Editor’s Note: This report was written by Linda Holmes, a special contributor to the Advocate.
The courtroom was filled with children as the regular monthly meeting of the Dallas County Quorum Court opened on October 20. Ravyn Humphrey read a proclamation from Judge Chris Stanfield recognizing the week of October 5-9 as National 4-H Week.
Boston Pierce and Dallas Hamilton spoke to the court of their activities and learning experiences with 4-H. Both told of awards won at the county fair showing animals including poultry, cattle and sheep.
4-H is a program provided by University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture Research and Extension-CES, which offers learning experiences and life skills to 140,000 participants ages five to nineteen.
In regular business, Treasurer Louann Clayton showed current balances of $8,741.78 in county general funds and $269,748.27 in the county road account.
Clayton announced that she had been notified by Reliance Bank that a change must be made with the solid waste account, which was set up as corporation funds and should be a public fund.
“A series of legal steps must be taken, which becomes a paperwork headache,” said Clayton.
The Dallas County Solid Waste Authority will have to be dissolved with all assets going to the county. The Secretary of State will have to change the entity from corporate funds to private funds. Then, a new solid waste department must be established and assets returned to a new account.
A motion was made by Justice Donny Ford to allow all members of the current Solid Waste Board to continue serving as members of the new board after the changes are complete. Seconded by Justice Edith Totty, the motion passed.
Sheriff Mike Knoedl reported 133 inmates held currently, with 69 being federal prisoners, and $214,591.91 collected in September for housing.
“We have made a lot of drug arrests lately, and Governor Sarah Sanders has issued a warrant to bring Todd Richard Berry back here,” said Knoedl. Berry failed to deliver a truck purchased earlier this year by the sheriff’s department.
With the hospital update, Dallas County Medical Center Administrator Trapper Denton reported 50 admissions, 1001 clinic visits, 603 Tutt-Walley Clinic visits, and 377 ER patients in August.
Denton said that services of a rheumatologist will begin in November and plans continue for a behavioral health unit.
Ordinance #2026-17 was presented by Dallas County Clerk Dori Keeton, which amends Ordinance #2011-11 to clarify options of insurance coverage for employees hired on or after January 1, 2011.
After three readings, the final motion to approve came from Ford, was seconded by Justice Todd Roark, and passed.
To provide for line-item transfer of funds within the Indigent Attorney budget, Ordinance #2026-18 was passed. $3,584.88 was moved from miscellaneous to non-contributory retirement. The action passed with a motion by Ford and a second from Justice Tracy Graves.
Also, to transfer line-item funds, Ordinance #2026-19 allows $45,715.85 to move from the solid waste haul fees allotment, to be used for fuel, oil, parts and repairs in the solid waste budget. Justice Johnson made the motion, and approval came after a second by Roark.
Judge Stanfield announced that repairs on County Road 201 in the Pine Grove area have been completed. The work was funded by an Unpaved Road Grant.
Joel Black spoke, inquiring about his previous request for the county to clear a lot behind the Senior Citizens’ Center, which is needed for church parking. Judge Stanfield assured Black that this would be done after the burn ban is lifted.
