Monticello Live

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The City Council voted unanimously to allow Mayor Allen Maxwell to begin advertising for bids for the fire station to be built at the W.C. Whaley lot.

The Council also voted to combine CD’s and budgeted items that have not, or will not be used this year, in order to fund the deficit in the Sadie Johnson Building Fund.

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MonticelloLive’s video coverage was mentioned twice during the city council meeting, once by a Parks Commissioner and once by the mayor.

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The Monticello Fire Department held a training exercise for extinguishing LP gas fires at the Drew County Fairgrounds, Saturday.

Southern LP Gas Company donated 400 gallons of gas to be burned in the exercise.

At least 5 area fire departments took part in the training session, which practiced extinguishing propane fires on tanks and piping fixtures.

With the Drew County Sheriff’s election 5 weeks away, both Sheriff Mark Gober and candidate Ronnie Adcock spoke to the Barkada Community citizens group about their campaigns.

Topics covered included background, expectations, and how much time deputies spend working inside the Monticello city limits.

Charlie Searcy and Michael Booker, both candidates for the job of Drew County Treasurer, took part in the Barkada Community forum, to discuss the upcoming election.

Both men complimented the other, during their presentations. However they disagree on their plans, if elected. Searcy said he plans to keep the Treasurer’s Office open, but use his current accounting office as a “remote office” to serve the county, adding that his accounting staff would also be an asset to the county, since he doesn’t plan to give up his existing business.

Booker plans to operate and work full-time out of the current office inside of the courthouse.

Due to recent legislation, the sheriff’s office and collector’s office have been separated.

There are 3 candidates for the newly created position;  Josh Frost, Tonya Lovelesss, and Cheri Norris.  All 3 have courthouse experience, with Loveless currently serving as the executive collector, until the new position takes effect in January.

The Monticello Parks and Recreatin Committee spent almost 20 minutes of their Thursday meeting going over the history of the commission / committee, and it’s ongoing issues with the Monticello Babe Ruth league.

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A heated argument broke out Monday night between members of the city’s Advertising and Promotion Commission, on the topic of the 3% hotel tax being used exclusively for the Convention Center project, or whether some Adverting and Promotion funds should be used to “advertise and promote” our local events and activities.

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City Attorney Whit Barton told the Council that he had received correspondence from a Little Rock attorney representing the Babe Ruth League on March 2, 2012, in regards to issues surrounding a contract with the City.

The issue then came up that the title of Commission for Parks and Recreation was not within the statute for how a Commission should be established, and Attorney Barton instructed the Council on ways to amend the issue, such as forming a Parks and Recreation Committee instead.

Barton stated that being a committee means the positions held are elected and told the Council, “Nobody’s making you do anything.”” But, the ordinance is not in compliance with the statute.”

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The driver of a Bayou Grain 18-wheeler fertilize delivery truck apparently took a curve on Florence Road too fast, around 10 o’clock, Tuesday morning, resulting in a hopper trailer of farm fertilize being dumped into a road ditch.

The driver was extricated from the crushed cab of the vehicle by the Fire & Rescue Team, and them transported to the JRMC trauma center.  Someone at the scene said his injuries didn’t appear to be life threatening.

Triple A Towing is shown in the video, setting the truck upright.

A “bobcat” was cleaning up the spilled product, as evening was approaching, along with several individuals with buckets, collecting fertilize for their personal use.  Contact Ronnie Adcock at 723-2260 for info.

Susan Jasay recently was traveling in eastern Ashley County on HWY 82 and took this video of a bear removing a “roadkill” deer from the ditchbank.

That “patch” of woods borders Drew County.

Thanks, Susan, for sharing your video.

Gasps of surprise went around the table as Quorum Court members began reading a sheet of paper Judge Damon Lampkin passed to each of them. It was his letter to the Court expressing his decision to retire after serving this final year as Drew County Judge.

In an emotional statement to the Court, and the public, Judge Lampkin said that he would be 71 years old if he ran again next year, and it was time for him to put his health first. He then read his letter to the audience which said…..

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Chief of Police Eddy Deaton addressed the City Council Thursday evening on warrant issues the department is having due to mix-ups in District Court. He told the Council that over the past few years people were being arrested on warrants for fines that they had already paid.

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Sheila Gardner and Kim Wilson, Monticello & Statewide Teacher of the Year, at the Awards Banquet

At the MEDC / Chamber of Commerce Awards Banquet, each school district honored one teacher as their “Teacher of the Year.”

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In a shocking turn of events, the City Council voted yes to building a new fire station on the W.C. Whaley lot. During Thursday night’s meeting Mayor Allen Maxwell asked MEDC Executive Director Nita McDaniel to present the slide show to the Council that was shown to the public during the ISO Rating Meeting (posted below).

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The Local Economy

2011 brought with it many changes in Monticello’s business climate.  In August, SeaArk Marine announced their closing as of this month (SeaArk Boats remains unaffected by this change).  Last month, Drew County Speedway told of their operations ceasing, as well.  Larry’a Pizza, Topps Pizza, and other businesses closed during the year.

Even while experiencing the loss of several employers, and several dozen jobs, Monticello still remains one of the “brighter” spots in southeast Arkansas, based on the number of businesses that either started, expanded, hired more workers, were purchased by new owners, or added important equipment.  Each of these entities showed a commitment to their employees, and their intentions to remain a part of Monticello’s future.

Those  75   businesses, industries, and organizations include…..
(Hold mouse over image to view business identity)