Pension Fund Discussion.

A proposal for increased benefits for the City Police and Fire Pension Fund Committee was presented to the Council Budget/Ways and Means Committee during the committee’s regular meeting Monday evening at City Hall. Chair of the Pension Fund Committee Neel Baucom asked that the Council consider increasing the City’s contribution to the plan to pay for a 2% per year cost of living adjustment for past and current fire and police employees The plan does not provide for any cost of living increase at this time.

According to numbers provided by Baucom, the cost to the City to get the COLA (cost of living adjustment) funded would range from $198,895 per year for thirty years to $225,712 per year for ten years. The City currently contributes just over $90,000 a year to the fund, approximately 6% of salaries. After the COLA was funded, the City’s contribution would level off to approximately 10% of salaries, or $147,000 per year.

City Administrator Tom Short presented comparisons between the City’s two pension funds. More comparisons were requested for another meeting.

I see where Webb City just got a study that proposes spendin’ about $14 million on their parks system. Now a good portion of that proposal includes a new community center in one a the parks, so it’s not all actually "park" type improvements.

I suppose a similar study of the Carthage Parks System would come up with ways to spend a few million too, but I’d have ta guess we are way ahead of our neighbor’s to the west when it comes to havin’ decent facilities. ‘Course we have some real help in upgradin’ our parks from the various trusts that benefit the City. As far as I know, the Boylan Foundation has purchased all the new playground equipment ya see today, and the Steadley Trust has funded the lion’s share of the Fair Acres Sports Complex. Just a reminder of the luck of Carthage.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’.

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Carthage Printing Services

Prime Time With Kids
by Donna Erickson

Sibling rivalry may be as old as Cain and Abel, but when your own kids start quibbling nonstop, it’s hard to accept the jealousy as normal behavior. It seems to start when a young child tries to understand why the new baby in the house isn’t just a visitor but is clearly there to stay!

If a second child has recently arrived in your home, here’s a great idea to help the preschool-age sibling along in understanding his own special abilities and how important he is to the family. It’s a simple bookmaking activity your child can make with you.

First, talk to your preschooler about his skills and abilities. Perhaps your child has learned how to count to 10, or how to hop. Jot down the achievements on scratch paper as you talk about them.

On a sheet of construction paper, use markers to print "My baby brother" or "My baby sister" at the top and finish the sentence with a characteristic about the new baby that fits one of the categories you discussed with the older sibling. For example, "My baby sister sleeps in a crib."

Underneath, print a corresponding idea about the sibling, such as, "I sleep in a big bed." On a second sheet you may write, "My baby sister crawls" and "I can talk, run and skip." On a third sheet, "My baby sister eats rice cereal" and "I eat hamburgers." Continue for several pages, ending on the final page with something both children have in common, such as "My baby sister can smile." "I can smile too!"

Let your child illustrate the pages. For the cover of the book, glue photos of your preschooler and the baby on another sheet of paper and print the title in block letters, "My Baby Sister (or Brother) and Me." Punch holes along the left side of each sheet and tie the pages together with bright ribbon or yarn.