Stone new county agent; court hears complaints about roads

PRESCOTT – Members of the Nevada County Quorum Court were introduced to the new county agent for the Extension Service.

Stacy Stone, formerly from Delight, is a retired agriculture teacher. He’s originally from Gurdon and still lives there with his wife and family. He told the court he looks forward to working with the people of Nevada County.

As to when the office will be open to the public again, he said the Extension Office will mirror the courthouse and open when it does. In the meantime, he continued, as much work will be done over the phone and via email as possible.

Nevada County Treasurer Susie Key said the county’s finances look better than they did when the packets for the court were sent out. This is because tax money came in from the state bumping the county general fund to $151,000.

However, she said, there are still problems with the finances. Some payroll is being moved to the Solid Waste Department, but none will come from the trash fee. This is being done to free up funds in the county general’s budget to help pay for jail salaries.

Key had some good news for the court, saying she was surprised when the state turnback money came in and the county didn’t take as big a hit as had been expected. Still, she said, everyone needs to watch their spending because no one knows what will happen in the next three months.

Mary Godwin, executive director of the Prescott-Nevada County Economic Development Office, gave the court some updates on grants. She said roughly $8,000 has been received from the Arkansas Blue Foundation to purchase personal protective equipment (PPE) for the jail. The check, she said, has already came in and supplies ordered.

Her office is also working on a grant through the Arkansas Department of Finance and Department of Justice to try and recuperate money spent to pay overtime for jail employees, along with PPE for the courthouse. She said it’s likely the county will be informed by June if the grant is approved or not.

A grant was also approved for the Curry Community Outreach for $1,000. This program helps feed the needy on a monthly basis in the community. Godwin said grants have also been written to help the food share purchase more supplies, and should know something about it next week.

In addition, she will be submitting a grant for the Prescott Fire Department Friday.

Godwin said several small businesses in the area have applied for grants to help them stay open, and also applied for the state’s Ready for Business program.

In discussing the census, Godwin said so far only 47 percent of county residents have filled out their forms. The state average is 53 percent. She said Bluff City has a 31 percent rate, while 50 percent of residents in Bodcaw and Cale have submitted their information. Emmet is at 37 percent, with Oak Grove at 48 percent, while Prescott has a 46 percent rate, Rosston is at 41 percent with Willisville also at 37 percent.

“We have a way to go,” she said. “We’ve been marketing it as much as we can to get the numbers up, but I’m concerned because the training hasn’t been done for people going out in the field.” The deadline for census forms to be tuned in, she continued, is mid-August.

To help get the numbers up, she said she called Robert Poole, superintendent of the Prescott School District, to get teachers to call the parents of their students and, if necessary, help them fill out the forms over the phone. Plans are to do the same with the Nevada School District.

“We’re having to get creative to get the numbers up. COVID-19 had really impacted us.” Godwin will be setting up at the Senior Adult Center in early June to get people who come in to pay their utility bills to fill out their census forms as well.

Nevada County Judge Mark Glass said the county’s part of the paperwork for the Nubbin Hill Bridge project is in the hands of the county’s attorney. The plans will be revised to make the job go quicker.

Ben Hale, deputy prosecuting attorney, said this is a formality, but everything is in place.

Two residents were on hand with complaints about the county roads.

Jeremy Jones literally brought a bucket of large rocks to show the court what people in his area have to drive over. He said the rocks are tearing up people’s vehicles, adding he’s been calling to get the road fixed.

Jones said the grader operators don’t grade into the ditches, which causes more water damage. He asked who was responsible for damage done to vehicles.

Glass said he understands the problems with the county roads and was on site when a woman got stuck. “We work on the roads when we can and try to keep them in the best shape we can, but we’ve had a lot of rain this year.”

Mona Gregory was more concerned than anything because her mother is a hospice patient and needs care several times a week from nurses and aides. She told the court she understands the county can’t do anything about acts of nature, but added her road is being destroyed by loggers, not nature. Gregory said the county needs to do something about making loggers responsible for the damage they do.

“I need for aides to be able to care for my mother,” she said. “I don’t have any second chances with my mother.”

Gregory said she understands the loggers have to work, too, as her husband is a logger, but added it’s time the county quit picking up the tab for them destroying county roads.