The quorum court meeting on April 21 included a grim assessment of the county’s ability to respond to fires.
During the public comments period, Jim Wallace explained that the county relies on volunteer fire departments, and those departments almost all have aging members. Wallace said the average age of volunteer firefighters is over 60, and younger volunteers are not replacing them fast enough.
He suggested a program to pay younger firefighters and explained that insurance companies may raise rates if the county fails to display adequate response capacity. Insurance may even become unaffordable, and that would affect the mortgage industry, since uninsured properties are automatically in default on a mortgage.
Mike McKelvey, director of the Department of Emergency Management, gave an update on the activities of the DEM. After explaining some routine efforts of the office, McKelvey expanded on Wallace’s assertions. He said many areas of the county have insufficient fire protection. He also explained the insurance industry’s ISO ratings, and the way those ratings affect the rates paid by homeowners. McKelvey listed some of the increasing costs facing local fire departments.
In other business:
- The March quorum court meeting included a long series of public comments opposing a plan to close the Eureka Springs office of the county clerk. At that time, an agenda item to close that office was tabled, and it did not appear on this agenda.
- JP Caroline Rogers spoke about National County Government Month, with the theme of raising public awareness of essential services. As an example, Rogers described the mission of the Veterans Service Office to assist veterans, who make up about nine percent of the county.
- JP Harrie Farrow reported on attending a meeting of the Arkansas Association of Quorum Courts.
- A resolution confirmed the reappointment of Sean Michael as a commissioner to the Lake Forest Subordinate Service District board of commissioners.
- A resolution confirmed the appointment of Bill Robertson to the board of commissioners of the Eastern Carroll County Ambulance District.
- An air-handling unit at the office of the Prosecuting Attorney will be replaced at a cost of $10,500.
- An ordinance appropriated $35,000 for security services at the courthouse annex in Berryville.
- A resident of Holiday Island read a statement calling for more transparency in property tax assessments.
- John Gentry asked for improvements to the county website, and said all JPs should have county email accounts, rather than using their personal accounts.
- Rogers reminded everyone of the fundraiser on May 15 for the Mennonite Disaster Service.