By DAVID NICHOL
T-H Staff Writer
Employees with the Forrest City School District will receive hefty raises if a proposal by Superintendent Lee Vent is adopted.
Under the proposal, the base salary for all certified employees would increase by just over 11.8 percent. There would also be an increase in the number of "step" years, from 21 to 22 years. A step would also be added for a master's degree plus 15 hours, of $1,300, and the base for a master's degree would increase.
There would also be an increase for classified employees, including an increase in steps to 22.
As an example, under the proposal, a teacher with no years of experience and a bachelor's degree currently receives $29,960. That same teacher would receive $33,500 under the proposal. A teacher with a master's degree and no experience currently receives a base of $32,794. Under the proposal, that teacher would receive $37,500.
A teacher with 21 years' experience and a bachelor's degree currently receives $44,230. That teacher would receive $48,374 under the proposal. A teacher with 22 years and a bachelor's degree, for which there is no current provision, would receive $48,968. A teacher with a master's degree and 21 years' experience currently receives $47,074, and under the proposal would receive $52,374. With 22 years, that teacher would receive $52,968.
For examples of classified salary increases, the base salary of an administrative office staff Level 1 employee with no experience would go from $17,000 to $19,891. The salary for a custodian/maintenance 1 employee with no experience would go from $16,839 to $18,610. An electrician with 20 years' experience currently receives $24,359 and would receive $26,395.
The raises would take effect this school year, and would be given out in two lump sums -- one before the Christmas break and one before spring break. The raises would then become part of the regular salary beginning with the 2005-2006 school year.
Vent told the board that the increases are necessary in order to make Forrest City competitive with surrounding districts. Board member Mallory Nimocks asked if the district could afford the raises, and Vent said he believed it could.
On another matter, although it wasn't on the agenda, the board agreed to hear a grievance. Nevada Banks, with the Personnel Policy Committee, and Paul Grier, director of legal services for the Arkansas Education Association, presented grievances on two subjects. One was the school district's transfer policies, and the other was the way job openings are posted.
After some discussion, Vent said that as far as transfers are concerned, employees sign contracts with the district, not a particular building. However, Deputy Superintendent Dr. Alice Barnes said she would be open to suggestions about improving the job posting.
On another matter, it was announced that Janelle French had made a bid of $4,560 for the portable building at Madison Elementary.
The board was also reminded of the school board retreat, to be held Nov. 22 at Catfish Island, and the 2004 Arkansas School Board Association meeting to be held Nov. 30-Dec. 2 at the Peabody in Little Rock.
The board also received an update on the possible sale of the Evans and Caldwell properties. Attorney Brad Beavers said there has been contact with both St. Francis County Fair officials (about the Evans property) and Caldwell city officials. Both have expressed an interest but are still studying the matter.
After an executive session, the board accepted one resignation, from Barry Wilkes, a Spanish teacher at the junior high.
The board also approved the hiring for the following classified positions: Lisa Alford and Tonya May as district nurses; Elna Pitts as library aide at Central Elementary; Dina Potts as a Spanish aide; Wesley Simes as a computer technician.
The following transfers of duty were also approved: Alice Jackson, from manager of Madison Elementary cafeteria to manager of the junior high cafeteria; Eva Inez Swearengin from child nutrition employee with Manager Certification to manager of the Madison Elementary cafeteria.
By KENDALL OWENS
T-H Staff Writer
A busy Forrest City intersection is scheduled for a facelift.
The Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department has received approval to install a signal light at the intersection of North Division and North Washington streets.
Ray Woodruff, district engineer with the AHTD office in Wynne, said that while the signal light for the intersection may be in the distant future, the major changes at the location will begin some time next year.
"There has been approval for the installation of a traffic signal there where North Division Street meets North Washington, and we'll be making some changes to the intersection there. The biggest changes that people are going to see will be to northbound traffic on North Division. Right now, at that intersection, northbound traffic really has a strange angle that they have to use to get onto North Washington. What is going to take place will basically be a squaring up of that intersection so that it is more uniform and has easier access to Washington. Then, later on, the traffic signal will be added," Woodruff said.
"We'll begin making the changes to the intersection some time next year, and once that is completed the crew will come in to install the signal."
While that project is scheduled to begin in 2005, an earlier project may also briefly slow down traffic along North Washington. Woodruff said that crews from Little Rock will begin the job, either late this year or early next year, to change the pavement markings along North Washington from the McDaniel Street intersection.
"What we're going to do is basically make North Washington a five-lane street all the way to McDaniel Street. The traffic people out of Little Rock will come in here and change the pavement markings making that entire area five lanes," he said.
As for other area Highway Department projects, Woodruff said that crews are experiencing the normal fall slow down due to the weather.
By KENDALL OWENS
T-H Staff Writer
The condition of the kitchen at the Forrest City Civic Center took center stage Monday during the regular monthly meeting of the Forrest City Civic Center Commission.
The current state of the kitchen was the topic of a 15-page list of issues presented by commission member Glenn Shepherd. Shepherd, who was appointed to the commission last month, presented pictures along with descriptions of issues ranging from cleaning that is needed on the building's popcorn popper to mold found in the food preparation area of the kitchen.
"We've had a lot of neglect in that kitchen for quite a while, and now we've got to do something to try to fix the situation and make this a first-class facility once again," said Shepherd.
When asked whether the former caterer should have been responsible for the cleanliness of the kitchen, commission chairman Delores Morelon said she was unsure. "I really don't have an answer to that question at this time. We have to remember that there has been a period of time when no one was using the kitchen. I also want to make sure that everyone remembers that this commission does not have any decision-making power, we simply make recommendations to the city council on what we feel should be done," Morelon said.
Shepherd also responded. "I don't think that this is a time when we should be pointing fingers at anyone. We have got to focus on fixing the problem that has been created and then in the future, work to make sure that the problems don't happen again. Right now, I don't think that kitchen would be up to anyone's code, and I've made telephone calls to the state health inspector so that we can get input from him on what all needs to be done here."
Morelon presented the commission with a health inspection report from February of this year which listed no issues with the facility's kitchen. Both Morelon and Shepherd took issue with the report, questioning how a clean report could be given with the state of the kitchen as it was.
Commissioners voted 4-0, with Shirley Harvell and Marcus Freeman abstaining from the vote, to ask the city council to work with the Advertising and Promotions Committee to fund bringing the kitchen back into compliance with today's operating standards. That included funding to pay a company to professionally clean the area and provide for either the renovation of the existing equipment or replacement of outdated equipment.
"This is a job that Raymond and his staff are just not equipped to do. We need someone who can be contracted to do this work and a company that does this type of work all the time. Raymond just doesn't have the equipment or personnel to do this," Shepherd said.
In other business, commission members are still waiting for the first bids from prospective on-site caterers to be received. Commissioners also said that they are waiting to hear from the A&P Commission on funding requested by Mayor Larry Bryant which will fund several improvements at the facility.
By KENDALL OWENS
T-H Staff Writer
The city of Madison is attempting to find a way to force delinquent water department customers to pay their bill or face possible criminal charges.
According to Madison Mayor James Brooks, the city is losing a considerable amount of money due to delinquent bills. Those delinquencies are charged off by the Forrest City Water Utility which provides services to the city of Madison. Brooks told the council that the lost revenues could total close to $4,000 annually.
"Every six months or so, the water company purges their list of delinquent bills and until now, we didn't know that this was taking place. A number of the people on this most recent list are residents of Madison, and the utility has told us that we can take whatever measures we can to try to recoup some of the losses that we're suffering. The city council can create an ordinance that will make the past due bills a misdemeanor after so long so that we can actually cite some of these people and attempt to get the money," Brooks said.
According to Brooks, part of the problem the utility is seeing involves possible fraud through the use of different names by customers.
"Some of the problems that we and the utility are seeing are from people who are renting a place and just won't pay their bills, and then after a few months decide to move. When they do, they just have their water turned on in someone else's name that lives in the house. Then they just repeat the cycle. They will use their children's names or their mother's name, just any relative they can think of, so that they can keep their water on," Brooks said.
The council decided to table the issue and allow Brooks to do more research into ways of collecting the bills. Brooks told the council that he would contact other area municipalities to find out how they deal with the issue.
In other business, council member Christine Taylor questioned Brooks as to whether the city's volunteer firefighters were provided with life insurance.
"I read a story in today's Times-Herald about a woman who did not receive anything after her husband, who was a volunteer firefighter, was killed. I want to make sure that if these men are out risking their lives, we have something to compensate their family in case something happens to them," Taylor said.
Brooks told the council that he was certain that some type of health insurance policy was in effect for the firefighters, but he was unsure regarding life insurance and would have to check and report back to the council next month.
Council members were also updated on the success of this past weekend's first Madison Fun Festival. According to Earnestein Broadway, one of the organizers of the festival, people enjoyed themselves even though crowds were not as large as expected.
"We didn't make as much money as we would have liked, but everyone who came out really seemed to enjoy themselves. We're going to adjust the time of year that we have it for next year and see if we can't get more local involvement because most of the people that came out Saturday weren't actually from Madison," Broadway said.
At the suggestion of Brooks, the council agreed to meet on Saturday, Dec. 4, at 9 a.m. to hash out the details of the city's sewer and water budget.
Chalk up yet another Professor Pigskin win for the ladies.
Lisa Parson of Palestine, broke a three-way tie with James Hodges and Debra Ford, using the Professor's tie-breaker game between Arkansas and South Carolina to win the $50 cash prize.
Parson, Ford and Hodges each missed just four of last week's selected games but Parson was the only one of the three to pick South Carolina over Arkansas. Hodges and Ford both picked the Razorbacks. South Carolina won the game, which gave Parson the tie-breaker win.
Parson becomes the sixth different woman to win the weekly prize and the eighth woman in 10 weeks to win the money in a Pigskin season dominated by the ladies.
Parson missed two high school games, one college and one NFL game.
Dogs are being blamed for a motorcycle accident Sunday evening that injured a Forrest City woman.
Barrie Cobb, 45, told police she was riding her motorcycle to her home at 6 Upper Lake Road when two dogs ran in front of her about 5:50 p.m. causing her to wreck.
Although the police report shows that the owner of the dogs was issued a citation, there is no record of that citation at the police department and the owner of the dog is not named in the report.
Cobb was taken to Baptist Memorial Hospital-Forrest City where she was treated and released.