Teacher’s honored for saving student’s life
PRESCOTT – Greed seemed to be more prevalent than the needs of the county at the December meeting of the Nevada County Quorum Court Tuesday.
The meeting began with about 30 people in the audience. Mary Godwin, executive director of the Prescott-Nevada County Economic Development Office, talked about the Redstone Construction project, which will be doing work on I-30 between Emmet and the rest area. She told the court it would take 18-24 months and result in 20-25 local people getting hired. The company, she said, wants to hold a job fair in January 2019.
One of the benefits of this project, she continued, is local truckers will be needed to haul material to and from the job site, and this could turn into money for the county when it comes to disposing of the materials, which could be asphalt, concrete and gravel. Company officials have talked with Nevada County Judge Mark Glass about this already.
The offices for the new dentist are nearing completion, she added. The target date is Jan. 7, 2019, and, unless something unforeseen occurs, this date will be reached. This office, she continued, will add six jobs to the local economy. Continuing on the job growth topic, Godwin said Flywheel Pies has added four full-time jobs this year and is looking to add another six part-time jobs. Firestone, she told the court, is also growing and has hired 175 people this year and looks to add another 15.
Godwin changed gears and said the Nevada County Courthouse is on the National Historic Register, which makes it eligible for grants. An architect will need to be hired to study the building and recommend what needs to be done to improve and upgrade it. A grant for $65,000 has been approved for the parks in Prescott. This money will be used to install security cameras at McRae and City Park, along with adding ADA approved sidewalks, picnic tables and yellow fence capping at McRae. In addition, an ADA approved swing set will be purchased as neither park has a swing set. The cameras, she said, will be linked to the Prescott Police Department and Prescott Mayor Terry Oliver’s phone.
Jamie Hillery, executive director of the Prescott-Nevada County Chamber of Commerce, followed saying there were 33 participants in the annual Christmas Parade Monday. She reminded the court Breakfast with Santa is Saturday, Dec. 15 at the Potlatch Building in the Nevada County Fairgrounds. Hillery said between 200-250 children are expected to participate in the event, and waffles and bacon will be served.
Glass presented plaques to George Smith and Ryan Harvey, the two outgoing members of the court. Harvey chose not to run, while Smith was defeated in his race by Chris Fore. Glass thanked both for their service to the county.
Harvey, in turn, presented plaques to three teachers with the Prescott School District for their part in helping save a sixth grade student who suffered a coronary incident earlier in the school year. Superintendent Robert Poole told how these teachers reacted and did what was necessary to save the child’s life along with how the rest of the staff worked to insure the safety of the other students and keep them from panicking.
Bodcaw’s dog problem was addressed next, with Kolby Harper, deputy prosecuting attorney for the 8th Judicial District North, telling the court it has some options. She told the panel about researching the ordinances in Baxter and Saline counties to see how they handle their dog problems. Baxter County, she said, managed to get a volunteer program together to build an animal shelter with a local veterinarian volunteering to oversee the animals. Saline County, on the other hand, works with Benton’s animal control department.
The problem is the county would need to provide shelter for any animals caught and held for up to 15 days. This would give the owners time to either collect their animals or have them either adopted or put down. A trained animal control officer would be needed, food, water and shelter would have to be provided for the dogs. Harper said the state has an animal reserve and trust fund counties can apply to for help in building and operating animal control shelters, but the amount available is proportional to the county’s population.
Any ordinance passed by the court, she added, would require the case going through district court with the judge to determine what the fine would be.
JP Bob Cummings said he’s talked with Judge Tony Yocom, and was told the county first needs a vicious dog ordinance and a holding pen for the dogs. The owners could then be fined, with the holding fee included to help offset the cost of keeping the dogs. The Nevada County Sheriff’s Office, though, would not pick up vicious dogs, though deputies would be on hand to assist the animal control officer.
In the end, the issue was tabled until the court can get more information and figure out how to handle vicious dogs. It was pointed out during the discussion there are three or four incidents a year involving vicious dogs.
The court approved most of a budget for 2019. There were two exceptions – the jail and 911 budgets, which appeared to be out of whack with more budgeted to be spent than coming in under anticipated revenue. Overall, the county general fund’s anticipated revenue for 2019 is projected to be $1,613,972.89, with $1,599,754.71 budgeted. For the Road and Bridge Department, the anticipated revenue is $1,114,586.16, with $1,114,400 budgeted. In Solid Waste the figures are $527,237.07 with $514,700 budgeted. For the jail, anticipated revenue is $793,482.98, with the amount budgeted $816,645. The same type situation exists for 911, with 250,592.27 expected with the budgeted amount being $289,450.
The court approved bonuses for county employees with full time workers to get $650 and part timers to get $325, prorated by months of service. The greed part came in with a discussion about bonuses for the Justices of the Peace. Willie Wilson moved all JPs get $650 bonuses. George Smith argued against it, saying the court is compensated for its service with a monthly stipend, adding the JPs aren’t county employees and don’t work as much as a part-time employee in doing their jobs. In the end, the measure passed 5-2 with Smith and Harvey voting against it.
It was pointed out the bleachers at the fairground’s rodeo arena are in bad shape and need some work done to them. A bid of $6,500 has been received for the work. However, it was pointed out the lumber could be donated, with county employees doing the work. This was tabled so Godwin can look into possible grants.
The court discussed imposing a trash fee on county residents to help the financially ailing Solid Waste Department. Glass said at $12 a month, this could generate $220,464 a year as 1,531 households are involved. The county could continue picking up garbage twice a week and the Solid Waste Department would be more financially solvent. This would only be for county residents, not Prescott or Emmet.
Wilson said a lot of people are on fixed incomes in the county and can’t afford this.
Smith pointed out Prescott has the same problem, but its residents pay a trash pickup fee, adding the county either charges for trash pickup or reduces services and only picks up garbage once every two weeks.
Glass added the Solid Waste Department’s budget is less than it was 20 years ago and could end the year with a balance of $30,000. He pointed out the equipment is getting old and needs to be replaced, with an immediate need being a new bulldozer. This, too, was tabled.
Smith moved the courthouse be kept open all day on the days before holidays instead of closing half a day. Julie Oliver, Nevada County Clerk, said according to the Association of Arkansas Counties, if this is in the county’s personnel policy, offices can be closed early before holidays, as long as it’s not at the end of the month.
