The quorum court meeting on Nov. 19 was overshadowed by the loss of Justice of the Peace John Howerton, who was defeated in District 11 by Caroline Rogers in the Nov. 5 election.
Howerton will complete 20 years of service when he attends his final meeting next month. “A lot of knowledge is going to leave,” JP Jack Deaton said. “He does a lot for this county that has nothing to do with his district.”
JP Jerry King has served with Howerton at the Farm Service Agency, and he objected to negative statements about Howerton during the public comments period. A pair of speakers had celebrated Howerton’s loss to Rogers, who has been a staunch opponent of the planned wind turbine farm south of Green Forest.
Green Forest Mayor Don McNeeley, who previously served as a JP, also spoke during public comments, and described Howerton’s history as a common-sense JP.
Members of the public continued to echo previously aired complaints about the wind turbines, including aesthetics and the potential effects on birds.
County Judge David Writer listened patiently, then said the wind turbine farm is “a done deal,” and the quorum court is not deciding whether or not to allow it. Writer said he agreed with many of the objections to the wind turbine farm, but that any ordinance the county passed would conflict with state laws.
During JP comments, Deaton addressed Rogers. Although she has worked closely with a vocal group of wind-turbine opponents, Deaton said she will begin to hear from the greater number of county residents who oppose any restrictions on land use.
In other business:
- JP Craig Hicks said the budget committee had an easier process because elected officials kept their proposed budgets tight. The budget was approved with little discussion. County employees will receive a four-percent raise in the coming year.
- Road Dept. Foreman Jim Kelley showed slides of severe damage done to county roads after recent heavy rains. A bridge on Carroll Road 741 required $4,300 in materials to repair, and a bridge across Long Creek, north of Green Forest, cost more than $7,000. Kelley listed several other significant problem areas, and estimated the total storm damage at $400,000. The county will be eligible for a grant from the Arkansas Department of Emergency Management, but it will only cover a third of the cost.
Kelley asked for patience from people living on county roads. “We’re getting a lot of calls from people saying, ‘My road’s rough.’” He pointed to the screen, and said, “Those roads are rough.”
- Rodney Ballance, a contractor currently installing fiber-optic cable in Boone County, said during public comments that the county still has rural areas underserved for Internet service. The state has a policy of bringing high-speed Internet to everyone, but Ballance said 6,000 people in the county do not have access to the service. He asked JPs to individually endorse his grant application to provide service to those areas. Most of the JPs signed forms endorsing Ballance’s grant application, although their endorsement does not exclude other grant applicants. “Thank you for the opportunity to serve our neighbors,” Ballance said.
- JPs approved the second and third readings of an ordinance to delegate the collection of court fines, fees, and costs to the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration.
- The JPs approved the second and third readings of an ordinance that will set qualifications for members of the county library board. This ordinance will help to involve more people from rural areas.
- An ordinance was passed setting the compensation for county employees for the coming year.
- An annual ordinance approved and levied county, municipal, and school millages.
- Funds were transferred to the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office to reseal blacktop. The money will come from the sales tax dedicated to the county jail.
- Writer said the county’s 2023 Legislative Audit has been completed with only minor complaints.