WESTSIDE — Thanks, Big Brother. I wanted to give credit to our Gravette Police Team and thank them for all their efforts as police officers. Recently, Trent Morrison wrote a very nice year-over-year analysis, with additional comments, that was mailed out to the city residents. It was well prepared and I ask and encourage Trent and team to continue this report card annually, if time allows.
As a resident of Gravette and a tax paying citizen, I would like to say thanks for all their hard work. I raised two kids in this town and now they have children of their own.
The Gravette Police worked side by side with us as parents and played an intricate role in bringing up our children.
It is a privilege to have a heavily experienced officer on site at our High School working as a liaison between the students and the school faculty, utilizing the codes of conduct established by Gravette School District and the Law. If it was not for having such a fine organization, where would Gravette be as a society?
As I stroll through towndoing my honey-dos, I see a new police force with new faces and names. Overall, I have all the confidence in the world in Trent Morrison and his ability to gather up a fine, strong and well tuned-team. Again, Thanks!
Randy Acquistapace Gravette
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Editor,
After reading your Jan. 19 article about the new city park, I can't help but be alarmed. Once again, it seems that our city leaders have found yet another money pit to waste our taxpayer dollars. This time the plan is for Gentry to spend a bunch of money to research, develop, build and maintain a fishing park that is not even inside the Gentry city limits. It doesn't even border the Gentry city limits.
Why? Why would we want to take on an expensive burden like that when there are much more needed expenses that we should be addressing right here in town like all the brand new gravel roads throughout most of the northwest area of town - "chip and seal," my rear! Whose idea was that nonsense?
How about the fact thatnone of our city employees have had a raise in over two years? If they are doing a good job for you, pay them accordingly. Otherwise, you may be paying to train the next employee who probably won't do such a good job.
If this is a "park thing" and you just got a hankering to fix up a park, take a look at the baseball/softball park on Main Street. It is in bad need of fence and bleacher repairs. Also, the installation of some lights around the softball field to accommodate nighttime playing would be nice.
Speaking of softball, take a look at that city park softball field across from the fire department. It's a mess, an absolute disaster! You might think about putting some of that money back to be paid towards the lawsuits when the city gets sued for the unsafe conditions of that softball field.
Okay, I'll admit, maybe that last part is a little bit of an overkill, but the bottom line is that we have plenty to be spending our taxpayer dollars on right here inside good ole' Gentry, U.S.A. We don’t need to venture outside of town to throw money away.
William Otis Gentry
Opinion, Pages 6 on 01/26/2011