.
The meeting is for anyone who wishes to participate on a team, be a team captain or volunteer in any way for the event.
For more information, call Deb McInturff at 633-6543 or Kathy Meredith at 633-2183.