By TAMARA JOHNSON
Managing Editor
The amount of money being pumped into the local economy by the Federal Bureau of Prisons will nearly double when the newest prison phase is activated later this year.
Members of the Federal Correctional Institution-Forrest City's Community Relations Board learned during the group's quarterly meeting Monday that just over one-third of the staff for the medium-security facility has been hired, with the remaining jobs expected to be filled before the facility begins accepting prisoners in November.
Warden Linda Sanders, who was originally hired to oversee the FCI-FC medium facility, will now also serve as warden for the entire complex, it was announced Monday by Warden Cole Jeter. Jeter, who has served as warden for the low-security prison and minimum-security camp, is transferring to Ft. Worth, Texas.
Job fairs were held last week at two locations each in Forrest City and Wynne, during which some FCI-FC employees met with jobseekers and helped them apply online for positions at FCI-FC.
"About 120 people applied for employment with the Bureau of Prisons online during these job fairs," Sanders said, adding that another job fair is being planned for Forrest City and Wynne within the next month. After that, Sanders said recruitment efforts would extend to Helena, West Memphis and Jonesboro.
People applying for jobs with the BOP should be no older than 37. All BOP employees are required to undergo three weeks of extensive training as correctional officers. Correctional officers have a starting salary of $34,000 annually.
Anyone wanting to apply online for positions at the FCI-FC may do so at usajobs.com. Sanders said positions at both the new medium-security prison and vacancies at the low-security prison will be posted on this website.
To date, Sanders said 116 people, with 63 being from the local area, have been hired to fill the 300 jobs available with the medium-security facility. "We're hoping to have 220 to 225 on board by the end of this fiscal year (Sept. 30)," she said.
Some specialty positions, such as pharmacists, doctors and dentists, also need to be filled. "We're in dire need of those positions," Sanders said.
Once the newest facility opens, the total staff at the complex will be 620 with an estimated annual payroll of about $36 million.
The medium-security facility is designed for 1,536 inmates to be housed in three residential units of 512 inmates each. Once activated, Sanders said the facility will be considered in activation status for two years.
Prior to the medium-security facility's opening, Sanders said
days will be set aside for tours for the community, media and
law enforcement. A special day for employees and their families
to tour the prison will also be announced.
By KENDALL OWENS
T-H Staff Writer
For the first time in the last three months, the Forrest City Civic Center Commission finally got a quorum together for its monthly meeting.
With commission chairperson Delores Morelon and member Ted Parker absent, the four remaining members of the commission opened the meeting 15 minutes late when commissioner Marcus Freeman arrived.
Commissioner Shirley Harvell served as chairperson as members discussed issues ranging from beautification efforts at the facility to the proposed second kitchen discussed by Forrest City City Council members last week.
According to Harvell, issues such as the civic center sign and beautification of the building have been deferred to Forrest City Mayor Larry Bryant and will be discussed after a contract on the catering at the facility has been determined.
"I'm sure that you all read the letter in the Times-Herald from Mr. Charles White as it concerns the sign out front. Since we don't manage our own budget, matters such as the sign and beautification efforts have been deferred to the mayor. He has told us that those matters will be taken up after everything has been sorted out on the catering situation," Harvell told board members.
According to Harvell, if city council members decide that a second kitchen is necessary at the civic center, rental rates at the building would have to be increased.
"When we first started discussing the catering issue, one of the main concerns was the utility rates at the building. Based on the utility rates at that time, we were facing having to raise the rental rates to cover the expenses. If a second kitchen is built, those utility costs are sure to increase and rental rates would definitely have to be increased. We really need more information on what the city council is going to do on this matter," she said.
The purchase of a new bar for the civic center may have to wait, after Freeman told the commission that purchasing a portable bar might be too expensive. According to Freeman, costs on the bar would be in the neighborhood of $1,000. He said he was unsure if the city would consider purchasing one at that price. Freeman also told commissioners that efforts to have a bar built by the city shop are underway.
"Raymond (Stewart) and I have discussed the bar and looked at prices. Right now, I'm not sure that the mayor would purchase one at the prices we're finding. We definitely need a new bar out here, so Raymond and I are going to contact the city shop to see if we could possibly have one built," Freeman said.
Jimmy Gaines, who was filling in at the meeting for civic center
manager Raymond Stewart, updated commission members on the status
of the building's new air conditioning system and the building's
new generator.
By ALAN SMITH
T-H Staff Writer
The St. Francis County Election Commission failed to get a quorum for a meeting on Monday night, but Commission Chairperson Bettye Proctor did carry out an informal discussion with several local Democrats regarding who has guardianship of special election ballots.
The meeting was announced as a Democratic Central Committee meeting by Bettye Proctor, who is a member of both bodies, and several DCC members attended. However, Proctor said this morning that the meeting was intended to be an election commission meeting.
In addition to Proctor, others who attended the meeting were Frederick Freeman, Horace Proctor, Ed Chauvin and Earnestine Weaver. Although the group did not discuss any general DCC business, the ballots for the countywide special election set for Aug. 3, regarding the transfer of a portion of Forrest City's solid waste tax for economic development, and who is in control of ballots was discussed.
Proctor quoted a state law that says the county clerk is the "custodian of the absentee and early voting ballots."
Freeman said that to him, a custodian is not the person who would make the decisions regarding the ballots, but the keepers of the ballots by law.
The ballots recently were moved to the county clerk's office from the election commission's office in an effort to make room for the St. Francis County Mapping office. St. Francis County Judge Carl Cisco later agreed to allow the commission to keep a portion of the office space. Proctor also stated that the commission needs help to move the items back into their office. Freeman suggested that the election commission speak to County Clerk Elizabeth Smith in order to set up a time for them to move the ballots back to their office.
Proctor also commented that she was unclear if the ballots, by law, should be kept in the county clerk's office and that she needs to check with election officials in Little Rock.
This morning, Smith provided a copy of the law regarding to the storage of the ballots.
Arkansas State Law 77310 states, "The county board of election commissioners, immediately upon having canvassed the returns and, where demanded, examined the ballots and upon having certified the results of the primary... shall file in the office of the county clerk of the county all list-of-voter forms, all precinct voter registration lists and all ballots, affidavits and other documents received from the election officials." The second section of the law states, "These materials shall be preserved by the county clerk for a period of two years, subject to the orders of any court of competent jurisdiction or if a contest is pending, until the contest is determined."
Proctor stated that the commission will try to set up another meeting this week, but did not have a time yet. She stated that topics scheduled to be discussed will be poll workers and the contract of election coordinator Judy Armstrong. She also stated that the ballots for the special election were turned over to the county clerk's office on Thursday, July 8.
Although last night's meeting was originally announced as a DCC meeting, Proctor's claim that it was to have been an election commission meeting was supported by Commissioner Florence Brown who said she was notified of the meeting early Monday morning, but could not attend due to a prior commitment.
Recently appointed Commissioner Lamar Bridges, who was to replace former election commission chairman Joe Young, confirmed this morning that he would not be accepting the position.
State Board of Election Commissions Director Susie Storms said today that the list of five candidates submitted by the election commission were listed in order of preference, and that it is the state commission's choice as to who serves from that list. "We are now waiting for Bettye Proctor to give us a call (since the state selection of Bridges declined) so we will know if the State Election Commission needs to hold a special meeting or if the St. Francis County Election Commission can wait until the regular meeting on July 28."
The remaining names on the list are Maceo Hawkins, Joe Young,
Ed Chauvin and Frederick Freeman.
By TAMARA JOHNSON
Managing Editor
A Forrest City man is wanted by police on charges that he shot two men in separate incidents within the past week.
The Forrest City Police Department identified Joel Bradley, 25, of 2019 Walnut, as a suspect in the shootings which have occurred on the past two Monday nights.
According to the report, police believe Bradley shot Sylvester Jones, 45, at his home at 310 A St., just before midnight last night.
Jones called police to his home about 11:37 p.m., and upon arrival they found him sitting in a chair in his front yard with a gunshot wound to his left leg. Jones told police Bradley was looking for a place to spend the night, but became angry and shot him in the leg, just above the knee. Bradley then reportedly ran from Jones' home.
Jones was treated and released at Baptist Memorial Hospital-Forrest City.
According to police records, Bradley is also wanted in connection with the shooting of Roosevelt Franklin, 37, 1912 Crawford, Forrest City, on Monday, July 5. Franklin was shot in the right leg just before midnight on B Street. Franklin was treated at BMH-FC and later transferred to the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock.
Police have arrest warrants on Bradley for first-degree battery, aggravated robbery and felon in possession of a firearm in connection with the shooting of Franklin.
He is also wanted for felony criminal mischief in connection with an incident in April during which he allegedly stole a girlfriend's car and burned it.
He is also currently out of jail on bond for another robbery, according to police records.
Police are still investigating last night's shooting of Jones,
but said Bradley has been identified as the suspect in the case.
By KENDALL OWENS
T-H Staff Writer
A complaint against a Madison City Police Officer took center stage Monday during the monthly meeting of the Madison City Council.
Shirley Blount of Madison addressed the council with accusations that officer Jonathon Parks had used excessive force while writing her a citation last month.
According to Blount, Parks approached her in a store in the city and requested her driver's license. Blount told council members that she thought the officer was joking with her due to the officer's past actions.
"Officer Parks would joke with me all the time and he would ask me for my license and then tell me that he didn't need it. I thought he was joking with me again," Blount said.
Blount told the council that when she didn't give her license to Parks, he then grabbed her wrist and the back of her neck at which time she complied with his request for her driver's license. Parks then told the council that he only used the necessary force, after Blount refused to comply with his request for her license.
"On the date in question, Shirley pulled up to the convenience store and when she exited her vehicle she turned her music up and I asked her to turn the music back down because the mayor has told us that there is zero tolerance for loud music. After asking her for her license several times, I then attempted to place her under arrest at which time she resisted, and I used the necessary force to subdue her. After she gave me her license, I wrote her a citation for violation of the loud music ordinance and allowed her to leave," Parks said.
Parks said he did not charge her with more serious charges because she was transporting her nephews.
Council members chose to table a decision on any disciplinary actions after some discussion. According to council member Sandra Smith, any decision would need to be studied in order to prevent hindering the officers from doing their jobs.
"I can't make a decision based on the information that we've been given, and I don't want to hinder Officer Parks from doing his job. We weren't there to see what happened and there are no other witnesses to this incident. With the size disparity between the two of them, any actions that he took could have been perceived as excessive force. We don't know the temperament that was felt, and it would just be difficult to determine whether his actions were necessary," Smith said.
In other business, council members named Stanley Anderson as the city's Flood Plains Manager/Assistant City Inspector at the request of Mayor James Brooks. According to Brooks, Anderson volunteered to take on the job after the city was notified by the Arkansas Soil and Water Department that a flood plain's manager was necessary. Anderson will receive a $150 per month salary for his work.
Council members also voted to grant a business permit to Madison resident Billy Allen. Allen approached the council requesting the permit to open a game room.
Council members also voted last night to deny a permit for the construction of a halfway house in the city. The issue of the halfway house had been discussed at the April, May and June meetings.
The council also voted to table a possible annexation of an
area until after information showing the city's boundaries could
be located by city inspector Larry Knowlton. Knowlton agreed to
contact County Assessor Craig Jones regarding the city limits
to determine if the area southwest of the railroad tracks is currently
inside the city limits. Knowlton also agreed to look into a citizen's
request to close and repair a portion of Anderson Street.
By DAVID NICHOL
T-H Staff Writer
The Forrest City Airport Commission on Monday opened bids for a security fence and gates for the airport.
The apparent low bidder was Capitol Fence of Little Rock, which bid $165,925. Other bids included United Fence of North Little Rock, $192,741; Memphis Fence Co., of Memphis, $194,530; West Memphis Fence of West Memphis, $209,936 and Quality Fence of Pine Bluff, $224,000.
The bid price includes site preparation, 11,900 feet of seven-foot chain link fence, 400 feet of six-foot chain link fence, one 12-foot double swing gate, one 10-foot motorized cantilever gate with keypads, one 12-foot motorized cantilever gate with keypads and removal and disposal of the existing fence.
The Capitol Fence bid came in under the engineer's estimate of $180,500.
The commission members voted to recommend the Capitol Fence bid to Mayor Larry Bryant, subject to verification of the bid figures by Dan Clinton, engineer.