75¢
DAHS holds Las Vegas themed prom. (See p. 6)
Volume 117 Number 19 - USPS 225-680
Community Events Calendar Thursday April 26 Commodities distribution First United Methodist Church 10:30am - 12:30pm Saturday April 28 Gardening on the Grand Prairie Raffle & Door Prizes Tickets $20 9:30am - 2:00pm Hazen Community Center Sunday April 29 Des Arc Music Department Spring Concert High School Gym 3:00pm Thursday May 3 PC Democratic Party Meeting Murry’s Restaurant Hazen 6:00pm Friday & Saturday May 4, 5 GFWC-AR State Convention Wyndha sm Riverfront Hotel NLR 2:00p.m.
Serving all of Prairie County, Arkansas
Quorum Court hears plan for school SRO’s County Judge Mike Skarda informed the members of the Prairie County Quorum Court at the April meeting held on April 10, that he had spoken to Des Arc Mayor Jim Garth and Hazen Mayor David Duch as well as Superintendents Nick Hill and William Crowder of the Des Arc and Hazen School Districts respectively, and the police chiefs of both Des Arc and Hazen about hiring school resource officers (SRO’s) for the schools in Prairie County. “I wake up worried at night about it,” Skarda told those attending. Present at the meeting were Aldermen Doyle Sullins, Gary King, Lawrence Holloway, Ronnie Eans, Dennis Tipton, Bobby, Willeford and Lucas Childers; County Clerk Gaylon Hale; and Attorney Tim Isaac. Aldermen Eddie Ciganek and Mary Roe were absent. Skarda suggested that the county pay for a third of the salary and benefits of the SRO’s for the 9 months that they would be in the school districts, which would amount to approximately $18,000 for each district. He said that the officers would be the employees of the cities, not the county or the Sheriff’s Department.
The salary, benefits, and insurance of each officer would be around $54,000 per year, according to County Sheriff Rick Hickman. “That is $15 an hour,” Hickman said. “Supposedly, the federal government will come up with some money,” he added. Skarda told those present that the expense to the county would be covered by the additional funding from the gas pipeline in the northern part of the county and the Love’s truck stop in Hazen. “We’re lucky enough to have some extra money to do it,” Skarda said. “I think we ought to be involved in it.” When asked about the kind of training necessary for SRO’s, Hickman said they would have to be full-time officers and an additional two weeks of training. “I think they will be very careful of who they get,” Skarda said. “They will have to do a thorough background check.” He added that the Hazen Police Department already has a person in mind for the SRO position and that the Des Arc Police Department is already looking for someone for the position. “This is just in the early stage, but everybody’s on board,” Skarda said.
Tuesday May 8 Quorum Court Meeting Des Arc Annex Building 6:00pm Friday May 11 Senior Day at HHS Saturday May 12 Movie Night at the Center featuring Noah 6:00pm DVB Community Center
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.
Prairie County Quorum Court representatives read through information handed out by County Clerk Gaylon Hale. In other business, the judge reported that a part had been found for the 1984 MAC dump truck after the 1994 tri-axle MAC truck had been purchased. The majority of the $26,500 cost of the truck, Skarda said, would be covered by the 20,000 $ pipeline reimbursement. Skarda also told the aldermen about Governor Hutchinson’s new initiative that would have selected persons in each of Arkansas’ county courthouses load a new application on their phones that would dial 911 automatically when activated. The state would pay the cost for the program for a year, and thereafter the counties would pay no more than
$3000 a year for it. He said that the county would have to rate the app by June 1. There was also a discussion about placing signs on Highway 13 at Cross Roads where three people have been killed. The judge said that he wanted a 4-way stop with rumble strips leading up to the signs, but that there has been opposition to the idea. He said that the Arkansas Department of Transportation will instead paint a white line saying “STOP” and signs saying “Cross traffic does not stop” to warn drivers, and Highway 38 will continue to be open. Skarda also said that work on Highway 323 at Rogers Chapel Road will
start if the county can get a 60 foot right-of-way. Presently, Entergy will not move their poles, but Skarda said that the county may be able to get a right-of-way on the other side of the road. Hickman reported that the county is currently holding 14 federal prisoners, and that he is planning to add eight more beds. County Treasurer Tamara Dabney said that Prairie County had received $114,000 from the United States Marshalls’ Service for the housing of the prisoners. Dabney also said that the county had received $11,000 from the federal government as reparation for the damage sustained during flooding two years ago.
Des Arc Council funds SRO and senior van
Monday May 7 Chamber of Commerce Meeting 6:30pm- 7:30pm BanCorpSouth Hazen Hazen Chapter #5 OES Mock Initiation 6:00pm
Wednesday, April 25, 2018
Stryker rep Logan Cruse demonstrates the automatic cots designed to help EMT’s load and unload patients. The DesArc City Council held their monthly meeting April 17th. Those present were Mayor Jimmy Garth, Treasurer/Recorder Chrisana Knupp and Council members Jodie Mayher, Ray McVay, Janice Huffstickler, Anna Beth Fisher, Welton Robinson and Steve Bryan. Police Chief Rick Parson spoke to the council regarding hiring a full time School Resource Officer. He said that he had met with the Mayor, the Prairie County Sheriff, the Des Arc School Superintendent and High School and Elementary Principals to discuss the need for a School Resource Officer (SRO). Parson stated the group agreed that there should be a full-time SRO at the schools, and that the officer would need to be fully certified and trained. The plan calls for the county to pay 1/3, the city to pay 1/3 and the school to pay 1/3 ($15,380 each per year) of the officer’s salary. The Police Department would furnish a vehicle, and Chief Parson will be officer’s supervisor. Any overtime the school requires of the officer would be paid by the school. The officer would be a city employee and the
county and school would pay their portions of the salary directly to the city. In the summer months, the officer would work 40 hours/week dividing the time between the school and the city. The council agreed to the proposal, voted to pay 1/3 of the salary for an SRO as presented. Buster Lackey, Executive Director for the Council on Aging, gave a report on the Senior Citizens’ Center and Meals on Wheels. He stated that 30,026 meals were served in Prairie County in 2017 (this includes the Senior Center and Meals on Wheels). He told the council that he is working to make the center a “Health and Wellness Center”. The first step for this is to have a Physical Therapist come in on a regular basis to work with members on general balance, core and strength. Cruse also reported that the center’s members have been doing great at their beanbag baseball games and have been enjoying a lot of trips. The biggest need for the center is a new van. He plans to apply for a grant that will cover the biggest part of the $42,000 cost. He estimates $8,000 will need to be raised for the Center’s part and asked
the council to pay $4,200 of that. A motion was passed to pay the $4,200 out of the Senior Citizens and Sales Tax funds. The council members were taken outside for a demonstration from Logan Cruse of Stryker. Cruse demonstrated the new cots that are fully automatic and relieve stress on the EMT loading and unloading a patient. He then demonstrated the fully automatic rail system that can be installed in an ambulance. This relieves stress on the EMT from lifting the cot in and out of the ambulance. The council approved purchasing one cot for the new ambulance the city will be purchasing. The council voted to accept sealed bids for the new ambulance, stating that the specs will include a price with the rail system and a price without the system. Ads will be run for the bids, which must be received by noon on May 8th and will be opened at 6:00pm that night. Alderperson Anna Beth Fisher asked Mayor Garth to check on a possible gas leak at the Baseball field. Alderperson Welton Robinson asked Mayor Garth what could be done
about the parking situation at the Baseball field. Mayor Garth stated he would look at the area Robinson is referring to and see about “No Parking” signs or other possibilities. Actions taken by the council included: 1. A motion was approved to increase the salary of Sue Ann Calhoun, employee of the Waste Water Department, from $16.05 to $16.50 per hour. The increase will be retroactive to April 1st. 2. A resolution was approved amending the percentage rates for distribution of the original 1% city sales tax. Distribution will be as follows: Mosquito Control 22%, Sidewalks & Drainage 8%, Economic Development 4%, Park 5%, Animal Control 4%, Fire Truck 16%, Senior Citizens 4%, Youth Programs 7%, Special Projects 9%, Cemeteries
11%, Chamber of Commerce 2% and Street Fund 8%. 3. A motion was approved to obtain prices for a recorder for council meetings. 4. A motion was approved to support the Municipal League Opiod litigation. 5. A motion was approved to renew a 5 year contract with the Margaret Fisher Literacy Challenge (Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library). 6. A motion was approved to send a “Condemnation Letter” to Kim Caraway stating repairs must be made to her property or it will be torn down. Animal Control Officer Dewayne Mayher reported that 4 dogs were picked up, 2 were reclaimed by owner, 1 citation was issued and 2 warnings were issued. Police Chief Rick Parson reported that everything was okay with the Police Department.
Training for poll workers announced Prairie County Election Commission will hold poll worker training for the Preferential and Non Partisan Primary that will be on May 22, 2018. Training dates will be
held on Thursday April 26, 2018 at the Des Arc Methodist Church Family Life Center and on May 9, 2018 at the DeValls Bluff City Hall beginning at 9 a.m.
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