We live on Don McAllister Road, just north of Pea Ridge in Benton County. Several years ago someone came by and asked if they could park their grader on our property so they would not have to load and unload the equipment every day and drive it all the way back. This allowed them to spend more time grading the roads. We OK'd it and for years it was parked there and the roads on this side on town were graded real good and not just skimmed over the top.
Then a few years ago, there was some kind of change and all of the equipment that was parked on different farms were all gone and the quality of the way the roads were done to barely topped off and rarely graded unless we called. After lots of complaints, a young man was brought into the office to help coordinate the services. With his coordination, we saw great improvement. A few weeks ago during some of our worst weather, he was short of drivers and receiving many complaints and he was experienced on the equipment.
So he took the initiative to go out and help clear the roads, because he was receiving so many complaints about so many roads not being cleared and because there were others in the office he took the initiative to make good use of his skills and go help. While he was out, he pulled NEBCO's fire truck and also a deputy out of the ditch. Then he got a call from two of his supervisors to meet them at the Benton County fairgrounds and they instructed him on what they needed to be done, when he was finished there he was called back to the office and fired for leaving the office unattended. It was not unattended and had multiple people there.
We pay taxes for road service and would rather pay a young man with his kind of initiative than someone to sit around. What happened to this young man was just wrong. We need more workers with his kind of dedication.
Jeannie Scott and Julie FosterPea Ridge
Editorial on 02/05/2014