April 17 , 2008

Teens work to keep park clean
By James Cook, Times Editor

It seems like in today’s world, you hear more about the trouble teens get into than the good that some of our youth are actually trying to perform. Powell County is no exception, but there are three young men who are trying to have a positive influence on their community. Ryan Young, Craig Lewis and Daniel Mullins have stepped up to take an active role in the clean up of a park they enjoy using.
For years the city park in the area known as “the bottoms” in Clay City, has been slowly decaying. The once vibrant park has been vandalized, items that children would play on were stolen and the trash just seemed to mount. The entry ways into the park are lower than the street level, so when it rains it floods into the park areas. Graffiti has marred the slides and climbing areas, swings have been broken and glass and hypodermic needles were scattered throughout the park. The boys just got fed up with the mess.
“We had an idea that we could just clean it up,” Young, who is only 13, said. “It was starting to get destroyed and vandalized, vandals were just taking over. So I asked Craig to help and Daniel joined in and we cleaned it up.”
The boys did not stop there. During a special meeting of the Clay City Council, they showed up with a petition and pictures of the park’s condition. “We wanted to show them what it was like,” Young said. The petition had 210 names of residents of the area who agreed that the city needs to help restore the park and keep it clean.
“People told us it wouldn’t last, it would just trashed again,” Young said. “They told us that they couldn’t take their kids to a public park here and that’s just a disgrace to Powell County.” Lewis who is 13, agreed, “We had others tell us it would never be cleaned up and we caught them down here breaking bottles on the ball court later at night. But they have stopped, because we tell them this is our park and we don’t want that here.”
Mullins, who is 18, also helps to point out that since they have taken on the project, they could use a little help from the city or the community. “Last summer a church group was here holding a service for the kids and it seemed to be a good thing here, but the place was a mess,” Mullins said. ‘I just wish it could have been better and I hope it will be better, but the flooding keeps people away too. You can’t get in here when it rains.”
All the boys thank the Clay City Police for helping with another major problem. All of them said they had seen what they believed to be drug deals going on in and around the park. “Chief Taylor and Ofc. Kirk have done a good job of providing extra patrols and we wish we were some sort of junior deputies to help make sure the park stays clean and fun for kids,” Young said. Lewis quickly chimed in, “We don’t see many drugies anymore, most of them are in jail thanks to the round ups. But every once in a while, you may see one.”
The boys believe that they were well accepted at the council meeting and have been advised by Mayor Jimmy Caudill to present their ideas to the city’s Park Committee. “He said that they have $10,000 to work on the parks and surely they could help out down here,” Young said. “They even told us that if they come to fix it and it was not up to our standards, they would do it again and make it right. I hope they do for all the kids here.”
The boys say they will continue to keep up the cleaning duties and watching out for vandals or dealers and notify police if they see something wrong. They say they are investing their time and efforts into the park because it is all they have to do in the bottoms. In fact, Young spent his own money to replace the nets on the basketball court. Each of them have brought in gravel from their own driveways to fill in mud holes at bottom of the slides.
“Maybe we need to start a neighborhood watch,” Young suggested as his friends agreed. “This park is for the kids not adults, rule breakers or vandals,” Young said, “we just want our park to be a good place for all of us.”

Stanton passes restaurant tax
By David J. Griffin, Times Reporter

At its regular meeting last Thursday night, the Stanton City Council discussed its proposed restaurant tax with a large group of citizens in attendance. Several local restaurant owners again expressed their concerns about the additional tax.
Following a brief discussion, Council member Mike Lockard said, “I would like to make a motion to have the tax of one percent for six months and then see how it has affected us.” His motion was seconded by Mariam Smallwood. Pam Tipton asked for discussion. The motion received only two yes votes, Lockard and Smallwood.
The proposed tax is to be devoted to development of the city park and other “green” projects. With respect to that purpose, Stanton resident Ovie Hollon was adamant in stating his concern for children in the county. “What do you want to do for our children? All we have to offer them is the city park. The tax seems to be a win-win situation to me,” he said.
Jennell Brewer then moved for a two percent tax rate. “I make a motion for two percent and see how it would affect the city at the end of one year,” she said. Mariam Smallwood seconded her motion also. Brewer and Smallwood cast the only affirmative votes.
Dustin Meadows presented his proposal: “I support a three percent tax. I want to change something during my term in office.” Meadows made a motion to initiate the tax at three percent, and his motion was seconded by Danny McCormick. Council members Meadows, McCormick, and Tipton voted yes. Lockard, Smallwood, and Brewer cast no votes. Because the council was deadlocked, Mayor Dale Allen cast the deciding vote to pass the restaurant tax at the rate of three percent.
Mayor Allen has stated in discussions with the Times that he feels the tax will benefit the city parks and in other areas of the city. “Ultimately, it is a user tax. You only pay it if you eat out. You do it in Mt. Sterling when you eat there and look at their parks,” Allen said in a previous discussion with the Times about the restaurant tax. “No one is going to not eat out because of three extra cents on the dollar.”
The council also decided to hold a special meeting on April 22 at 6:30 pm to discuss the Business License Ordinance before voting on the second reading. That meeting is also open to the public.

Stanton Elementary teacher receives top 100 honor
By James Cook, Times Editor

When someone decides to become a teacher it is definitely not for the pay. Instead it is usually because they want to help teach others and start them out on a path to enlightenment. That feeling usually comes from the memories they have of a teacher who made a difference in their life. To be a teacher who made a difference is an honor and a Stanton Elementary teacher has received just such an honor.
Lisa Cline, a fourth and fifth grade teacher, was given the honor as a Teacher Who Made a Difference last month at an award ceremony in Lexington. The UK College of Education sponsors the awards and reviews essays written by former students of a teacher to find the top 100 teachers in the nation.
Cline was nominated by a young girl named Jillian Creech, who was a kindergarten student of Cline’s nearly three years ago. “I was teaching at Camargo then and she was a sweet child,” Cline said. “In fact all children are sweet children, but Jillian was a special child.”
Creech’s essay explained how Cline had changed her life. “They read part of the essay at the ceremony,” Cline said. “To be nominated you had to have made a life long difference that has been recognized by the child and the parents,” Cline said. According to Cline recalled that the essay said, “The foundation of her education had been because of what she learned with me as her teacher and that the rest of her education looked better because of the foundation she received,” Cline shared in a humbled manner. “Her parents also agreed with it and I’m glad I could help,” Cline added.
Cline, who has been teaching at Stanton Elementary for two and one-half years, says that she loves teaching. “I love working here,” she said. “This is a wonderful place to have a career, not a job, but a career.” She also knows that she and the other teachers are a big influence on children. “Every child that come through these doors will be affected by a teacher,” Cline said with a little pride in her voice. “Even the president of the United States had a teacher to help him at one time, so you can see how important that teachers are to these children.”