April 2007 – Associate Pastor, Buster White, Threatens Lawsuits If Accusations Against Alamo Don’t Stop
Texarkana Gazette
April 2007
by Jim Williamson
FOUKE, Ark. If a public official doesnt stop accusing the founder of the Tony Alamo Ministries of being a pedophile and the members of the ministries of having guns, lawsuits will be filed against the person and the City of Fouke, an associate pastor for the ministries said Thursday night. The Fouke City Council was about to adjourn when Tony Alamo Ministries associate pastor Buster White asked to make a comment. ‘Our pastor (Tony Alamo) has been accused of being a pedophile. He is 72 years old and it sickens him to have been accused of being a pedophile’ said White. He said the second accusation was that weapons are being stored at the ministries located near the northwest Fouke city limits along U.S. Highway 71.
‘There are no weapons being stored. We have no guns. Our parents of children dont even allow the children to have water pistols’ said White. He also said ‘no brothers carry pocket knives. White said a witness told him the accusations had been made by a person sitting at the council table. Then he specifically said the accusations had been made by Fouke Mayor Terry Purvis.
‘If you were told that, its a lie’ Purvis said to White. After Purvis response, White said, ‘I want to make it crystal clear, there are no weapons, ever. ‘It sickens our pastor he has been accused of being a pedophile. If the accusations dont stop, we will take it up on a legal basis.
After Whites final statement, the meeting was adjourned. Earlier in the meeting, Fouke resident William Chandler urged other residents and the council to ‘live in harmony. ‘We need to live in harmony and work together. Were regressing instead of progressing’ said Chandler.
Chandler returned to Fouke from Orange County, Calif., in 2004 and has listened to the disagreements since he came back. He also said Fouke has no ‘tangible water and sewer system. ‘The water and sewer system was installed 30 years ago and there have been no studies to see if the system is overloaded. Chandler said Fouke needs to conduct such a study, which will also determine if the water pressure is adequate to provide enough water pressure in case of a structure fire.
Chandler based his statements on his experience as a city councilman in Pocola, Okla., during the early 1990s. He said Pocola failed to maintain its water and sewer lines and violated the Environmental Protection Agency regulations. The EPA fined the city $1,000 a day until the repairs were made. ‘The city had to borrow money to pay the fines’ said Chandler, who explained a plan needs to be developed on when and where water and sewer lines should be expanded. Chandler said he has no sewer service and he has lived within the city limits for three years, while some people who live outside the city limits have been given water and sewer service.
‘They have water and sewer service up on the hill, but other people who live in the city limits have no sewer service’ he said. Chandlers reference to the hill is the location of the Alamo Ministries. In other discussions, the council agreed to fly the U.S. flags throughout the town to honor Brian Philyaw who is returning to Fouke Saturday after serving a tour of duty in Iraq.
‘We thank God he is returning unharmed from his tour of Iraq’ said Purvis. The mayor also announced a Memorial Day service honoring Kenneth Jenkins of Fouke, who was killed during his tour of duty in Iraq. The council in October agreed to name the portion of U.S. Highway 71 through Fouke as Kenneth Jenkins Expressway ‘in honor of the solider who gave his life for his country’ said Purvis.
Also, Purvis said the Arkansas State Police investigation into the theft of more than $100 from the city offices in January continues. Purvis said city employees, including himself, passed polygraph tests conducted by the state police in Hope. The council also agreed to enter a contract with the Southwest Arkansas Development Center for a senior adult center in the existing Fouke Community Center.