During property tax season, the county hired a security guard for the courthouse annex in Berryville, where the assessor and tax collector have offices. The guard was also able to watch the other courthouse offices by remote cameras.
Monday night, the court approved $12,000 to fund the guard position, but not before several JPs questioned the need to keep the guard outside of tax season. JP Craig Hicks said a certified officer is on duty whenever court is in session, and Berryville officers can respond within minutes to any situations.
Several arguments were offered in favor of retaining the guard, with JP John Howerton said, “The ladies that work here like it.” JP Chuck Olson added that the guard’s presence keeps down noise in the lobby. People sometimes form intimidating groups in front of the courthouse, or others sprawl in the lobby while waiting for court.
The total cost per year for the guard amounts to $40,000, including taxes and benefits. The county only has to pay $12,000, and the remainder comes out of property tax money that would otherwise be returned to the state for distribution to other entities. JP Harrie Farrow said even though the county would lose that $28,000, that still amounts to tax dollars that the quorum court should spend wisely.
JP Craig Hicks and JP Don McNeely voted against funding the position, but everyone else voted in favor.
In other business:
- The Carroll County Fair Association has plans for some maintenance work at the fairgrounds, including arena lighting. The association would also like to upgrade windows in the banquet hall rooms and repaint the floors in those rooms. The association has raised $4,000 in donations and in-kind labor, and the JPs authorized County Judge Sam Barr to apply for a grant for $4,000 in matching funds from the Arkansas Rural Development Commission.
- An annual membership payment of $1,680 was approved to the Northwest Arkansas Economic Development District. This agency assists the county with grant applications.
- During JP comments, Olson said Barr had signed a contract to stabilize a sinking floor in the Berryville courthouse. Olson said the contractor who worked on the roof of that building will come back this week to correct persistent leaks.
- The budget committee will meet this Thursday at 4 p.m.
- At the December meeting, the court passed the first reading of a policy establishing a bank for catastrophic sick leave. JPs approved the second and third readings of the ordinance.
- JPs approved $150,000 to bring retirement payments for district court judges up to date. Deaton explained that counties became responsible for retirement funds for district court judges in 2005, and since then, the county has been “barely paying interest” on the amounts owed.