By KENDALL OWENS
T-H Staff Writer
The ordering of ballots for the Nov. 2 general election is now officially on hold after an order from the Arkansas Supreme Court to Secretary of State Mike Beebe called for the halting of any ballot printing.
According to the order from the Supreme Court, no further printing of ballots relating to the presidential election can take place until further notice has been issued from the court after an appeal was filed following a circuit judge's decision to remove Ralph Nader's name from the November ballot earlier this week. On Monday, Pulaski County Circuit Judge Timothy Fox ruled that people who signed a petition on Nader's behalf failed to declare him as their candidate. No specific party was listed as canvassers collected 1,286 signatures, and those who signed the petitions did not represent that Nader and his running mate, Peter Comejo, were their candidates for president and vice president as state law requires.
Thursday's order may have officially stopped any printing of ballots, but according to St. Francis County Election Coordinator Judy Armstrong, local ballots have been on hold for much of the week.
"I called John with ES&S (ballot printer for St. Francis County) and told him earlier this week to hold off on printing anything until we had given him an okay because Bettye (Proctor with the St. Francis County Election Commission) talked to Tim Humphries with the Attorney General's Office and he suggested that we hold off. It was his opinion that this would be coming, so he told us that it would be best not to move forward until we had heard differently," Armstrong said.
Armstrong also said that the only hold up in printing the ballots is a decision from the Supreme Court.
"They're ready to go to the printer right now. We've proofed everything, and now we're just holding on until we can tell them to go ahead. This is going to slow us down, and we just want to make sure that everyone understands that this isn't our fault. We have to do what the Supreme Court has told us to do," Armstrong said.
In other election news, two candidates in Tuesday's countywide school election will have to wait until Monday to see the ballots certified after members of the Election Commission agreed to hold a recount in the race for the Zone 4 seat in the Palestine-Wheatley School Board on Monday evening at 6 p.m. in the Election Commission office at the courthouse.
Vote tallies from Tuesday's election indicated that Donald Cagle, who is challenging the election, lost to Donald L. Story by one vote 30 to 29. According to Proctor, certification of the ballots will begin immediately following the recount.
"We're going to try to do everything Monday night so that we can get everything taken care of. Once we've recounted the ballots, then we well hold our meeting to certify them," Proctor said.
The recount will include all of the early voting, absentee ballots and the precincts for the PWSD.
"I informed Mr. Cagle that we would have to go through all of those ballots because that is the only way that we can come up with an accurate number of people who voted. It shouldn't be a problem for us as long as we don't have any problems with the machine. We're going to do it Monday because I didn't want to have to charge Mr. Cagle for any of our time because we choose to be election commissioners. All he'll have to pay for is what the law requires, which is for the operation of the tabulator and the charge for recounting the ballots," Proctor said.
The charge for recounting the ballots is 25 cents per ballot.
When the election commission meets Monday night, they will be one member short after the resignation today of Florence Brown, the Republican representative on the commission. According to Brown, she is stepping down due to an upcoming surgery which will prohibit her from working during the General Election in November.
By KENDALL OWENS
T-H Staff Writer
An addition to the Colt Fire Department will be constructed by an Oklahoma company after members of the Colt City Council agreed to accept the low bid for materials during a called meeting Thursday.
Council members agreed to accept a bid of $11,980 from Quality Garage Builders, based in Warner, Okla., to deliver materials and construct the addition which is a 40-by-45-by-14 foot building with 29-gauge steel siding and a pitched roof. Specifications for the bids called for materials only, but Quality Garage Builders submitted bids for both materials only and with construction.
Bids from two Arkansas companies did not include costs for construction.
Sutherlands, based in Jacksonville, submitted a bid of $13,080 for the materials only and Square Post Buildings of Arkansas, Inc. Hoxie Lumber Co., based in Hoxie, submitted a bid of $9,657. The bid from Square Post Buildings did not include three 12-by-12 overhead doors included in the bid specifications from the City of Colt.
Colt City Manager and volunteer firefighter Bobby Clarkson recommended accepting the bid from Quality Garage Builders based on several reasons.
"We would have liked to have gotten the low bid from an Arkansas company, but it just didn't work out that way. Plus, by going with the company from Oklahoma we're going to be able to have the building ready much sooner. If we had followed through with our plans for the firefighters to do the work, it would have taken us quite a while because we would be working whenever we had spare time. This way, they can get it in here and get it up," Clarkson said.
Colt Fire Department Chief Jim Haynes told council members that any funding needed from the city's general fund would be replaced using a fundraiser or annual grant funds from the state.
The beginning of fall arrived this week, and with it came plans for the annual Forrest City Area Community Christmas Parade.
This year the parade will be held on Friday, Dec. 3. A press release from the Forrest City Area Chamber of Commerce outlines this year's event.
Last year's parade was successful with the participation of over 100 entrants, according to Chamber Information Coordinator Mary Beth Doler. The parade theme for 2004 is "The Most Wonderful Time of the Year."
The Grand Marshal this year is Mrs. Lula Clay with the SFC Food Pantry. "In honor of Mrs. Clay, all parade entrants are encouraged to bring non-perishable food items to be donated to the Food Pantry. Spectators are also encouraged to bring food items, and volunteers will be on hand to collect the donations," Doler said.
All entrants will be judged prior to the parade. The judges will then award the winners their trophies before the parade begins so each winner may display the trophy during the parade. In addition, the winners will carry a banner announcing their category and the place the entry won.
Parade entrants are required to be in place no later than 6 p.m. at the Forrest City Junior High School parking lot to compete, Doler said. First, second and third place trophies will be awarded in each category. Floats will be divided into six categories which include: Industrial/commercial, churches, civic groups, novelty and schools. Cities/towns is a new category this year. All area cities and towns are invited to enter a float. Those who arrive late may still participate in the parade, but they will not be judged in the competition, according to Doler.
The parade will begin at the Forrest City Junior High School parking lot at 7 p.m. The parade will travel east on Graham Street, turn left onto Division Street, turn right onto Arkansas Street, right onto Washington Street to Hill Street where it will head west for one block to Rosser Street and travel north to end at the Union Planters Bank parking lot.
All area antique tractor owners are invited to join the parade again this year, Doler said. "Any vehicle participating in the parade without a float attached to it must be classified as a classic car or truck (30 years or older)," she added. "Also, to enter the competition as a float, there must be a float attached to the vehicle or pulling mechanism. For example, a decorated car will not serve as a float." Entry forms must be turned in by Monday, Nov. 22.
For more information about the annual Forrest City Area Community Christmas Parade, call the Chamber at 870-633-1651.
The annual charity rodeo, sponsored this year by the Crowley's Ridge Saddle Club and the Forrest City Lions, will begin tonight.
Gates will open at 6 p.m. and the rodeo will start at 8.
Admission is $8 for adults, $7 for folks aged 13 through 18, and free for anyone 12 and under who is accompanied by an admission-paying adult.
Events at the rodeo will include saddle bronc, bareback, calf roping steer wrestling, women's barrel racing and bull riding. There will also be concessions.
A special feature on Saturday will be an appearance by Justin Evans, who was critically injured at last year's rodeo. Saturday has been proclaimed Justin Evans Day by Mayor Larry Bryant.
The Forrest City School District Gifted and Talented Education Department will hold a meeting for parents in grades four through eight on Monday Sept. 27, at 6 p.m. in the Forrest City High School Lecture Hall.
The meeting will cover the objectives and goals for the gifted program as well as providing information concerning the Pre-Advanced Placement classes and Independent Study projects. For more information call 633-0892.