Other Days: January 29, 2025

10  YEARS  AGOFEBRUARY  4,  2015The Cleveland County Quorum Court decided to table a request by the Cleveland County Head Start program Monday night, asking the county to apply for about a $500,000 low-interest federal loan to help build a new Head Start center at Woodlawn. The decision to table the request came as a result of officials having questions about the county's role in the loan. It was explained that the grant application was made through Cleveland County since Head Start, nor its local administrator, the Cleveland County School District, could apply for the grant. It was pointed out that it is a common practice for Head Start programs to apply for grants through their local county government. The building itself is expected to cost about $700,000. The Cleveland County School District's Head Start facility on the Woodlawn campus consists of one portable building housing 20 students. A second portable building had to be removed due to its deteriorating condition.At Tuesday night's meeting of the Rison City Council, alderman Jimmy Bowlin brought up pay for city employees, noting that he feels the salaries could eventually become too steep for the city to pay. He said the salaries need to be reviewed to make sure they are in line with other cities of similar size. At the December meeting of the council, aldermen unanimously approved a motion by Bowlin to reduce a proposed 5 percent across-the-board pay raise to 1.7 percent, which was the cost of living increase projected by the state. Bowlin requested that the council continue to look at the matter of employee salaries.For a change, Cleveland County's county general fund is starting off the year in the black. Last year, county general started the year with a negative balance of $41,804 as of January 31, 2024. This year, county general is starting off with a positive balance of $6,790 as of January 31. In another financial matte...