At the regular monthly meeting of the Dallas County Quorum Court on Tuesday (June 16), Judge Chris Stanfield voiced his desire for an additional one-cent sales tax. He stressed the constant rise in the costs of operations for the county road department, solid waste department, ambulance service, and sheriff’s department.

Stanfield suggested that the tax funds could be divided between those entities monthly as needed. Following discussion, quorum court members voted unanimously to proceed with steps to place this issue on the ballot.

The current Dallas County sales tax rate is 2%.

In the first three months of 2026, the 2% tax brought in $572,956, according to the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration. The state report shows that Dallas County received $2.285 million from the 2% tax in 2025.

An extra one cent could bring in approximately $95,000 monthly, or $1.14 million annually.

The city of Fordyce has a 1.5% sales tax rate. The state of Arkansas sales tax rate is 6.5%.

With the budget review, Treasurer Louann Clayton showed current balances of $273,682.96 in county general funds and $214,780.24 in the county road account.

“Some of our delayed funds have come in, so we are in better shape than last month, but we still have outstanding invoices for previous election cost reimbursements,” said Clayton.

Sheriff Mike Knoedl reported 112 inmates held currently at the jail, with 60 of those being federal prisoners. He said he is proud of the new housing contract with the federal Marshals program, which is now $78.63 per prisoner per day, providing an increase of $12.37. In May $133,688.48 was received for inmate housing.

He also reported on the purchase of a new police truck.

“The new truck we ordered is being outfitted and will deliver next month, and new cameras will be installed in the courthouse offices,” said Knoedl.

With the hospital update, new CEO Trapper Denton reported 36 admissions, 1,213 clinic visits, 634 Nutt-Walley Clinic visits, and 321 ER patients in the month of April, saying it was a good month, with patient numbers and financials up, finishing in the black by $121,876.88.

“Our new family room at the ER entry is completed and we have added more cameras. We are hoping to receive grant funds soon from the Rural Health Transformation Program to proceed with our plans to offer behavioral health services. The grant will fund renovations at the Nutt-Walley Clinic and provide a safe room within the hospital,” said Denton.

Ordinance #2026-09 was presented by Dallas County Clerk Dori Keeton to revise the Dallas County personnel policy, allowing part-time employees to enroll in supplemental insurance, with the premiums to be deducted from the employee’s payroll. Passage came with a motion by Justice Donny Ford and a second from Justice Robert Seale.

J.D. Windham, former owner of Valor Ambulance Service, which was sold to Pafford Ambulance Service of Hope, spoke regarding continuing county coverage. Windham now serves as area manager for Pafford and reported that at times there are three available vehicles, which improves the response time.

A request had been submitted to change the name of County Road 208. With a motion from Ford and a second by Justice Andy Johnson the request for change unanimously failed.

With the Cooperative Extension Service update, Agent JoAnn Vann reported that for the first time in many years Dallas County 4-H members participated in the Ouachita District O-Rama. Vann said she is accepting applications for a new administrative specialist. This position was vacated at the death of long-time employee Beverly Brown.