Changes coming for loggers in county

PRESCOTT – Logging companies working in Nevada County should be ready for some changes.

Nevada County Judge Mike Otwell said he’ll be meeting with logging companies to tell them what they can expect. This was done at the April meeting of the Nevada County Quorum Court Tuesday evening. The changes will include fines for those companies damaging county roads and not repairing or paying to have them repaired.

Otwell reminded the court of its discussion about monitors for county vehicles during the March meeting. He said it will cost $15.95 per month per vehicle, with a $75 installation fee. The county will have to furnish the model number of each vehicle to receive a monitor. These will include graders, dump trucks, trash trucks and county pickups. The idea behind the monitors is for the county to be able to see where each vehicle is and what it’s doing at any given time. Otwell said the county may be able to avoid the installation fee by hooking them up itself. The system will be through Verizon, except for the Caterpillar equipment. Otwell said this equipment already has monitors but the county will need to pay Cat to activate it.

It was pointed out the monitoring could be done via cell phone, but not all county employees have county cell phones and could be reluctant to have the application installed on their personal phones.

In talking about a bulldozer for the landfill, Otwell said there used to be a board with a one-year contract. Prescott Mayor Terry Oliver has requested the board be reinstated as it was, which would include the mayor, two members of the council, the county judge and three justices of the peace. The panel would exist to discuss solid waste funding. Chris Fore, Dennis Pruitt and Willie Wilson volunteered to be on the board.

The court approved spending  around $93,000 for a new John Deere skid steer from ARPA funds. Otwell said this piece of equipment could be used to load and unload equipment at the county shop instead of it having to be done by the men and could be used to clear debris during storms. The skidder can lift 8,000 pounds, he said and has a bucket, fork lift and grapples. He pointed out the dozer for the landfill could be available any day and the county doesn’t need to miss the chance to buy it.

Dumpsters are being taken to each city in the county during April to allow the communities to do a spring cleaning of sorts. Anything can be put in the dumpsters except tires and oil. This has been done for the last 10 year.

On the topic of county vehicles being on private property, Otwell said it’s not supposed to happen.

In other business, Mary Godwin, executive director of the Prescott-Nevada County Economic Development Office (EDO), said the sales tax has increased. She reminded the court there will be a meeting of the Arkansas State Broadband Friday morning at 9 at the courthouse to get feedback on what the needs are. SouthCentral Connect has been working to get broadband internet in the county and will be coming to Prescott soon. However, this meeting is to help form an overall plan for the state.

Stacy Stone, county agent, said the Extension Office has had a good month and been busy, with 12 members of the 4H participating in livestock competition in Fayetteville. He reminded the court the Master Gardeners will be having its annual plant show and sale Saturday at Willow Oaks.

Katelyn Kirkam, who oversees the 4H in the county, presented activities the group has done in April. These include: a blueprint for happiness series at the senior center; babysitting basics at Prescott High School; SNAP-Ed lessons for third graders at Nevada and Prescott; commodities letter and reinforcements at the senior center; the Get Real Program at Nevada; and an extension homemakers club meeting.

Events planned for the rest of the month are: district BBQ contest entry deadlines by April 14; Willisville 4H meeting April 17; AR livestock judging competition in Fayetteville April 21; the District O-Rama in Arkadelphia April 27. May events include: Prescott 4H meeting May 1; O-Rama sign up deadline May 8; O-Rama practice May 11; Willisville 4H May 15; O-Rama competition May 16 and 18.