Citizen Forum

Editor,

As a long-time advertiser in Carroll County Newspapers, I have decided to outsource my advertising dollars to other venues. Why? Because Carroll County Newspapers made the decision to outsource the creation of ads to some graphic sweatshop in India.

Phrases such as "Made in America," "Buy American," "The American Way," or "The American Dream" increasingly become empty slogans as the new American people -- corporations -- turn a field of dreams into more statistics in the unemployment line. The goal is to optimize the only thing that matters -- profits.

Real flesh and blood people don't count anymore, real people's jobs don't matter in the face of the top one percent being able to put a little more cash in their pockets.

Does it matter whether an ad is designed in Carroll County or in a composite room in India? You bet it does.

My business serves the people of Carroll County and Northwest Arkansas. I can't outsource tree cutting, trimming and stump removal to a business in India. However, I can decide whether my advertising dollars are going to support a family in Berryville or Eureka Springs or support a family in India, I choose Berryville and Eureka Springs.

Dean Fanning

Fanning's Tree Service

Editor,

Driving through Eureka Springs yesterday morning we were surprised to see a flag at full mast. Then as we drove through town didn't see one flag at half mast.

It was very sad to witness a town that wants the profit from Memorial Day business not willing to show the reverence [to] our fallen military men and women.

Kathy Warren

Editor,

Some people seemed to be confused about the purpose and value of the city's yellow bag program for residential garbage. It is simple. The yellow bags cost a small amount more than regular trash bags, and recycling is free. This encourages people to recycle rather than throw everything in the trash.

I was dismayed that city council will vote June 11 on putting elimination of the yellow bags on the ballot. I don't think this issue has reached the level of interest needed for a public vote, and I oppose it because we need to increase -- not decrease -- recycling rates.

Think this will save money? No way. If yellow bags are eliminated and the city has more garbage, garbage rates could go up because landfills are hugely expensive. A new cell at the landfill would cost over $1 million, according to Phil Jackson, executive director, Carroll County Solid Waste Authority. Jackson said labor, fuel and truck costs (garbage trucks use a lot of fuel) are also very expensive, and could increase if more is landfilled.

Jackson said back in 1993 when Carroll County became the first in the state to establish a solid waste authority, it was determined because of our karst topography, in particular, everything possible needed to be done to prevent contamination of groundwater supplies. The goal was set to have 10-15 percent recycling. Now we are up to 20 percent. Jackson said they are working hard with education campaigns to increase that to over 30 percent.

Anyone who wants to do away with this progressive yellow bag program should be sentenced to: 1. Spend the night next to a landfill, where residents nearby have to deal with odors and depressed property values. 2. Drink water that has leached from a landfill. The EPA says all landfills leak eventually.

This system is working well, and doesn't need to be changed. Instead, let's all work to get recycling rates up to 30 percent. Kudos to all the people and businesses in Eureka Springs who are choosing the recycling bin over garbage bags. And my gratitude to the progressive leaders who put this program in place.

Becky Gillette

Editor,

Eureka Springs High School (ESHS) has been for sale at least a year. The complex on 62 West is waiting for a new future.

So here's a suggestion for our school district. How about turning ESHS into a vocational/technical institute? It has the East Lab designed for computer students. It has an art classroom for drafting. It has wood shops and metal shops.

The band/chorus room could be converted to an auto shop. It has a cafeteria and a gym. These are all work areas needed by vo-tech students.

Tear down the biohazard main structure and use the space left as a larger parking lot for instructors and traveling students. This adaption would be less expensive than converting to a junior college.

Not all Eureka high school grads are college material. No matter what our government tries to sell us on higher education, it isn't for everyone.

Our grads plus regional grads, that are interested in the trades, need a school that will give them special training. A well trained draftsperson, machinist, carpenter, plumber or mechanic is worth his/her weight in gold in our city and surrounding towns, plus vo-tech grads are more likely to work locally.

On the other hand, our college bound kids that graduate from universities don't always come back to replace our local professionals who are retiring. Instead, these newly graduated doctors, lawyers and MBAs move away to larger cities or even out of state.

Enid B. Swartz