News from May
5, 2005 issue
US 641
accident leaves one dead
A Marion woman died Sunday night a few hours following an accident
on U.S. 641 that injured five others.
It was one of the worst traffic accidents in Crittenden County
history, seriously injuring nearly everyone involved. Three helicopters
and three ambulances were brought to the scene to evacuate the
injured and nearly every emergency worker in the county was called
to help at the scene.
Angelia Davis, 35, died from her injuries. She had been in the
back seat on the passenger side of a mid-sized 1985 Chevrolet
four-door wagon. The station wagon was driven by Debra Woods,
44, of Marion and was attempting to turn into the driveway of
Collyer Boat and Repair south of Marion on U.S. 641.
Woods' vehicle made a left-hand turn into the path of a northbound
1991 Dodge driven by Jason Walton, 20, of Marion, state police
reports said. Woods vehicle overturned and came to rest on an
embankment. The Walton vehicle spun around 180 degrees and came
to rest on the side of the highway.
Rescue workers had to put blocks under the wagon, which was teetering
on the edge of the embankment, while they extricated four of the
five occupants from the vehicle.
Walton suffered neck and facial injuries and was transported to
St. Mary's Hospital in Evansville. He was reportedly released
earlier this week.
There were five occupants in the small wagon, including the driver,
the woman who was killed, Steven Davis, 27, of Marion, Michelle
Knight, 18, of Marion and Curtis Smith, 19, of Kuttawa.
All of those in the wagon were seriously injured and most remain
in serious condition at area hospitals.
Woods was taken to Regional Medical Center at Madisonville. Steven
Davis was airlifted to St. Mary's Hospital at Evansville, Knight
and Smith were flown to Deaconess Hospital at Evansville.
Police reports say that Walton and Woods, both drivers, were wearing
seat belts as was Steven Davis. It is unknown if the other passengers
in the Woods' vehicle were wearing seat belts.
About 50 emergency personnel were dispatched to the scene, including
six paramedics, EMTs, other medical personnel and two dozen rescue
squad members. The highway was closed for hours while the victims
were evacuated and state police reconstructed the accident scene.
All victims were treated on site and removed within about 45 minutes
from the scene.
While the exact condition of the other victims was unknown at
press time, at least two were believed to remain in very grave
condition.
Controversy swirls around board decision
Crittenden County has a new school superintendent, but not without
another round of controversy.
After hearing opinions and concerns from members of the community
and meeting in closed session for nearly an hour Monday night,
the Crittenden County Board of Education voted 3-2 to hire John
W. Belt on a two-year contract as the next superintendent. His
salary and benefits package will equal about $101,000.Belt, 57,
grew up in Crittenden County, but now lives in Sturgis, where
he had retired as assistant superintendent for the Union County
School District in 2001.
Belt will take over a school system that has been the center of
controversy for the last two years and is now embroiled in a lawsuit
brought by former school head Fredericka Hargis, who was fired
last December. A letter critical of the district that circulated
around Marion two years ago has also been the source of a defamation
lawsuit by Hargis against 13 individuals and businesses.
Because of those issues, more citizens say they are taking an
active role in the school system's business and some are not pleased
with what they are seeing.
The school board, which has been criticized in the past for not
hearing public concerns, listened intently Monday as seven citizens
spoke out about the board's overlooking Acting Superintendent
Janie Tomek for the job. Most of those who voiced concerns pointed
out that Belt himself was not the focus of their displeasure.
Instead, they criticized the school board for not being more cost-conscious,
for hiring someone who was not on the screening committee's original
list of finalists and for not rewarding Tomek for her service
over the last two decades and especially the last few months
while she served as acting superintendent.
Board member Red Howton said public comments would have been better
received at an earlier time. "I wish if something was going
on, it would have happened one or two months ago," he said.
His comment drew laughter and after the meeting some in the crowd
said it was because they had indeed phoned their school board
members about the issue.
"The community never dreamed the board would see fit to bring
someone (other than Tomek) in," said Tonya Courtney, who
also spoke in support of Tomek's professionalism.
Belt and some of his family members were present at the meeting
as people spoke in support of Tomek, criticized the board's decision
not to hire her and questioned the cost of Belt's contract, which
begins July 1. He met with the board during its closed session,
was present during the vote, but declined to talk to The Press
after the meeting.
Board chairperson Phyllis Orr said Belt's salary is average for
a district of this size. By comparison, former superintendent
Hargis was getting about $4,000 more in salary and benefits when
she was fired. Orr said Belt indicated his intent to move to Crittenden
County and that he would not take a salary increase after the
first year.
Board members Bill Asbridge and Tina Harris cast the two votes
against hiring Belt. Both praised Tomek's dedication to the school
system during the 14 months she served as acting superintendent
and her 15 years in the Crittenden County School System. Harris'
remarks earned Tomek a standing ovation from many in the room.
"It is a loyalty issue to me," Asbridge told the crowd
of about 50. "And, financially I don't agree with the contract
terms."
Asbridge and later Finance Officer Brent Highfil explained that
about $52,000 of Tomek's $84,000 salary has been paid through
federal funds. If Belt's certifications do not qualify him to
be paid using some federal funding, it will have to come entirely
from the district's general fund, which is comprised of local
tax dollars.
Marion businessman John Newcom asked why other members of the
board were not mindful of the potential cost to taxpayers.
"Why aren't the rest of you being fiscally responsible,"
Newcom asked. "If it doesn't come from federal funds, you'll
have to take it out of the county taxpayers.
"You've got someone here who has been here a while, then
you go out of the community and hire a superintendent. That, to
me, doesn't make good sense. It's your decision and I don't agree
with it and I don't think anyone else here does or they wouldn't
be here."
Retired teacher Darl Henley, who ran unsuccessfully for school
board last fall, was at the meeting and said she was there to
support who ever the board hired.
"We need to get down to education," she said.
Former Crittenden County teacher Phyllis O'Neal, who is a principal
in Marshall County, said during her 14 months as the district
head Tomek has made great strides to re-unite the community, rebuild
confidence in the school system and to recover from the Hargis
controversies.
"(Tomek) has done a good job, she's someone we know, and
we know her goal isn't to retire in a few years or it's not a
stepping stone but we reward her by saying thanks but no
thanks? What kind of message is that sending to our kids about
rewards? I don't like to hold my head down when I say I'm from
Crittenden County, but that's what I'm having to do," O'Neal
said.
Bonita Hatfield, a retired teacher, asked why the board hired
someone who was not on the screening committee's original list
of finalists.
Chairperson Orr said Belt was added to the list when other finalists
withdrew their names from consideration.
"State law says we are to consider the recommendations but
we are not required to select any," Orr said.
A letter to the editor from one of the screening committee members
appears in this week's Press on page 2A. It is also critical of
the board's hiring someone not originally chosen by the group
which screened applicants. That group included teachers, parents
and support staff.
"It is a bitter pill for me to swallow to be as enthusiastic
in the future as I have been in the past because this is a disappointing
decision," Hatfield said. "I don't know Mr. Belt, I'm
sure he's a fine fellow, and I have no problem with that at all,
but I am disappointed that Janie Tomek was not offered the job.
The right thing wasn't done and I have a problem with it."
Former school board chairman Keith Hart, who was also in the audience,
said after the meeting that the board "has done Janie Tomek
and John Belt an injustice."
Allen Lynn, a local businessman and Marion City Councilman, was
in the crowd and spoke up in support of Tomek, too.
"If (Belt) doesn't do as good a job as Janie Tomek did the
last 14 months, you (board members) should resign," for making
this decision, Lynn said during the open meeting.