Most of Monday’s Carroll County Quorum Court meeting focused on two grant applications, as Catherine Baker with the Northwest Arkansas Economic Development District explained the county is eligible for a Community Development Block Grant to expand the Carroll County Health Unit. “We apply for grants that benefit low to moderate income families,” she said. The health unit needs to “remodel and expand to better serve the community and meet state mandates.” The county has not received a CDBG grant in 20 years.
Baker said the NWAEDD would also submit a grant application to provide a sewer system for ECHO Village, a project offering transitional and homeless housing. The CDBG grants are not intended for homeless housing, Baker said, but this project would only involve infrastructure. “It’s important to apply for projects that fit,” she said. “These are two excellent projects.”
The grant application process requires a series of resolutions from the quorum court, and JPs unanimously approved the resolutions, which included authorizing the NWAEDD as grant administrator. The resolutions also stated the county’s commitment to fair housing.
New library on the horizon?
Julie Hall, director of the Berryville Library, shared a progress report with the court, describing “a busy place” with 90,000 visitors per year. With so many people using the library for a variety of reasons, the library’s advisory board and a revitalized Friends of the Library have investigated the possibility of building a new library. A feasibility study has been conducted in the past year, and Hall said the City of Berryville owns property the library could buy.
“It’s an ideal location,” she said. The property is located across from the City Pool. The city has pledged to retain the property while the library finds the money.
In other business:
- JPs allocated $100,000 for maintenance at the Eastern District Courthouse. “We try to put money back to be prepared,” JP Jack Deaton said. “Last year, we had to fix the roof.”
- The county received $18,000 from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for providing security in the area around Beaver Dam, and that money was allocated for overtime at the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office.
- With more outside prisoners at the detention center, JPs authorized an additional $20,000, evenly divided between food and fuel. Deaton pointed out that the money does not come out of the General Fund, but from the sales tax dedicated to the detention center.
- The budget committee has completed a proposed 2019 budget. “It came out better than we expected,” Deaton, a member of the committee, said. “We’ll have better raises than we’ve given.”
- Although only one quorum court meeting remains this year, JPs declared a vacancy in District 3, after the resignation of Lamont Richie. The governor can appoint someone to fill the seat for the remainder of the year.
Saving the best for last
Highlight of the meeting was a tribute to Carroll County Treasurer Cindy Collins, who announced her retirement earlier this year ending 30 years of service. Justices of the peace presented her with a plaque as the crowded courtroom broke into applause.