The first of the new ordinances to be passed concerned standards for bridge construction and replacement of culverts on county roads. The purpose of the ordinance, as it says, is to “help ensure that the bridge is construction in a man constructed in a manner that will sustain normal traffic and weather conditions, thus reducing county maintenance costs and protecting the citizens.”
Before the vote, Nevada County Emergency Management Officer and Fire Chief David Gummeson said, “This ordinance would make it to where that wooden top 50-year bridge would be automatically replaced with a concrete, steel-structure 100-year bridge without all of the paperwork to make it happen.”
The justices of the peace each voted in favor of the ordinance by roll-call vote.
The next ordinance, also read by County Clerk Tammie Rose, amended the county’s operations budget. An amount of $10,000 received from the state of Arkansas for disaster relief for May 2024 storm damage and from the income tax check off program. The funds will be added to the county emergency management fund.
As Gummerson explained, there was a misunderstanding on the part of state officials as to what did the damage in Nevada County in May 2024 when Northwest Arkansas was affected by tornadoes at the same time as Nevada County experienced flooding. The $10,000 came after this matter was clarified. The ordinance was approved unanimously on a roll call vote.
The third ordinance appropriates $25,310.04 to purchase a new fingerprinting machine. The machine has already been received by the county. The justices of the peace approved the ordinance on a unanimous roll-call vote.
Justice Regina Irizarry presented the request of the Bodcaw Fire Department, which has separated from the city of Bodcaw to become a 501c3 organization so that it could apply for grants. The county has to endorse this so that these applications can be accepted by Southwest Arkansas Planning and Development. Gummeson said the mayor of the city of Bodcaw said it would also continue responding to fires. JP Willie Wilson said separation makes it less likely the state government decides, based on the success of the city obtaining a grant, to not award Bodcaw Fire Department a grant. The justices voted by simultaneous voice vote favor of endorsement of the change to a 501c3.
Earlier in the meeting, the court was presented with financial reports showing sales tax receipts over time, ending in August 2025. County Tax receipts for August were $173,833.13. down $7,766.58 from 2024. Total tax receipts for August 2025, which includes municipal taxes, was $291,926.27, up $211.50 from 2024. State sales taxes are 6.5 percent, Nevada County collects 2 percent and the city of Prescott collects 2 percent.
Unemployment in Nevada County has trended up since May, when the rate was 4.6 percent. In June it was measured at 5.9 percent. In July, the last month for which numbers were made available, unemployment rose to 6.3 percent.
Near the end of the meeting, JP Tommy Poole, who is also the principal of Prescott High School spoke about a survey of the county’s high school students having taken place. He asked if the representative who presented the survey results in a school meeting Monday could also speak to the quorum court in a future meeting. “It just alerts our parents and community of some issues that our teenagers are facing,” he said of the information, which he said contained “alarming things” about local teens’ use of vapes, drugs and alcohol.
JP Dennis Pruitt asked if the information was being given to local media. Poole said it was public information. “There’s so much information he’s just pointing out the highlights,” Poole said. He was urged to bring the representative to the next meeting.
The state of County Road 5 was also brought up south of Bodcaw. County Judge Mike Otwell said the road had been used quite often by heavy trucks. He wrote down the location. A concern also arose about speed bumps on the outskirts of Prescott needing to be made more visible with painting.