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Sue Widener
TUESDAY, June 27, 2017 / Vol. 3 Issue 26 / 75 cents
Damascus amends sanctions challenge
Board hires officer The Clinton
School Board announced at its meeting last Monday that it has hired sheriff’s Lt. Wesley Potts as its school resource officer. The district had been without a resource officer for most of the past school year. Potts is a longtime Van Buren County sheriff’s deputy. The salary for the position is $35,000, and Potts also will teach a criminal justice class, according to Superintendent Andrew Vining. Also at the June 19 meeting, the School Board was told that some water lines put in when the elementary school was built just three years ago must be replaced. Though plans called for 8-inch lines, 6-inch lines were used instead as a cost-saving measure. Recent inspections have discovered that the lines do not supply enough
Eight-inch water lines and a new fire hydrant are ready to be installed at the elementary school. pressure for the sprinklers on the second floor to consistently work properly. The cost of replacing the lines was not discussed at the meeting, but Vining said he would talk with Van Horn Construction when the bill for the work comes in. “I would not be in favor of paying that bill without a lot of discussion,” said longtime board member Darla McJunkins. The board also: *Approved a 2018-19 proposed budget *Approved a $34,530 workers compensation insurance payment for the
year *Approved a student transfer to Shirley, accepted a student transfer from Shirley and another from South Side *Accepted a bid of about $12,000 for improvements to the home side football bleachers *Accepted res-
ignations from Zac Perry, Kim Linn, Erin Scrimshire and Beverly Huggins, who was then hired as an instructional assistant and bus driver. Also hired was Crystal Bonds as a teacher, and Hunter Treece as a coach and math teacher.
The town of Damascus has amended its petition challenging a February ruling that it is a speed trap. In court documents filed last week, city attorney Beau Wilcox claims state law is unclear on who has investigative authority and who can hand down sanctions when a town is declared a speed trap. In May, 20th Judicial Prosecuting Attorney Cody Hiland ordered that Damascus police stop writing traffic violations on the two-mile section of U.S. Highway 65 that runs through the town for the duration of his term in office. In one year, the town can petition the prosecutor’s office for a review of any public safety concerns that may have arisen from the decision. Calls have since increased for a traffic light at Highway 65 and Highway 124. In the meantime, deputies from Van Buren and Faulkner counties and state police
Shirley hears from water companies The Shirley City Council heard from representatives of Community Water and from Johnson Waterworks at its meeting earlier this month. Steve Shaw presented the Community Water confidentiality agreement that was voted on at the May council meeting and the council voted to authorize Mayor Lisa Hackett to sign it. Chad Hastings with Christ Engineers presented a packet outlining five USDA-RD Loan and Grant or ANRC Loan options for the replacement of the waterline attached to and running along the Highway 9 bridge coming into town. He reported that he had received word that Shirley would be eligible for a 45 percent grant to assist in the financing of the project. His recommendation for the best overall option was option No. 5, which was to bore under the river. The cost estimates he outlined was set high based on the absolute worst-case scenario for a total cost estimate of $413,000. Councilor Randall Gardner stated that he didn’t know where Hastings ob-
tained the figures but that price was ridiculous. Gardner said Arkansas Telephone bores underground all the time. Hastings stated again that the cost estimates were based on the worstcase scenario and would undoubtedly be at least 40 percent less. Robert Johnson with Johnson Waterworks presented a proposal regarding taking over operations and maintenance of the Shirley system. He stated that Johnson Waterworks was based out of Morrilton and employs five water operators ranging from a level 2 to level 3 operator. He stated that his company manages the Plumerville, Toad Suck, Ola and Atkins water systems. He assured the council that customers would not be required to go to Morrilton to pay their bill. The proposal included the bills and payments to be in Shirley. Hackett said these presentations were only different options available to the city and it would be a long road before a decision is made. Also at the meeting, Hackett gave an See Shirley on page 3
are patrolling the highway through Damascus. City police can still respond to citizens’ calls for help in the area but may not make traffic stops. In his amended petition, Wilcox states that state law provides no information on time limits for sanctions and said the law doesn’t give the prosecuting attorney discretion to decide the “length and severity of the sanctions.” He also notes that state law does not provide means of due process for challenging the prosecutor’s findings outside of a lawsuit. Hiland said his office has passed along the amended complaint to the Arkansas attorney general’s office. Since the speed trap declaration was made, the Damascus City Council has reorganized its police department, eliminating the job of police chief. That job had been held by Rick Perry.
SEECO wins suit
A federal lawsuit against Southwestern Energy Co. and three of its subsidiaries ended last week when a jury sided with the companies. The lawsuit had accused the companies of skimming payments to landowners who signed leases with the company for natural gas drilling in the Fayetteville Shale. The lawsuit, Connie Jean Smith v. SEECO, et al, accused the companies of breach of contract; fraud and deceit, acting in concert to deceive; violation of the Deceptive Trade Practices Act; wrongfully and/or willfully withholding royalties; improper sale; unjust enrichment for DeSoto Gathering; unjust enrichment for Southwestern Energy; and civil conspiracy. The jury sided with the companies on every count. Some landowners in Van Buren County are part of a similar lawsuit filed in Conway County.
Cannabis suit tossed
Fire in the sky – A fireworks display wrapped up Archey Fest 2017 Saturday night. If you want to see more sparkles in the sky, there will be a potluck and fireworks show in Alread on Saturday, July 1, and fireworks over the lake in Fairfield Bay on Monday, July 3. Reminder: Because the Post Office is closed on Tuesday, July 4, your newspaper will be delivered a day later than usual. More Archey Fest photos, Page 14.
A lawsuit claiming the state’s laws on cannabis conflict with federal laws was dismissed last week by Circuit Judge Chris Carnahan. Robert Reed of Dennard claimed in his lawsuit against the state and state Attorney General Leslie Rutledge that existing state laws do not afford him the right to plant a cannabis crop even though hemp is a recognized agriculture commodity. Reed’s lawsuit also states that Arkansas statutes do not afford him the choice of marijuana as a medical alternative, or “for that matter allow him recreational use in the same manner as alcohol.” In Van Buren County Circuit Court on June 20, Carnahan granted the state’s motion to dismiss with prejudice.