Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Courthouse Looks For Home

By JOHN MILLER

Where, oh where, will the courthouse be built. Where oh where will it be?

This is the question being asked by many residents of Clark County about the Clark County Courthouse.

Before March 1, 1997, the Clark County Quorum Court had made the decision to renovate the old courthouse and add an annex onto it.

When the tornadoes hit and ravaged downtown Arkadelphia, new questions were raised. Primarily why not build a new courthouse.

This idea was tossed around, with three locations considered for a new facility along Main Street. The ideal location was Third and Fourth at Main, with First and Second and Second and Third the alternatives.

However, at a recent public meeting, the people said they didn't want the courthouse to be at Third and Fourth and Main streets.

Because of this, Clark County Judge Grady Runyan said his personal feelings were to go ahead with the original plans and renovate the courthouse and add an annex to it. The county, he said, has already paid for the plans.

Now, Runyan said, a member of the court has suggested doing nothing at this time.

"I tried to talk to all the Quorum Court members," he said, "to get an ordinance ready for an annexation at the next meeting.

"I got a letter from Bill Kirksey suggesting we do nothing; that we should discuss it more."

Now, Runyan said, there is nothing on the table for the courthouse.

Kirksey, the judge said, wants more ideas to be presented and for the county not to rush into an annexation of the facility.

However, Jerry Simmons, with the Twin Rivers Architect firm in Arkadelphia, said the annexation can be done anytime after the renovations are completed.

In the meantime, Runyan said, the county offices will remain in portable trailers and the old Department of Human Services building will serve as the courthouse.

"I feel this winter, when we have to pay for electric heat," Runyan said, "we won't have the money in the budget for it.

"There's never been a year for a county judge like this since March 1, and there won't be."

Runyan said Kirksey suggested there may be plenty of room for the county offices once the old courthouse is renovated.

He also suggested the possibility of the city and county working together for one complex on Main Street.

His other idea, Runyan said, was to add a second story onto the jail complex.

At this time, though, there are no ideas on the table for the courthouse issue.

Rep. Percy Malone, who is on the 2025 Commission, said the commission's primary function is advisory in nature and cannot tell the county what to do about the courthouse.

He said the commission made recommendations about the courthouse being built along Main Street at the aforementioned locations, but nothing was done.

"I don't know what the Quorum Court will do," he said.