New faces at QC meeting

PRESCOTT – With four new faces, the January meeting of the Nevada County Quorum Court, got off to a rocky start.

The new faces are: Nevada County Judge Mike Otwell, Nevada County Clerk, Tammie Rose, Nevada County Treasurer, Ricky Reyenga, and Justice of the Peace, Eric Jackson. Rose read the minutes from the December meeting as well as the special meeting held Jan. 2, 2023, to set the time and date for meetings for the year.

Chris Fore asked about $38,000 being transferred from the CARES account during the financial report. Reyenga pointed out the transfers covered an entire year, but he could research the transfers and get back with the court on the specifics as this could have been done in several transactions. There was some confusion between the CARES money and the funds from the America Recovery Plan Act, with Reyenga letting the court know it still has $1.2 million in ARPA money.

Questions were raised about how the ARPA money could be used, with Mary Godwin, executive director of the Prescott-Nevada County Economic Development Office, saying they can be used for almost anything, but there’s a list of stipulations to be met first.

JP Pat Grimes said she’d talked with an attorney with the Association of Arkansas Counties (AAC) and was told the court must approve all financial transfers and all offices and departments are to work within their budgets. She said the departments don’t have to be given money without QC approval.

Reyenga said this being a small county there are times when things happen that aren’t covered in the budget, adding everything should come before the court.

Otwell spoke up saying he was under the assumption incoming county judges would get a new truck. He told the court he’d gone through the state bidding process and ordered a new one. The new vehicle will cost around $32,000, saving the county around $18,000 as it doesn’t go through a private dealership.

Things broke down at this point with almost everybody talking at once. When order was restored, Godwin made the monthly EDO report telling the court about the sales tax report and how the county gained around $48,000 last year. Leadership Nevada County, she continued, kicks off Thursday with the orientation meeting with 10 members in this year’s class.

Jamie Hillery, executive director of the Prescott-Nevada County Chamber of Commerce, presented the court with the Chamber’s monthly report, which included a list of upcoming events. She asked the court to start thinking about nominations for Citizen of the Year and Hometown Hero, as the winners will be named at the annual Chamber Banquet in April. No date has been set for the banquet at this time.

The upcoming events include: the food share soup luncheon on Jan. 16 from 11-1; a coffee at Southern Pines Health and Rehab on Jan. 24 from 9:30-11 a.m.; the Kiwanis Club’s chili lunch from 11-1 at First United Methodist Church on Feb. 9; and the Women in Prescott Handbag Bingo on Feb. 24 at The Barn at Willow Oak Acres.

JP Willie Wilson moved to approve the purchase of a new truck for the county judge’s office, with the money to be transferred from the solid waste fee. JP Herbert Coleman said the judge needs transportation, but any future financial transfers will be met with stiff resistance from him.

Reyenga pointed out all transfers must be done by court order to be legal. The court approve the purchase of the new truck.

Fore asked what kind of shape the landfill equipment is in and was told it’s all worn out. Otwell said he’s getting a price from Caterpillar for a new bulldozer with the city to pay 54 percent and the county the remaining 46 percent. The new dozer will have a cab and be air conditioned. Dennis Pruitt said the county needs to get bids first and was pretty much ignored.

Otwell changed the subject saying the dozer the city leased from Caterpillar got burned up, along with a grader. Neither was insured, leaving the county responsible for their repair. He said the county has two choices on the dozer, to repair it or buy it for $200,000. The grader would cost $140,000 to buy, but, he continued, county mechanics can repair it for $16,000-$17,000.

Grimes said the county needs to make sure the city can pay its part before doing anything as the city is in bad shape financially.

Otwell continued, saying a new grader has been leased with the county paying $4,600 a  month for it for five years. Changing topics, he said the truck used by former county judge Mark Glass is now being used by the county road foreman and has 180,000 miles on it. He said the county has vehicles it doesn’t need and he’ll be looking for ways to sell them and get the best price.

There was debate over whether Chris Fore could be appointed as JP in District 8 as no one ran for the position during the election. The court couldn’t agree on whether or not Fore could be appointed and serve, eventually tabling the issue until the February meeting.

As the meeting was coming to its end, Grimes was nominated to be the court’s representative to AAC meetings.