By DAVID NICHOL
T-H Staff Writer
The City Council will be facing the second mayoral veto in as many months, when it meets in regular session on Tuesday.
Forrest City Mayor Larry Bryant last week vetoed an ordinance authorizing the construction of an animal shelter for the Forrest City Area Humane Society.
The ordinance was introduced at the April 20 meeting, and was read one time. It was read a second time on May 4. Bryant did not attend that meeting.
At the May 4 council meeting, Alderman Cecil Twillie, acting as mayor pro-tem, asked council members if they had gotten any negative feedback on the animal shelter, and only one said he had heard anything negative. The council then voted to suspend the rules and read the ordinance a third time that night. After the third reading, the council voted to adopt the ordinance.
In a memorandum dated May 10, Bryant said he was vetoing the ordinance, and listed five reasons:
1. "It does not have an explanation for moving from the present location.
2. "It is outside of city limits, and we won't have security.
3. "It has additional costs for infrastructure (water, sewer and other utilities outside of the city limits).
4. "It is on a gravel road.
5. "The property is leased to the city rather than as a gift to the city."
The lease price is $1 a year for 20 years. The location is outside the current city limits, off Mallory Road. The city would own the building itself.
One council member, who did not want to be quoted before the council meets on Tuesday, said only that the subject will be brought up.
It was the second recent veto. In April, Bryant vetoed an amended 2004 budget. The city council overrode that veto at its April 20 meeting.
The city council meets at 7 p.m. in city hall. The veto is on the agenda.
Voters will go to the polls Tuesday for party primaries.
Polls will be open from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m.
In several races in St. Francis County, the Democratic Primary winner will face no opposition in November.
These include the County Clerk's race, where incumbent Elizabeth Smith faces a challenge from Paul Spears; the County Treasurer's race, with incumbent Ann Harbin challenged by Tammy Talley, and the County Judge position, with incumbent Carl Cisco facing a challenge from Author Witherspoon.
In the Sheriff and Collector's race, incumbent Dave Parkman faces George Cochran in the primary. The winner will face John Heckler in November.
County Assessor Craig Jones has no challenger.
The following is a list of voting locations. Two locations marked with an asterisk (*) are new polling places:
Hughes City/Country, Precincts 1-1, 1-2, 1-3, 1-4, 1-5, 2-1, 2-2, 2-3, 3-1, 3-2, 3-3, 3-4, 4-1, 4-2, 4-3, 4-4 -- Hughes Community Center.
Rawlison, Precincts 5-1, 5-2 -- Hughes Community Center.
Heth/Blackfish, Precincts 6-2, 7-1, 7-2, 7-3 -- Blackfish Community Center.
Widener, Precincts 9-1, 9-2, 10-1 -- Widener City Hall.
Round Pond/Mosley, Precincts 11-1, 11-2, 13-1, 13-2 -- Widener City Hall.
Madison, Precincts 14-1, 14-2, 14-3, 14-4, 14-5, 15-1, 15-2, 15-3, 15-4 -- Madison City Hall.
Bonair/Tuni, Precincts 16-1, 17-1, 17-2, 17-3 -- Kountry Kitchen.
*Parrot/Newcastle, Precincts 18-1, 19-1 -- Wesley Chapel Methodist Church (one-half mile off Newcastle Road on Highway 311).
Colt, Precincts 20-1, 21-1 -- Colt Community Center.
Caldwell, Precincts 22-1, 23-1 -- Caldwell Fire Station.
Courthouse East/West, Precincts 24-1, 25-1, 25-2, 25-3, 25-4, 26-1 -- Courthouse.
Pine Tree, Precincts 27-1, 27-2, 27-4 -- U. of A. Experiment Station.
*Pine Tree, Precinct 27-3 -- Twin Assembly Fellowship Hall (in Palestine).
Palestine City/Country, Precincts 28-1, 29-1, 29-2, 29-3, 30-1, 30-2, 30-3, 30-4, 31-1, 31-2, 31-3 -- Twin Assembly Fellowship Hall.
Goodwin, Precincts 32-1, 32-2, 32-3 -- Goodwin Baptist Church.
Wheatley City/Country, Precincts 33-1, 33-2, 34-1, 34-2, 34-3 -- Wheatley Community Center.
Forrest City Ward 1, Precincts 35-1, 35-2, 36-1, 37-1, 38-1, 58-1 -- Christ Church.
Forrest City Ward 2, Precincts 39-1, 41-1, 43-1, 43-2, 45-1, 47-1, 50-3 -- Civic Center.
Forrest City Ward 3, Precincts 49-1, 50-2, 50-4, 51-1, 52-1, 52-2, 53-1, 53-2, 55-2 -- Civic Center.
Forrest City Ward 4, Precincts 54-1, 55-3, 56-1, 56-2, 57-1, 57-2, 60-1, 65-1, 66-1, 66-2 -- Civic Center.
Baptist Memorial Hospital-Forrest City is celebrating National Emergency Medical Services Week by hosting an "Emergency Services Open House" on Tuesday, May 18, from 1 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. in the hospital parking lot.
The Baptist EMS team, as well as representatives from the police department, sheriff's department and state police will be on site, offering tours of the mobile command unit, ambulance, helicopter and police vehicles.
"We look forward to the open house as a time to recognize
our EMS professionals and other emergency services in the area,"
said Paul Cade, CEO and administrator. "It also allows us
the opportunity to further educate the public about EMS and the
extraordinary job our highly trained personnel do for the community
every day."
A Louisiana man was robbed of $15 while working on railroad tracks near Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive Friday evening.
Candy Harvey, 27, of Alexandria, La., reported the armed robbery about 5:30 p.m. to a St. Francis County Sheriff's Deputy who notified the Forrest City Police Department.
Harvey told police three black males approached him while he was working on the railroad tracks behind Bray Street, pointed a gun at him and demanded his money.
The suspects reportedly took $15 from Harvey and fled on foot
toward a nearby subdivision.
With today being the final day for independent candidates to file for positions on the November general election ballot, several people beat the rush Friday to file for city council positions.
Three incumbent Forrest City City Council members entered the race to retain their positions. Council members Mary Jeffers in Ward 2, Position 1; Cecil Twillie in Ward 1, Position 2 and Roy Hancock in Ward 1, Position 1, have entered the race.
A pair of candidates who ran for positions in 2002 are also
giving it a second shot. Danny Capps filed last week to seek the
Ward 3, Position 1, seat currently held by Steve Hollowell, and
Henry E. Peacock will face off against councilman Roy Hancock
for the Ward 1, Position 1 spot.
The Widener City Council will meet at 6 tonight at city hall.
The Palestine-Wheatley School Board meeting, originally scheduled
for tonight, has been postponed until Monday, May 24.