AFTER SIGNIFICANT REVIEW, DARDANELLE CITY COUNCIL VOTED WEDNESDAY TO APPROVE A 2015 BUDGET, SET AT APPROXIMATELY 4.606-MILLION DOLLARS. MAYOR CAROLYN McGEE SAID THIS WAS A POSITIVE VOTE FOR THE CITY OF DARDANELLE, ITS EMPLOYEES AND RESIDENTS. McGEE SAID DEPARTMENT HEADS AND BUDGET COMMITTEE MEMBERS REALIZED EARLY ON, THAT EXPENDATURES LAST YEAR ON THE CITY'S NEW SOFTBALL FIELDS, AND OBLIGATIONS IN THAT AREA, WOULD MAKE 2015 A CHALLENGING BUDGET YEAR. ONE OTHER FACET OF THIS BUDGET, ACCORDING TO McGEE, IS THAT IT KEEPS DARDANELLE WITHIN THE PERAMETERS, TO PERMIT A 10.68-PERCENT RESERVE, FOR EMERGENCY NEEDS, IF NECESSARY IN THE FUTURE.
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ATKINS FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED EARLY THIS (Thurs.) MORNING TO A TRANSFORMER FIRE, IN THE 800 BLOCK OF NORTH CHURCH STREET. UNITS WERE RESPONDED JUST BEFORE 2 A/M TO THE FIRE, THAT ALSO RESULTED IN A POWER OUTAGE IN THE AREA. ENTERGY CREWS QUICKLY RESPONDED, IN AN EFFORT TO REPLACE THE TRANSFORMER AND RESTORE SERVICE. FIREFIGHTERS WERE ON-SCENE UNTIL JUST AFTER 3 A/M. NO INJURIES RESULTED.
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CLARKSVILLE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS TOOK TIME DURING THEIR DECEMBER SESSION THIS WEEK TO RECOGNIZE FIVE DISTRICT TEACHERS, WHO'VE RECENTLY OBTAINED THEIR NATIONAL BOARD CERTIFICATION. SUPERINTENDANT DR. DAVID HOPKINS AND THE BOARD SALUTED DR. JEFF BLACKARD, KRISTI NEWMAN, JENNIFER KOCH(COOK), MANDY WATKINS AND LESLIE MORI. IN OTHER MATTERS, THE BOARD WAS UPDATED BY CURRICULEN COORDINATOR KARA CHRISMAN ON NUW STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION MANDATES FOR THE CURRENT SCHOOL YEAR. AN INCREASED LINE OF CREDIT FOR THE DISTRICT, THROUGH ARVEST BANK WAS ALSO APPROVED BY THE BOARD.
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