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Survey by Moniteur de l’Arkansas
Who should foot the bill to repay Maumellian's the 38,000 tax dollars that Hizzoner threw up the chimney when he cut Team Summit's debt?
___ Hizzoner (perhaps with proceeds from the sale of a few of his pythons).
___ Hizzoner's Reliable Rubber Stampers (otherwise known as members of the city council).
___ The person who stiffed the city for the rent.
In the meantime, how should the city of Maumelle raise money to pay for maintenance?
___ Bake sale.
___ Attach Hizzoner's snake business.
___ Install wishing wells at Lakes Willastein and Valencia with a minimum 25 cents per wish. Or toss quarters in the swimming pool.
Do you approve of Hizzoner's plan to cut Gloria Timmons' back rent from $68,000 to $32,000?
___ Yes.
___ No.
If you were invited to a pickleball tournament or a pit bull show at Park on the River, could you find it without asking for directions or using your PPS (Park Positioning System)?
___Yes.
___ No.
Park on the River offers Maumellians their only public access to the Arkansas River. Did you know there is a public boat ramp at Park on the River?
___ Yes.
___ No.
Have you ever rented the house at Park on the River?
___ Yes.
___ No.
In the completely unlikely event that Hizzoner were to seek your opinion on the debt, (We hear those guffaws!), would you advise him to:
___ Collect the entire debt, but only if you didn't have to go to court?
___ Collect the entire debt, even if you had to sue Team Summit?
___ Give the private business woman a break at the expense of taxpayers, and cut Gloria Timmons' debt by 52.94 percent?
Do you know anyone who has rented the house at Park on the River?
___ Yes.
___ No.
Are you okay with references to the mayor as Hizzoner?
___ Yes, as long as you say it with respect.
___ Big N. Big O. No!
Moniteur de l'Arkansas comforts the afflicted and afflicts the afflicters. If you’re an afflicter, buckle up and batten down. We’re here. If you’re afflicted, breathe easy. We’re here. We also write stories that have nothing to do with affliction.
This is Jay Grelen, author of the late lamented Sweet Tea column in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. The state’s largest newspaper published the column for seven years on the front page of its Arkansas section on Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday. That was a while ago. All told, I worked in the newspaper racket for 35 years, including stints at the Denver Post, the Lexington Herald-Leader, the Baton Rouge Morning Advocate, and the Mobile Register. My last stop was my 10-year stay at the Democrat-Gazette.
The newspaper business has changed. Now I’m a newspaper refugee clutching his manual Royal typewriter and trying to stay afloat. n 2017, Governor Asa Hutchinson hired me as his senior writer; after nearly six years with Governor Hutchinson, I sharpened pencils and fixed bathroom faucets as chief of staff to the mayor of Maumelle (where I’ve lived for 21 years).
In August 2023, a year to the day after he hired me, Hizzoner Caleb Norris promoted me to Maumelle’s Chief of Staff Emeritus.
I have returned to writing for a living, and I am participating in the much balleyhooed rebirth of local journalism. The first mission of Moniteur de l'Arkansas is to chase the elected foxes away from the public henhouses, which belong to the constituents who voted them into office.
Subscriptions are free, but paid subscriptions are available and welcome Before the end of the year, we will launch the literary Birdsong County Whistler exclusively for subscribers who choose the pay option.
Our name has evolved since our launch in December. We went from Maumelle Monitor[ed] to Arkansas Monitor to Arkansas Moniteur to the current appellation, Moniteur de l'Arkansas. It’s been a crisis of identity, which is all the rage these days. Our name reflects our French roots and our Southern global sweet tea perspective.
Thank you for reading, whatever you think of the name and however you choose to participate. Jay C. Grelen, Moniteur de l'Arkansas