Hempstead County Quorum Court Met Thursday

HOPE – The Hempstead County Quorum Court held their regular monthly meeting Thursday April 27.

JP Lynn Montgomery talked about sale tax – the two cents the County gets. He moved the Country take $143,000 from the road sales tax proceeds and move that to solid waste. The JPs approved the motion and it will be placed before the Court as an ordinance next month.

JP Jesse Henry asked about the status of the Courthouse. Judge Haskell Morse said Bob Burns of Farmers Bank said the bank is close to finalizing a new location and the bank hope to be in their new building in a year. The Judge thinks it will be late summer or early fall of 2017 before the County can get settled.

Sheriff James Singleton talked about switching to digital radios from analog. The Sheriff needs $30,000 to buy some more of these. He thinks he can take the money out of the fuel fund. The Sheriff said he’s even ordered the new radios. JP Ed Darlimg moved they prepare an ordinance to fund the transfer for next month. JP Jesse Henry asked if the volunteer fire departments were switching and the Sheriff said they are.

The Sheriff noted the Legislature approved sending parole violators to County jails for 90 days. He says the state pays the County jails $30 a day. He said these folks are just sitting around and he understands the Highway Department will pay $2 per hour per inmate to pick up trash and he asked if he could get $10,000 for some part-time help to supervise the prisoners, from Quorum Court Miscellaneous. JP Lynn Montgomery asked about liability and the Sheriff said that the County would be responsible.

Ed Darlimg talked about the Arkansas Association of Counties meeting in August.

The meeting was then adjourned.