TUESDAY MARCH 24, 2009
12:05 PM

I have not written in several days and I have had several request to update my blog.

I have just returned from a meeting in Forrest City. We had an interesting meeting, discussing among other things stimulus money. The group is hopeful that eastern Arkansas will get some of the money. I certainly hope so. The City of Wynne has submitted one proposal for some of this money. It is a drainage project that has been worked on for about 10 to 15 years. There may be some light at the end of the tunnel.

I spent yesterday in Jonesboro at the Tri State Mack truck dealership. They have been working on one of our garbage truck since Friday. When Jerry and I left the dealership yesterday about 4:30 pm they were still not much closer to solving the problem. The dealership promised us that they would either have our truck fixed by noon today or they would secure a replacement truck for us.

While we were in Jonesboro Jerry received a call about a power outage in Wynne that affected several of our traffic lights. The power was off about four hours. When service was restored one of the lights would not work. Jerry called our contractor that does traffic signal work for the city. He came last night and the light was working this morning when I came to work.

I am waiting on a couple to come to my office to be married. The bride called this morning and asked me to perform the ceremony. I told her that I had to attend a meeting in Forrest City, but I would be in my office during the lunch hour. She said they would be here. They have not shown up yet. They may have decided that they could not wait and have gotten someone else. I gave her my cell phone number and asked her to call when they got to Wynne. I have not heard from her as of now.

I bought Amy a new lawnmower last week. The one she had needed to be replace, so Dad came through and took care of the purchase. I took it to her last Friday during my extended lunch hour. I got to visit with her for a few minutes. She was off for a three day break last weekend, but she was going in to meet with a family to make arrangements. They called about the time I arrived at her home and she had to leave to take care of the family. She called me about three o'clock to inform me that she had been involved in a wreck. It was her fault. She was not hurt but did damage her car. When she left the funeral home, she was stopping at the drugstore to get a refill for one of her drugs filled and ran into the back of a car in front of her. She was disappointed that she had gone in on her day off and it did not turn out very well for her.

I attended a meeting last week about how the stimulus money will be spent by the state of Arkansas. It does not look like the city will be able to see any direct benefit from this money. I hope that I am wrong, but listening to the presentation, I am not optimistic. I should be more optimistic, but I do not feel very positive about our chances after hearing the presentation.

During the time I have not written, Pat had her other eye surgery. After a few bumps, everything is going well.

The city council also met during this time. They spent a good deal of time discussing class three trash. In the final action taken they decided to begin the service for all citizens and to increase the sanitation fee from $15.00 per month to $18.00 per month. They will officially take that action with a passage of an ordinance during the April meeting. During the discussion they agreed that if the increase does not cover the cost they are prepared to increase them enough to cover the cost. When I completed my study last year the cost to continue the service would have been a five dollar per month increase. We have not completed a study since last June.

I have started the mowing of the cemetery. This is a little earlier than last year but the grass needs to be cut.

The sales tax election for economic development failed at the polls on the 14th. The group is working now about a plan to continue the local funding of this effort.