Baxter Bulletin from Mountain Home, Arkansas • 1

1 Hist i eU mol i ttle Roc, A PRICE 15' VOL. 78 NO. 8 Member of Associated Press MOUNTAIN HOME, ARKANSAS THURSDAY. JANUARY 11. 1979 Sen.

Bumpers champions Buffalo outfitters' cause on no 0-i i. lip (fin) 'soriraeitiraie V- i.4 The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers last week released its Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) concerning the Lake Norfork bridge project, and expects that a bridge construction contract will be awarded in April. The Corps has filed the EIS with the Environmental Protection Agency at Washington, D.C., and has made copies available at the Corps Resident Engineer's office here and at public libraries here and at Harrison, Yellville and Salem. State Sen.

Vada Sheid of Mountain Home said a 30-day waiting period, for public comment, must be observed now before the Corps may proceed with the project. She told The Bulletin that she had been informed, though, by District Corps of Engineers office, that a contract for construction of the bridges could be expected in April. The date of the filing of the EIS was Jan. 3. The current estimated cost of two bridges one forU.S.

Highway 62 and one for State Highway 101 is $29.9 million. The Highway 101 bridge will be designed to carry 7,800 vehicles a day, and will be 2,880 feet long; the 62 bridge could carry 9,100 U.S. Sen. Dale Bumpers became an ally of the Buffalo River canoe and johnboat rental firm operators last week. After meeting with them at his Little Rock office Sen.

Bumpers said he would "insist" that the National Park Service wait six months before trying to enforce new regulations that would force the operators to obtain permits to rent canoes and johnboats to customers. The proposed regulations would also bring about other restrictions upon Buffalo National River access by the operators. Sen. Bumpers told The Bulletin last week that he would also direct that the National Park Service go "back to the drawing boards" to revise its proposed regulations. He said the regulations would bring on "lots of unnecessary expenses" for the operators if they were made to comply with the new rules.

Two organizations of canoe and johnboat rental operators had gone to Fayet-teville federal court on Dec. 28, 1978, to obtain a restraining order against the National Park Service. The operators said they had not been allowed to consult with the Park Service before the replations were announced, and they said the regulations were "unreasonable and The canoe operators had been joined in the legal action by the Citizens Bank of Flippin, and at a hearing two weeks ago Citizens Bank President James Patterson testified about the economic hardships the new Park Service regulations would work upon the economies of the Buffalo River counties. Patterson told The Bulletin Friday that the groups he represents were "elated" at the position Sen. Bumpers took.

"We were most satisfied with his approach, since it is much like our own attitude. We realize the need for certain regulations to maintain the river in its present state. But, we weren't given an opportunity to participate in drawing up the rules that will govern the canoe operators." Patterson said he expects that Sen. Bumpers will be able to arrange for meetings between the canoe and johnboat rental operators and the National Parks Service before final regulations are drawn and enforced along the national river. "We are not saying that all the regulations are wrong, but some do create hardships that will bring increased costs to the operators and then to the consumers using the rental services." Federal District Court Judge Paul X.

Williams, who heard the canoe operators' request for a restraining order in December ruled that the deadline for canoe operators to apply for a permit to operate under the new regulations would be Jan. 15, and he issued a preliminary injunction on enforcement of the new proposed regulations until a Feb. 7 hearing is held. If Sen. Bumpers is successful it brings about a six-month delay in the regulations' enforcement time, these dates would carry little meaning.

The proposed regulations would limit the number of canoe rental operators serving the Buffalo River to 16, and the johnboat rental operators to four. As of last month, according to Joe Villines, attorney for the bank, there were 24 canoe operators and six johnboat operators serving the river. One of the objections to the proposed regulations made by the outfitters is that the permit portion would force some of the operators out of business. The canoe operators have also obtained the support of State Sen. Vada Sheid and State Rep.

Ed Gilbert and U.S. Rep. John Paul Hammerschmidt of Harrison. A new governor Just before being sworn in as Arkansas's 40th elected governor, Bill Clinton and his wife Hillary Rodham waved greetings to the crowd packed into the Arkansas House of Representatives chamber Tuesday morning. Gov.

Clinton is the nation's youngest governor. Behind them are leaders of the Arkansas General Assembly, at left, Knox Nelson, of Pine Bluff, Senate president pro tempore, and at right, Rep. John E. Miller of Melbourne, speaker of the House. (See related article.) Bulletin Nelson vehicles over a 3,460 foot length.

The bridges will be of continuous steel girder design, and would be 32 feet wide (Highway 101) and 44 feet wide (Highway 62). The Corps predicts that construction of the bridges will take three and a half years. During the construction period, changes are to be expected in the level of noise, air and water quality, the EIS says. Relocations outlined The Corps says the government will have to acquire 27.5 acres of private land to build the bridges on the "Alternate 3" route which they have chosen. Displaced by the project would be two mobile homesites.

Three other homes would probably suffer "diminution of value" and several parcels of private land in Section 18 on the west side of Lake Norfork would be split, the EIS says. The Corps would also use about five acres of county and federal rights of way lands and 45 acres of park lands within the Panther Bay, Bidwell Point and Henderson parks. Plans are already made for redevelopment of recreational facilities that would be displaced by the use of these 45 acres of government land in the bridge approaches. 'Positive effect' cited The final EIS asserts that the most significant environmental effects stemming from the bridge construction would be "positive social and economic impacts." Included are an improvement in community unity between the portion of Baxter County east of Lake Norfork and the Mountain Home county seat area with the bridges linking them together, and the reduction of costs of operating the ferries and the elimination of time now spent by drivers waiting to cross the lake the -state HighvrayDepartment-opWatetf ferries. The cost to the state of Arkansas for operating the ferries has been described as $800,000 a year.

Displacement of persons called "minor" The Corps' EIS qualifies its predictions about the displacement of people by saying, "The exact extent of acquisition cannot be determined until completion of detailed design and negotiation with the affected landowners," organized into the Robinson Point Citizens Committee, had earlier protested to the Corps about Corps plans for the western roadway approach to the Highway 62 bridge. The committee proposed a Gov. CI i nton takes office By JANET NELSON Of The Bulletin Staff Arkansas's new governor, 32-year-old Democrat Bill Clinton, was inaugurated Tuesday in ceremonies at the state Capitol at Little Rock. In two speeches he pledged Wilber's role in liquor case bring conflict' accusations 9 -X J'i 1 to cooperate with the state legislature, but he reserved the power to make executive decisions based only on his own 'Values and principles." In a brief inaugural address Tuesday night, outside the Capitol in 30-degree weather, Gov. Clinton outlined some of his lifelong guiding principles as "a passionate beUetia qua.pppqrtunjty;",a disapproval of the "arbitrary and abusive exercise of power by those in authority; a distaste for "lack of order and discipline that are too often in evidence in government operations;" and a love for the land, air and water of Arkansas.

Gov. Clinton said he would do what he could to advance equal opportunity, prevent abuses of power, diminish waste in government, and protect the state's natural resource. Warns of hard decisions coming Gov. Clinton, close to the outset of his inaugural address, issued a warning to those who have supported him "through defeat and victory" that he would probably have to tell them "no" more often than "yes" in the face of hard choices that a governor must make. Gov.

Clinton said, "I wish I could please you all, but I cannot. I wish I could avoid errors, but I cannot I will do all that I can, in good faith and humility, to exercise your power well. I must ask you to abide with me through differences and disappointments." Clinton took the oath of office twice Tuesday once as he appeared before a joint session of the Arkansas House and Senate and again in the evening at a public ceremony prior to making his inaugural address. Both times his wife Hillary Rodham held a Bible on which he placed one hand as Chief Justice of the Arkansas Supreme Court, Carelton Harris, ad-ministrered the oath of office. At the morning ceremony, Clinton's mother, Mrs.

Virginia Dwire of Hot Springs, and his brother Roger stood next to him. The House galleries were packed Tuesday morning, and the inaugural ceremony in the evening was well- only two things Wilber can do at this point Willett said Wilber should either resign his position with the prosecutor's office or he and his firm should resign from the dry issue so as to "not conflict with the prosecuting attorney's office." Wilber, however, said there is "definitely a conflict of interest," but that he has disqualified himself from serving the county in the case. He said he and his firm still are retained by the dry forces, are committed to the case and plan to carry it through and complete the case. Wilber said Prosecuting Attorney Gordon Webb has been informed of the situation and that he could not work with the prosecutor on the case. He also said he will not discuss the matter with Webb.

Webb told The Bulletin that Wilber Is "not going to act on behalf of the county, state or my office" in the case. "If the prosecuting attorney's office is required to take action, that will be done by myself," said Webb, and without Wilber. He said Wilber's authority as a deputy prosecutor in the matter had been removed for the "express purpose" of preventing a conflict of interest. Webb told The Bulletin he and Wilber had discussed the situation before the deputy's job was offered and they had agreed that Wilber would have no hand in the county's part of the case. The prosecutor said he has not conferred with Wilber in the matter and that there will be no influence from Wilber on any litigation dealing with the case.

Webb said that as it stands there is no conflict of interest and he sees no problem with the issue. Webb said anyone who is upset about the situation could talk to him about it Drew Luttrell, attorney for the Freedom (Continued on next page.) By THOMAS GARRETT of The Bulletin staff Despite questions of conflict of interest, Norman Wilber plans to remain on the liquor appeal case pending before the state supreme court. The question of a conflict in his roles as deputy prosecuting attorney and as legal counsel for the "dry" forces in the appeal has surfaced a little more than a week before Tuesday's deadline to have the brief in the dry cause filed with the supreme court. Wilber maintains that he can do the job without a conflict and has disqualified himself from representing the county in any way in the matter. Some members of the wet faction, however, have expressed the opinion that Wilber should either pull out of the case altogether or resign from the prosecutor's office.

The issue has been raised because of the duties of the prosecutor's office. One of the responsibilities is defending county officials in lawsuits. In this case, Circuit Clerk Arnold Knight and the Baxter County Election Commission are defendants. However, before Wilber's appointment as a deputy prosecutor, he was an attorney for the dry forces and presented the case to the supreme court on the eve of the November election. The high court did not stop the election, but did order that briefs be filed for a ruling in the case.

Now that Wilber is a member of the prosecutor's office, he is as one member of the wet faction put it "on both sides of this thing." As a result of this situation, Bill Willett, one of the defendants in the case and a member of the Freedom of Choice Committee which backed the drive for legalized liquor sales, has said he believes there are iL Relatives Mrs. Virginia Dwire, mother of Gov. Bill Clinton, and Roger Clinton, the governor's brother, watched as the new governor approached the podium to take the governor's oath of office Tuesday. Bulletin Nelson attended, in spite of the freezing temperatures, capitol city newspapers reported. Clinton received a standing ovation as he entered the House chambers Tuesday morning, and took over the governor's office from Gov.

Joe Purcell who served for six days between the time former Gov. David Pryor left for his Senate seat and Gov. Clinton's assumption of the office. Purcell elicited some laughter in the House chamber when he said he wasn't going to make a "farewell address because I'm not going anywhere." He was reelected lieutenant governor to serve under Clinton. Also taking the oaths of office Tuesday were the state's Constitutional officers and those legislators who are beginning new terms of office.

Wants cooperation In his comments before the state legislators, Gov. Clinton said he was (Continued on next page.) new route for the 62 approach on west side of the lake which, they said, wouldn't require the relocation of any persons and would use primarily government-owned lands for road construction. The Corps rejected this proposal, saying it would cost $1.8 million more than the chosen plan. In the final EIS, the Corps once more rejected the alternate approach proposed by the citizens, saying the approach would bring "excessively severe" effects to the environment from an esthetic and wildlife habitat point of view. The Corps did agree with the committee in its evaluation of displacement effect The EIS said of the citizen-proposed alternative, "This alternative would not require the relocation of any businesses nor the relocation of any family residences." Few changes since the draft report The Final EIS shows few changes from the Draft Environmental Impact Statement which was released to the public for comment last May.

President's son Chip Carter represented the nation's First Family at the inauguration of Gov. Bill Clinton Tuesday. Gov. Clinton had been the coordinator of President Carter's election campaign in Arkansas in 1976 before Clinton was elected attorney general. Bulletin Nelson 3 Norfork deputy slot funded; Judge Engeler asks for raise Calendar Church Newt 1-A Classified U-1W Editorials 4-A Letten -A Looking Backward Obituaries M-A School Menni t-A Sports UA TV Schedule 7-C Weather -A it additional $1,400 cannot take place until the court's next meeting.

In the county's 1979 budget, $5,800 was allowed for hiring a Norfork deputy, with the understanding that the city of Norfork might add to the total if the man also served as a Norfork city marshal. But McGuire explained that the man who was recently hired as city marshal has no interest in also serving as a deputy. McGuire argued he doesn't believe the county will be getting its money's worth by hiring a man who will also serve as a city marshal. "I believe if we try to put in a cooperative effort we'll be a little on the thin edge," he said. Baxter County Sheriff Joe Edmonds agreed with McGuire, saying he thinks a fulltime deputy will be more effective, Edmonds said $1,200 of the $73 will be ea Page 5-A.) By RICHARD HESTER Of The Bulletin Staff Meeting for the first time in 1979, the Baxter County Quorum Court approved funds for a fulltime Norfork area deputy and heard a plea from Mountain Home Municipal Judge Fred Engeler for a salary increase during a busy meeting last week.

Lynn McGuire, one of two new JP's sitting in on his first court session, got the ball rolling in support of the fulltime Norfork deputy. McGuire, who defeated Betty Alman for the District 8 JP seat, said he wanted to see a fulltime sheriff's deputy provided for that area and didn't believe it could be done for $5,800. After discussion, the court unanimously agreed to increase the appropriation to $7,200. However, because an ordinance had not been prepared, the actual appropriation of the i Sheriff's staff Women's club sews McPherson, criminal investigator. Second row, from left are Buck Clark, deputy; Steve Marberry, Norfork deputy; Ed Woods, Gamaliel deputy; Harold Lindsley, Henderson deputy; A.

R. Booker, Lakeview deputy; and Johnny Cox, Big Flat and deputy. Bulletin Hester Baxter County Sheriff Joe Edmonds, at left in front row, has named key personnel who will be working in the sheriff's office. They are front row, from left Keith Gaines, deputy; Ewing Dankenbring, Gamaliel deputy; Wanda Gregory, jail matron; Ray Webb, head jailer; Elvin Weaver, criminal investigator; and Major.