The Carroll County Quorum Court heard a presentation Monday from John Strode of Ritter Communication about establishing a franchise for providing Internet and television service just like cable for rural areas in the eastern part of the county. Strode said Ritter was ready to go to work as soon as a decision was made, but according to the Federal Communications Commission it needed authority from the governing body of the county.
Since the county does not have a similar arrangement in place, there was a general discussion about what the fee, if any, should be for the franchise. Strode said in their many franchises in Arkansas fees vary drastically, and he could not guess how many customers would sign up. He insisted Ritter for now was exploring expansion only into rural areas where it already had a presence, such as Alpena.
JPs will consider the proposal at a later meeting.
Actions checked off
JPs approved:
- Authorizing of an appropriation of $3800 to the Central Dispatch emergency fund as partial payment for new air-conditioning service.
- Passage of the first reading of an ordinance implementing a revision of the Personnel Policy regarding a new schedule for longevity compensation. JP Noreen Watson said the changes would have a minimal impact on the budget, and employees would receive greater benefits.
- Passage of a resolution authorizing County Judge Sam Barr to sign an agreement which enables the Carroll County Airport to continue with a grant from the Federal Aviation Administration for taxiway rehabilitation. The total grant amount is $235,895, and the state will provide the ten percent amount of $23,950. The Quorum Court officially secures this amount although it will be paid by the State Department of Aeronautics. JP Lamont Richie acknowledged CCA for making “considerable drawdowns” on its debts to the county over the past two years.
- Passage of a resolution authorizing a part-time employee, April Griffith, at the Carnegie Library to go full-time because of a private donation of $20,000 establishing a fund for a staff member who will focus on encouraging parents with small children to read to their children and introduce them to libraries and other avenues of literacy. Some of the funds might go to training for the staff, books and the shelves to put them on. The funds are not automatically renewable.
- The item tabled would have been a supplemental ordinance appropriating funds to the sheriff’s department, but JP Marty Johnson wanted to see if there were grant funds available to cover the expense.
Other items
JP Noreen Watson told the court she heard at a conference that counties and states must begin preparing for an eventual reduction in federal funding for highways. She passed around surveys in which citizens could respond with ideas for how local governments can figure out how to pay for road repair.
Next meeting will be Monday, Sept.18, at 5 p.m.