Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Sales Tax Discussed By JPs

Clark County's Quorum Court discussed the details of the county-wide sales tax issue once again at the September meeting.

Justice of the Peace, Dick Batson repeatedly challenged the City of Gurdon and its mayor, Rick Smith, to stand before the court with the cities of Clark County's request for the return of the sales tax revenue. Further Batson said, "If Gurdon is so in need of money, why don't they pick up that $8,000 they have had waiting on them up here?"

Batson referred to the Act 833 insurance turn back money for the fire department.

Both JP Larry Thomerson and Deputy District Attorney Taylor King expressed interest in seeing Gurdon receiving said monies.

King, on the sales tax issue, said "Within a week we will be ready to debate and respond to city's attorney, Mark Stodala."

JP Bill Kirksey said, "We've already gotten two opinions."

"If they take that money, we'll have to shut down the road department," Batson said.

JP Jonathan Hubert expressed his opinion, "We're just going to lose it all if we don't at least talk to them in the middle. If the cities vote on it they'll have 64 percent of the vote."

JP John Howard said, "They don't compromise with us."

Commenting on Mayor Rick Smith's behalf, Thomerson assured the court of Smith's willingness to appear before them. Expressing Smith's suggestion to reschedule the Gurdon City Council's meeting to allow his visit to the quorum court's session next month.

Thomerson was the singularly noticeable exception to the majority of the court's staunch objection to the cities requests. "There's nothing wrong legally with it (referring to the county receiving the sales tax)," said Thomerson. "They (the cities) think the only way to do it is by ballot. If we're not going to compromise with them, we should tell them now."

This was precisely Kirksey's intention as he motioned to leave the sales tax as is. Juanita Dot' Curry seconded the motion. Both JP's withdrew the motion upon Judge Floyd "Buddy" Manning's suggestion to let Prosecuting Attorney, Henry Morgan and Dep. P.A. King proceed with the legal wrangling to keep the sales tax as is.

The court authorized a resolution allowing Manning to apply, on behalf of the East Clark County Community, to the Arkansas Rural Development Commission for a $7,600 grant to upgrade fire fighting equipment.

The grant money will be controlled by the county treasurer, according Howard, who sponsored the resolution.

Clark County Sheriff Troy Tucker will proceed with the planning process for the county jail's new kitchen and requested the time necessary to assure the new jail kitchen will not impede the Baptist Medical Center's cafeteria.

Currently the county spends an estimated $12,000 per month with the cafeteria for the meals served to inmates, according to Tucker.