Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Weather Slows County Clean-Up

Clark County Quorum Court heard how the weather has and will continue to hamper the ice storm clean-up.

Jim Burns, Arkansas Department of Emergency Management (ADEM) coordinator, reported the clean-up is finished in Caddo Valley and Gum Springs, but will continue on the streets of Gurdon. The rest of the county may have to wait for dryer weather.

"The county roads would be severely damaged by debris trucks if they were to proceed while rains fall, contingent upon the weather we have lost a week," he said.

"It's hard to find a place to take debris, the sites are too soft. It won't hold."

Burns conveyed some good to come from all the damage. Unexpectedly, the landfills have benefitted from the ground debris. For some time there had been a recommendation to secure the top soil of the landfills with wood chips. The ground debris has filled this purpose.

TAG Grinding Service of Palmetto, Ga., has received the bid work for the county and Gurdon. "The company has 124 employees and is spending approximately $41,000 per week for the lodging, fuel, food and etc. for this group," County Judge Floyd Manning said

Two inspectors for the city of Gurdon will oversee the work to insure it's done properly.

Burns expressed his thanks and appreciation for many who have assisted and fulfilled their jobs well. "We were very fortunate to have as our FEMA representative, David Waller, who has been fair and compassionate to our county.

"Thanks to all the volunteers, county agencies, Sheriff Troy Tucker, Judge Manning's people and the electric cooperatives. Special thanks to Senator Percy Malone, who, prior to the disaster, provided the county fire stations computers, radios and generators, which proved invaluable during the storm."

Judge Manning echoed Burns's sentiment in thanking the county employees for a job well done.

Committees for the Justices were also finalized. The committees and members are:

Budget committee  Bill Moorman, Bill Conine, Dot Curry and Orville Buck.

Personnel committee  Mike Cox, Jonathan Huber, Albert Neal and Dick Batson.

Reuse committee  Larry Thomerson, Dick Batson and Jim Hatley.

Building committee  John Howard, Jim Hatley and Jonathan Huber.

Equipment committee  Orville Buck, Mike Cox, Larry Thomerson and Albert Neal.

Landscape committee  Dot Curry and John Howard.

"If I changed (a committee member," Manning said, "it's because I needed you some place else." No chairpersons were chosen; Manning has left this to each committee to make that decision.