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Pat Crowell
TUESDAY, August 2, 2016 / Vol. 2 Issue 29 / 75 cents
Willoughby named new chief
After meeting in executive session with the City Council for three hours at two special meetings, the Clinton mayor has announced the choice for the new police chief. Veteran law officer John Willoughby has been named interim police chief, replacing Toney Parish who is retiring after 19 years on the job. Mayor Richard McCormac said at the Sunday afternoon meeting that the appointment is for 90 days and an ad will be placed in the See Chief on page 6
Town airs views on water rates About 60 people gathered at the Clinton Senior Center last Tuesday to find out more about proposals to raise water rates. Clinton Mayor Richard McCormac opened the meeting by trying to explain how the Clinton Water Department got into the financial shape it is in. The department is experiencing a shortfall of close to $40,000 each month. The last rate increase for Clinton’s customers was in 2010. The proposal favored by McCormac and Water Department Manager Todd Burgess would
raise all 2,600 Clinton customers’ bills by $20 per month. McCormac explained how and when money has been moved from the infrastructure fund to cover expenses and said, “We’re out of ways to move money around.” He said asking for a rate increase of this size is “very uncomfortable.” Asked what the department would do with the money a $20 increase would bring in, Burgess said that first the department would pay its bills on time, then it would start making much-needed repairs.
Clinton Mayor Richard McCormac, Bob Wright of Crews and Associates and Water Department Manager Todd Burgess address the crowd. Bob Wright of Crews and Associates tried to explain the bond debt the city is carrying. He said water rates must be sufficient to cover the obligation and that at this rate the amount of money in Water Department
accounts would not be enough in 2017. Concerns from the audience included the fact that water customers who live outside the city limits have no representation when rates are set; currently customers in
the city limits pay $6 less per month on a basic bill. Folks also asked what guarantee there was that the $20 increase would be the last. McCormac’s answer: “I don’t have a guarantee for that.”
Teen drowns A 16-yearold Dennard boy drowned Tuesday. Dakota Alvey was swimming at the Johnson Hole in the Barrens Community with a couple of other young people when the accident occurred. Dakota, reported-
Storms knock out power Winds that one observer estimated at 60-70 mph blew through Van Buren County over
the weekend, downing trees and snapping power poles. There were outages in Choctaw, Jeru-
salem, Highway 330, the Barrens Community, Highway 254 and more. Petit Jean Electric crews
worked around the clock and power was reportedly restored to everyone by about 4 p.m. Sunday.
Southern moving its headquarters Southern Paramedic Services is moving its headquarters in Clinton. Owner Gary Padget said last week that he has bought the old Dodge car dealership on Ingram Street and will be moving there. He said Bumper to
Bumper auto parts store will be sharing the building with Southern. Padget is unsure when the move will take place, though he estimated it would be in about two months. Padget revealed the move at Thursday’s meeting of the
ambulance committee of the Van Buren County Quorum Court. Also at the meeting, Van Buren County Rescue Squad’s Brian Tatum questioned Padget about the county being left with no ambulance within its borders on three
recent occasions. Tatum said the most serious incident was last month when a car crash victim had to be transported to the hospital in the back of the police chief’s pickup. That wreck occurred on See Southern on page 6
ly, had swam across the water and was coming back when he apparently began to cramp and drowned about 20 feet from the shore. Dakota would have been in the 10th grade at Clinton High School this year. His obituary is on Page 4.
Man dies after fall A man fell off a cliff about 100 feet high into the waters of Linn Creek on Tuesday. He died at a hospital later. Fairfield Bay Fire and Rescue, aided by a couple of fishermen, got to the man by water, said fire Chief Leo Brandmeyer. Linn Creek is part of Greers Ferry Lake. He said the de-
partment also was aided by a boat from the marina and Van Buren County Rescue. The Voice was told there was a domestic incident that led to the man fleeing toward the cliffs. The sheriff’s office said the incident is under investigation and did not release details.