News from September
16, 2004 issue
Hargis matter isn't finished
It appears that the local school board's dealings with suspended
school superintendent Fredericka Hargis are not finished.
Although Hargis has taken another job in Louisville, she apparently
wants a public hearing to formalize the board's removal process.
Hargis was suspended in February following an incident at a Marion
beauty shop where she ran over a woman's foot with her car. A
few days after the incident, the school board suspended Hargis
and asked for the state's approval to move forward with the formal
process to remove her.
In the meantime, Hargis faced a criminal charge in Crittenden
District Court in regard to the incident at the beauty shop parking
lot. Hargis accepted a plea agreement in the criminal case, entering
an Alford plea July 28 to misdemeanor, second-degree wanton endangerment
for running over the foot of Tracy Rozwalka. Hargis was originally
charged with felony wanton endangerment, which carried a greater
fine and the possibility 1-5 years in jail.
The school board had contended that it would not move forward
with the formal removal process until Hargis' criminal case had
been finalized, although the school board's charges, it said,
had nothing to do with the criminal case. The board accused Hargis
of conduct unbecoming a superintendent and insubordination when
it suspended her in February.
A few days following her July plea in Crittenden District Court,
the school board said it would take no further action regarding
Hargis' job with the local school system, citing her acceptance
of a principal's
position in Jefferson County.
Now, however, it appears there will be a formal hearing sometime
in October or November.
Tuesday night at the regular monthly school board meeting, after
more than an hour in a closed-to-the-public executive session,
the board voted to notify its insurance carrier, the Kentucky
School Boards Insurance Trust (KSBIT), of "pending litigation"
in regard to the Hargis matter.
Zac Greenwell, the school board attorney, said he couldn't comment
further on the issue at this time.
Greenwell would only say that the board will schedule a due process
hearing as soon as possible. No hearing date has been scheduled
at this time, he added.
Asked if the hearing would be open the public, Greenwell said
that "will be their call."
Hargis and her attorney Charlie Ricketts of Louisville will be
able to determine whether the hearing will be held in private
or open to anyone who wants to attend. A phone call to Ricketts'
office Wednesday was not returned.
A due process hearing for a school teacher, according to Kentucky
law, is moderated by the school board chairman. In this case,
that will be Bill Asbridge. Based on the school board's decision
to turn the matter over to its insurance company, it's likely
that a KSBIT attorney will also be involved in the hearing along
with Hargis and her attorney and the school board and its attorney.
A hearing would include witnesses for both sides of the matter.
In most cases where a hearing is provided for by state law, the
chairman has power to issue subpoenas, compelling a person to
testify. A subpoena to appear at the hearing shall be served in
the same manner as a subpoena in a civil action, according to
state law.
The school board itself would act as a jury would in a civil matter
in a regular court setting. The board will hear evidence and render
a decision whether to fire Hargis or re-instate her.
Merrick
joins public library
Book clubs for adults and children, a Friends of the Library program
and extended hours of operation are just a few things Regina Merrick
is considering for the Crittenden County Public Library. 
Monday was the first day on the job for Merrick, but with input
from library staff and patrons, she's settling in well as the
new librarian.
Merrick, 40, left her job as librarian at Crittenden Elementary
to take the position at the public library, vacant since the July
resignation of Janice Pritchett.
Merrick applied for the position at the public library, citing
a desire to become more involved in the community where she and
her husband, Todd, an English teacher, live and raise daughters
Emily, 15, and Ellen, 9.
Merrick's rural Graves County upbringing prevented her from visiting
libraries very often as a child, but still she was inspired to
focus her education studies in library science while living in
Mayfield prior to her family's locating in Marion in 1991.
"This is a job that can serve the whole community, adults
and children alike, and I like the trouble-shooting aspect of
the public library, which is different than the school setting,"
Merrick said. "I'll miss the interaction with kids on a daily
basis at CCES, and there certainly wasn't anything about the school
that I didn't like."
Through suggestions from patrons and armed with ideas of her own,
Merrick hopes to make the library more accessible, more interactive
and cater more to the interest of its patrons. In the coming months,
she will survey various community organizations as well
as library customers to determine what improvements people
would like to see at the library.
County
courting Cherokee culture
Dr. R. Michael Abram, a North Carolina collector of contemporary
Native American art, wants to move his museum to Marion to make
room for his expansive cumulation of items.
All he needs is a building and other attractions that will help
guarantee traffic to see his world-class collection and interpretative
displays.
Abram's assemblage of Indian artwork and crafts is a private collection.
He and wife Susan, an anthropologist and historian, have amassed
it over the last 31 years. His museum, although the only one not
owned by the Eastern Band of Cherokees in the tourist town of
Cherokee, N.C., is one
of the major attractions there, according to the Cherokee Tourism
Department.
Located at Saunooke Village, Dr. Abram's museum and gift shop
highlights the Cherokee's past through displays of art and cultural
items such as masks, crystals, the uketena and more. It includes
a gallery with Native American crafts and art and is open daily
April through November. Adults pay $2.50 to go through the museum.
Momfeather Erickson of the Mantle Rock Cherokees headquartered
in Marion is trying to put together a deal that would help her
group create a living village here and attract Dr. Abram and his
collection to a 44-acre site between the Marion-Crittenden County
Park and the Kentucky National Guard Armory.
The Abram's collection is now located in a 3,000-square-foot building
in Cherokee. He needs about 50,000 square feet.
"I have never seen the collection all laid out at one time,"
he said. "It's too large.
"Of course we saw the items when they were purchased, but
some have been packed away for decades."
Abram helped with the initial set up of the Trail of Tears museum
in Hopkinsville, but no longer has any connection to it.
He wants to move his collection to Kentucky if a site and building
are available. He also says other attractions would be needed
to help create enough traffic to make the move worth his while.
Abram's museum is unique in that it uses artwork and cultural
crafts made by modern day natives to explain and interpret the
history of the tribe.
"It's not a gallery of pottery and pictures," he explains.
"We show an item and tell why it was made this way and explain
the people and how and why they did things the way they did. We
interpret how an item fits into the culture."
Abram compares his collection to champagne in a beer bottle. He
says it needs a new package with a bright, attractive label.
A building would only be a beginning, he explains, there would
have to be a broad plan for marketing and luring visitors to the
museum and satellite attractions.
"It needs to be where it can be appreciated," he said.
Several local officials, a representative from the West Kentucky
Corporation and others from surrounding communities met Tuesday
night to discuss the possibility of putting the museum here.
"It's one of the most exciting things we've had happen here,"
said Mayor Mickey Alexander.
A committee was formed Tuesday to look further at the idea of
buying the property near the park and also the former Shouse Animal
Clinic, which would provide access from U.S. 60 East to the proposed
village and museum site.
Alexander said the land would have to be bought by local government
then leased to the museum operator. "The first step is buying
the land," he said.
National Trail of Tears
Trail of Tears in Kentucky