The City Council met Wednesday evening in City Hall. An Ordinance was approved amending the Personnel Policy Manual of the City of regarding work place violence and safety by adding a new Section 607.

Section 607 states violence of any kind is prohibited by any employee or former employee toward another employee in or about the City’s premises. This includes work sites off City premises while engaged in business on behalf of the City. The new section also bans any weapons from being permitted in any building or portion of a building owned or controlled by the City. This includes carrying weapons in City provided vehicles.

A motion to amend the ordinance by Finance and Personnel Committee Chair Don Stearnes. He wanted to expand the weapons ban to include sidewalks, walk ways, driveways and parking lots of City property.

Finance and Personnel Committee members Don Stearnes, Diane Sharits and Bill Welch voted in for the amendment. Committee member Ronnie Wells voted against the motion. Council member Claude Newport voted in favor of the motion while the other members Bill Fortune, Ron Ferguson, Mike Harris, Jim Woestman and Jackie Boyer voted against the motion. The motion was defeated by a six to four vote.

"One of the issues regarding the addition of the surrounding areas," said Sharits, " is that many of our employees take outside lunch times, and they do outside work. That is one of the reasons we looked at including the outside parking lots, sidewalks, and walkways."

"I am definitely in objection to this amendment," said Council Member Ronnie Wells. "There are two things I’m not in agreement with," stated Wells.

Wells didn’t believe the amendment went far enough by not including the training of supervisors and personnel on workplace violence and safety. He also felt that it went too far in extending the worries on banning firearms from surrounding areas such as driveways, sidewalks, walk ways and parking areas. Wells believes that it infringes on the rights of the employees.

Council member Mike Harris agreed that it was going too far.

"If an employee had fishing tackle in their car with a filet knife in there, would that be considered illegal under the Ordinance?" asked Harris.

Current Displays and Upcoming Tours at artCentral.

By Lee Sours, artCentral

Currently on display at artCentral, we have the Architectural Show of structures within a 75 mile radius of Carthage. We’ve had people from Kansas, Arkansas, Missouri and Tennessee come to see it. It is fun to see how many structures you know of and can identify. This display will continue until November 28.

The Midwest Clay Artists Pottery Sale and Studio Tour will occur the weekend of November 21-23. The two potters whose work will be on display at artCentral are Jack Sours and Jim Reed. Jim Reed’s work features lavish organic drawings. Jack Sours’s work includes fine domestic ware as well as carving and sculpture. artCentral has more information and maps showing the various studio locations. The opening will be Friday evening, November 21 from 5-9pm.

The watercolors of Marilyn York are now showing at Shellie’s restaurant across from the post office in Carthage. These paintings feature scenes from her travels in the southwest including Santa Fe, Denny Ranch and the Colorado River.

We are beginning to make preparations for the Christmas Homes Tour. This tour is organized through Victorian Carthage and artCentral is one of the stops on the tour. There will be a lot of great holiday gifts on hand as well as a chance to see the Hyde House gallery and grounds. More about that later.

HOURS: T – F 11 - 5

Sunday 12 -5 Closed Mon. and Sat.

1110 E 13th 358-4404

ozarkartistscolony.com

The City Council is plannin’ a work session immediately before their next Council meetin on the 25th. Part of the work will include a discussion about changin’ the way Council members are chosen.

Mayor Johnson is proposin’ that instead of havin’ two members from each ward, there be one member from each ward and the remainin’ five elected by the entire City.

The current setup of five wards and two members from each dates back to the mid 1800’s. ‘Course as we discovered after the last City election, a person can be elected to represent a ward that doesn’t actually live in the ward. The proposed change would clear up that oversight and require that the ward representatives live in the ward.

The historic argument against the "at large" representatives has been the fear of a "weighted" Council. Should be interestin’.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’.

by

Oak Street health & herb

Natural Nutrition

By Mari An Willis

I can think of no better way to make this point than to quote Dr. Donna Alderman in her article in THE DOCTORS’ PRESCRIPTION FOR HEALTHY LIVING regarding childrens’ "overactive" behaviors.

"Children go through anxious periods. Obviously in cases of...potentially destructive behaviors, medical drugs have their place, but I’m concerned when parents confuse medication for emotional and other types of support. I have seen so many kids improve when their parents...feed them better food, and offer them supplemental nutrient support."

She goes on to offer suggestions regarding the avoidance of artificial coloring and preservatives and additives which may cause behavioral effects in children. Encourage your children and praise them for a job well done. Some homeopathic remedies for children may include: ignatia amara, a well known calming agent for children.

Kalibromatum, helps restless children whose hands are always fidgeting. They may be unaware of what is happening around them. They may have poor hand writing and speaking skills, and may have delayed responses.

Stramonium is for children with severe hyperactivity and possibly violent agitation. They may have loud, fast and even incoherent speech.

* This article is meant for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for medical advice. References available by request.