Board Urged To Stay With Homer School
Plan
BY SUSAN T. HERRING, Editor, The Guardian-Journal
Members of the Homer School Project
Oversight Committee and others who attended the meeting with School
Superintendent James Scriber and members of the Claiborne Parish School Board
on Monday urged the Board to stay with the original plan as it was passed by
the voters and to explore various funding options to come up with the $2.3
million deficit.
Scriber said the Board recently rejected
the bid for the addition of the junior high wing on the Homer High campus when
bids came in $900,000 over the remaining bond funds. The architect for the
Homer School Project, Rice Gregory, explained how the original estimates had
been compiled three years ago. The total estimated cost of $9.2 million
included $5.1 million in Phase I of the project and $4.1 million in Phase II
and III.
Bill Owens asked about borrowing federal
QZAB funds to reduce the burden on the taxpayers. Asst. Superintendent Sherman
Brown said District
13 could possibly be eligible to borrow between $500,000 to $600,000 in QZAB
funds to renovate the high school, and if they allow new construction in July,
perhaps they could qualify for more. These funds can be paid back at no
interest over 12 years.
Hemphill said they could District 13
funds to repay the loan using the millage they
lowered last year at his suggestion. The Board would need to raise the
assessment back to 12 mills this year or lose it. The additional 6 mills will
raise $130,000 annually over the next eight years.
Travis Tinsley asked about the projected
annual savings by consolidating schools. Former school board member Jim Featherston presented some possible funding sources, then asked the Board, "If I don't have the
right figures, why don't you have the right figures?"
Lawson Wilder said he was a member of
the Oversight Committee but all they did was rubber stamp what was already
spent. He said, "I don't understand why you didn't bid the whole contract
out at one time with a time schedule on it." Wilder suggested the Board
first figure out how much money they would need to complete the project.
"Why would you try to raise money when you don't know what you need?"
Davidson said it would take a lot of
nerve to go back to voters to pass another tax. Local businessman John Tinsley
said, "I think it will take a lot more nerve to say we promised you this,
and we haven't got it."
Joe Lee said there were not enough rooms
at Homer Elementary for fifth grade students. Principal Pat Lee said the
original drawing showed the existing gym being changed to a library which left
no place for physical education. They added the multi-purpose room and could
have taken out the four classrooms to make up the cost. Former school board
member Willadean Bless said she was principal for 15
years with sometimes as many as 700 students, and she could not understand why
there was not enough room. Board President Vera Meadors
said they were trying to cut down on teacher/pupil ratio.Bless
said for years the Board promised Homer schools a track. Three times the money
was there but was used for something else. Many people supported this bond issue because of the track.
Travis Tinsley said a good, competitive
quality school system is the biggest asset for economic development. A second
rate school system would be the hardest handicap to overcome. He said, "I
don't think it would be fair to the voters or the board to have to take the responsibility to
abbreviate projects, shortchange the children and undermine the credibility of
the board for future needs."
Wilder said, "I would like for you
to build something that every member of that board, every citizen in this
community can be proud of. We have been living on our past long enough. It's
about time we started living on our future. Our future is in these children
whether we like it or not."
Scriber said, "I think you owe it
to the citizens of this school district to try to do what you promised
them." The remaining $2.8 million must be committed by August 2005. He
said, "You need to look at what this is going to cost, then see where
you're short and where any and all revenues can come from...sales tax, property
tax, or QZAB money." He asked if they preferred a property tax or a sales
tax. Both Wilder and John Tinsley said they would not oppose a property tax,
but they would prefer a sales tax because it would be more
fair. Tommy Davidson said even property taxes are passed on by
businesses to consumers.
Wilder suggested setting up committees
to determine exactly what is needed to complete the project, what funds are
available to use, and where the additional money would come from
Parker said the alternative would be to
spend the remaining $2.8 million to renovate the existing high school and
junior high buildings and build a junior high cafeteria.
John Tinsley said, "Will renovating
the two existing building give us something we can be proud of?"
Former Superintendent Joe Richardson
said, "I don't think a patch job or renovation job is going to give this
school board credibility with the community later to try to pass a tax."
Scriber agreed to research what revenues
could be generated in the Homer School District, what additional funding might
be available for Phase II, and to have Parker come up with exact figures to
complete the job. He would then call another meeting.
What Is Lake Claiborne Worth To The
Parish?
- Watershed Commission To Pursue More Funding To Address Needs
BY SUSAN T. HERRING, Editor, The Guardian-Journal
Dr. Alice Stewart, sitting in for
President Bobby Joslin, posed the following question
to Watershed District Commissioners Roger Pemberton, Phillip Fincher, and Almeter Willis at their quarterly meeting June 17,
"What Is Lake Claiborne Worth?" She said, "The Watershed
district is a tool and in the hands of an informed public it can perform
important tasks to safeguard and develop the parish's natural resources."
The problem is the Watershed District
has not changed since it was created 30 years ago. It has the same $18,000
annual budget collected through a franchise fee of 80 cents per meter through
Claiborne Electric. Only ten percent of the budget comes from those who live on
the lake, yet the whole parish benefits from Lake Claiborne.
The Watershed District is dependent on a
commission which meets regularly to decide policy, but has no paid employees. Commissioners who
have the time try to do the hands-on work such as buoy repair themselves.
Stewart said if people who live around
the lake or who use the lake would like more services or better management,
they might be willing to pay more. Presently, one-third of their annual budget
goes to the summer lake patrol. Other projects have included stocking the lake
with fish and public education.
The Commission voted to appoint a
committee to look at possible ways to increase revenues of commission with the
objective of providing more services to the lake and the feasibility of hiring
a full-time or part-time person, or the possibility of sharing a person with
the economic development board for the purpose of assuming some of the
responsibilities commissioners now have. Stewart appointed Butch Fincher, Roger
Pemberton, Almeter Willis and Butch Lee to the
committee.
Pemberton said lake owners are used to
getting things free. Fincher said all possible sources of revenue wouldn't be
from landowners. A large portion should go to users. If people don't want to
pay, then don't provide the services. "It makes me angry when I find
people want something but don't want to pay for it," Fincher said, "We
are going to reach a point if we are not prepared to manage what we've got,
they are going to jerk it out from under us at the state or federal
level."
Stewart said they had received
confirmation from DOTD about the drawdown of Lake Claiborne. The drawdown will
be between September 7 and Jan. 14, 2005. They will lower the Lake about 3-4
inches per day until the water level is about 7 feet below pool stage.
I-69 Corridor Does Not Address Economic
Benefit To Area
BY SUSAN T. HERRING, Editor, The Guardian-Journal
Dr. James Robert Michael summarized the issues that need to be
resolved between the Webster/Claiborne Lake Projects and the path I-69 will
take through the two parishes. He said, "We have the only economic benefit
plan in this area, plus we can save millions of dollars in construction
costs." The proposed I-69 corridor recently approved by resolution of both
the Webster Parish and Claiborne Parish Police Jury would save at least $50
million, although Michael said there was an even shorter route in the SIU 14
Study Area that could save between $250 and $300 million.
This could be done by utilizing Hwy. 167 from El Dorado to
Junction City, then following a portion of Hwy. 9 and crossing Hwy. 79 between
Homer and Haynesville, turning south at Garrett Mountain to Minden. From there
follow Hwy. 80 or I-20 to Haughton.
In the report entitled "Water Resources and Scenic
Attractions for Retirees in North Louisiana's Sparta Area" prepared by Dr.
Michael, Dr. Alice Stewart, and Herb Byars, it notes
there is an abundance of quality water and beautiful hills in the parishes of
Claiborne, Webster, Bienville, Jackson and Bossier. When properly utilized
these assets should make the area attractive to some of the millions of baby
boomers who will retire during the next three decades.
Area Representatives Review Proposed
I-69 Routes
Last Thursday, June 19, Dr. James Robert
Michael, Professor Emeritus from Louisiana Tech University, presented an
analysis of the Economic Development implications of Alternate Routes for I-69
to the URS Senior Project Planning Team at the Louisiana Department of
Development and Transportation offices in Baton Rouge. He was accompanied by
Mr. Herb Byars, Vice-President of the Webster Parish
Police Jury who represents that body on the Sparta Aquifer Commission, the
North Hills Lake Development Committee and in other economic development
projects. Travis Tinsley, who represented the Claiborne Parish Economic
Development Board as Water Resources Chairman prior to its recent
reorganization, was with them. He presented a letter at the request of Mr. J.
T. Taylor, Parish Representative to the I-69 Coalition and President of the
Claiborne Chamber of Commerce which is quoted below:
I-69 Public Meetings To
Present Corridor 1d Alignments This Week
The La. Department of Transportation and
Development (LADOTD), the Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department (AHTD)
and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) have scheduled a series of Open
House events to allow for public consideration of four possible 300-foot alignments
in the Interstate 69 SIU No. 14 project study area. Meetings will be held at
the Claiborne Parish Fair Barn in Haynesville Wednesday, June 23 from 4-7 PM;
at the Minden Civic Center on Thursday, June 24 from 4-7 PM; and in Homer at
the I-69 SIU 14 Program Office at 425 West Main from 9-11 AM on Friday, June
25. A short video will present
alternatives for consideration. Maps and other visual displays will be
available including a large more-detailed wall map. Project team members will
be on hand to answer your questions and address concerns. Comments may be
submitted at the Open House or to the Program Office in person or via U.S. Mail
post-marked by July 9. Alignment Comment Forms can be picked up at the I-69
Program Office on West Main in Homer or downloaded at the I-69 website at
i69arkla.com. All comments submitted via email, written letter, or mail-in
comment form must be post-marked by July 9, 2004. For comments to be included
as part of the official project record, please include your name and address
information.
Fourth Of July
Fireworks May Have More Parking
- Patriotic Boat Parade Starts At 7:30 PM; Fireworks At Dark
Congratulations are in order for
Claiborne Parish. It appears that with the efforts of Parish Road
Superintendent Dean Busby, Police Jury President Weldon Kilpatrick, Police
Juror Jerry Adkins, and Watershed Commission President Bobby Joslin, action on the badly needed public parking for the
annual Fourth of July Fireworks and Patriotic Boat Parade celebration on Lake
Claiborne may soon be a reality. With the cooperation of the weatherman, we may
even see it happening in time for this year's event scheduled for Saturday,
July 3.
The Watershed Commission meeting on
Thursday, July 17 was positive in its approval of working with the Police Jury
and Road Department in performing this modest effort in accomplishing major
helpful results for our community.
The Claiborne Parish Sheriff's Office
will lead the Boat Parade which will start at 7:30 PM from Pleasure Point.
Boats will gather around 7 PM on the water near Pleasure Point. The parade
route will include Pleasure Point Marina, Port-Au-Prince, Parden's
Paradise, the Coleman Creek Subdivision, Public Boat Launch, Lake Claiborne
State Park, and Sport Point. No jet skis will be allowed. Each boat captain
will receive one Claiborne Parish Boat Parade 2004 cap, one per boat.
Please keep 2-3 boat lengths between
boats. Remember there are no brakes. Also, please keep a safe distance from
shore, but close enough for viewers to see. Do not break in line.
The Fireworks Display will start at
"dark 30". Neither boats nor individuals will be allowed within 420
feet of the firing area, because of the rules governing the safe distance from
the shooting site, however, there will be an area on the end of the dam nearest
the spillway where people be allowed to watch the show. Other areas around the
shores of the lake will also have a good view. The best view will be from the
boats and barges, where hundreds of people watch each year.
Boat owners are cautioned to prepare
their boats for the event by checking to see that the running lights operate
properly and that sufficient life jackets are aboard. Once it gets dark, boats
must have their running lights must be used even when the boat is not running.
The Claiborne Parish Sheriff's Office
and the Louisiana Department of WIldlife and
Fisheries will be patrolling the lake to make sure all boating safety laws are
observed.
Contributions to the Fireworks Display
are still needed. Please send your donation to Claiborne Fireworks, Inc., 180
Post Oak Road, Homer, LA 71040. For more information or for an update on
progress of the parking, you can call Fred Lewis at 927-9180 or Dick Dorrell at 927-0039.
"America's Godly Heritage"
July 1 At Homer City Hall
Concerned Citizens are sponsoring the
showing of the film "America's Godly Heritage" produced by David
Barton on Thursday, July 1 at 7 PM at the Homer City Hall. The film clearly
sets forth the beliefs of many of the famous Founding Fathers concerning the
proper role of Christian principles in education, in government, and in the
public affairs of the nation. The beliefs of Founders like Patrick Henry, John
Quincy Adams, John Jay, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, George
Mason, and many others are presented.
Claiborne Parish Library Asks Community For Help
The Claiborne Parish Library staff tries very hard to
be accommodating and helpful to each and every person who walks through our
doors. The library is a "public facility" and the staff takes a lot
of pride in providing excellent service, however the staff would like to remind
their users and parents of a few rules and policies that are in place at the
library and make some requests about conduct in a public library.
We do not charge for the use of our
computers, but have a nominal fee of $ .10 (ten cents) a page for printing. The
staff asks users to be responsible and pay for any and all pages they print,
whether they intended to print them or not. If anyone does not know how to use
the print function on a computer, the staff will be happy to help them.
The library is not equipped or staffed
to be a young adult or child care facility. Young adults and children are
always welcome at the library but they will not be allowed to spend all day
here playing on the computers, or hanging around outside on library property.
Vandalizing library property is illegal.
Persons should not drink alcohol on library property or leave empty bottles in
the library parking lot or anywhere else on library property.
The library's book drop is for the
return of books and other materials. Please do not use it as a trash
receptacle. This damages the library's materials that are left there.
Please do not use private driveways or
cut across yards to access the library.
Parents should be aware the wooded areas
behind the library are unsafe. This is not library property and is definitely
an unsupervised ares. The library staff cannot be
responsible for any problems that arise from your child using this area.
July 4th Fireworks, Boat Parade To Have
Extra Parking
The Fourth of July Fireworks and Boat
Parade will be held on
Claiborne Fireworks, Inc., the
non-profit, tax-free corporation responsible for the Annual Fourth of July
Fireworks and Boat Parade in Claiborne Parish is asking for public support and
assistance in acquiring public parking for these events.
For more information, call Fred Lewis at
927-9180 or Dick Dorrell at 927-0039.
Mayfield Pool Opened Tuesday, Natatorium
To Open Soon
The Mayfield Pool opened Tuesday, June
22. Hours of operation will be Monday-Friday, 1-6 PM and Saturday, 12-5 PM.
Admission is $1.50. Children six years and under must be accompanied by an
individual age 16 years or older. Dates and times for swimming lessons will be
announced at a later date. Swimming is allowed only during hours of operation.
No swimming is allowed in the pool before or after hours. Violators will be
prosecuted. For more information, call the Mayfield Pool during business hours
at 927-4859. The Homer Natatorium is expected to open soon. Applications are
being accepted for pool manager and lifeguards at the Natatorium. For more
information, call the Mayor's Office at 927-1312.
Homer High, Haynesville High To Go To Six-Period Days
School Supertintendent
James Scriber announced at the June 10 meeting of the Claiborne Parish School
Board that the principals at Homer High School and Haynesville High School had
agreed to change from the present block schedule to a 6-period or 7-period
schedule this fall. After further investigation, both principals agreed they
would be able to meet the required subjects for present junior and senior
students by going to a 6-period schedule this fall. If you have any questions
about the schedule, you can call Homer High School at 927-2985 or Haynesville
High School at 624-0905.
