One of the most popular facets of the Carl Redus, Jr. Aquatics Center is a series of water aerobics classes, mostly attended by senior citizens. The long-time leader of those classes, who also was the director of the Aquatics Center was Raymond Joshua. “Was” is the operative word, because depending on who you ask, Joshua was either terminated or resigned during the fallout of a death at the Center on June 10th. An 84-year-old woman from Fordyce, Iredell Collins, was found floating in the whirlpool, before being pulled out by a lifeguard and other personnel at the indoor facility. She was later declared deceased at Jefferson Regional Medical Center. A full review was conducted by both the Arkansas Department of Health and the Mayor’s office, which both showed the facility did not meet several safety standards at the time of Collins death. Following the Mayor’s review, she held a press briefing on July 3rd, where it was also revealed that there was an incident involving teens and a gun ten days before the death of Mrs. Collins. A group of concerned citizens, many of whom attend the classes in a group called The Mermaids asked for a separate meeting with the Mayor to mainly discuss the employment of Joshua, who they support. That meeting, which those citizens invited Deltaplex’s Haleigh Reichen to attend, was held yesterday (July 7). When Reichen arrived to the meeting, she was told by the Mayor that no press was going to be allowed in, although Deltaplex was the only press at the meeting. During the first part of the meeting, Mayor Flowers discovered the meeting was being recorded and told the person recording that she was not going to allow any phones to be on because “the press is not here, so the only reason you would want to record is to post it”. After Deltaplex News sent an email to the Mayor’s office challenging her decision to not let Haleigh Reichen into the meeting, and filing an official Freedom Of Information request for a readout of the meeting, we received a full audio recording of the meeting from a source.
Mayor Flowers started the meeting by rehashing what was said in the Friday press conference before it became obvious that the meeting was going to be focused on the employment of Joshua.
Later the Mayor said the problems at the center were known to her since she came into office. Which begs the question. Why did it take a tragedy to start a review?
One attendee asked if Joshua was given the proper training for the job and was he prepared, and then asked the Mayor if she had training to hold the office when she was elected
Mayor Flowers was also asked with Raymond Joshua no longer employed, would the classes continue when a new director is hired. Mayor Flowers said it would be up to the new director. One attendee asked if the classes are not continued, could members of the club get refunds, which she was told “something can be worked out.” Deltaplex News will have more of the audio from the meeting up tomorrow.
