PEA RIDGE — “It’s always been that way” wasn’t enough for Jerry Burton, Planning Commission member who pushed the issue of correcting the incorrectly shaped sign denoting the state of Arkansas.
The school sign downtown was supposed to have been the shape of Arkansas. Burton said that when he moved to Pea Ridge in 1975, he noticed the “boot heel” of Missouri was on the wrong side. Recently, he solicited public opinion about correcting the error and when no one complained, he contacted interim school superintendent Dr. Roland Smith to change it. He said he had brought the issue up several times over the years, but no one really took notice of it.
Smith said he had been contacted by members of the Planning Commission and the cost was not prohibitive, so he took the matter to the School Board members, who approved it.
“A parent took care of planting flowers in the planter beneath,” Smith said, commending Nadine Telgemeier for her work in the beautification project.
“It looks great,” Mayor Jackie Crabtree said, adding that although he noticed it wasn’t correct, it was a matter of “not seeing the forest for the trees” as to the incorrect shape.
News, Pages 1 on 11/09/2011