Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Roebuck tells Rotary Club about legislative session

Gurdon Rotary Club President Alan Wimberly welcomed and old, yet new member, back to Gurdon's Rotary Club on Thursday, May 29.

Steven Orsburn has been hired to fill the position of President at First State Bank of Gurdon.

Orsburn was branch manager for Firstar Bank in Gurdon a few years back and then was vice-president of Lending at Elk Horn Bank in Arkadelphia until the present.

Orsburn is married to Holly Thomerson Orsburn. They have two children, Kyle and Garon.

State Representative Tommy Roebuck was Rotary's guest speaker on Thursday.

Roebuck said it had been an interesting and hectic session this time.

"It was all education when we were going in. We worked hard on that until it went caput when they told us we had to have the adequacy study done," he said.

Roebuck said they discussed a few other school issues such as giving teachers 20 minutes a day to be able to do what they needed to and making sure no school was in financial despair for more than five years.

Roebuck said he feels when the legislators meet again this fall, September 8, the discussion will be strictly education.

"I really want us to address the education issue. It is highly important that we do so," said Roebuck.

"I hear the C word all the time. The C word is consolidation to some, however I feel ir stands for change."

Roebuck said the legislature was criticized for not doing anything this session, but he feels they really did.

Roebuck said some felt lost due to losing the seniors of the group to term limits.

"There are so many freshman, but I am impressed with this freshman class they are a smart bunch," Roebuck said.

The legislature is apparently working on bills to allow the state to offer incentives to proposed industry looking to locate in Arkansas. Roebuck said some surrounding states were able to make such offers and got industries employing anywhere from 4,000 to 5,000 employees.

"These are jobs we could have had if we could have offered the incentives they did," said Roebuck.

Roebuck said there are several agencies and such hurting in Arkansas that he wishes could be helped.

"I worry about health concern, such as senior citizens and Medicaid. It takes more and more money each year to fund it. It goes up about 14 percent each year," said Roebuck.

Roebuck also commented on the Arkansas Correctional Department also hurting.

"We have had the new correctional facility built ant ready to go for about two years in Malvern, but can't afford to run it and house anyone there," said Roebuck.

Roebuck said he felt it was a good last session and he hoped for another good one in the fall.

The floor was then opened up for questions.

Wimberly asked Roebuck what he felt would happen with the consolidation issue.

Roebuck said, "They are going to have to back off on credits and numbers. You cannot base the quality of an education on the students credits or numbers."