Monticello Live

The January article on recycling definitely brought out some new recyclers in our community. Cathy Davis, in charge of recycling for the city, says the increase has been positive.

Here are some reminders from her about recycling:

• Call 367-4407 if you have any questions or would like to begin recycling.
• Plastics with the number 1 or 2 on the bottom may be recycled. It is helpful but not mandatory if they are rinsed prior to sending to the recycle center.
• Fast food containers are not accepted (including cardboard pizza boxes or any styrofoam containers).
• Please do not send tissue, paper plates, paper towels, or napkins. Paper that has been shredded is the only paper accepted at this time.
• Please sort your recycle items into cardboard, plastics, paper, and newspaper.

Thanks for recycling.

As many drove by Monticello High School this morning something out of the ordinary was happening on school property. Unfortunately, the scene was all too familiar for the many public servants who took part in helping. An organized reenactment of a drunk driving accident was staged for high school students to observe, complete with rescue teams from the Fire Department, Police Department, State Police and ambulance service. A helicopter even landed to med-flight some of the victims.

Teresa Belew, Executive Director for the Arkansas Mothers Against Drunk Driving, visited from Little Rock and spoke to students. She related to the audience that a survey of the youth of Drew County reveals shocking facts. Twelve years of age is the age most reported for having a first taste of alcohol. Of young people who regulary drink alcohol, most say they began regular use at age fourteen. She also reported that in Arkansas alone, there are four to five people killed each week because of an alcohol related accident. Countless others are injured.

Steve Brantley, organizer of the reenactment today, has first-hand experience of an alochol related accident. Today, he shared his story with students of how his wife, Patricia Brantley, was killed in a collision with a drunk driver on June 21, 1996. It forever changed his life and the life of their four children. Steve is passionate about educating others about the dangers of drinking and driving and is very involved in the local chapter of MADD as coordinator for the county.

On Saturday night, March 24, Faith Reed, two-year old daughter of Mr. & Mrs. Chris Reed of Rison, AR, died after drowning. Her death is the result of an accident on a Polaris Ranger four-wheeled ATV. The accident occurred at Monticello Speedway in a resevoir used for watering the dirt track.

The incident is currently under investigation by the Drew County Sheriff’s Department.

Other News Sources:

• Log Cabin Democrat story (Conway)

It’s about making a difference. Recycling is a concern across our nation, and it’s no different here in Monticello.

Some interesting facts about recycling:

• Recycling one aluminum can saves enough electricity to run a TV for 3 hours
• Aluminum cans thrown away by Americans in one month would reach the moon if stacked end to end.
• Throwing out one aluminum can wastes enough energy to equal half of the can filled with gasoline. Americans toss 35 billion cans each year.
• It takes an aluminum can 200 years to decompose.
• The average household generates 38 pounds of PET plastic bottles (examples are soda and juice containers) each year.
• If you drink one 20 oz. soda each day, you generate 23 pounds of PET plastic in a year. Two weeks worth, 14 bottles, will yield enough fiber for an XL T-shirt or one square foot of carpeting.
• Recycling one glass bottle saves enough energy to light a 110-watt bulb for 4 hours.

Monticello’s recycling center currently services only between 300-400 homes, but even that makes a difference. The recyclables from Monticello are compacted into large bundles using the machine pictured here and then sold to ORE-Recovered Material of Clinton, Arkansas. Last year, ORE reported concerning just the paper from Monticello that was recycled. 209.54 tons of paper was recycled from Monticello between the months of January and June, six months. Most of the shredded paper is from UAM but not all of it.

Because of the efforts of Cathy Davis and others at the Monticello Recycling Center and the university’s committment to recycling we saved in just six months:

• 3,562 trees
• 859,114 KWH of energy
• 1,466,780 gallons of water
• 691 cubic yards of landfill
• 12,572 pounds of air pollution

Although Cathy is doing a great job at recycling there are some steps to be taken to make this program even more effective. Recycle products are picked up each Wednesday morning within city limits. To be added to the route and begin recycling, please call Cathy Davis at 367-4407. She is more than willing to answer questions in order to help more and more people get involved.

Once a household is added to the program items for recycling should be grouped into the following categories:

-cardboard (if large quantity of boxes, please flatten)
-newspaper
-shredded office paper (paper that is NOT shredded is NOT accepted at this time)
-aluminum cans (no food cans, no aluminum foil)
-plastic milk jugs, soda bottles, water bottles, etc. (no wide mouth plastics such as peanut butter jars)

At this time, glass is not accepted along with paper plates or stryofoam containers.

To find out more about recycling search the web and the sites are endless. One such site is Recycle City, a great place for people any age, but especially younger students, to learn more about recycling.

The Monticello City Council met last night with a long list of topics to tackle, including the city pool issue. After much discussion, the Council voted unanimously to continue the repairs and replacement of the liner with contractor Kenny Johnson for a new contract price of $268,083. The original contract was for $242,585 but Mr. Johnson reported that once the project began it was discovered that “the pool is sub-standard construction-wise”. His concern is having to warranty the job for a year, wanting to be confident in the work he’s done. At $268,083 Mitch Rose, the engineer representing the city from McClellan Engineering, projects 5-10 more years use with the current restoration. At this cost, the liner will be replaced with upgraded material, some pipes will be replaced, the diving board will be repaired, a working drainage system will be installed, and the pool lights will be checked and replaced if needed. Alderwoman Sherrie Gillespie asked why the city keeps pumping so much money into the upkeep and maintenance of the old city pool, but was told that this is the first major renovation in the life of the pool, since 1993.

Another major decision reached on the initiation of new Mayor Joe Rogers was his proposal to abolish the city’s Parks and Recreation Commission. Extensive discussion followed this proposal. Rogers responded to Tim Chase’s statement that the city office was taking on more responsibility than they’ve ever had before by saying, “I take full responsibility, 100%”.

As part of this responsibility, Rogers proposed that the city’s Parks and Recreations Commission be done away with, leaving him in control of this area with an advisory board. The Parks Commission has been in place since 1998, serving the community by completing projects such as park improvements, a new baseball complex, a sports complex, among other things. Nevertheless, the Council voted 6-1 with Tim Chase opposing, to grant the disbanding of the Commission.

Just before the meeting adjourned, Parks and Recreation Commission chairman Steve Hartness was given the opportunity to speak. He wanted to voice his concern over the issue and let it be known that the Commission had worked diligently within the boundaries established for them, and that he didn’t understand the decision.

Hartness stated, “Everything we have done has been upfront. I have come to you for two years with budgets and laid it on the line for the city council to approve or disapprove. We’ve accomplished a lot in the past five years. I’m proud of what we’ve done. I’m a little disappointed tonight. I wasn’t considered important enough to even know about this except through the grapevine.”

The mayor argued that he had left a message with Hartness’s wife but Hartness reiterated that he had been contacted at work and on his cell phone on other occasions but wasn’t about the meeting and what was proposed to happen to the commission.

Hartness continued, “There were things in the paper that skirted right on the verge of us being irresponsible with tax money. I hope you don’t think that. I’m not understanding what the difference is in a 15-member advisory board and a parks commission. I’m not understanding how it’s different, other than you’ve got eight more voices or opinions. If something needed done, it’s gotten done.”

He concluded, “I wish ya’ll the best and I’ve enjoyed working with you guys.”

Appreciation for the commission was expressed by Alderwoman Beverly Hudson who said, “I’d like to say they’ve done a tremendous job, and I think that we should thank them for the many hours. I certainly have had no complaints. I think the mayor just wants to take us in a different direction, and we should give him the opportunity.”

Another issue that stirred discussion was the proposal to grant Rogers the ability to approve up to $20,000 in city expenditures without engaging in a competitive bidding process. The previous limit was $10,000. The council also approved that initiative, by a vote of 6-1, with Chase voting against.

Rogers gave his first State of the City address, reading from a prepared manuscript. In it, he stated, “…where others have found persistent problems; let us discover new opportunities.”

Listen to the full meeting on the MonticelloLive-provided podcast here.
(more…)