Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Road signs stolen

County road signs have apparently been being stolen in one area of the county.

Nevada County Judge James Roy Brown, at the Oct. 13, meeting of the Nevada County Quorum Court, said about 60 signs have been stolen, and it's been all kinds of signs. To prevent this, he added, when the signs were replaced liquid nails was used to secure them to the poles, and the backs of the signs were greased.

There is an ordinance in the county concerning the damage, destruction or theft of county property, including signs. Under the ordinance, the county judge can bestow a $500 reward for the arrest and conviction of anyone stealing or damaging county property.

He said county signs taken were replaced from the road and bridge budget, whereas the 9-1-1 signs taken were paid for through the 9-1-1 funds. In essence, though, the signs stolen are paid for with taxpayer money no matter which budget the funds come out of.

Brown informed the court of a letter he received from Louise Blevins, who addressed the panel at its September meeting concerning the county road at her home. At the September meeting, she said no work had been done on the road for quite some time.

Brown explained how the road crews operate, and follow a circuitous pattern to blade the roads. He said everything is done as weather allows and if the equipment is working properly.

In the interim, road crews had worked on the county road by Blevins's home. In the letter, though, she stated no bush hogging had been done by county crews and road problems still exist.

Brown told the court bush hogging had been done in the area in question within the last week.

"The county roads are my responsibility," he said. "The court's responsibility ends with the budget. I don't know why she keeps bothering y'all. She's called the County Treasurer and County Clerk."

He said bush hogging was done in the area and he would do the best he could with what he had to work with.

"I feel the crews have done a good job for the seven years I've been here," he said. "I feel I've done a good job. I start at 6:30 in the morning and quit at 5:30 in the afternoon. I can't satisfy Ms. Blevins, but I'll continue doing what I've been doing. If she has a problem with the road, she should call me  the quorum court doesn't do the roads."

Brown said all the work done isn't documented because the county doesn't have a road foreman. He said this was his decision as a road foreman would have cost the county about $30,000 a year. "We don't have a road foreman and I don't plan on hiring one."

Justice of the Peace Myrna Waters wanted the court to refuse to hear any subject it had already dealt with or voted on, saying there needed to be a time limit on such issues so the court's time wasn't wasted.

Once an issue has been handled, she said, it doesn't need to come before the court again. According to Waters, the county could legally pass such an ordinance, but it would be up to the quorum court to make the decision.

Willie Wilson, another JP, said he would entertain such an idea, if the issues were dealt with every two years when elections are held.

However, Gary Lewis opposed the idea saying things can change in less than two years and the court could be setting itself up for a lawsuit.

"I've been on this court a long time," he said, "and haven't seen any problem except the one I brought up. We don't need to be restrictive on what a free society can do."

Arval Mason agreed, asking if the court was going to limit what it would hear from the public.

If such an idea were considered, Brown said, he would need to call the Association of Arkansas Counties to see if there were a model ordinance the county could use, and he'd need to talk with county attorney Joe Graham.

"We were elected by the people," Lewis said. "I don't feel we'd be doing our job if we weren't able to listen to the issues."

Waters replied it would be wasting the court's time if, once an issue was voted on, it came back every other month.

"I've been on this court 11 years," Lewis said, "and the only time that's happened I was the one to do it. If it comes up on a regular basis then we'd need to address it."

Wilson moved to table the issue until the court could get a legal opinion on it, with Waters seconding his motion.

The court was informed Tommy Glass, Nevada County Coroner, officially resigned his position. He said his unit had been called up and he will be going overseas. Because of this, the court needs to find a replacement.

The court appointed William Mullins to fill out Glass's term. It also reinstated the coroner's budget it had unappropriated in September. Mullins, by being appointed, cannot run for the office in the 2004 election. However, he had told the court he wouldn't be running anyway.

A budget committee was formed to work on the 2004 budget. The members are Waters, Donny McGuire and Bob Cummins.