County Judge Ronda Griffin presided over her first quorum court meeting Monday night after justices of the peace appointed her last month to fill the final year on the term of former county judge Sam Barr, who resigned. The JPs dealt with a long agenda, which grew longer with the addition of several budget items at the table.
JP Jack Deaton explained that some of the additional items came from the work of the budget committee. Deaton thanked County Clerk Connie Doss and Treasurer Makita Williams for their help with the budget committee.
The JPs have discussed a new radio system that will replace the aging dispatch system and eliminate many holes in communication coverage, and voted Monday to authorize $320,000, or 10 percent of the expected cost. The $3.2 million final cost will not include radios for city departments or volunteer fire departments. The new radios will cost more than $1,000 each, and JP Chuck Olson said he would like to see more detailed cost figures, so those volunteer fire departments can start budgeting for them.
In other business:
- Reporting for the committee looking into a new judicial building for the eastern side of the county, JP Craig Hicks said the committee plans to reach out to architects for proposals. He said the committee has no plans to unify the two judicial districts in the county, which would require action by the state legislature.
- With one objection, JPs approved a resolution declaring the county to be pro-life. JP Harrie Farrow said she has appreciated her fellow JPs for “sticking to the work of the county,” and not bringing in “outside issues.” She noted that the quorum court has no authority in this area, and objected to telling a rape victim she would have to carry her rapist’s child to term.
- Tina Cole represented the Northwest Arkansas Economic Development District. She briefly explained how adopting a multi-jurisdictional hazard mitigation plan will make the county eligible for more federal grants. Those grants could provide a community safe room, replace a low-water bridge, or help in other ways to deal with natural or man-made hazards. After ascertaining that the program would not allow the Federal Emergency Management Agency to dictate land use in flood plains, JPs unanimously passed the resolution.
- Richard Williams was county judge in 2007, and he brought in figures he had researched at the time regarding the cost of a new courthouse. He said Greene County was the most recent county to build a new courthouse, in 1996. Their facility, with 40,000 square feet, contains almost all the county and state offices. Williams said Carroll County could save the cost of properties currently leased from private owners. He also said the county would recover part of the construction costs by renting to state offices.
- JPs have discussed the need for more input from elected officials and other department heads, and they heard several updates at the meeting. Bobby Engles, an investigator for the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office, gave an update for the department and promised to return quarterly with further reports. Circuit Clerk Marilyn Ferrier described a new receipting program which will increase efficiency. David Winter said state aid money will allow about four miles of asphalt overlay on one road this year, but rising asphalt costs could adversely affect other paving projects.
- Erick Diaz was appointed to a position on the Berryville Public Library Board of Trustees, after the resignation of Sheri Bickel. His term will run through December 2024.
- JPs approved Dave Abendroth, Steve Gerber, and Daron Stiles as commissioners for the Mundell Heights Subordinate Service District.
- A routine insurance inspection pointed out the need for a storage locker for flammable items at the Berryville courthouse. The $1,600 expenditure also included a new ladder for roof access.
- The Search and Rescue hangar at the airport had electrical problems to repair, at a cost of $2,740.
- Shuffling of job duties at the Road Department will allow hiring some qualified people who wish to only work part time.
- The Office of Emergency Management is ordinarily a part-time position, but JPs agreed to make it a full-time position through the end of the year, because the OEM supervisor will also help in the county judge’s office, where Griffin has moved from administrative assistant to judge.
- With relaxed federal restrictions on spending funds from the American Rescue Plan Act, JPs voted to move those funds into an unrestricted fund.
- During JP comments, Hicks and others once again expressed their thanks to the members and staff of Southern Heights Baptist Church for allowing the quorum court to meet there during the Covid restrictions.