Carroll County Quorum Court met Monday evening with a light agenda, and justices of the peace voted to pay a private firm for security at the Eastern District Courthouse.
JPs have discussed adding another deputy position to the Sheriff’s Office, and having that deputy assigned to the Berryville courthouse and courthouse annex where the tax collector’s office is located. The county may still decide on a deputy as a long-term solution, but a private firm will finish out the remainder of 2019.
The county continues to investigate radio systems, and new systems may soon be mandated. A committee has formed to study the situation, but JP Craig Hicks expressed concerns Monday night about the direction taken by that committee. Hicks said Berryville Mayor Tim McKinney has resigned from that committee, and he urged the other JPs to reach out to members of that committee. “It has come to my attention that there are some big issues,” he said.
During public comments, former sheriff Bob Grudek said deputies had to live in Carroll County when he was sheriff, and he has heard that some deputies live in Boone County or southern Missouri. Grudek said he has concerns about the response time for deputies living outside the county. Those deputies park their vehicles in Alpena or Holiday Island before leaving the county in their own vehicles.
At the end of the meeting, JP Don McNeely said he’s continuing work on a proposed ordinance to deal with problems caused by dogs in rural areas. He had proposed an ordinance addressing noise, odors, and other problems, but other JPs questioned how such an ordinance would be enforced. Since the defeat of that ordinance, McNeely said he has heard from other constituents with serious dog problems, and he hopes to find wording for an ordinance to give people some relief.