The Hempstead County Quorum Court members came together for a meeting Thursday evening (6-25), in the Hempstead County Courthouse and heard from Hempstead County Judge Jerry Crane on the recent weather damage from which the county currently is struggling. Crane gave forewarning that the idea of purchasing some new equipment needs to be considered. He said several pieces are not working and said they can’t get ahead.
“ There was a lot of storm damage. What are we going to do with the water? The water is not ‘in’ the road, the water is ‘over’ the road,” Crane said. “Right now, we’re behind. We have vegetation, limbs, washouts that it is taking us forever to get around to.” Crane said this was just to be forewarned of the future need to purchase equipment. “So, we can do our jobs. We don’t know how we can get ahead,” he said.
Members also discussed putting together a board to oversee taxes for the Southwest Arkansas Regional Medical Center referred to as the new hospital. The JP’s voted and approved a go ahead on hiring an engineer for the roof and air conditioning on the new hospital.
Hempstead County Economic Development President Anna Powell reported the county had received a grant for five years of funding to reopen the doors of the previous county courthouse building. “We need to start talking about a vision for that building,” she said. “We could begin to receive some rent for the building. We need to strategically think about a vision for that building if we keep getting these grants,” Powell said.
JP’s also talked about looking for a person to serve on the Blevins School Board, Zone 1, and have gone through a process where they have made attempts but have found no one. Hempstead County Clerk Karen Smith said the next step is for her to contact the Department of Education and ask what the protocol is now that the letters have been sent and still no one has been found. Also, an ordinance was passed that set up funding for an opioid settlement of which Hempstead was one of 49 counties to receive some of the money, according to Smith. She said it was is the Opioid Settlement Adult Drug Court Fund 3048.
