News

ROAD DEPARTMENT FUNDS ON QUORUM AGENDA TUESDAY

By Ray King/OF THE COMMERCIAL STAFF
Saturday, October 3, 2009 8:42 PM CDT

The cost of repairing damage to county roads as the result of storm damage will be discussed when committees of the Jefferson County Quorum Court meet Tuesday at 5:30 p.m.

The county’s legislative body will consider a $150,000 appropriation ordinance for the road department, which according to Road Superintendent Ricky Bullard, is needed to finish out the year.

In a letter to County Judge Mike Holcomb, Bullard said November and December are traditionally slow months for the department because of hunting vacations and bad weather, “however, we still have a few bills from September and October will be a full month of hard work for us.”

Part of those funds will be covered by a check for $33,880.31 that the county received from the federal Department of Emergency Management and Bullard said in the letter “we still have about this same amount due from them.”

In August, the quorum court approved a $250,000 appropriation for the road department to cover some of the costs associated with road repairs that resulted from heavy rains and flooding, with Holcomb saying that some of that money would be recouped from FEMA funding.

Also on the agenda is a $10,000 appropriation request from county building and grounds for work at the Jefferson County Cooperative Extension Service office.

A letter to Building and Grounds Superintendent Thomas Tidwell from Don Plunkett of the extension service said some of the things that need to be done to the building include removing carpet in several offices and replacing it with tile, replacing moldy insulation and ceiling tiles, replacing the kitchen stove and vent-a-hood, replacing the ice machine, and repairing the parking lot and large storage building.

The quorum court will also consider the 2009/2010 budget for the Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program (CSEPP), which totals $607,375.

Of that, $235,500 is designated for special projects, generator and alert notification systems maintenance, medical screening for first responders, and other items.

The remaining $371,875 in the budget will cover salaries and benefits for personnel associated with the stockpile program, supplies, and maintenance costs, among other things.

No money from the county general fund will be needed for the budget since the funds have been approved by the Arkansas Department of Emergency Management and the CSEPP program.

A three-month budget for the Victim Witness Division of the prosecutor’s office is also on the agenda for Tuesday.

That budget calls for an appropriation of $41,144.83, and will cover salaries and benefits for a rape crisis coordinator, domestic violence coordinator, juvenile court coordinator, staff travel and printing brochures.

All of the funds for the budget are covered by federal grants, and no county money will be needed. Because of federal grant cycles, the county’s legislative body will consider a nine-month budget for the office in January.

Print this story   |   Email this story