QC hears about road damage

PRESCOTT – Because of the recent storms, and near constant rains, the county has been spending a good deal on gravel to repair dirt roads.

Nevada County Judge Mark Glass told the Nevada County Quorum Court, at its June meeting Tuesday evening, the county’s road crews are taking one road at a time, working to get it finished then moving on to the next one. He said the county is working on the most heavily damaged roads first and will try to get to all of the roads as quickly as possible.

However, he pointed out this is costing the county, as $20,000 was recently spent on grey rock. Glass said much will depend on whether the governor will declare the county a disaster area due to the rains and seek help from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). If he does this, Glass said, the county could recoup 75 percent of the money it’s spent on road repair, but if it only goes through the state, the county will only get 35 percent.

Justice of the Peace Dennis Pruitt said nine counties in Arkansas have already been declared disaster areas.

Glass said the county’s flooding and the flooding of the Arkansas River could possibly go on the same disaster plan.

In other business, JP Bob Cummings said the deal is nearly done on the former extension building being sold.

Nevada County Tax Assessor Pam Box told the court one of her employees is leaving. She asked for approval to hire a replacement, which was granted.

JP Pat Grimes again brought up using 309 inmates to help the Master Gardeners, saying she’d talked to two other sheriffs and was told they used 309 inmates pretty much the way they wanted.

Deputy Robert Missey responded saying the 309 coordinator has a different view and could pull the program from Nevada County if it’s not followed. He said 309 inmates can only be used to work on county property and there would be an issue if they were to be asked to work on private property.

The meeting got confusing as several of the JPs were holding private conversations with one another and not listening to the proceedings. At one point the budget for the Oak Grove Community Center had to be discussed twice as some of the justices weren’t paying attention due to their side conversation.

However, the budget for $15,000 to help renovate the OGCC was approved. The funding is through a Rural Community Grant.

Pruitt was asked about the spirit bell the Leadership Nevada County class he’s in is working on. He said the original bell came from the old Prescott Elementary School and the Class of ’67 took it to Prescott High School and put on the football field. When the new PHS was built it was taken to Cummins Stadium. Sometime in the 1980s it developed a crack and was going to be sent away for repair. However, the cost was more than expected and the bell was set aside, getting lost.

A new bell has been found and will be placed on a column of bricks six-feet tall. Pruitt said memory bricks are being sold for $100 each. These bricks will be laser engraved and can hold 27 characters on each of three lines. Orders, he said, will be made again in July and August. The bricks will be in the column and, to date, 14 have been sold.

The goal is to have the column and bell in place for Prescott’s first home football game, where the bell will be rung after each Curley Wolf touchdown. Pruitt added forms for the bricks can be found in the County Clerk’s office.