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White says he will seek a second council term |
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Thursday, 14 August 2008 |
Alderman Greg White announced that he will seek a second term on the Benton City Council.
I have considered it an honor to serve the citizens of Ward 5,” White, 49, said. “I feel that I have also served as a voice for citizens throughout the city of Benton. He is the Position 2 alderman from Ward 5.
Some of the most memorable achievements that I feel this council has achieved in the past term are the street projects that we have successfully moved forward on,” White said, naming Kenwood, Hicks Drive, Trout Edition drainage project and Winchester Drive, which was recently completed.
He also mentioned Chris Drive, Edgehill, Watson, Shady Lane and Sharon Road extensions, which are scheduled for completion within a year or so.
“These are all being financed by Amendment 78 funding, which is paid by the quarter-cent city sales tax,” White said. “The bonds have afforded us the capability of expediting the completion of over $5 million dollars of road projects without having to wait on tax collections. And it needs to be noted that we are only applying 50 percent of annual collections to pay off the bonds.
“This means that more street projects and drainage issues can still be addressed in a timely manner,” he said.
I have found the experience on City Council to be a lesson in patience,” White said. “Two years ago, I ran on a platform of ‘Vision for a Better City.” I still have that vision and I have been a part of the planting of seeds of that vision.”
He pointed out that he was one of the original members of the city’s Advertising and Promotion Commission. “I had the privilege of helping form the operational procedures and regulations for that commission. I have seen that commission come forward with hiring an executive director and develop a plan for an events center. “The Wally Hall Tournament of Champions is just one of the many events that has benefited from the services of this commission and in return the city benefited from the additional revenues generated by that event,” White said. “I am sure more events similar to that are coming our way. I still have a vision for parks expansion in the old airport property.”
He said he also has “a vision for curbside recycling in the city of Benton. The plan that I have in committee would actually reduce your sanitation costs, reduce traffic of heavy trucks in our neighborhoods, reduce emissions of CO2 throughout our city, reduce the volume in our landfill and increase city revenues that could offset your utility rates.”
In reference to utility rates, White pointed out that he was “one of only two aldermen that voted against the electric rate increase. I did that because I realized that the 5 percent tax paid back to the general fund was actually added on to the retail rate after consideration of necessary operational costs. That, along with a one month early implementation of the rate increase led to a gain of estimated income by over $1,900,000 in year ending 2007.
“The 2008 budget only proposes a $336,000 ending balance, but this is with a $500,000 increase in personnel costs and $665,000 increase in operational costs. These facts are found in the financial report of the Benton Light and Water Works dated Aug. 8, 2008. Also, in that report is indication of upcoming requests for rate increases in water and sewer rates to offset losses in those departments.
“I strongly believe that our citizens are being overburdened with utility costs and, if re-elected, I will fight hard to find ways to reduce our rates.
White serves on the council’s Community Services, Finance, Streets and Economic Development committees.
As a lifetime resident of Benton, White is a 1977 graduate of Benton High School and holds a liberal arts degree from Ouachita Baptist University.
He is the son of Harold and Loretta White of Benton.
White is a marketing accounts manager for Fitness Unlimited. Prior to advertising and marketing sales, he held a position as a manufacturing representative for Mohawk Industries.
He and his wife, Denise, are members of First Baptist Church of Benton. He has three sons. Leighton, a computer programmer, who is employed by Acxiom in Conway; Landon, a student at Ouachita, majoring in music ministry; and Lindley, a digital media design major at Arkansas State University.
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 |  |  |  |  | Just being with family and eating good food is the best part!!- Liz McGee Quantz (Haskell, AR)
The Mabelvale United Methodist Church in Mabelvale, AR will
be hosting a fall carnival on Sunday evening October 26th from 5 to 7pm in the
Fellowship Hall. Kids will love it, parents will too! - Roger Poole (Bryant, AR)
I make an awesome Pina Colda Cake. You buy a boxed yellow
cake mix and mix it and bake it per the instructions on the box. After you bake the
cake allow it to cool for about 15 minutes. Use the end of a wooden spoon to poke
medium size holes all in the cake. Take a can of Eagle Brand Milk and Cream of
Coconut and alternate pouring them into the holes. Place the cake in the fridge for
about one hour, remove and put Cool Whip on top, as much or as little as you like.
The cake is better if you let it sit all night in the fridge before eatting. It is
wonderful!!! - Kelly Chase (Alexander, AK)
My favorite memories of Thanksgiving were when we lived in
Tulsa, Ok. There were always folks that didn't have a place to go for the holiday-
so they wound up at our house along with most of my husband's family from Benton.
The house was packed. The Thanksgiving meal was wonderful. But the celebration
didn't end there. At night, all weekend, there were pallets spread throughout the
house and the good eats seemed to never end. And on Friday morning (after
Thanksgiving) all the females were up before dawn and Christmas shopping by 8:00
a.m. Those are memories that I will cherish forever. - Billie Loe (Texas)
I always get to make the turkey for our Thanksgiving. So
you can add more butter or flour for consistency. Wash your turkey, pat dry, take
another stick of butter and rub all over turkey. Then take with your hands and smear
the batter a little thick, all over the turkey. Once all of the turkey has the
batter on it, I will melt the another bar of butter and put it in the bottom of the
pan of my turkey. It will make a wonderful gravy to use on your turkey when done.
So, then get enough aluminum foil to make a "tent" over your turkey. Put in oven and
bake @ 375 all night. It will be so moist, the crispies are great and the gravy
makes it better. Now the flip side to this is, it will be so tender it will fall apart.
So, I do not serve as a whole turkey. I go ahead and slice up, pour some grave
over some of the sliced up turkey for those who like it and then slice up some
turkey without gravy. You will have many compliments on this. Happy Thanksgiving
and Enjoy! - Liz Johnson (Benton) We prepare a traditional Thanksgiving dinner that morning.
Then we pack it all up and travel to deer camp in South Arkansas. We serve dinner to
all those who don't have family with which to share. We'll spend the afternoon
playin' dominos, pitchin' horseshoes and just visitin'. It's a wonderful time. - Pat Stuckey (Bismarck) We invite all the family in and cook the traditional feast.
Everyone gets silly when they get full. That is entertaining. - Jim Perry (Benton) Frozen pizza - Greg Marsh (Medicine Hat) The whole family gets together and we have dinner and noon
visit for a while then go home to take naps and get ready for black friday sales! - Terrie Schulz (Benton)
My childhood memories are of the sumptuous dinners my
grandfather, Byron Yarbrough, Sr. would prepare. Family members came from all over
Arkansas, Louisiana and Texas to our home of South East Street. It was a wondeful
time I really didn't learn to appreciate until he and my grandmother passed away.
Later, my cousin Eleen Murray brought the tradition back and family members gathered
at their home near Lake Norrell. Today, it's the memories of
Thanksgivings past that I treasure. It was because of these gatherings that I came
to realize the importance of family. - David Hughes (Herndon, VA)
My favorite time of remembering Thanksgiving is when all of
my family would get together and enjoy the most wonderful feast I have ever tasted.
My mom would make at least 2 to 3 different stuffings, actually her and my sister
Tammy Parker(Schultz) would make everything. I am not quite the chef my mom and
sister are. I live now and have lived for most of my life away from home in
different states so I have tasted many other dishes. None can compare to my
mom's(Pat Brumley). But most of all it is the family being altogether and just
laughing and having fun. My husband experienced this tradition for the first time in
1999 and still to this day can not stop talking about it. His traditions were not
the same. He couldn't believe the amount of food, fun, and family we had for the
holidays. I didn't understand it because I am used to it always being that way. I am
very lucky to have the family I have. My ex-step dad (David Hughes) still treats me
and my sister like his own so I have extended family to share the holidays with too. Even if it
is just a phone call, prayer, or written. I sure so miss Benton. I was raised
there and even though I am in Hoosier state since 2001 I let everybody know I am
proud to be a Razorback. I will never be anything else. God bless everyone in
Benton and someday I hope to see you soon. - Debbie Brooks (Schultz) (Columbus, IN) |
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Razorbacks
