After the opening ceremonies of the invocation and pledge of allegiance, the court approved the minutes from its January 25th meeting.
In New Business, the court approved an ordinance, quoting from the agenda for the meeting, “transferring and appropriating money for the jail for the sewer issues for the 2023 budget year.” In the latter part of 2023, problems with sewer lines in the floor of the jail required repairs that costed money beyond what was budgeted for the year for the jail. So to cover this, the court decided to transfer $400,000 from its American Rescue Plan Act fund.
The court also approved an ordinance “transferring and appropriating money for the Health Unit to replace a door for the 2024 budget year.” This amount was $3,671.48.
In other business, Anna Powell, Executive Director of the Hempstead County Economic Development Corporation, requested that the court pass a resolution to endorse Hope Baking Company’s application to the Arkansas Department of Revenue for a sales tax refund from the purchase of equipment and materials for its $37 million expansion. The application will be made to take advantage of incentives for business expansion that Arkansas legislators passed in the Consolidated Incentive Act of 2003.
Next, members of the Southwest Arkansas Water Facilities Board were sworn in. They were Warren Webster, Leroy Adams, Chris Estes and Lloyd Turner.
After this, Judge Crane spoke about the ongoing road repair effort being made in the county after damage from wet and snowy weather in January and early February. “We’re trying to get the worst ones fixed first,” he said. “We’ve been swamped with calls … It’s not that easy. It takes time.”
Crane said the road crews are using gravel to pack down on some eroded road surfaces that “once you put it, it’s there” and is superior to the red clay in which vehicles can easily get stuck.
Justice of the Peace James Griffin mentioned hearing that at a Montgomery County Quorum Court meeting, it emerged that gasoline might be unavailable in the days before and after the April 8th total eclipse there. JP Cherry Stewart voiced her agreement but JP David Clayton said, “I feel like it’s severely overhyped.”
Crane reported that the Mayors’ Summit on broadband opportunities this morning hosted at Hempstead County Economic Development Corporation headquarters had been “productive,” adding that “that’s the first time we’ve had anything like that, and we need to be doing it more often.”
JP Jay Lathrop asked about the status of discussions about the Old Courthouse. JP Steve Atchley said the elevator in the building is not working and “we’re going to have to weld it shut so that nobody can fall down the shaft.”
The cost to replace the elevator would be $200,000, which there is no support for the county paying, Atchley said. It cannot be repaired because of the lack of availability of replacement parts for the aged machinery and circuitry. Atchley said that he would update the Quorum Court if there was news about a grant to fund the elevator’s replacement.
JP Jessie Henry asked if the county still had anyone working in the Old Courthouse. Judge Crane said, “We’re still moving some things down. We’re getting ready to try to auction some of that off.” Henry asked whether the county had anyone going in and out of the structure. “We’re not supposed to be,” said Crane.
Atchley said there could be grants over the next few years that might finance the elevator’s replacement, “but for now we’ve got it secured and closed.”
At this point, the Quorum Court adjourned. The next meeting is scheduled for March 28th at 4:30 p.m.