Video of the meeting can be seen below this story.
An opportunity to be awarded a $265,000 state grant to repair the old Hempstead County Courthouse roof set off discussion at this evening’s Hempstead County Quorum Court meeting.
Speaking to the justices of the peace, Hope-Hempstead County Economic Development Director Anna Powell said she had been approached two weeks ago, on the day of Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders’ visit, by two members of the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism who said the agency has a “vested interest” in preserving the old courthouse, which they said was one of the top 3-5 Art Deco buildings in the state.
Powell said she was told a grant was available for work on the structure but the deadline would pass by January 24th. So Powell’s office over the next two weeks did the work necess. ary toward applying for the funds on time.
Powell said she had come across grant opportunities to preserve the courthouse and grants to tear it down, but she felt that since high-ranking officials of the Department of Tourism had told her of the vested interest and alerted her of the need to apply and quickly, she could not ignore the chance to do so at little risk to the county.
This news was met by questions and comments from the JPs. JP Cherry Stewart asked how she could say there was little risk to the county when it is not resolved who would take care of the courthouse after the roofing work was complete. She also asked if the officials who spoke to Powell were aware of the black mold issue and of the concerns of the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
At this, JP James Griffin said he had made it clear to the officials that the building was not suitable currently for use. Powell said that she had conferred with County Judge Jerry Crane and JP Steve Atchley about the matter. In that discussion, she said one idea broached was of doing the work on the building and then the county releasing it for use as for veterans’ services or housing.
Powell clarified that she had no preference on what to do with the old courthouse, which is on the Arkansas Register of Historic Places, but felt it was her duty to apply for the funds and present the options to the Quorum Court and encourage the court to make plans.
JPs Scott Gunter and Atchley stated their positions that the county taxpayers should not be asked to invest any further in the old county courthouse. JP Stewart echoed this but also said state tax dollars also come from county taxpayers.
The question was asked when the old courthouse had been registered as a historic place under state law. County Treasurer Judy Flowers said this had taken place in 2015 or 2016. Powell agreed and said a preservation plan had been compiled in February of 2016 and she had relied on information from that plan to apply for the grant. JP Atchley said the Quorum Court had never voted on whether to have the courthouse placed on the Arkansas Historic Registry.
JP Gunter said the decision to do more work on the old courthouse might conflict with past statements JPs have made. “My concern is we made a promise if we voted for this [the one cent tax to fund the renovation of the building that became the current courthouse], we would take this old courthouse down.” The tax was voted out by the Quorum Court, its proceeds used to renovate the current courthouse and then it sunset in 2022 when the courthouse work was completed.
Judge Crane said that a committee of JPs should be set up to study the issue and decide on a plan, even naming JP Keith Steed as its chair. Discussion continued among the JPs, with the consensus being that should the county win the grant, it would be careful not to be drawn into unreasonable restrictions or further expenditures of funds. Powell said she would invite Marty Ryall, from the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism to speak to the Quorum Court at a future meeting.
In other business, the JPs voted unanimously in favor of an ordinance that provided for a line of succession in the case of the county sheriff becoming ill or otherwise incapacitated. Under the ordinance the Sheriff’s chief deputy would be the first to succeed the sheriff. In case of the chief deputy’s not being able to serve, the next to serve would be the Criminal Investigation Division captain, then the lieutenant of patrol officers. One adjustment to make the language of the ordinance more clear was made and included in the motion to vote on the ordinance.
The JPs also approved an ordinance moving about $15,000 collected in voluntary taxes, which taxpayers in the county have an option to pay as shown on their tax bills, to its own budget line item. This brings the budgeting in line with state law. Ordinarily, said County Clerk Karen Smith, the funds are used to add to the pay received by certified patrol officers in the Sheriff’s Department.
After Hope-Hempstead County Economic Development Director Anna Powell spoke on the application her office made for grant funds to fix the old courthouse roof, she also announced that a Mayors’ Summit that had been set for January had been cancelled due to the winter weather, but was rescheduled for February 22nd. She invited members of the Quorum Court to come to the meeting, which will take place at the HHCED office at 108 West Third.
