Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Roof problems plague courthouse

A notable absence at the Nevada County Quorum Courts April meeting was Jon Chadwell.

Chadwell, the former executive director of the Prescott-Nevada County Economic Development Office, accepted a similar job in Newport. Nevada County Judge James Roy Brown said the EDOs Board of Directors is looking for a replacement and still accepting applications for the position.

Normally, Chadwell presented updates on what the economic office had been doing on a monthly basis.

Brown said there are problems with the courthouse roof, which is out of warranty. There are leaks in the 9-1-1 Office as well as the Circuit Clerks Office.

This roof, he said, was rubber and is not in good shape. We need a new roof and have got to do something. I called about a rubber roof.

The roof above the collectors office is rubber, has been patched and leaks as well. We need to get specs for the roof. It could be a serious problem if the metal underneath is corroded. I called about a pitched roof, but it would cost two to four times more than a flat one  if we could put it on.

Two years ago, he said, State Sen. Percy Malone obtained $50,000 for the county for general improvements. None of the money has been spent yet, though only $35,000 has been received from the state. Brown suggested using this money to help get the roof repaired and appropriate any extra funds needed from the county general fund.

Brown was asked about the age of the roof. He said the original roof was put on in 1964, with foam roofing put on in either 1987 or 1988. Since then, the roof has only been patched.

The Court agreed to follow Browns recommendation about the roof. Ill do the best I can to get it as cheap as possible, he said.

Bob Cummings, a member of the Court, asked about continuing training for 9-1-1 dispatchers, with the county to pick up the tab for training.

Nevada County Sheriff Steve Otwell said he has talked with 9-1-1 coordinator Dale Booker about it and it will be done.

Booker said there is money in the 9-1-1 budget for training purposes.

Cummings said the budget committed promised to talk about raises for county employees at this meeting. The road and bridge and solid waste departments have money in their budgets to cover raises, he said, but the Court needs to check other departmentss budgets to see if funds are available for raises. Were looking at across the board raises.

Curtis Lee Johnson, a JP, said there have been people in the road and bridge and solid waste departments asking why they havent gotten a raise when the money is there.

Myrna Waters, JP, said such an action wouldnt be fair to other county employees.

This issue will be addressed at the Courts May meeting.

Brown said the county sold $110,000 worth of equipment at a recent auction, with $40,000 going to solid waste. Some of the items sold included an old trash truck and dozer.

The auction was brought up after it was pointed out the Sheriffs Office is $1,729.24 in the red in its equipment fund and there are cars needing to be repaired.

Otwell said the equipment money comes from the extra $5 in fines. This, he said, could be applied to the deficit until its paid off.

However, NCSO bookkeeper Judy Ferguson said the fine money amounts to about $500 a month and it would take about four months to pay whats owed off. In the meantime, cars need repairs and the NCSO has been told not to spend more than is in the budget.

Ferguson said shes talked with the Arkansas Department of Correction about the money the state owes the county for housing state inmates for 2003-2004. Its a good chunk of money, she said.

Brown said the Court would look at the budget and see what can be done. This issue will also be addressed at the May meeting.