Cotter Schools Prepare for "School Choice" for 2003-04

Arkansas state law provides the opportunity for students to attend a school that best meets their educational needs, even outside their current district. Parents and guardians could make application up to July 1, 2003, for the coming school year.

Arkansas public school choice is also designed to make schools more responsive and effective in meeting the needs of students. The Arkansas Department of Education Web site, http://arkedu.state.ar.us, explains "There is no right school for every student, and permitting students to choose from among different schools with differing assets will increase the likelihood that some marginal students will stay in school and that other, more motivated students will find their full academic potential."

To assist public school choice applicants for the 2003-04 academic year Cotter schools recently ran a series of media advertisements that outlined benefits of attending our schools. These centered around the theme "Cotter is the small school with a lot to offer!" Academic programs and achievement, extra cirricular and other activities, athletic programs, and great facilities were featured.

Other recent actions within Cotter schools for next year include hire of new high school principal Dennis Copeland. Patty Wicker has been hired to teach keyboarding in the junior high and also classes on career orientation. Karen Strong has been hired as the kindergarten to fourth grade Title I and Title II teacher.

Cotter Chamber Hosts Biologists

Darrell Bowman, State Trout Biologist, Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, was the guest speaker at the Cotter Area Chamber of Commerce monthly meeting June 17, 2003. He discussed the draft Trout Management Plan to be presented to the Game and Fish Commissioners in a few weeks and answered numerous questions from the audience.

Mark Oliver, Warm Water Biologist, also attended and addressed additional areas such as the possibility of opening the outflow from the Big Spring to kids fishing, as is currently done at Dry Run Creek below Norfork Dam.

City Supports New Plant for
Contractor's Truss Systems

At their monthly meeting June 12, 2003, the Cotter City Council supported a series of resolutions authorizing application for federal grant funds to support construction of Contractor's Truss manufacturing plant in Cotter. The facility will be located on the site of Cotter's old roundhouse along Highway 341. The project is being completed by the Maverick Development Company in conjunction with the Northwest Arkansas Economic Development District (NWAEDD).

Prior to the meeting a public hearing was conducted by Alan Jay Stallard of the NWAEDD to meet government requirements for community input prior to project initiation. He outlined the scope of the project as approximately six acres of land with a 40,000 square foot building. The total projected investment through NWAEDD is just under $600,000 for land, building and associated equipment. The facility currently employs 16 at its present location. Plans for expansion could create additional jobs at Cotter.

Upon approval the NWAEDD will act as a consultant to the City of Cotter to assist administration of federal funds. The City would serve as disbursing agent for the project.

Other issues included review of the proposed personnel handbook for city employees. Additional review is expected in the near future.

The Council approved purchase and installation of front and back awnings for City Hall.

Also, initial feedback had been received from Union Pacific Railroad regarding sale of 9.43 acres along the river for development of walk-in access. Valuation by the railroad was well beyond available funds and further contact with the railroad is planned.

The temporary hire for summer mowing is working well.

A letter has been sent to Don and Helen Lacefield, owners of the historic Cannady building at Second and McLean, thanking them but declining their offer to sell the building to the City of Cotter.

A New Era for Buffalo City

The Baxter Bulletin of June 12, 1903, repeats this from Yellville's Mountain Echo: A new epoch in the history of Buffalo City was marked one day last week by the presence of two boats tied at the levee on this side of the river and a railroad train on the other side.

 

What the Editor Saw
While in the New Division Town
on the White River Extension of
the St. Louis & Iron Mountain Railway.

From the Baxter Bulletin of August 28, 1903

Cotter, Ark. - Tuesday morning ye editor boarded the Livingston hack bound for Cotter, and after a short drive arrived at Cotter Heights. A short stop was made at the office of Chenoweth & Brown, but as Mr. Brown was absent we soon resumed our journey to Cotter proper. Here we stopped at the popular Chase hotel and after arranging our toilette we proceeded to walk over the town and view the sights of this, our new sister city on the White River railroad.

Among the first persons we met was our esteemed contemporary, T. M. Davis, of the Citizen. Mr. Davis had been in Cotter over night and saw the sights by "gas light." We visited the bottling works and found them quite busy filling orders for their popular drinks. We found Mr. Crott a gentleman in every respect and one with whom it is a pleasure to meet. He seems to be building up a splendid business and will be one of the town's main standbys in its future growth.

Strolling on down to the railway tracks we turned toward the bridge. Here we found everything going with a rush. Men perfectly familiar with bridge work are busily engaged preparing for the large steel bridge that is to span the White River. In conversation with G. C. Smith, the contractor, we were informed that the work was moving along very nicely, but just when the bridge would be completed he was unable to say.

From here we went to the Combs' ferry and crossed the river and visited the tunnel. Here we found a force of men working night and day tunneling through the mountain that the iron horse might be able to proceed on its way in a more direct way. This tunnel, when completed, will be something like 1,100 feet long. Work has progressed slowly on the tunnel owing to the inability to secure experienced men to operate the drills. The tunnel will not be finished for several months yet.

Our ride over the rough roads, together with our morning walk, had given us an appetite, so we recrossed the river and repaired to the hotel where we enjoyed a most excellent dinner. After dinner we lounged on the hotel piazza and enjoyed cigars until near train time, when we "followed the crowd" and went to the depot "to see the cars come in." Promptly at 1:30 p.m. she "arrove." The train was in charge of Conductor G. R. Eakley of Newport and carried a goodly number of passengers. We accepted an invitation from Mr. Eakles to ride with him while they did the switching. we found Mr. Eakles to be a clever, affable gentleman, and can tell many a good story of railway life. J. R. Ellis of Rodgers, Ark., was in charge of the mail car. Mr. Ellis informed us that the mail service is established as far up the line as Mt. Olive, but it would only be a short time until it would be established in Cotter. R. T. Roberts of Newport is the mail clerk, but was called home on account of the death of his mother, Mrs. Johnson, which occurred Monday. Mr. Ellis, like Mr. Eakles, is also a very pleasing gentleman to meet.

Among the crowd at the depot we met W. S. Chastain of Yellville; also our own Jerry South, who left on the train for points down the line.

At the depot everything was hustle. Teams were waiting their turn to load freight, men were hurrying here and there, but with all the hustle and confusion everything moved with the regularity of clockwork. In talking with the agent he informed us that in all his thirty-three years of railroad experience he had not met a proposition like the one which now confronted him. Three men are kept on the jump all the time, still they cannot accommodate the increasing business now carried on over that road. We understand that an express office will be opened up in a few days.

Taking it all in all, Cotter seems to be the making of a first-class business town. Already many business enterprises have started up, hotels and boarding houses are numerous, still the demand far exceeds the accommodations, not that the accommodations are poor, oh, no; they are as good as could be expected in a town the size of Cotter and undergoing what she is at the present time. Business of all kinds seems to enjoy a good movement and everybody is confident of the town's prospects.

The report is in circulation to the effect that everything is settled in regard to Cotter being the division town. The report says that Cotter is to be the division town for both the freight and passenger trains, that a $40,000 two-story pressed brick depot and railroad eating house is to be erected in a short time. We are unable to say how true this report may be, but as the head officials of the road have lately visited the town and as they have been "figuring some" lately, it is hard to tell just what will happen.

Our business in Cotter being transacted we bid adieu to our new friends and left for home, where we arrived safe and sound. We have but the best wishes for our sister city. May she prove to be what her citizens now fondly hope for.