Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Thomerson Working On Gurdon's Tax Dollars

Justice of the Peace Larry Thomerson of Gurdon, gave the Clark County Quorum Court an earful concerning the countywide one-cent sales tax.

Clark County Judge Floyd Buddy' Manning has appointed a committee made up of JP's Jonathan Huber, Billy Kirksey, Thomerson and county attorney, Taylor King to gather information on the legality of sharing the tax revenues with the cities of Clark County. This was done at the regular meeting of the CCQC Monday, May 8.

When the county experienced a financial crisis in 1988, the voters passed the tax with the cities turning the revenues back to the county to keep it liquid.

Now, with the county pulling in "adequate" amounts of revenue, according to JP Thomerson, "a resolution should be passed to share the sales tax."

Discussion ensued, with JP's John Howard and Billy Kirksey quick with their research from the Association of Arkansas Counties and comments from the attorney general's office. Leaning on the law, which limits the amount which a city can receive in sales tax, this research reportedly questioned the county's ability to share or return the revenues at all.

Kirksey said, "We don't have any power to return the tax."

Aligning with Kirksey, Howard said, "We can't share."

The committee will most likely have a report on the issue by next month's meeting.

Gurdon's Mayor Rick Smith, who has spearheaded the issue for the cities, was unable to attend court due to the Gurdon City Council meeting, which is scheduled at the same time and date.

Smith still encourages the other cities in Clark County to pass similar resolutions to Gurdon's and Arkadelphia's.

An ordinance was passed to prevent any further "pop-up" budget decisions. JP Juanita Dot' Curry sponsored an ordinance to stop the personnel, budgeting for personnel, and under researched motions passed on the spur of the moment by way of suspension of the rules.' With this ordinance JP Curry believes every JP will now have adequate time for discussion and research for financial issues which affect the county before the court meets.

More importantly, the agenda will from this point on be more closely adhered to.

"It's gotten where half the county budget is done during a suspension of the rules," she said.

During his report, Manning conveyed his disappointment with the rain hindrance of the Maddox branch work. The Maddox branch is located North of the airport just outside of the Arkadelphia city limits along Third Street which runs into the Copeland Ridge Road.

Manning mentioned the energy company, Duke Energy, was on hold for now. Meetings and information exchanges are still being held between the county and the company.

With JP Curry's win on the ordinance still warm, the rest of the court took a notably cool reaction to Curry's motion for assistance with the Master Gardener's who will be landscaping the Clark County Courthouse lawn. With the other JP's silence, Manning requested Curry volunteer to report and assist the gardener's. She accepted.

Chester Clark, boys dean at the Amity Learning Academy, a room full of students and community members were present to speak of their road needs as pertains to the Mountain Road, South of Amity.

Commenting on the hazards and accident prone S' curve, Clark asked the court to surface and straighten the road.

Admittedly, Clark informed the court the main buildings of the academy lay in Pike County.