Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Clark County JPs Do Nothing On Courthouse Issue (cont)

lection committee, get a majority vote of the court and then draw up an ordinance, but King's way was faster.

King said it wasn't his way on how the ordinance came to be. "I didn't rush around putting it together," he said. "I was asked to put the ordinance together on certain properties at certain prices and I did."

Runyan said he has brought three different plans for the courthouse before the court, with the justices taking no action on any of them.

He read a prepared statement suggesting the county try and acquire property in the First and Second and Main street area near the river as it will require moving fewer people and most have already agreed to sell their land to the county without it having to condemn it.

Runyan reminded the court there are about 21,000 people in the county, with approximately 11,000 living inside the city limits of Arkadelphia. The rest, he said, are farmers, ranchers and timbermen who bring their money into Arkadelphia.

He said the city has a one-cent sales tax which could be lost if he doesn't follow the ordinance. The loss of this tax would affect everyone in the county.

Runyan reminded the audience and court he has voted with the 2025 Commission to put the courthouse on Third and Fourth, but suggested it could be better for all to put it at First and Second streets.

However, when all was said and done, the court, with a majority vote, approved the ordinance. But, the ordinance can't be put into effect because appropriation ordinances require a two-thirds vote (or eight votes) of the court.

Because of this, the ordinance will be placed on its second reading at the Sept. 8 meeting. Should the measure be passed by majority vote on three consecutive meetings it will become law and be put into effect.

The properties in question on Third and Fourth and Main are owned by: H.G. Elms, Charles C. and Florence Gosnell, Jeremy Bosley, Michael Barksdale and Gillum, Bob Sanders, D.Q. Meeks, Joy Adams and William Zeagler.

Runyan promised to carry out the court's decision to the letter of the law.