Monday night’s quorum court meeting had a light agenda, but a committee of justices of the peace convened afterwards to decide which department should oversee Central Dispatch.
The personnel committee arranged the meeting after discovering that Carroll County almost lost out on a sizable payment from the state. County Clerk Connie Doss discovered the failure in time, but members of the personnel committee took this as an indication that oversight of that department should return to the county judge. By law, the county judge has responsibility, but the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office has accepted the primary management role in recent years.
The committee included JPs Chuck Olson, Larry Swofford, and Don McNeely. They asked JP Jack Deaton to attend as he heads the budget committee. County Judge Sam Barr also stayed for the session.
Olson noted at the outset that the committee had invited Sheriff Jim Ross, but no one from the CCSO attended the committee meeting or the quorum court meeting which preceded it.
Olson outlined a plan to combine 911 services and Central Dispatch under the Office of Emergency Management. That is currently a part-time position, but the added responsibilities would require one full-time and one part-time position.
Olson asked Barr for his thoughts on rearranging the departments, and the judge endorsed the plan. He said he would review any applicants suggested by the committee. The budget committee will make salary recommendations.
In other business:
- Hospital Administrator Vonda Moore explained that the board terms of Richard Harp and Deretha Walker are ending, and the JPs approved Dean Lee and Linda Tamayo as their replacements. Moore also delivered a brief update on “an interesting and challenging year” at the hospital. She noted that the hospital has just passed a Joint Commission Survey. With the hiring of a new Emergency Room physician, that department is now staffed fully with Mercy doctors.
- A resolution was approved to set the board members of the Berryville Library. Tyler Allen Squires will serve through the end of this year, and Spencer Mabry’s term will end after 2022. Joe Scott and Glenda Allison will serve through 2023, and Sheri Bickel’s term will end after 2024. Christy Graham and Jan Scheel complete the board, and their terms will end after 2025.
- In a separate resolution, Lamont Richie was approved as a member of the Eureka Springs Library Board.
- A new account will be created to handle funds received under the American Rescue Plan Fund.
- Deaton said the budget committee will start deliberations in August.