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Grand Prairie Quilters share their talent. (See pictures on page 4.)
Volume 121 Number 3 - USPS 225-680
Serving all of Prairie County and the Grand Prairie
Wednesday, January 19, 2022
Community Calendar of Events Wednesday January 19 Friendship Luncheon, DVB United Methodist Church, 11:30am -2pm. Wednesday January 19 Carlisle Public Library, “Pinch of This” (Adult Program), 4pm. Thursday January 20 Carlisle Public Library, Creation Station, (Children’s Program), 4:00pm Thursday January 20 Hazen City Council Meeting City Hall 6:00pm Friday January 21 Carlisle Public Library, Family Fun, 4pm. Thursday January 27 Food Distribution Hazen Methodist Church
10:00 a.m.-noon
Tuesday February 1 Black History Month Begins. Tuesday February 1 Master Gardeners meet. Community events brought to you by Hazen Chamber of Commerce
and the Please call F&M Bank (255-3042) or The Grand Prairie Herald (255-4538) to list events.
The Prairie County Quorum Court discussed possible changes in its organization, but that discussion will have to wait until Judge Mike Skarda returns.
PC Quorum Court discusses audit and changes The Prairie County Quorum Court met for an abbreviated session on Tuesday, January 11. The only business on the agenda was the discussion of the 2020 Legislative Audit findings. All of the justices were present, with the exception of Lynn Hatcher who was absent. Judge Mike Skarda was also absent, and
Justice Lawrence Holloway was voted to be in charge of the meeting. County Clerk Gaylon Hale, County Treasurer Tamara Dabney, and County Attorney Abram Skarda were also present. According to Skarda, the state legislative auditing committee found no problems with the county finances in 2020. There had been
some problems with the county budget audits in the past. “We owe a round of applause for our county officials,” Holloway said. Holloway, who is the chair of the budget committee, also reported that the county sales taxes were ahead of expectations this past year. At the end of the meeting, Justice Rick
Stallings handed out a list of some organizational suggestions taken from the Arkansas Association of Counties that included setting the organizational structure of the court at the January meeting. He also suggested that the court choose a permanent person to stand in for the judge when he is absent. Skarda said that the statute concerning
who can preside over quorum court meetings does not call for a permanent “stand in” position, only that a person must be chosen from the body of the court. Stallings also wanted to set a deadline for the budget report, but Holloway stated, “That’s the executive’s job.” With no other business or discussion, the court adjourned.
Hazen School Board given state COVID guidelines Superintendent Donnie Boothe handed out a copy of the Arkansas Ready for Learning COVID guidelines to the Hazen School Board in its regular January meeting held on Monday, January 10. Board Members Darlene Connors and Roben Cohen were absent from the meeting. There was little discussion about the handout other than members asking when the schools would not be able to hold classes at the school and go to a virtual school status. Boothe said that the schools would probably go to virtual when 40-50% of the student body was absent due to the virus or when there were not enough faculty members to hold classes. At the time of the meeting, approximately 30% of the students were not attending classes. “There’s no rule,” Boothe said. But Boothe did say that the district has 10 AMI days that could be used. “If anything happens, we’re ready to go,” he said. The handout recommends that the schools continue the safety precautions of vaccinations, disinfecting, ventilation, physical distancing (3 feet between people for schools), face coverings, and good hand hygiene. Isolation for at least 5 days is required for anyone who has tested positive for COVID-19 regardless of vaccination status, but if after those 5 days the person has no symptoms the person can return to school as long as they continue to wear a mask for another 5 days. Those with fever must stay home until the fever is gone for 24 hours. If you came into close contact with some-
Sarah Snider (left photo) was presented with a certificate stating her certification as a school finance officer, and School Board President Vicki Skarda was presented a plaque for 50 hours of school board training. Superintendent Donnie Boothe made the presentations. one with COVID-19 and have had all of the recommended vaccine doses, including a booster or have had the virus within the last 90 days, you do not need to quarantine. Exposed persons also will not have to quarantine if they have no symptoms and if both the exposed person and the infected person were wearing a mask properly. If at least 70% of the people in the school are vaccinated, then individuals in the school are not required to quarantine, but Boothe said that Hazen is “not there yet.” Anyone who is unable to wear a mask, no matter what the reason, should complete a full 10 days of quarantine. In other business, the board approve a resolution for the local support of the 2022 Facilities Master Plan and Partnership project application for the 2023 -2025 biennium and approved the superintendent’s recommendation to pay stipends of $25/hour for four staff members who provided after school detention during the first semes-
ter. They also accepted the resignation of H.I.P.P.Y paraprofessional Susan Hueller-Fritz effective January 4, 2022. Elementary Principal Tiffany Glover reported that because of quarantines, several staff members were out in her building. “We’re doing the best we can,” she said. High School Principal Mark Price said that the basketball schedule had some changes due to COVID-
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19, but the AMI packets were ready if needed. He also said that the fabric over the greenhouse had been cut over the Christmas holidays, but a camera system is now watching the area. He said that seeds had been ordered for plants that would be sold in the spring. The board went into executive session from 6:22 p.m. until 6:48 p.m., but took no action after returning. During the session, the board
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discussed the superintendent’s evaluation. At the end of the meeting, Sarah Snider was congratulated for receiving her School Finance Officer certification and was presented the certificate. President Vicki Skarda also received a plaque for completing 50 hours of school board training. The next Hazen School Board meeting will be held on February 7th at 6:00 p.m. in the high school library.
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