Russellville Elementary School fifth-grader Bianca Santamaria was the overall winner of the fifth annual Russellville Fire Department Fire Safety Poster Contest. Santamaria and the other students who were honored as winners were recognized at the Russellville City Council’s November 20 meeting.
The contest was developed to promote the message of fire safety and prevention for third-fifth-grade students. Students were given three weeks to prepare a poster and turn it into their teacher for judging. The entries were judged by students from the Russellville High School art class.
This year’s theme was “Every Second Counts—Plan 2 Ways Out.” The theme stresses the importance of ensuring you have two ways out of your residence in the event of a fire and that each member of the household knows them.
Finishing as the second overall winner was third-grader Wendy Barrientos. The third-place overall winner was fourth-grader Lilliana Figueroa.
Winners by grade were:
- Third Grade—Barrientos, first place; Madi Willis, second place; Gavin Willis, third place.
- Fourth Grade: Figueroa, first place; Noah Fretwell, second place.
- Fifth Grade: Santamaria, first place; Kimberly Cano, second place; Khalid Perez, third place.
Santamaria received an iPad Pro and a gift card from Walmart. Barrientos was awarded an iPad Air and a Walmart gift card. Figueroa received a Walmart gift card. Each of the three overall winners also won their teachers a $25 Walmart gift card for classroom supplies.
Sponsors for the prizes included the Russellville Electric, Water & Sewer and Gas Boards; Russellville Pharmacy; Wooten Chiropractic; Farmers Insurance; mayor David Grissom; Morgan Chiropractic; Miller’s Affordable Furniture; Artistic Jewelry and Repair; G&G Steel; Hometown Pharmacy; ALFA Insurance; Green’s Dependable Hardware; 43 Grill; Walmart; Listerhill Credit Union and Murray’s Tire & Alignment.
In other business, the council approved a resolution to enter into an agreement with Thomason and Associates Preservation Planners to conduct a historic district survey and prepare a National Register of Historic Places registry in Russellville. This is a step toward allowing developers of businesses in the historic downtown district to be eligible for a 20 percent federal and state tax credit.
In other action, the council:
- Approved a resolution urging residents to spend at least $22 with Russellville businesses on December 22, 2017.
- Declared two 1987 Ford Econoline vans as surplus property.
- Hired Michael James and Skylar Deaton as Russellville police officers.
- Accepted a letter of resignation from RPD officer Cody McCullar.
- Declared a vacancy for patrol officer in the RPD and authorized advertisement to solicit job applications.
- Approved a resolution removing the training coordinator and EMS officer from the city’s Grade 8 pay scale and approved proposed incentive pay for the positions meaning there would be the same across-the-board compensation for the position whether it was filled by a firefighter or a lieutenant.
- Approved a service agreement with Physio Control, Inc., for the maintenance of LUCAS devices. The devices are used to deliver consistent, automated chest compressions to improve blood flow in victims of cardiac arrest.
